The course is for registered social workers who wish to gain a qualification as a Social Work Practice Educator. This unit aims to:

• Support the teaching, learning and assessment approaches and methods (building on knowledge and skills gained in Unit 1).
• Develop effective teaching / learning relationships including working with power and inclusivity.
• Promotion of a teamwork approach to supporting and assessing students in practice, including the involvement of other professionals and other agencies.
• Development of own reflective practice including the identification of own further learning and support needs and the transfer of learning to other contexts such as supervision, mentoring and coaching.
• Exploration of use of self, including understanding emotions and how they impact ourselves and working with others.
• Development of communication skills through different theoretical frameworks and rapport building.
• Exploration of how to deal with conflict within the supervisory role and power and anti-oppressive practice.

Please note that this course used to be called Supervising a Learner in Practice.

Intended learning outcomes (ILOs):

By the end of the unit, you should be able to demonstrate:

1. Take full responsibility for managing the learning and assessment of a qualifying social work learner in practice in a work-based learning situation. Ensuring the provision of an effective and anti-oppressive learning and assessment environment whilst maintaining the quality of service delivery.
2. Critically apply appropriate skills, knowledge and attributes to facilitate the development of professional capability in others, using a range of strategies that encourage and support critically reflective practice.
3. Use professional judgement to make decisions about the holistic assessment of the professional capability of learners against agreed objectives and criteria.
4. Critically reflect upon aspects of their own professional development as a practice educator, showing how they integrate appropriate professional and personal values with all aspects of teaching and assessment, using power and authority appropriately and applying new learning to future practice.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of relevant contemporary practice education issues, including evidence of a critical understanding of current theories, research, policies and legislation.

Learning and teaching methods

Within this unit students will encounter a range of learning and teaching methods, including lectures, small group work, directed self-managed learning, seminars, reflective activities and guest speakers. They will have access to a variety of pre-recorded lectures to deepen their learning and understanding.

The main approach to teaching will be reflection and action learning to help students to translate their theoretical knowledge into potential practice applications.

Students will be expected to participate actively in all aspects of the learning process including preparatory engagement with materials and discussion.

This course requires 100% attendance.

Learning outcomes

Having completed this unit the student is expected to:

1. Take full responsibility for managing the learning and assessment of a qualifying student (or equivalent) in a work-based learning situation. Ensuring the provision of an effective learning / assessment environment whilst maintaining the quality of service delivery.

2. Critically apply appropriate skills, knowledge and attributes to facilitate the development of professional capability in others, using a range of strategies that encourage and support critically reflective practice. 

3. Use professional judgement to make complex decisions about the holistic assessment of the professional capability of learners against agreed objectives and criteria including learners who are at the point of qualification.

4. Critically evaluate aspects of their own professional development as a practice educator, demonstrating the ability to synthesise information, gain new insights / develop original responses to problems and show how they integrate appropriate professional values with all aspects of teaching and assessment, using power appropriately and applying new learning to future practice. 

5. Demonstrate an applied and systematic knowledge of relevant contemporary practice education issues and debates, including evidence of an in depth and critical understanding and synthesis of current theories, research, policies and legislation some of which is informed by work at the forefront of the field.

Assessment

The course work comprises:

• Practice requirements must be met and verified, including taking on the role of trainee Practice Educator (supervising, mentoring and assessing) a social work learner in practice and observations of your practice.  This assessment element is marked on a Pass/Fail basis.
• A reflective assignment. This assessment element contributes 100% of the mark for the unit.

Who can I supervise/mentor/assess on placement?

Eligibility and Entry Requirements for Trainee Practice Educators
All individuals undertaking Practice Educator training must be registered Social Workers. Prior to enrolment, Trainee Practice Educators are expected to demonstrate that they are practising at the Experienced Social Worker level (Level 7) of the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF) (BASW, 2018) within their current practitioner role.

In addition, applicants must have a minimum of two years’ post-qualification practice experience, inclusive of successful completion of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE). This experience should provide sufficient breadth and depth of practice to evidence capability at the PCF Level 7 (Experienced Social Worker) standard.

These requirements ensure that Trainee Practice Educators possess the necessary professional competence, autonomy, and critical reflection skills to effectively support, supervise, and assess social work students in practice.

Practice Educator Training Requirements
For individuals undertaking training to become a Practice Educator with Bournemouth University, it is essential that the Trainee Practice Educator supervises/mentors/assesses two different social work learners in practice. A social work learner in practice is a social work student who is formally on an assessed social work placement or, in exceptional circumstances, a newly qualified social worker (please speak with the Bournemouth University course lead if the option of supervising an ASYE is required). This requirement ensures that the Trainee Practice Educator is supporting and assessing practice in line with recognised social work education standards. Individuals such as apprentices who are employed within a social work team but are not undertaking a formal placement do not meet the criteria for this role within the Practice Educator training context.

For Unit 1, the Trainee Practice Educator may undertake the role of Practice Supervisor, Practice Educator, or a dual role (Practice Educator and Supervisor at the same time), provided there is appropriate oversight and support from the employing organisation or agency responsible for facilitating their progression on the course.

For Unit 2, the expectations are more advanced. The Trainee Practice Educator must undertake the role of sole Practice Educator or a sole dual Practice Educator/Practice Supervisor role, with robust oversight and endorsement from the relevant employing organisation or agency responsible for supporting their development and course completion.

These requirements ensure that Trainee Practice Educators gain appropriate, high-quality experience in supporting and assessing social work students within a structured and accountable framework.

Oversight, Support, and Practice Educator Assessor Requirements
Trainee Practice Educators must be supported through their programme of study by appropriate oversight and structured organisational support from the employing agency or organisation responsible for facilitating their progression on the course. This support must include the allocation of both a Practice Educator Assessor who holds a PEPS 2 qualification (or equivalent).

Practice Educator Assessors must demonstrate a suitable level of experience and professional capability to effectively support Trainee Practice Educators, particularly in relation to complex decision-making within practice education. It is expected that individuals undertaking these roles will have substantial prior experience of supervising learners in practice contexts.

Specifically, Practice Educators should have supported approximately five learners (pre- and/or post-qualifying) within a practice learning environment prior to undertaking the role of Assessor or Mentor. This experience should include sustained involvement in supervision, rather than isolated or one-off sessions, and should demonstrate exposure to and management of complexities within practice education. The indicative number of five learners may include those supervised during the Practice Educator’s own PEPS 1 and PEPS 2 training.

In addition, the employing organisation must ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place to provide a suitable social work student on placement, enabling the Trainee Practice Educator to meet the assessment requirements of the programme.