AUTHENTIC TEACHING, LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT: REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCES OF FOURTH-YEAR STUDENTS IN A SOCIAL WORK MODULE

Abstract

This article reports on a fourth-year social work module attempting to develop employable social work students rather than preparing students for employment in the context of social work. The Edinburgh Napier University clarifies the distinction: “Employment is about getting a job” and “Employability is about having an effective mix of skills, attributes and attitudes to function successfully in required roles” in the real world of work.

It argues that over and above providing content knowledge, 21st-century skills should also be integrated into the actual module. Recent evidence suggests that there is a missing link between higher education graduates’ learning and their readiness for today’s world of work. The results from this qualitative investigation revealed that students found the teaching, learning and assessment activities challenging, but also reported that these activities contributed towards their holistic readiness for employment