The integration of theoretical and practical knowledge from the experience of Social Work practitioners in the training of students through active and participative methodologies

Abstract

In undergraduate studies in social work, a series of competency objectives related to the theoretical, methodological and attitudinal knowledge contemplated in the discipline’s educational curriculum are established, as set out in the White Paper on the Degree in Social Work. The incorporation of active and participative methodologies in the teaching-learning processes favours student acquisition of these contents. Likewise, in the teaching-learning processes, the use of didactic resources that connect theoretical knowledge with the exercise of professional practice favours student understanding of the curricular subjects.  This study aims to analyse the impact that theory has on social intervention for active social workers in order to create theoretical-practical content for the subject of Introduction to Social Work Models at the University of Granada. The methodology applied incorporates documentary work and the development of three discussion groups, in which 18 active social work professionals participated. The analysis of the speeches generated in these groups has served as a resource for the development of a flipped-classroom with students taking the Introduction to Social Work Models course at the University of Granada. The analysis has been conducted around three categories: the value of theory in professional practice; roles, purposes and theoretical models underlying social work; and the social work of the future. The results show how social work professionals attach great importance to theory as a guide in their professional practice, preferably approaching it from systemic and humanist theoretical models and opting for the recovery of community and critical-transformative theoretical approaches.