BV3100 Professional practice – Professional work and critical reflection Course description

This course comprises supervised professional practice in a workplace where the student will gain experience with work of relevance to child care and welfare. The course also includes one seminar that prepares the student for practical training and one that summarises and concludes the training period. During the practical training period, the students will gain experience that promotes the integration of theory and practice, academic progress and personal development. Under supervision, the students will practise using critical and ethical reflection as well as practical skills.

Practical training is unpaid.

The student must have completed and passed the second year of the Bachelor Programme in Child Care and Welfare.

Knowledge

The student

• has knowledge of how the different places of practice are organised and the mandate that governs their activities
• has broad knowledge of interdisciplinary, inter-agency and interprofessional cooperation
• has good insight into how child welfare work is carried out in a power context
• has broad knowledge of applicable legislation of relevance to the field of practice
• has broad knowledge of how children’s and parents’ participation can be facilitated and how this is done where the student have their practice
• has knowledge of and can assess the risk of undesirable incidents and is familiar with methods for following this up systematically
• has knowledge of professional ethics, ethical values, dilemmas and issues that has relevance to where the student have their practice
• has knowledge of service development and innovation processes at the place of practice

Skills

The student

• can prepare, implement and evaluate conversations and cooperation with children and their families
• can plan, implement, document, evaluate and communicate measures in cooperation with children and/or parents (depending on the place of practice) based on the child’s best interests
• can cooperate across professions and fields of work
• can apply knowledge-based methods, theories and professional judgement in the best interests of the child and family in social therapy and other child care and welfare work
• can document their own learning process 
• can master written genres in use at the place of practice
• can use their experience and knowledge to critically and ethically reflect on their own and the service’s practice

General competence

The student 

• has knowledge of and experience in investigating, adapting and implementing child care and welfare work in an ethical and professionally responsible manner, as well as in analyzing and evaluating child care and welfare work
• can document and communicate professional assessments verbally and in writing  
• has knowledge of and the ability to safeguard the rights of children and their families
• has knowledge that contributes to ensuring equitable services in a diverse society
• has insight into and the ability to identify ethical dilemmas and can give grounds for professional and ethical decisions
• can critically reflect on their own and the service’s practices, and take part in professional discussions
• has knowledge of and the ability take part in and benefit from guidance
• can reflect on how their own life experience and values can be challenged when encountering other people’s perspectives, positions and cultural backgrounds  
• can demonstrate understanding, empathy and recognition when working with children and their families in vulnerable life situations

The course is centred around adapted practical training where the students must engage in, cooperate and reflect on their own and other’s experience. The students are appointed a supervisor at the practical training establishment and will receive individual supervision once a week. At some practical training establishments, the students may also receive group supervision, which will compensate for some of the individual supervision. The students will be followed up by a contact lecturer from the programme in the course of the practical training period. A seminar is held at the university to prepare the students for their practical training beforehand, and a discussion workshop will be held afterwards. The seminars comprise lectures combined with group work

There are four coursework requirements/compulsory activities in this course:

1) Draw up own learning objectives 

2) Own evaluation of practical training 

3) Approved practical training

Absence is only accepted in connection with illness and/or leaves of absence approved by the university. The maximum limit for absence is 20%; see the rules for practical training. The supervisor must document attendance in practical training.

The student's working hours are stipulated on the basis of the normal working hours for the workplace in question.

4) Attendance at the pre-practical training seminar.

The attendance requirement for compulsory teaching activities is 80%. If a student's absence exceeds 20%, a coursework requirement is set to compensate. If a student's absence exceeds 40%, they lose the right to take the exam. 

Each student is responsible for ensuring that their attendance is documented. The length of the teaching days will vary, and it is each student's own responsibility to stay informed about the teaching schedule.

All required coursework must be completed and approved by the given deadline in order for the student to take the exam.

The exam is an individual written home exam with a scope of 8-10 pages which the students work on during the period of practice and deliver short before the end of the practice periode. 

Attached to the practical training assignment is an overview of the self-chosen syllabus of 300 pages. Further information about the criteria for self-chosen syllabus is given in the practice-related seminar.

Candidates who fail or who were absent from the ordinary exam for a valid reason can take a resit/rescheduled exam.

Any resit or rescheduled exams will be organised in the following semester. 

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

Grade scale A-F.

All exam papers are assessed by one internal and one external examiner.