TY - JOUR
T1 - Let’s try to change ourselves first. An action research on experiential learning with social work students
AU - Cabiati, Elena
AU - Folgheraiter, Fabio
PY - 2018
Y1 - 2018
N2 - The article presents an innovative learning activity in social work education. A number of young social work students were asked to ‘try to change themselves first’, starting with a concrete goal of personal change. Fifteen students were accompanied in the direct experience of taking charge of changes within themselves to prepare them to support others’ life improvements in the future. Through focus groups and online diaries, qualitative research was conducted to understand the educational benefits of the activity. Findings show that in trying to change themselves, the students gained basic insights into the key principles of social work practice. These results could inspire social work educators to promote creative opportunities for experiential learning for social work students to stimulate them to become effective and ethical guides for others’ improvement.
AB - The article presents an innovative learning activity in social work education. A number of young social work students were asked to ‘try to change themselves first’, starting with a concrete goal of personal change. Fifteen students were accompanied in the direct experience of taking charge of changes within themselves to prepare them to support others’ life improvements in the future. Through focus groups and online diaries, qualitative research was conducted to understand the educational benefits of the activity. Findings show that in trying to change themselves, the students gained basic insights into the key principles of social work practice. These results could inspire social work educators to promote creative opportunities for experiential learning for social work students to stimulate them to become effective and ethical guides for others’ improvement.
KW - Change
KW - Experiential learning
KW - Qualitative research
KW - Relational social work method
KW - Social work education
KW - Change
KW - Experiential learning
KW - Qualitative research
KW - Relational social work method
KW - Social work education
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/128811
U2 - 10.1080/02615479.2018.1547374
DO - 10.1080/02615479.2018.1547374
M3 - Article
SN - 1470-1227
VL - 2019
SP - 439
EP - 452
JO - Social Work Education
JF - Social Work Education
ER -