Creative Approaches to Practice Learning

A guide to enable social work practice educators to be more creative in the teaching, supervision and assessment of students.

Practice educators, as social workers, are used to being creative and innovative in their demanding roles in practice. But often they can struggle to find the time to integrate this creativity in the teaching and learning with students. To support a student’s ability to develop their critical thinking, practice educators need to possess and demonstrate a range of different skills and knowledge around models and strategies of teaching, supervision, and assessment.

This concise guide enables practice educators to be more creative in the teaching, supervision and assessment of students. Containing stand-alone, but inter-linked chapters that each cover an innovative or creative approach in practice education, this book provides accessible material and practice guidance to enable practice educators to cultivate a creative approach to learning. This includes contemporary and diverse ideas around the teaching, supervision and assessment of social work students who are undertaking their practice learning placements.

Each chapter is written by a qualified practice educator enabling them to draw upon their experiences of effectively supporting the development of students and the building of a learning relationship. The book bridges theory and practice, providing a straightforward and useful resource for practice educators to draw upon, thus supporting their research-mindedness to inform their practice and contribute to their knowledge-base. Both of which are indicative skills within their expert specialist roles.

In short, the book provides a range of creative approaches, demonstrates their application in practice and helps to build a “creative toolbox” to use within practice.

Heidi Dix has been a qualified social worker since 1997. She first worked as a social worker in an adult team for people with learning disabilities, before moving to work in Children and Family Services. Since 2007 she has worked as a manager within Suffolk’s Youth Offending Service where she has facilitated the development of evidence-informed practice. Heidi is also a Lecturer in Social Work at University Campus Suffolk. Her interests include single gender work, effective and participatory ways of engaging young people within the Youth Justice System, practice education, and exploring a relationship based approach within effective practice.

Aisha Howells is a Lecturer at the University of Suffolk. She leads a Masters-level Practice Education programme focussed on integrating creative approaches to learning. Because of her experience and commitment towards practice, she feels passionate about learning that equips practitioners and students in their busy professional lives and helps them to flourish.