University College Zealand March 24th 2017 TEMPUS SHESPSS Strengthening Higher Education for Social Policy making and Social Services delivery Curricular Reform 544246-TEMPUS-1-2013-1-RS-TEMPUS-JPCR Final Conference University College Zealand March 24th 2017

Universiy College Zealand’s main aims in SHESPSS project is to: Delivering EU curricula for benchmarking along with good practice examples for inspiration  Outlining Danish educational practices connected to similar curricula with the aim to modernize or detail Serbian curricula through collaboration. Teacher training and peer-to-peer support

Engaging in Work packages 1 and 2 in order to: Support the quality of the curricula development  Contribute to alignment between new courses and needs for competence among Serbian social workers ‘Critical/constructive’ dialogue on course descriptions, curricula composition, learning outcomes and assessment methods Peer support concerning material for the future national qualification standards. 

Study visit in Denmark 2nd-6th of June 2014 Getting inspired by teaching methods in Denmark The Danish Higher Education System Danish BA Programme in Social Work Practice placement The Danish Study Activity Model New methods and teaching activities

Workshop in Catania 3th-7th of March 2015 Existing practice placements of SW students and related regulations in the partner countries from EU-27 Inspiration aimed at improving the theory-practice connection in new curricula Didactical strategies to improve the theory-practice relation in professional BA-programs Mobility paths in Danish SW education.

Review of SHESPSS curriculum materials, Oct. 2016 Comments in conjunction with Biggs’ model of Constructive Alignment with a special focus on: Learning outcomes and modules Range of assessment methods The literature and their relevance with regard to achieving the learning outcomes Strengths of the programmes Areas for development

UCZ – focus on theoretical and practical learning Social work as a practice-based profession (IFSW/IASSW, 2014) requires a combination of theoretical & practical learning Both types of learning are important for students to become professional social workers, and they take place inside and outside the university classroom (through the practice placement experiences).

TEMPUS / SHESPSS Handbook provides an overview of key learning from the project (from the perspectives of EU partners) examples of pedagogical approaches, course designs, lesson plans and assessment methods

Handbook Effective learning strategies to move from information giving/teacher-centred approaches, to those, which are more participatory/interactive and student-focused Including experiential learning and reflection as effective methods to promote deep learning

UCZ’s contribution to the Handbook Examples of practical assignments for students Description of our work with teaching plans Examples of teaching methods, learning methods, forms of work Examples of evaluation and how we try to align teaching, evaluation and learning outcomes Description of our work with development of competencies, which are usable in practice The manner of realizing professional practice – the use of practice journal, self-evaluation of students in practice, practice visits etc.

The Danish Specialized Field Model of SW education The multi-dimensional approach to social problems Moving from class-based learning to “learning by doing” Field learning is regarded as the missing link between theory and professional practice (Parker, 2007)

For the future… Formal learning Informal learning Institutionalised Academic Classroom-based Highly structured Linked to explicit knowledge from lectures, courses, books etc. Field placement Highly unstructured Self – directed Experiential Linked with dayly activities Daily contact with the real world of practice

Continued development of practice placement program: Interact with the real world of the profession and its demands Acquire knowledge about social reality Challenge the student to apply theoretical knowledge taught in academic settings Gaining practical skills necessary for the profession

Experiential learning A process, that links Education Work Personal development. Learning is more meaningful if it has been done through actual experience, because experience is the key to success (Kolb, 1984)