Team-based learning in social work law education: a practitioner enquiry

ABSTRACT

Team-based learning (TBL) as a model of teaching boasts a robust and growing evidence base, indicating that it is both preferred by students and leads to better educational outcomes. Despite this evidence base, there is limited research into the use of TBL in social work education, and no research into the use of TBL in social work law. This article presents the results of a practitioner enquiry undertaken into the use of TBL with a first-year Master’s cohort of students undertaking a social work law module. Results are based on anonymous questionnaires, student evaluations of teaching, and the observations and reflections of the researcher. Student responses are shown to be overwhelmingly positive, recognising TBL to be a more effective model of teaching content, as well as enhancing team working skills, student confidence and promoting friendships. Students also raised some concerns related to group tensions and dynamics. These findings have implications for teaching the practical application of social work law, an area where social workers and social work students have been shown to struggle, as well as having implications for social work education more broadly.

KEYWORDS:

• Team-based learning
• social work
• social work education
• group work
• social work law
• practitioner enquiry
• higher education
• law
• evaluation

Disclosure statement

The author reports no conflict of interest in this work.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Joe Hanley

Joe Hanley is a social work lecturer at The Open University with research interests in social work education, educational technology and social work policy. He is also currently undertaking a Doctorate of Education at Brunel University London.