Abstract
This thesis presents ten publications (single and joint authored) comprising two book chapters, three chapters in a British Association of Social Work-commissioned publication and five articles in peer-reviewed journals in part submission of a PhD by Published Work. The submitted research, published between 2015 and 2021, focuses exclusively on Northern Ireland. These publications address the connections between practice-based research and innovative curriculum development. There are two core cross-cutting themes in these publications, namely social work education and applied learning from my collaborations and partnerships with social work educators, service users and experts by experience from the voluntary sector in Northern Ireland. This thesis demonstrates how the publications submitted for consideration represent a significant and coherent contribution to cumulative knowledge building for social work education in Northern Ireland.The thesis begins with an overview of the publications and their origins. This is followed with a brief examination of Northern Ireland (geographical, political, economic) and includes an original outline of the development of social work education in Northern Ireland which is presented as a chronology from 1962 to 2020. This thesis critically reflects on the contribution of the published works to the practice of social work education in Northern Ireland. It goes on to explore the collaborations with the voluntary sector and the valuable and distinctive contribution these are making to social work education in Northern Ireland through applied learning, partnership and participation. This thesis concludes with an introduction of a new model, the Peer Learning Bubble Model, which is influenced, in part, by my previous research and my experiences as a social worker, practice teacher, academic researcher and voluntary sector advocate.
| Date of Award | Aug 2022 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Grainne Kelly (Supervisor) & Linda Clarke (Supervisor) |
Keywords
- social work students
- experts by experience
- voluntary sector
- practice based research
- curriculum development