SWK501 Advanced Social Work Practice Theory (8)

• Be able to apply principles of adult experiential learning and critical thinking to their own professional experience;
• Appreciate different approaches to the construction of social work knowledge including positivism, interpretivism, critical/emancipatory and ecological perspectives, poststructuralist approaches; and the relationship between theory, values, practice and research in contemporary social work;
• Be able to assess the influence of the different theories in specific areas of policy and practice and examine tensions within current practice and policy in the light of these theories including implications for ethical practice;
• Be able to reflect on their own practice and theory and that of the organisational/political environment in which they work.

UNIT 1 Principles of adult learning and development of critical thinking. UNITS 2 - 6 Paradigms in social work knowledge: positivism, interpretivism, critical, ecological, post-structuralism. The relationship between policy, practice and research within these different constructions of knowledge. UNITS 7 - 9 Relationship of these theories to managerialism, professionalism, economic rationalism and other organisational issues affecting contemporary social work practice. UNIT 10 Implications for ethical practice: Relating different theories and the Code of Ethics. UNITS 11 - 12 Applications of different paradigms to current practice situations; articulating social works changing knowledge and practice base. UNITS 13 - 14 Clarifying students own professional practice bases, and preferred paradigms and their relationships to the organisations within which they work.