Learning activities during practice placements: developing professional competence and social work identity of social work students

Figures & data

Table 1. Placement setting (N = 95).

	Placement level in curriculum
	Bachelor students (1^st field placement		Master students (final field placement)		Total
	n = 51	53.7%	n = 44	46.3%	n = 95	100.0%
Placement type
Full-time	51	100.0	41	93.2	92	96.8
Part-time	0	0.0	3	6.8	3	3.2
Placement with
Adult services	25	49.0	16	36.4	41	43.2
Children’s services	24	47.1	18	40.9	42	44.2
Other	2	3.9	10	22.7	12	12.6
Primary line of work
Social work with adults	8	15.7	11	25.0	19	20.0
Probation and after-care	0	0.0	1	2.3	1	1.1
Child protection, family services	23	45.1	18	40.9	41	43.2
Social work with immigrants	2	3.9	2	4.5	4	4.2
Mental health work	3	5.9	2	4.5	5	5.3
Substance abuse treatment/rehabilitation	2	3.9	1	2.3	3	3.2
Health social work	9	17.6	2	4.5	11	11.6
Employment services	1	2.0	0	0.0	1	1.1
Social work with disabled	1	2.0	2	4.5	3	3.2
Social work with the elderly	1	2.0	1	2.3	2	2.1
Other	1	2.0	4	9.1	5	5.3
Placement employer
Municipality/joint municipal board	37	72.5	36	81.8	73	76.8
Supported housing unit	1	2.0	0	0.0	1	1.1
Hospital	11	21.6	1	2.3	12	12.6
Third sector organization	2	3.9	3	6.8	5	5.3
Research institute	0	0.0	1	2.3	1	1.1
State/ministry	0	0.0	2	4.5	2	2.1
Other	0	0.0	1	2.3	1	1.1

Table 2. Regularity of experiencing learning activities on placement (N = 95).

Learning activity	Regularity of learning activity
		Regularly	Sometimes	Rarely	Not at all	Total
Learn about role or function of team or organization		78 (83.0%)	13 (13.8%)	1 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	94 (98.9%)
Time to discuss and reflect on practice skills		75 (78.9%)	16 (16.8%)	3 (3.2%)	0 (0.0%)	94 (98.9%)
Observed practice of social workers in agency		74 (77.9%)	6 (6.3%)	8 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	88 (92.6%)
Practice of student was observed		68 (71.6%)	20 (21.1%)	6 (6.3%)	0 (0.0%)	94 (98.9%)
Discussed feelings and values about practice		68 (71.6%)	18 (18.9%)	6 (6.3%)	2 (2.1%)	94 (98.9%)
Provided with formal social work supervision		65 (68.4%)	20 (21.1%)	8 (8.4%)	1 (1.1%)	94 (98.9%)
Prepared and assisted to learn new skills		64 (67.4%)	20 (21.1%)	8 (8.4%)	0 (0.0%)	92 (96.8%)
Learn about resources, systems, and networks		62 (65.3%)	25 (26.3%)	4 (4.2%)	0 (0.0%)	91 (95.8%)
Reflected critically about role of social work		55 (57.9%)	29 (30.5%)	10 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	94 (98.9%)
Learn about legislation, policies, and procedures		52 (54.7%)	28 (29.5%)	11 (11.6%)	2 (2.1%)	93 (97.9%)
Learn about service user population		49 (51.6%)	29 (30.5%)	9 (9.5%)	2 (2.1%)	89 (93.7%)
Given constructive feedback about progress		48 (50.5%)	37 (38.9%)	8 (8.4%)	2 (2.1%)	95 (100.0%)
Linked practice to national Code of Ethics		39 (41.1%)	27 (28.4%)	14 (14.7%)	9 (9.5%)	89 (93.7%)
Provided time to link practice to theory		35 (36.8%)	26 (27.4%)	28 (29.5%)	3 (3.2%)	92 (96.8%)
Link tasks with the placement requirements		35 (36.8%)	27 (28.4%)	20 (21.1%)	11 (11.6%)	93 (97.9%)
Provided with reading material and theory		29 (30.5%)	42 (44.2%)	19 (20.0%)	3 (3.2%)	93 (97.9%)

Table 3. Usefulness of learning activities for developing practice competence and a sense of social work identity (N = 95).

