Practice Educator experiences of holistic assessment using - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Practice Educator experiences of holistic assessment using the PCF

Pam Field – UCLAN Cathie Jasper – MMU NOPT conference October 2014Slide2

Context of research

PCF and holistic assessment – basis for assessing students on placement from 2013-14

PCF – national standards; different local implementation- Some HEIs moved to assessing

all current students 2013-14; others just first placement studentsDiffering portfolio requirements within partnerships

Holistic assessment – ‘different conceptual approach’ to assessment of students on placement (

TCSW

, 2012c, p.1

)Slide3

Aims of research

Collaboration between two HEIs – MMU and UCLAN – differing portfolio requirements. Aim – to maximise data and contrast and compare experiences

Aims :

to gain PEs’ views and experiences on:

using the PCF to assess students, positive benefits and challenges

Portfolio elements and requirements and their usefulness in underpinning PEs judgements

Effectiveness of PCF in helping to identify and assess weaker aspects of student practiceSlide4

Study design

MMU - 36 PEs, onsite and offsite PEUCLAN – 56 PEs , onsite and offsite PE

n = 22 participated (majority were ‘experienced’ PEs and Stage 2 off site PEs and this was their first experience of assessing under the PCF)

Completion of electronic questionnaire (n = 22); detailed questions;

free text

responses

Attendance at focus group (n = 9)

n = 26 participated

(

m

ajority

were ‘experienced’

PEs; 1/3

rd were Stage 2; majority were on site PEs and this was NOT their first experience of assessing under the PCF) Completion of electronic questionnaire (n = 23): detailed questions, free text responsesAttendance at focus group (n = 3)Slide5

PCF - positive comments…..

I have fully embraced the freedom of assessment under the PCF’(feel positive about) ‘the opportunity to think more widely with students about their development as social workers’‘it is a far better experience for me and the student’ ‘it has made the PE role more enjoyable and allows for more reflective and analytical supervisions with students’Slide6

Emerging themes – shared

Applicability and flexibility of PCF

Developmental nature of PCF – supporting student learning and

identifying weaker students

Role of PCF in defining social work

– as an approach - and developing professional

identity

Reflection and supervision – the supporting trunk of

holistic assessment

…..

the tree of holistic assessmentSlide7

PCF…….the sun shining through the branches of a tree…..

Sun , growth and development (PCF); branches responding, reaching up and looking forward but need to pay attention to the roots and the stem for continued healthy growth and development ; also , what is obscured, what is exposedSlide8

Applicability and flexibility of PCF

To different settings and to different

studentsIncluding ‘non social work’ settingsStudent encouraged to engage with wider variety of work; less constraining than the Key Rolesit keeps the focus firmly on good practice and implementing theory within practice , which sometimes got a little lost in the frenetic pace of the key roles and scrabbling about for ‘suitable tasks’ to complete in order to tick a

box Frees

up the PE

; focus on the learning journey;

more enjoyable

experience for PE

(

Outliers - one in each group , PCF vague, broad and obscures specific social work skills)Slide9

Developmental nature of PCF

PCF as supporting student learning – domains required reflection and analysis of practice

PCF graded levels – focus on the flow of the learning journey

Identifying, supporting and assessing weaker students – different emphasis

-

MMU - support and tool for PEs to assess / fail

- UCLAN

- defining areas of strengths and for

development

with the student; PCF used

constructively to map development

‘

it measures progress rather than achievement’‘it (the PCF) just encourages the students to identify themselves (what they are achieving)’Slide10

Social work

as an approach and developing professional identity

Defining

social work as an approach ; broad sense not as series of tasks

PCF ‘opening up’ areas for students – encouraging reflection; wider engagement with areas of work

PCF encouraged awareness and link to ongoing and future development

Slide11

Reflection and supervision

Focus, content and use of supervision had changedStudent reflection and ‘talking through’ at the heart of

supervision ‘It’s an active conversation each week in your supervision’Relationships within

supervision highlighted, particularly for UCLAN PEs

Slide12

Areas of difference

The portfolio and ‘paperwork’ – it does make a difference (…learning partnership or ‘weight’ of PE

responsibility)PCF used to

identify weakness (fail) or strengths and areas for development

Relationships

within the

placement

…findings and reflections on the reasons…..Slide13

The portfolios….

UCLAN portfolioMMU portfolio

Practice Learning AgreementMid-Point Development Plan

Final ReportDirect Observations3 Critical Analysis of Practice

Practice Learning Agreement

Interim Review

Final Report

Direct Observations

Critical reflection on Practice

Critical reflection on Professional and personal development

2 pieces of service user feedback with student critical reflectionSlide14

Areas of difference

1.

The portfolio does make a difference to PEs experience – is it seen as a support for student learning and the ‘learnins partnership’ or as ‘onerous paperwork’

UCLAN PEs – liked Critical Analysis of Practice and Mid-Point Development

Plan; perception that student engaged with PCF

- MMU PEs – paperwork and forms onerous and PE dominated; impact – students had limited engagement with the PCF and the portfolio; ‘weight’ of responsibility on PESlide15

Areas of difference

PCF

used to identify weakness (fail) or strengths and areas for development

3. Relationships within the

placement

UCLAN – learning partnership with

student

‘

-

MMU –

greater focus on significance of relationships with

on site supervisors and tutorsSlide16

Study limitations and further research

Further research:Final placement, PEs in statutory settings

PE experience and familiarity with assessing under the PCF , does it make a difference to portfolio/paperwork considerations?Implications for PE training and standards – relational aspect of holistic assessment

Limitations

:

No

student voice

First placement, all non statutory settings

Not all PEs were social workers where on site PEsSlide17

The tree of holistic assessment

PCF…….the sun shining through the branches of a tree

…..

Pay attention to the trunk and the roots – reflection; supervision; the learning partnership; portfolio/paperwork that engages student and enhances learningSlide18

Group activityQuestions to consider:

How useful is the PCF in helping a student develop their professional identity as a social worker in both first and

final placements?What implications does the use of the PCF and holistic assessment have for the training of PEs and their assessment

under the PEPs? How useful have you found the PCF as an assessment framework?

How have you changed your practice as a PE since the introduction of the PCF and holistic assessment?Slide19

References and contacts

TCSW (2012c) Use of the PCF and Assessment Criteria for Practice Learning, London: TCSW [Online][Accessed on 1.3.14]. Available from: http://www.tcsw.org.uk/uploadedFiles/TheCollege/_CollegeLibrary/Reform_resources/Practice-Learning-Guidance(edref8).pdf

Cathie Jasper – C.Jasper@mmu.ac.uk

Pam Field –

PField@uclan.ac.uk