An Existentially Based Approach to Teaching Social Work Practice

Abstract

This paper examines the integration of theory and practice in relation to facilitating and hindering features of traditional and innovative patterns of class-field arrangements. It suggests that integration requires efforts to assist learners to relate both applied and academic aspects of their education to themselves as they become social workers. This conception led to the design of a learning environment containing both practice-relevant information and application experiences. The nature, processes, structure and specific tasks comprising the learning environment are described and the limitatives and advantages of this approach discussed.