Scaffolding critical reflection across the curricula of a social welfare degree

ABSTRACT

This paper reports findings of the second phase of a formative peer review into the critical reflection curricula in a Bachelor of Social Welfare course in a university in regional Australia. This study investigated the scaffolding of the ‘declared’ critical reflection curricula. It extends the first phase of the review, which was an analysis of the critical reflection assessment tasks; the ‘learned’ curricula (English 1978, cited in). During phase one, the authors learned most students did not engage with critical reflection comprehensively. Therefore, in this phase we critically examined how critical reflection was described in the written curricula throughout the course. Findings revealed the curricula informed students about reflective processes, and linked critical reflection to the development of personal and interpersonal communication skills, cultural safety, ethical practice, empowering practice, and the integration of theory and practice. However, instead of introducing critical reflection incrementally across the entire course, comprehensive and complex descriptions about critical reflection were introduced repeatedly from the beginning of the course. Conclusions include how the authors will use analysis of the ‘declared’ curricula to explicitly guide students through the scaffolding of critical reflection curricula, including incorporating a map of this scaffolding into course-wide learning materials.

KEYWORDS:

• Critical reflection
• curriculum review
• scaffolding
• reflective practice
• critical reflection pedagogy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Louise Whitaker

Louise Whitaker coordinates the Bachelor of Social Welfare at Southern Cross University. She qualified as a social worker in the 1980s, and has worked in mental health, women's health and Legal Aid, Queensland. She currently researches in the area of social work education and networks that support women from refugee backgrounds.

Elizabeth Claire Reimer

Elizabeth Claire Reimer is a Senior Lecturer at Southern Cross University. She has worked in policy and research roles at the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Inquiry into the Child Protection System in the Northern Territory, NSW Family Services Inc., and Uniting Care Burnside. Her research focus includes relational practice in family work, and in men’s behaviour change programs; prevention and early intervention dimensions of the child wellbeing continuum; family work practice; child neglect; and, novice practitioner issues, including developing critical reflection skills.