Critical incident analyses: A practice learning tool for students and practitioners

Abstract

The development of critical skills in social work students and practitioners has been a major focus of social work education and training in recent years. Critical incident analysis has developed as a tool to aid critical reflection in practice, in health and social work. This paper provides an overview of the use of the tool in these fields. It then reports on a demonstration project which sought to examine how critical incident analysis might be used as a form of assessment and as a supervisory tool by social work students and practice teachers. An evaluation of the project is provided. Completion of critical incident analyses using the framework was found to provide a structured approach to critical reflection. It assisted the integration of theory and practice and the examination of value issues. Students and practice teachers identify its use in supervision and its potential as an assessment tool. The paper concludes with a discussion on the potential uses of critical incident analyses, with particular attention given to its use to develop anti-oppressive practice.

Keywords:

• critical incident analysis
• anti-oppressive practice

Acknowledgements

This research was funded and supported by the Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education (www.sieswe.com). The authors would like to thank the staff of the South Lanarkshire Practice Learning Centre and the practice teachers and students who took part in the demonstration project.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pam Green Lister

Pam Green Lister, PhD is a senior lecturer at the Glasgow School of Social Work. She has worked as a social worker and senior social worker. Her research and teaching interests include learning and teaching in social work education, social work theory and practice, and feminist approaches to child sexual abuse and child protection

Beth R. Crisp

Beth R. Crisp, PhD is Associate Professor in Social Work at Deakin University in Australia. She was previously a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Glasgow. Together with Pam Green Lister and other colleagues at the University of Glasgow, she has been involved in several projects concerned with developing effective learning and teaching in social work education