SW0627 - Critical Research Project

Learning and teaching includes lectures, seminars, self-directed study and tutorials. The lectures will give you knowledge on research-related topics and instructions on how to carry out specific activities relevant to your summative assignment (an evidence-informed project report). The seminars include brief focused tasks for you to complete, either within the seminar session itself or during your designated self-directed study. The majority of your learning is expected to take place via independent self-directed study and the use of Northumbria University’s Study Skills Resources focusing on your summative assignment. Individual tutorials for your summative assignment will be arranged with your supervisor, outside timetabled lectures and seminar sessions. As part of the formative assessment and tutorials, you will have the opportunity to discuss/ get feedback about your project topic, the structure and content of your report from your peers and seminar tutors.

There are opportunities for you to receive advice and support from your supervisor while planning and preparing your summative assignment. Your supervisor will discuss with you questions, offer clarifications and make suggestions for specific aspects of your summative assignment including the topic, structure, sources of information presented, recommendations, links with social work practice, etc. You will have access to your supervisors via email, phone and/or one-to-one meetings.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk

Knowledge & Understanding:
• You will demonstrate a critical understanding of research methodology, including research methods and ethics, and be able to use research critically and effectively to sustain and develop practice

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• You will demonstrate a capacity for logical, systematic, critical and reflective reasoning and apply the social work theories and techniques of reflective practice.
• You will gather, rigorously question and evaluate the reliability and validity of information from different sources.
• You will know how to formulate, test, evaluate, and review hypotheses in response to information available at the time and critically appraise how this might inform judgements in practice.

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• You will apply imagination and curiosity to practice issues and recognise how research-based evidence may inform diverse practice settings.

The summative assignment is a 6,000-word written report where you can demonstrate your ability to identify gaps, dilemmas and issues of interest in an area of social work practice that would benefit from further enquiry. The report will require from you to generate research questions or objectives, access and evaluate different sources of information (including structured interviews with practice educators) for your topic, and arrive at recommendations in response to your questions/objectives.

Your formative assessment is a presentation of your project report plan for 10 minutes to the rest of your seminar group and tutor. You will receive verbal feedback from your peers and seminar tutors, which could help your preparations for your summative assessment.

Formative and summative assessment feedback include ‘feedforward’ in preparation for assignments, and ‘feedback’ to identify aspects of your strengths and also aspects which require development.

SW0417, SW0418, SW0419, SW0420, SW0421, SW0422, SW0514, SW0515, SW0516, SW0517, SW0518

SW0623, SW0624, SW0625, SW0626

This module is focused on production of an evidence-informed project report on a topic relevant to social work practice. This is with a view to enhancing your employability by developing project planning and evaluation skills that would be required in most social work and social care settings. Learning and teaching is focussed on planning for and supporting the production of the evidence-informed research report. Formative assessment and feedback are offered by peers, and seminar tutors. By the end of this module, you will improve your ability to inform you future practice with high quality and up-to-date evidence, and engage in effective lifelong learning. This module is the third and final module in the thread which scaffolds learning in relation to critical reflection, enquiry and evidence-informed practice within the Professional Capabilities framework.