Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 2015 Thinking differently about reflective practice in Australian social work education: A rhapsody Lynelle Watts Edith Cowan University Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses Part of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Commons, and the Social Work Commons Recommended Citation Watts, L. (2015). Thinking differently about reflective practice in Australian social work education: A rhapsody. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1758 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1758 Edith Cowan University Research Online Theses: Doctorates and Masters Theses 2015 Thinking differently about reflective practice in Australian social work education: A rhapsody Lynelle Watts Edith Cowan University Recommended Citation Watts, L. (2015). Thinking differently about reflective practice in Australian social work education: A rhapsody. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1758 This Thesis is posted at Research Online. http://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1758 USE OF THESIS The Use of Thesis statement is not included in this version of the thesis. Edith Cowan University Copyright Warning You may print or download ONE copy of this document for the purpose of your own research or study. The University does not authorize you to copy, communicate or otherwise make available electronically to any other person any copyright material contained on this site. You are reminded of the following: Copyright owners are entitled to take legal action against persons who infringe their copyright. A reproduction of material that is protected by copyright may be a copyright infringement. 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Thinking differently about reflective practice in Australian Social Work Education: A rhapsody Lynelle Watts Bachelor of Social Work Honours (First Class) This thesis is presented for the award of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Regional Professional Studies Edith Cowan University October 2015 i Abstract There are many different ways of thinking about reflective practice in social work education in Australia. This research utilises a musical metaphor to illustrate this diversity. Written as a piece of music with album notes, the study utilises a reflexive methodology with a qualitative mixed method approach. Three studies were conducted to explore how reflective practice is understood in social work education and practice in Australia. The first study examined my own learning and teaching of reflective practice through an autoethnographic process. The findings indicated a range of models of reflective practice potentially available to the educator. Also explored in this study were the kinds of reflection these models make possible and visible to educators and students. The second study traced the emergence of reflective practice within Australian social work education by conducting a Foucauldian inspired archaeology. This study demonstrated the emergence of specific models in social work education and how their adoption has transformed the language and discourse of problem-solving within the discipline through the use of specific kinds of social theory. In the final study qualitative interviews with social work students, practitioners and educators were undertaken. This study explored the beliefs, attitudes and values held by participants about reflective practice. The final study illustrated the social and oral nature of reflective practice within the discipline. Participant interviews also indicated that reflective practice is a significant means for solving problems and building understanding for learning and practice for social workers. Overall, the study establishes that current models of reflective practice could be enhanced if more attention was paid to instructing students in critical reflection skills such as deconstruction, evaluation, critique, problematisation and interpretation. This would contribute greatly to the ability of social workers to effectively test the limits of their knowledge and practice in the interests of the people they serve. The declaration page is not included in this version of the thesis iii Dedication For my grandmother Ada Violet Griffiths (1923 -2012) Miss you iv Acknowledgements This kind of undertaking would not have been possible without the generosity and support of numerous people. I would like to start with thanking the participants who gave their time and expressed interest in the research – it would not have been possible without them. I am also indebted to the many students who have delighted, challenged and inspired me over the years – their dedication and desire to make a difference fills me with admiration and pushes me to do the same. Huge thanks are owed to my supervisors Dr Vicki Banham and Dr Julie Goyder. Both have been integral to the success of this project. My thanks to Julie — who has been with the project from the start — for all her late night texts saying bravo, numerous encouraging emails, for not being afraid of Foucault, for commiserating with me on the vagaries of archaeology, and for sharing the odd bottle of wine (or two). Heartfelt thanks to Vicki — who came into the project a little later but who has been a wonderful contributor —for being such a great source of calm wisdom with her just-in-time approach to supervision and guidance, the gentle nudges to be clearer and more concise and for taking a chance on a few of my ‘creative’ ideas. These words do not really capture my gratitude to them both. The project is what it is through their wise and generous counsel, any errors belong with me. I also wish to acknowledge the support of Dean Lyn Farrell and my colleagues at Edith Cowan University’s Faculty of Regional Professional Studies. In particular, the final stages of the writing were made bearable with their support and understanding about what was needed to bring this beast in. A special acknowledgement to my colleagues in the social work program: Professor Kathy Boxall, Rebecca Burns, Colleen Carlon, Meisha Chalk, Jeni Henderson, Dr David Hodgson, Karen McDavitt, and Dr Marilyn Palmer. I have appreciated their encouragement, conversations and support. v For kindnesses both large and small (really too many to list), I offer special thanks to Dr David Hodgson. My thinking in this thesis has benefited greatly by countless conversations about the state of knowledge in our discipline, the craft of teaching, the demands and pleasures of being an academic, a mutual admiration for the work of Foucault and philosophy generally. David also read early drafts and said the magic words: keep going! Thanks also to David for putting up with being quizzed about all things musical towards the end of the project – he took this with great patience. Thanks to Gayle Hall for reading the final draft of the thesis and giving me such helpful advice and support to keep going in the last days of the project. I appreciate too the time and effort of Dr Nathalie Collins in reading an early draft of my journal article on the autoethnographic stage of the research and providing comment – the paper benefited greatly from her input. Thanks to Graham Hodgson for his support in the final phase of the project where he took my work, cast his keen eye over it and gave it back with lots of little blue and green flags to work through. The work has benefited greatly through his editorial advice. Lastly, there are sections of this thesis and research that have benefited from specific discussions with kind scholars and colleagues. I have indicated where these are in footnotes throughout the text. Lastly, but certainly not least, I have enjoyed the support of a vast network of family, friends and supporters to whom I owe my thanks and gratitude. Rather than hold up proceedings any further, I have instead chosen to offer these thanks at the end of the thesis in a section entitled Album Credits. vi Table of Contents ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................ I DECLARATION ..................................................................................................................... II DEDICATION ...................................................................................................................... III ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................................................................................................... IV TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................................................................................... VI TABLES ............................................................................................................................. XIII FIGURES ........................................................................................................................... XIII ACRONYMS .....................................................................................................................