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Outcomes of law teaching in social work education: further findings from a cohort study

  • Michael Preston-Shoot
    ,
  • Judy McKimm
    ,
  • Angela Thurnham
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

This paper reports further findings from research on the outcomes of teaching law to social work students on UK programmes. This paper compares the results for students on undergraduate and postgraduate routes to an initial social work qualification. It also analyses the similarities and differences in outcomes between the seven universities that participated in the study. Statistical analysis of students' self-audits of their legal knowledge, skills for practising social work law, and their perceptions of the relationship between law and practice, is explored further by drawing on observations from students in focus groups and interviews with their tutors. The differences which emerge between undergraduate and postgraduate students highlight the importance of practice learning opportunities in reinforcing acquired legal knowledge and in developing skills for applying that knowledge in practice. Law teaching can clearly be seen to impact on confidence levels but to be constrained by lack of time and sustained focus throughout the overall curriculum. The similarities of outcome between different universities suggest the impact of particular orientations towards, and an acknowledged core curriculum for, teaching law within the academic curriculum.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 607-626

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Social Work Education (Volume 32, Issue 5)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 01/06/2012

Publication status

Published - 01/06/2012

ISSN

0261-5479

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/335851
  • Scopus: 84880615705

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