Online learning and liminal spaces: an example of innovation in social work field education

Kate Saxton, Sera Harris, Joanne Clarke, Jaimie Barry, Shannon Said

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)
7 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Amidst the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, universities grappled with adapting to online service delivery, particularly affecting student placements in programmes requiring practicum experiences. Addressing this, four Australian Universities/Colleges collaboratively initiated the Supporting Placement through online Access and Community Engagement (S.P.A.C.E) Project, a twelve-month research endeavour. This study, based on qualitative data from S.P.A.C.E, reveals that the project’s success in delivering quality placement experiences hinged on three key factors: (1) the creation of a liminal (or third) space, (2) a genuine commitment to critical pedagogy and (3) the intentional use of online technology for an authentic learning experience. Significantly, the findings have implications for the field of social work by challenging assumptions about online learning, influencing social work theory through the exploration of a transformative ‘third space’, enhancing practice through critical pedagogy and suggesting policy directions that support flexible and viable online modalities in social work education. This research contributes to a growing body of evidence supporting online learning as a flexible and effective means for authentic and transformational learning experiences.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2756-2773
Number of pages18
JournalBritish Journal of Social Work
Volume54
Issue number6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Sept 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The British Association of Social Workers.

Keywords

  • field education
  • online learning
  • placement
  • social work
  • work-integrated learning

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