VERPRA20 Practical Studies in Social Education Course description

In this course, students will integrate knowledge from previous courses and apply the social educator work model in practice. The students are to familiarise themselves with the framework for service provision and ensure user participation/provide decision-making support. Students gain experience of the importance of multidisciplinary and interprofessional cooperation in relation to complex issues. The main focus is on participant observation, assessment and testing to identify the need to facilitate change. The students are expected to actively participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of training, health and care work. The target group is disabled persons and/or complex assistance needs.

The course VERPRA20 comprises a total of 2 weeks of seminars on campus, as well as 10 weeks of user oriented practical training in authentic work situations. The seminars take place before, during and after the practical training period. The focus of the seminars is adapted to where the student is in the practical training. Central elements in the seminars are the student role, guidance, synthesizing knowledge from various subjects earlier in the course, professional challenges the students face in practice, knowledge-based practice and written assignments.

The seminars are included in the number of credits for the course. The seminars will total approx. 10 days.

Approved required coursework in the second-year course VERB2300, and all other second-year courses must be passed.

On successful completion of the course, the student has the following learning outcomes classified as knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

• can describe the practice placement’s professional basis and how it describes the purpose of its activities
• can describe the practice placement's quality, notification and non-conformity systems
• can explain legislation and regulations that apply to the practice placement
• can explain case processing procedures at the practice placement
• can explain how the practice placement cooperates with other relevant services/arenas
• can explain the practice placement’s reporting and patient record system
• can explain different specialist administrative systems
• can explain the content and structure of different types of reports used at the practice placement
• can describe how the practice placement uses welfare technology
• can explain his/her own professional role and how multidisciplinary and interprofessional cooperation can be promoted
• can describe factors that can promote cooperation, trigger conflicts and resolve conflicts

Skills

The student

• can identify ethical dilemmas and conflicts of values in service provision
• can protect privacy in connection with data processing and storage
• can ensure user participation and apply professional knowledge in decision-making support
• can apply relevant observation, methods for assessing and testing in cooperation with service recipients to identify goals, needs and interests, and evaluate training and care measures
• can prepare descriptions of measures in cooperation with service recipients and others at the practice placement
• can apply up-to-date and evidence-based methods in training and care measures to promote independence in the service recipient in cooperation with other staff/professions
• can assess the risk of undesirable incidents and, in cooperation with staff at the practice placement, assess and, if relevant, implement measures to prevent such incidents
• can apply relevant forms of communication to communicate and document specialist knowledge adapted to the purpose and target group
• can demonstrate skills that promote cooperation with service recipients, colleagues and other involved parties

General competence

The student

• can demonstrate professional skills in accordance with the applicable suitability criteria
• can compare relevant academic and ethical issues related to social education practice and identify, reflect on and deal with such issues in their practice through professional judgement
• can reflect on his/her own professional practice and adjust it under supervision

The teaching and learning methods include external practical training, lectures, seiminars, group work, individual supervision and self-study. The supervised practical training requires active participation in work at the practice placement.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can receive a final assessment:

• participation in work at the practice placement, minimum attendance of 90%
• 80% attendance at teaching activities and seminars before and after the period of practical training
• submission of completed and signed practical training documents in accordance with given criteria
• assessment in relation to the suitability criteria cf. the Regulations concerning Suitability Assessment in Higher Education
• Delivery of guidance note according to given criteria and 100% attendance in group supervision
• Delivery of guidance note according to given criteria and 100% attendance in individual supervision in connection with the written exam

Combined assessment:

Part 1) Assessment of supervised practical training. The minimum attendance requirement for the practical training period is 90%.

Part 2) Individual written assignment relating to the practical training, up to 4,000 words.

Both parts have to be assessed as passet to receive a final assessment for the course.

Resit assessment/exam: If a student fails one part of the exam, he/she must retake the part in question. Students who fail part 1) practical training normally have to retake the whole practical training course. Students who fail part 2) project exam are given two (2) opportunities to submit a reworked version, since this assignment is so closely linked to the practical training.

Students can appeal the grade awarded for part 2 (the project exam).

The following applies to all practical training courses in the programme

The supervised practical training is assessed as passed or failed. Three elements must be passed in order for students to pass a period of practical training:

• Compulsory attendance
• Learning outcomes
• Suitability

To pass the supervised practical training, the student must have met the compulsory attendance requirement. A minimum attendance requirement of 90% applies to practical training courses. If the maximum limit for absence is exceeded, the student can make up for the practical training/teaching activities missed if practically possible. If it is not possible to compensate for the absence, the whole period of supervised practical training must be retaken. This will result in delayed progress in the programme.

All material allowed.

Pass/Fail

Part 1) The lecturer based on the recommendation of the practical training supervisor.

Part 2) written project exam: All answers are assessed by one examiner.

An external examiner is used regularly, at a minimum of every third completion of the course. When selecting answers for external evaluation, a minimum of 10 percent of the answers shall be included, with no fewer than 5 answers. The external examiner’s assessment of the selected answers shall benefit all students.

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