Investigating approaches to the teaching of research on undergraduate social work programmes: A research note

Abstract

This paper presents findings from a scoping review of curriculum delivery methods for research teaching in under graduate social work education. The review was conducted by a working group of the JUC SWEC research committee following the introduction of a new degree by the Social Work Reform Board. The paper draws on data from a mixed methods study, in which five models of research teaching were identified by a qualitative study, together with findings, which mapped how commonly the models were adopted, from a survey of sixty universities of all four countries of theUK. These models are discussed in relation to anticipated learning outcomes: research-informed teaching; educated consumers of research; research-mindedness; research capacity and reflective practitioner researchers. It is less than a decade since the Economic and Social Research Council (the government research council for the social sciences) first recognised social work as a distinct discipline; in this period, social work educators have taken innovative approaches to underpin teaching and practice learning by research. The study implications are that a larger study should provide evidence for the learning outcomes associated with different approaches.