Crafting a meso practice course using elements of authentic learning for undergraduate social work students in South Africa
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Date
2017
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Western Cape
Abstract
Many teaching and learning practices in higher education, including social work education in
South Africa, tend to be characterised by a transmission mode of instruction, whereby
knowledge moves from the expert educator to the student. This study investigates the extent
to which an authentic learning framework can be used to improve the teaching of meso
practice in social work to a class of 80 second-year students at the University of the
Witwatersrand, South Africa. A modified version of educational design-based research, was
deployed which created a set of guidelines to inform future research and course design.
Design-based research includes an iterative process, however, and the four-phased modified
version of design-based research used in this study deploys just one roll-out of a redesigned
course on meso practice, using the elements of authentic learning (Herrington, Reeves &
Oliver, 2010). Phase 1 consisted of a review of the literature on meso practice education and
the authentic learning framework. Phase 2 involved an analysis of practical problems
identified by six educators and four field instruction supervisors, based on the way they teach
and supervise students in the area of meso practice intervention. In Phase 3 the course was
implemented and evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively by the student participants and
four field instruction supervisors. Phase 4 consisted of a reflection on the entire process, to
produce design guidelines using the elements of authentic learning and the inclusion of affect
in course design. Mixed-methods research was undertaken, incorporating primarily
qualitative data with quantitative data from a survey conducted with the students. Findings
from this study have led to an augmented list of authentic learning elements, which includes
the use of affect in meso practice and the development of guidelines for educators which have
the potential to be relevant and applicable in other courses, contexts and disciplines.
Description
Philosophiae Doctor - PhD
Keywords
Authentic learning (AL), Technology-enhanced learning (TEL), Social work education, Design-based research (DBR), Undergraduate students, South Africa
Citation
Pillay, R. (2017). Crafting a meso practice course using elements of authentic learning for
undergraduate social work students in South Africa. PhD thesis. University of the Western Cape