Abstract
The importance of field education and practice in student learning has been documented and investigated by educational scientists and scholars. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of field placement and its contribution to training in social work from a student's perspective. Students from a social work program at Qatar University participated after their placements at various agencies and settings in Qatar.
The study utilised a phenomenological approach; data were collected using five focus groups of students. The coding of the student responses to the focus group questions yielded three major themes, classifying the field placements' effectiveness in supporting their learning in terms of: (1) opportunities to link theory to practice; (2) supervision and assessment; and (3) courses that helped them better prepare for the field placement. Challenges specific to each sub-theme are also outlined.
The study utilised a phenomenological approach; data were collected using five focus groups of students. The coding of the student responses to the focus group questions yielded three major themes, classifying the field placements' effectiveness in supporting their learning in terms of: (1) opportunities to link theory to practice; (2) supervision and assessment; and (3) courses that helped them better prepare for the field placement. Challenges specific to each sub-theme are also outlined.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Advances in Social Work and Welfare Education |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |