The contribution of social work field education to work-integrated learning

Abstract

This article documents an examination of the role and alignment of social work field education within work integrated learning (WIL) pedagogy. Both social work education and work-integrated learning share a long history of helping students connect with authentic work-related learning opportunities in the context of engagement and partnership with organizations outside of the educational institution, using onsite mentoring. The tensions associated with aligning social work with WIL are explored and pedagogical similarities between the two enterprises are identified. Key tools and processes for strengthening the quality of field education in social work are discussed along with approaches for placement preparation, student supervision and assessment. Three potential contributions that social work field education practice may offer WIL best practice frameworks include the addition of preplacement preparation for students and field educators, professional supervision approaches, and the inclusion of service user feedback within student assessment processes.