Practice Educator experiences of
holistic assessment using the PCF
Pam Field – UCLAN
Cathie Jasper – MMU
NOPT conference October 2014
Context of research
• PCF and holistic assessment – basis for assessing
students on placement from 2013-14
• PCF – national standards; different local implementation
- Some HEIs moved to assessing all current students 2013-14; others
just first placement students
- Differing portfolio requirements within partnerships
• Holistic assessment – ‘different conceptual approach’ to
assessment of students on placement (TCSW, 2012c,
p.1)
Aims of research
• Collaboration between two HEIs – MMU and UCLAN –
differing portfolio requirements. Aim – to maximise data
and contrast and compare experiences
• Aims : to gain PEs’ views and experiences on:
• using the PCF to assess students, positive benefits and
challenges
• Portfolio elements and requirements and their usefulness
in underpinning PEs judgements
• Effectiveness of PCF in helping to identify and assess
weaker aspects of student practice
Study design
MMU - 36 PEs, onsite and
offsite PE
n = 22 participated (majority
UCLAN – 56 PEs , onsite
and offsite PE
n = 26 participated (majority
were ‘experienced’ PEs and Stage
2 off site PEs and this was their first
experience of assessing under the
PCF)
were ‘experienced’ PEs; 1/3rd
were Stage 2; majority were on
site PEs and this was NOT their first
experience of assessing under the
PCF)
- Completion of electronic
questionnaire (n = 22);
detailed questions; free
text responses
- Attendance at focus
group (n = 9)
- Completion of electronic
questionnaire (n = 23):
detailed questions, free
text responses
- Attendance at focus
group (n = 3)
PCF - positive comments…..
• I have fully embraced the freedom of assessment
under the PCF’
• (feel positive about) ‘the opportunity to think more
widely with students about their development as
social workers’
• ‘it is a far better experience for me and the student’
• ‘it has made the PE role more enjoyable and allows
for more reflective and analytical supervisions with
students’
Emerging themes – shared
1. Applicability and flexibility of PCF
2. Developmental nature of PCF – supporting student
learning and identifying weaker students
3. Role of PCF in defining social work – as an approach and developing professional identity
4. Reflection and supervision – the supporting trunk of
holistic assessment
…..the
tree of holistic assessment
PCF…….the sun shining through the branches of a tree…..
Sun , growth and development (PCF); branches responding, reaching up and looking
forward but need to pay attention to the roots and the stem for continued healthy
growth and development ; also , what is obscured, what is exposed
Applicability and flexibility of PCF
• To different settings and to different students
Including ‘non social work’ settings
• Student encouraged to engage with wider variety of work;
less constraining than the Key Roles
it keeps the focus firmly on good practice and implementing theory within
practice , which sometimes got a little lost in the frenetic pace of the key
roles and scrabbling about for ‘suitable tasks’ to complete in order to tick a
box
• Frees up the PE; focus on the learning journey; more
enjoyable experience for PE
(Outliers - one in each group , PCF vague, broad and obscures specific
social work skills)
Developmental nature of PCF
• PCF as supporting student learning – domains required
reflection and analysis of practice
• PCF graded levels – focus on the flow of the learning
journey
• Identifying, supporting and assessing weaker students –
different emphasis
- MMU - support and tool for PEs to assess / fail
- UCLAN - defining areas of strengths and for
development with the student; PCF used constructively to
map development
‘it measures progress rather than achievement’
‘it (the PCF) just encourages the students to identify themselves (what
they are achieving)’
Social work as an approach and
developing professional identity
• Defining social work as an approach ; broad sense not
as series of tasks
• PCF ‘opening up’ areas for students – encouraging
reflection; wider engagement with areas of work
• PCF encouraged awareness and link to ongoing and
future development
Reflection and supervision
• Focus, content and use of supervision had changed
• Student reflection and ‘talking through’ at the heart of
supervision
‘It’s an active conversation each week in your supervision’
• Relationships within supervision highlighted, particularly
for UCLAN PEs
Areas of difference
1. The portfolio and ‘paperwork’ – it does make a
difference (…learning partnership or ‘weight’ of PE
responsibility)
2. PCF used to identify weakness (fail) or strengths and
areas for development
3. Relationships within the placement
…findings and reflections on the reasons…..
The portfolios….
UCLAN portfolio
• Practice Learning
Agreement
• Mid-Point Development
Plan
• Final Report
• Direct Observations
• 3 Critical Analysis of
Practice
•
MMU portfolio
• Practice Learning
Agreement
• Interim Review
• Final Report
• Direct Observations
• Critical reflection on Practice
• Critical reflection on
Professional and personal
development
• 2 pieces of service user
feedback with student
critical reflection
Areas of difference
1.
The portfolio does make a difference to PEs experience – is
it seen as a support for student learning and the ‘learnins
partnership’ or as ‘onerous paperwork’
- UCLAN PEs – liked Critical Analysis of Practice and MidPoint Development Plan; perception that student
engaged with PCF
- MMU PEs – paperwork and forms onerous and PE
dominated; impact – students had limited engagement with
the PCF and the portfolio; ‘weight’ of responsibility on PE
Areas of difference
2. PCF used to identify weakness (fail) or strengths and
areas for development
3. Relationships within the placement
- UCLAN – learning partnership with student
‘-
MMU – greater focus on significance of relationships with
on site supervisors and tutors
Study limitations and further research
Limitations:
• Further research:
• No student voice
• First placement, all non
statutory settings
• Not all PEs were social
workers where on site
PEs
• Final placement, PEs in
statutory settings
• PE experience and familiarity
with assessing under the PCF
, does it make a difference to
portfolio/paperwork
considerations?
• Implications for PE training
and standards – relational
aspect of holistic assessment
The tree of holistic assessment
PCF…….the sun shining through the branches of a tree…..
Pay attention to the trunk and the roots – reflection;
supervision; the learning partnership; portfolio/paperwork
that engages student and enhances learning
Group activity
Questions to consider:
1. How useful is the PCF in helping a student develop their
professional identity as a social worker in both first and
final placements?
2. What implications does the use of the PCF and holistic
assessment have for the training of PEs and their
assessment under the PEPs?
3. How useful have you found the PCF as an assessment
framework?
4. How have you changed your practice as a PE since the
introduction of the PCF and holistic assessment?
References and contacts
TCSW (2012c) Use of the PCF and Assessment Criteria for Practice Learning,
London: TCSW [Online][Accessed on 1.3.14]. Available from:
http://www.tcsw.org.uk/uploadedFiles/TheCollege/_CollegeLibrary/Reform_res
ources/Practice-Learning-Guidance(edref8).pdf
•
Cathie Jasper – C.Jasper@mmu.ac.uk
Pam Field – PField@uclan.ac.uk