	Usefulness for developing practice competence				Usefulness for developing a sense of social work identity
Learning activity	n	M †	SD	% rating as very useful ‡	n	M †	SD	% rating as very useful ‡
Learn about role or function of team or organization	93	3.62	.51	63.4	92	3.63	.51	64.1
Learn about service user population	92	3.37	.66	45.7	91	3.31	.73	44.0
Learn about resources, systems, and networks	93	3.56	.54	58.1	92	3.40	.65	47.8
Learn about legislation, policies, and procedures	92	3.54	.54	56.5	91	3.52	.60	57.1
Observed practice of social workers in agency	90	3.64	.55	67.8	88	3.73	.47	73.9
Practice of student was observed	88	3.35	.71	48.9	87	3.48	.65	55.2
Prepared and assisted to learn new skills	88	3.68	.52	70.5	86	3.72	.50	74.4
Provided with reading material and theory	88	3.03	.82	33.0	86	3.03	.83	33.7
Discuss and reflect on practice skills	92	3.74	.44	73.9	90	3.70	.57	74.4
Provided time to link practice to theory	82	3.26	.68	39.0	83	3.19	.74	38.6
Given constructive feedback about progress	91	3.73	.52	75.8	89	3.73	.54	76.4
Discussed feelings and values about practice	91	3.63	.57	67.0	89	3.65	.55	68.5
Reflected critically about role of social work	91	3.64	.53	65.9	88	3.68	.52	70.5
Provided with formal social work supervision	90	3.41	.70	52.2	89	3.40	.70	51.7
Link tasks with the placement requirements	91	3.02	.70	22.0	87	3.01	.69	21.8
Linked practice to national Code of Ethics	89	3.33	.70	43.8	88	3.51	.61	56.8

† Higher score reflects a better rating (scale 1–4)

‡ Organized by question-order; % ratings as very useful highlighted when over 60%

Table 4. Regularity of learning activities and feelings of practice competence and a sense of social work identity (n = 94).

STEP 1 (split into 3)	Feelings of practice competence			Sense of social work identity
Overall regularity score	Yes	No	Total	Yes	No	Total
Low regularity	22 (68.8%)	10 (31.3%)	32 (100%)	23 (71.9%)	9 (28.1%)	32 (100%)
Medium regularity	22 (75.9%)	7 (24.1%)	29 (100%)	24 (31.6%)	5 (17.2%)	29 (100%)
High regularity	27 (81.8%)	6 (18.2%)	33 (100%)	29 (38.2%)	4 (12.1%)	33 (100%)
Total	71 (75.5%)	23 (24.5%)	94 (100%)	76 (80.9%)	18 (19.1%)	94 (100%)
	Χ^2 = 1.504; df = 2; p = .471			Χ^2 = 2.786; df = 2; p = .248
STEP 2 (split into 2)	Feelings of practice competence			Sense of social work identity
Overall regularity score	Yes	No	Total	Yes	No	Total
Low regularity	34 (70.8%)	14 (29.2%)	48 (100%)	35 (72.9%)	13 (27.1%)	48 (100%)
High regularity	37 (80.4%)	9 (19.6%)	46 (100%)	41 (89.1%)	5 (10.9%)	46 (100%)
Total	71 (75.5%)	23 (24.5%)	94 (100%)	76 (80.9%)	18 (19.1%)	94 (100%)
	Χ^2 = 1.172; df = 1; p = .279			Χ^2 = 3.988; df = 1; p = .046