HS391-6-FY-SO:
Critical Reflection and Professional Challenge
2023/24
Health and Social Care (School of)
Southend Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 6
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 28 June 2024
15
05 September 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA L500 Social Work,
BA L500CO Social Work,
BA L550 Social Care,
BA L550CO Social Care
At the core of this module will be opportunities for the student to bring together some of their learning over the course of the degree and to think about their future development and the future of social work.
The module focuses on the centrality of Critical Reflection within social work practice and reflects the increasing awareness of the role of professional challenge in interdisciplinary and partnership working.
Critical reflection and professional challenge are significant contemporary issues within social work: Domain 6 of the PCF Critical Reflection and Analysis states the core principles of “critical thinking and reasoned discernment” “augmented by creativity and curiosity” as central approaches to effective social work.
On successful completion of this module, the [learner] will be able to:
1. Analyse and explore the research and evidence base of reflection, critical reflection and effective social work practice drawing conclusion and recommendations.
2. Explore and evaluate the inter-relationship of critical reflection and professional challenge within contemporary social work practice and the social worker role.
3. Develop and reflect critically on strategies and approaches that promote professional challenge for self, others and organisations.
Serious case reviews frequently highlight professional challenge, the lack of it and the difficulty of undertaking it as significant contributory factors for systemic failures. The module will support students to explore this element of professional challenge and how to engage in effective and supportive challenge.
The module will provide opportunities for student to explore issues and concerns related to critical reflection and professional challenge. The focus of those sessions will be responsive to the needs and interests of the students and to contemporary and current issues but could include: cultural assumptions about critical reflection such as the appropriacy of the approach for everybody; the principles and approaches adopted within organisations around self-disclosure and emotional exposure; the efficiency of critical reflection based on research and evidence based practice and the context-specific nature of critical reflection.
The module will also encourage the student to examine their own practice, to integrate theoretical, legislative and ethical considerations into their approaches or methods to start developing a personal model of best practice. Professional challenge of self, others and organisations is an element of this model and is both responsive to and informing of the students professional decision making process.
Overview:
The module will combine a number of different teaching approaches, incorporating lectures, group work, computer skill based sessions and student led session to introduce key concepts in social work practice while relating it to everyday practice.
Lectures:
Lectures by module lead, Experts by Experience and colleagues.
Independent:
Small/ PBL group work and independent work on searching the literature and any research related activities. Practice and presentations to be discussed on sphere of practice.
Placement:
Students attend 100 day placement in their third year and learning from this is utilised in this module
Online:
Online resources will be made available on Moodle.
Tutorials:
It is the student’s responsibility to seek tutorial support as needed.
Skills:
As part of their independent learning the student will be expected to engage in a range of research related activities: searching the literature, visiting the library, attending seminars and participating in conferences (where appropriate).
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Presentation |
|
100% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Mrs Helen Jocelyn, email: hjocel@essex.ac.uk.
Helen Jocelyn
Sarah Wiblin
T: 01702328229
E: ugsocialworkqueries@essex.ac.uk
No
No
No
Dr Panagiotis Pentaris
Goldsmiths, University of London
Programme Leader
Mr Richard Ashiagbor
London South Bank University
MA Course Lead
Available via Moodle
Of 30 hours, 25 (83.3%) hours available to students:
5 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
Disclaimer: The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its Module Directory is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can
be necessary to make changes, for example to programmes, modules, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include a change of law or regulatory requirements,
industrial action, lack of demand, departure of key personnel, change in government policy, or withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to modules may for example consist
of variations to the content and method of delivery or assessment of modules and other services, to discontinue modules and other services and to merge or combine modules.
The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications and module directory.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.