Export Publication

Justino, E., Santos, G. & Dias, D. (2019). Social work really works: Learning outcomes in Portuguese social work undergraduate degrees. In Gómez Chova, L., López Martínez, A., & Candel Torres, I. (Ed.), INTED2019 Proceedings. (pp. 7723-7733). Valência: IATED Academy.

E. R. Justino et al.,  "Social work really works: Learning outcomes in Portuguese social work undergraduate degrees", in INTED2019 Proc., Gómez Chova, L., López Martínez, A., & Candel Torres, I., Ed., Valência, IATED Academy, 2019, pp. 7723-7733

@inproceedings{justino2019_1716093782987,
	author = "Justino, E. and Santos, G. and Dias, D.",
	title = "Social work really works: Learning outcomes in Portuguese social work undergraduate degrees",
	booktitle = "INTED2019 Proceedings",
	year = "2019",
	editor = "Gómez Chova, L., López Martínez, A., & Candel Torres, I.",
	volume = "",
	number = "",
	series = "",
	doi = "10.21125/inted.2019.1907",
	pages = "7723-7733",
	publisher = "IATED Academy",
	address = "Valência",
	organization = "",
	url = "https://library.iated.org/publications/INTED2019"
}

TY  - CPAPER
TI  - Social work really works: Learning outcomes in Portuguese social work undergraduate degrees
T2  - INTED2019 Proceedings
AU  - Justino, E.
AU  - Santos, G.
AU  - Dias, D.
PY  - 2019
SP  - 7723-7733
SN  - 2340-1079
DO  - 10.21125/inted.2019.1907
CY  - Valência
UR  - https://library.iated.org/publications/INTED2019
AB  - Several scientific areas taught/learned now in higher education follow shared understandings and
references shaped to promote quality and aligned learning outcomes across Europe. The present
study aims to grasp whether the learning outcomes defined for Social Work study programmes and
submitted to quality accreditation by Portuguese Higher Education Institutions are aligned with
International Association of Schools of Social Work (IASSW) and the International Federation of Social
Workers (IFSW). Under the global standards for the education and training of the social work
profession, advocated by International Association of Schools of Social Work, in respect of
programme objectives and expected outcomes, Social Work schools should endeavour to reach the
following:
1 An indication of how the programme reflects the core knowledge, processes, values and skills
of the social work profession, as applied in context-specific realities;
2 An indication of how an initial level of proficiency with regard to self-reflective use of social work
values, knowledge and skills is to be attained by social work students.
This paper evaluates how well Portuguese learning outcomes for social work education are aligned to
a social development paradigm. Developmental social work is a relatively new approach in social work
education internationally, and this article can therefore provide lessons for other countries using this
paradigm in an education model based on learning outcomes. The complexities and difficulties of
using a learning outcomes approach in education are discussed and the policy context for the
development of these standards in Portugal is explained. The use of a social development framework
for the analysis is motivated in relation to its relevance to the social context. Eleven criteria for a social
development perspective were drawn from the literature to form an analytical framework. A content
analysis using this framework was done on the learning outcomes. The results show that the learning
outcomes are generally aligned with social development principles that drive national priorities, but a
few significant gaps exist, which are outlined and discussed. This article attempts to grapple with the
complexities of using these learning outcomes to drive both curricula related and extra curricula
activities in social work education in Portugal.
Using a qualitative methodology, learning outcomes were semantically analysed, by content analysis.
Adopting a qualitative methodological approach, the incidence and the typology of learning outcomes
from social work study programmes was explored. The results analysis allows to understand and
characterize different types of Social Work learning outcomes. In a cross reference, intended learning
outcomes were analysed by the different competencies advocated by International Association of
Schools of Social Work. This analysis will enable to draw some conclusions about the alignment of
learning outcomes of Portuguese Social Work undergraduate programmes with international
standards and guidelines. Results reveal that Higher Education institutions must reinforce several
dimensions of learning outcomes for Social Work higher education students, namely the ethical issues
and the problem-solving, and written and oral communication skills.
ER  -