SBVA4000 Supervised Professional practice and Critical reflection Course description

The objective of the course is to develop a critical and analytical way of thinking about the child welfare service’s activities, and to seek a deeper understanding of the basis and context of one’s own professional practice, role and function. The course is based on the students’ experience of child welfare work, and the students work methodically on critical reflection and analyse concrete experiences from their practical training in seminar groups. 

The practical training comprises four weeks of work in the child welfare field, and can be carried out at the student’s own place of work or other practical training establishment. Cooperation agreements must be signed with the practical training establishments to regulate responsibilities and roles and, where relevant, development and innovation collaboration. 

The language of instruction is Norwegian.  

The student must have passed the course SBV4100 Child welfare and society and the course SVB4300 Knowledge perspectives in child welfare work in order to start the practical training.  

After completing the course, the student should have the following overall learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:  

Knowledge 

The student has 

• advanced knowledge of how children’s and families’ experiences, everyday lives and living conditions influence their situation and relationship with the support system  

• advanced knowledge of how ways of understanding ethnicity, gender, sexuality, class and culture have an impact on interpretation and interaction at different levels of society  

• advanced knowledge of how interdisciplinary and interprofessional cooperation can provide assistance to children, young people and families in vulnerable life situations  

• advanced knowledge of conditions for and the development of measures and methods in the child welfare service 

• advanced knowledge of conditions that impede and promote professional development  

• in-depth knowledge of communication and interaction, including how the use of interpreters affects communication and interaction in the child welfare service  

Skills 

The student 

• can analyse their own contribution in an interaction process, listen and respond to criticism from different parties, and re-evaluate their own assessments and actions in light of new knowledge and information  

• can, in collaboration with others, reflect on what it means to act ethically and well-founded in situations involving conflicts of interests and other conflicts  

• can analyse how factors such as class, gender, ethnicity, age and sexual orientation have an impact on interaction and the exercise of authority in child welfare work  

• can assess whether and how their own and other peoples’ cultural values and practices influence and impact on the situation of children and families  

can use an interpreter, demonstrate an understanding of and assess the quality of the role of interpreting in communication  

General competence  

The student  

• has insight into how the social and cultural norms, attitudes, values and theoretical basis of professionals have an impact on their perception and understanding of and their work with children, families and social issues  

• can communicate with children and parents and other target groups/agencies about the child welfare service’ role, assessments and conclusions  

• can help to coordinate interdisciplinary cooperation in complex situations  

Teaching takes place in parallel with the practical training and varies between lectures and seminar work. In the seminars, students will use a model for critical reflection as a basis for systematic work with their experiences from their practical training. Critical reflection should contribute to a deeper understanding of the foundation and context of child welfare work and promote understanding of how given norms and values, as well as cultural, structural and organisational framework conditions, guide and influence practice. Critical reflection will also help students to increase their awareness of the importance of their own norms and values and their role as professionals in a cultural, political and institutional context. 

The following required coursework must be approved in order for the student to take the exam:  

• Coursework requirement 1: A memo of up to 1 page describing a specific incident from the practical training.  

• Coursework requirement 2: An assignment with a scope of 4-5 pages on problems the student has identified through critical reflection work based on the incident described in coursework requirement 1. 

• Coursework requirement 3: Minimum attendance of 80% in practical training. 

• Coursework requirement 4: Minimum attendance of 80% in seminars.  

If the absence exceeds 20%, but is below 30%, the student can compensate for the absence by additional coursework. If the student’s absence exceeds 30%, it cannot be compensated by additional coursework, and the student cannot take the exam.  

The purpose of the written coursework requirements is to further develop the students’ academic writing skills and their ability to express themselves clearly and accurately in writing. The seminars are linked to the practical training where the students work methodically together on critical reflection and analyse concrete experiences from the practical training.

The required coursework must be completed and approved by the stipulated deadline in order for the student to take the exam. If the coursework is not approved. the student will be given the opportunity to submit an improved version of the written assignments once by a given deadline. 

The exam in the course is an individual written home exam over three days (72 hours) based on experience from practical training. The exam paper must be 10 pages long (+/- 10 %). Font and font size: Calibri 12-point. Line spacing: 1.5. 

All aids are permitted, as long as the rules for source referencing are complied with.  

Grade scale A-F.  

The exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner. At least 25% of the exam papers will be assessed by two examiners. The grades awarded for the papers assessed by two examiners form the basis for determining the level for all the exam papers.