The utilisation of group supervision in practice education of undergraduate social work students

Date
2002-03
Authors
Williams, Rochelle Christa
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research investigates the utilisation of group supervision in the practice education with undergraduate social work students. Supervision is an component in practice education, as it is the process whereby students are guided and prepared for beginner practice in social work. The practice educator is responsible to plan and organise the students' work, provide leadership in the group supervision sessions and evaluate the work performance of students as set out in the practice education programme. The practice educators grant students the opportunity to learn to integrate theory and practice in social work. The learning needs of the students are assessed and compiled within an educational assessment. These learning needs become the points for discussion for the content of the educational programme. The educational programme is presented in the supervision sessions. Literature strongly supports the utilisation of group supervision in addition to individual supervision. It is necessary that the practice educator determine the individual learning needs of the group of students. The mutual learning needs of the students are addressed within the group supervision sessions, once the learning needs of the group are determined. Group supervision is not utilised in isolation as the practice educator may have to consolidate the knowledge, skills and attitudes of students gained in the individual supervision sessions. The empirical study involved the use of qualitative and quantitative methods in order to explore the theoretical part of the research. The sample consisted of sixteen practice educators (N=16) who are presently supervising undergraduate students at the Department of Social Work at the University of Stellenbosch. This section can be divided into four sections: the nature of the training of practice educators, the knowledge, skills and attitudes of practice educators with regard to the supervision functions of group supervision, the process in group supervision and the general experiences of practice educators when utilising group supervision in practice education. The findings and responsesof the practice educators were analysed and compared with the findings from previous research undertaken by various authors. The study found that although practice educators have a minimum of training in group supervision, they have positive experiences of group supervision. The important aspects of group supervision: the planning phase, the beginning phase and the ending phase in the processof group supervision are dutifully practiced by practice educators. The utilisation of group supervision links effectively with the education system of outcomes based learning and teaching which has been adopted by the Department of Education in Higher Education. The findings of this study can be utilised to apply group supervision to a greater extent in the practice education with undergraduate social work students.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die navorsingstudie ondersoek die gebruik van groepsupervisie in die praktykonderrig van voorgraadse studente in Maatskaplike Werk. Supervisie is 'n komponent van praktykonderrig waarlangs die studente deur die praktykopleier gelei word tot beginnerspraktyk. Die praktykopleier is verantwoordelik vir die beplanning en organisering van studente se werk; moet die leierskap voorsien in die groepsupervisie sessies en moet ook die studente se werkverrigting evalueer soos saamgestel in die onderrigprogram. Die praktykopleier stel studente instaat om teorie en praktyk in Maatskaplike Werk te integreer. Die leerbehoeftes van die studente word gesamentlik bepaal deur die studente en die praktykopleier en word binne die onderrigevaluering uiteengesit. Die leerbehoeftes van die studente is die punte vir bespreking van die onderrigprogram. Die onderrigprogram word aangebied in die supervisiesessies. Literatuur ondersteun die gebruik van groepsupervisie gesamentlik met individuele supervisie. Die praktykopleier bepaal die individuele leerbehoeftes van die studente in individuele supervisie. Die ooreenstemmende leerbehoeftes van die studente word in die groepsupervisie sessies aangespreek, nadat die leerbehoeftes van die groep vasgestel is. Groepsupervisie word nie in isolasie aangebied nie, aangesien die praktykopleier die leemtes ten opsigte van kennis, vaardighede en houdings in die individuele supervisie sessies assesseer. Die leerbehoeftes word in die groepsupervisie sessies aangespreek. Die teoretiese doel van die navorsingsverslag word uitgebrei in die empiriese ondersoek deur middel van die voltooiing van 'n vraelys. Die steekproef het bestaan uit praktykopleiers (N=16) wat tydens 2001 voorgraadse studente van die Departement Maatskaplike Werk van die Universiteit van Stellenbosch geakkommodeer het vir praktykonderrig. Die empiriese studie word in vier afdelings bespreek: die aard van opleiding in groepsupervisie van praktykopleiers: die kennis, vaardighede en houding van praktykopleiers met betrekking tot die supervisiefunksies van groepsupervisie; die uitvoering van die proses in groepsupervisie en die algemene ervaringe van praktykopleiers wanneer hulle groepsupervisie in praktykonderrig toepas. Die bevindinge en response van die praktykopleiers is geanaliseer en vergelyk met die bevindinge van vorige studies wat deur verskeie outeurs onderneem is. Die studie het bevind dat praktykopleiers groepsupervisie positief ervaar, ten spyte van 'n minimum opleiding in groepsupervisie. Die belangrike aspekte van die beplannings-, begin- en die eindfases in groepsupervisie, word baie deeglik deur die praktykopleiers aangewend in groepsupervisie. Die benutting van groepsupervisie in die praktykonderrig van voorgraadse studente ondersteun die onderrigsisteem van Uitkomsgebaseerde onderrig en leer wat deur die Departement van Onderwys in Hoër Onderwys aanvaar is. Die bevindinge van die studie kan gebruik word om groepsupervisie meer effektief in die praktykonderrig van voorgraadse studente in Maatskaplike Werk te benut.
Description
Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2002.
Keywords
Social work education -- Study and teaching (Graduate) -- South Africa, Social work education -- South Africa -- Field work, Dissertations -- Social work, Theses -- Social work
Citation