Global Curriculum Development for Social Work: SWIPE Project Overview

SWIPE : Cross-national curriculum development for globalised praxis. Janet Williams, Peter Nelson, Sheffield Hallam University

This presentation will cover: • The SWIPE project in Socrates Erasmus: possibilities and challenges • SWIPE • Who we are and what we did • Aims and Outcomes • Globalisation and internationalising the Social Work Curriculum • Evaluation • Questions and learning from our European collaboration. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

1. Socrates - Erasmus • Higher Education Institutions are supported, through the Socrates-Erasmus Action, to meet European Union social and economic objectives: • Social cohesion (Maastricht Treaty 1992) • Prepare citizens to be competitive in a globalised economy (Lisbon Strategy). Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Socrates • ‘The Socrates-Erasmus Action encourages co-operation between universities across Europe and supports mobility of students and staff in higher education, the development of joint programmes, courses and the development of thematic networks.’ • Funding is available Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

European collaboration • Convergence of educational systems ‘Bologna Agreement’ and European Credit Transfer (ECTs) – modules and courses can be used across Europe. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

2. SWIPE Six European universities Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

OUTPUTS2 year curriculum development project. • Audit of practice learning in each country • A Common Module– framework for delivering learning and teaching • Curriculum and menu of learning teaching assessment materials - college and 'on site' • Bibliography • Dissemination – locally, nationally and internationally • Web site http://extra.shu.ac.uk/swipe • Conference. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Funded Activities include: • Staff time; each partner- tutor and practice educator (administrator, technicians) • Regular local network meetings • Four meetings of all partners • Briefing Visits (2) to Brussels • Conference (19 September) • Translation costs Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Tartu 3rd meeting Vilnius 2nd meeting Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Module Focus: Globalisation • Reasons for movement of people, capital and ideas and their social and economic impact: implications for social work practice. • Policy context, international, national and regional • Social work responses, policy and practice (what works elsewhere and why?) • Recognise and celebrate difference. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

The module is based on: • Learning outcomes - at the end of the module successful students will be able to: • Reflect upon and understand personal, professional and cultural values • Identify cross-national social problems • Make cross national comparisons (learning from others) • Identify processes of cross national and cultural communication • Engage in empowering practice with marginalised groups. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

SWIPE: Working together and mirroring the process of dealing with difference • Language, terminology, communication • whose English and false friends? • whose ‘take’ on social problems • where to start and what questions to ask? • Organisational arrangements – doing similar things in different ways? • Fun for progress – time together, group work skills. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Is this enough? • I Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Is social work an international activity? • Do we have a role as social workers in international affairs? • Is there a community of ‘social work’ that can speak with one voice in international affairs? • Do our differences and commonalities divide or unite us? Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Why Internationalise the curriculum? • EU agenda • UK Academic Benchmarks and Occupational Standards • Shaking ethnocentric/Eurocentric focus through learning from other societies • Challenging parochial ideas of evidence • Critical engagement with personal and professional assumptions (hegemony) • Global employment and global problems. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

How do we know it is a good thing? Healy (1990) identifies four reasons to support international content: • The educated person's perspective • The increasing level of global inter-dependence and its effects on local social work practice • The use of international knowledge to deal with domestic social work problems • The opportunity to contribute professional experience to global issues. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Evaluation • Healy's reasons for action provide a template for evaluation which goes beyond student experience • At present evaluation focuses on the educated person as the student • There is a need to include the service user and the educator • Does SWIPE go beyond creating an educated person? • Do international initiatives make a difference and for whom? (Caragata and Sanchez 2002:236). Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Has SWIPE delivered? • Different answers from different partners: • Module developed, piloted and incorporated in SW programmes • E-learning project (see poster presentation Gevorgianienė, V. Jakutienė, V. Hendriks, P, Kloppenburg, R.) • Raised the significance of globalisation within local and national social work networks • Partners’ process of collaboration/comparative work mirroring and guiding our understanding of student learning processes (academy and on-site) • Combined academic and practice learning and produced shared learning materials- available on line. Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

SWIPE • Conference ‘Social Work in a Cross-national context’ 19 September 2006, Sheffield, UK. Contact r.chilese@shu.ac.uk From end July conference details http://extra.shu.ac.uk/swipe Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Information about EU projects Good places to start: http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/index_en.html Socrates, Leonardo and Youth TAO http://www.socleoyouth.be Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

For information on all the Actions http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/programmes/socrates/download_en.html or http://europa.eu.int/comm/education/index_en.htm 1 Erasmus for HEIs UK (staff and student mobility, intensive visits etc.) http://www.erasmus.ac.uk/ Applying for projects: http://www3.socleoyouth.be/static/en/overview/erasmus_overview.htm 2 Erasmus Mundus - Master's programmes for international students http://www.socleoyouth.be/static/en/info/eras_mundus.htm Sheffield Hallam University IASSW Chile - 2006

Global Curriculum Development for Social Work: SWIPE Project Overview