Fear of the personal: Assessing students in practicum

Abstract

This article outlines three exploratory studies undertaken by staff at the University of New South Wales on the assessment of social work students in practicum, particularly those whose performance was considered marginal by staff and/or field educators. The research focused on both students and field educators. The authors argue that ‘the personal’ dimension of the practicum contributes significantly to the assessment process and experience, and moreover, that ignoring this dimension has implications for both professional competence and the quality of service to consumers.