1. Learning by Teaching: the multilayered learning and teaching experience within the social work practicum
Kay de Ridder
Social Work Student Educator
Westmead Hospital
Sydney, Australia

2. Westmead Hospital Sydney, Australia
Social Work Student Unit
Full Time Student Educator
50 SWs on staff
11-14 students per year
6 universities
Offers direct and indirect placements

3. What is Careers Day? Annual event
Secondary school students learn about SW as career choice
Run by SW students on placement
SW educator directs and oversees
Goal is to educate and attract young people into SW

4. Careers Day Timeline Plan Run Debrief & Evaluate
New student intake April
May
February
May -June

5. Planning Understand Concept Meetings Plan program Invite students
Event management – food, chairs, posters
“Show bag” preparation

7. SOCIAL WORK CAREERS DAY DOWN STAIRS
Attendance
Year
No.
of students of
Schools
2010 64 30
2009 75 34
2008 48 28
Average 62 31
SOCIAL WORK CAREERS DAY DOWN STAIRS

8. Program Registration Icebreaker Assess baseline knowledge about SW
Give information about SW
Small groups
Speed Social Work

9. Information about SW
Student Talks
Student Panels

10. Speed Social Work???? Representation from SW agencies
Small groups of students
8 stations x 7 minutes per station
Students are comfortable to ask questions

11. Multilayered Learning
School Students
Learning
SW students
Teaching
Student Educator

12. Who Learns What? – Secondary School Students
What SW is
University entry requirements
Job prospects
SW role
Breadth of SW career possibilities
Self care strategies
Responsibility for their own learning

13. Who Learns What? - SW Students
Personal Skills
SW Skills
Planning Skills
Meeting procedure
Teamwork
Engagement Skills
Groupwork
How to articulate SW role
Debrief
Evaluation
Confidence
Thinking on your feet
Troubleshooting
Creativity
Public Speaking
Coping with stress
Time management

14. Who Learns What? - SW Student Educator
Students’ strengths and limitations
Use as assessment tool
To trust
Each group of students produces different program
How creative they can be!
Use feedback to plan future careers days

15. Debrief!

16. Evaluations 2010 (data in %: n= 62 )
Excellent
Good OK
Bored
Dislike
Social Bingo
29.5
52.5 16 2 -
Creative Activity 50 37 13
Study options/DVD 76 21 3
Small Groups 55 35 10
Speed SW 71 24
Total 56 34 9 1

17. ☺Evaluations – School Students ☺
“A great day – it was fantastic to learn about the many options for work for a social worker – I’m very interested!”
“The day has helped me realise the areas I want to work in.”
“Very informative”
“Loved it – it’s opened my eyes”
“I now realise social work is for me!”
Tasks

18. ☺ Evaluations – SW students ☺
“I actually know a lot more than I thought I did about social work”
“I learnt how to articulate the values and principles of social work”
“I learnt to speak well in public”
“It improved my skills in drawing out shy quiet students”
“It went very well and we did a great job!”

19. Questions?