A learning community approach: embedding authentic assessment in social work curriculum

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Research and Development in Higher Education Vol. 32: The Student Experience

July, 2009, 715 pages
Published by
Helen Wozniak and Sonia Bartoluzzi
ISBN
0 908557 78 7
Abstract 

This paper explores the theory and practice of embedding authentic learning and assessment activities into the social work curriculum at Charles Darwin University in the Northern Territory. Authentic pedagogies are a natural fit for social work education more broadly, but also fit with the specific ‘learning community’ approach that the University applies to local social work education. The focus of this paper is on implementing a partnership based process for developing authentic learning tasks. Four case studies exploring diverse authentic learning tasks from the University’s social work curriculum are presented. These relate to field education, community work, building safe communities and research methods.

Keywords: authentic learning, learning communities, social work