The Knowing of Undergraduate Social Work Students : Understanding Preparedness for Practice

Boukydis, Olivia and Cin, Melis (2025) The Knowing of Undergraduate Social Work Students : Understanding Preparedness for Practice. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

The study of social work student preparedness has been top-of-mind for social work researchers and educators. Given the complexities and challenges ascribed to social work practice, the field can place heavy demands and responsibilities on practitioners, warranting a call for the adequate training and preparation of undergraduate social work students as they enter the field. Related discourse has identified concerns pertaining to the preparedness of students and newly trained social workers (Frost et al., 2013; Joubert, 2017; Joubert; 2020; Lymbery, 2009; Moriarty & Manthorpe, 2013; Saitadze & Dvalishvili, 2021; Tham & Lynch, 2014; Tham & Lynch, 2019; Tham & Lynch, 2020; Tham et al., 2023; Welbourne, 2011), the effectiveness of social work curricula (Carter et al., 2018; Damianakis et al., 2020), and the extent and understanding of the field’s knowledge base and how it is used (Benner et al., 2019; Lewis & Bolzan, 2007; Marsh & Triseliotis, 1996). I respond to these concerns by examining social work student knowledge and the degree to which engagement with knowledge prepares students for social work practice. By employing a qualitative methodology, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve undergraduate social work students, nine newly trained social workers, and thirteen faculty, offering a reflective and contextualized account of the development of social work student knowledge and the degree to which engagement with knowledge prepares students for social work practice. Through the theoretical lens of Habermas’ theory of knowing – three themes, practice makes perfect, the pursuit of meaning, and know-thy-self were identified as salient take-aways from the research. These themes illustrate the dynamic connection between learning and doing and the ways in which this connection helps students develop meaningful and transformative relationships with knowledge. Further, the findings reveal that critical thinking and the development and use of ‘self’, is an important vehicle for bridging theoretical and practical knowledge as students develop the confidence to employ their disciplinary knowledge in changing contexts and by trusting their intuition in practice settings. These thematic outcomes offer an important contribution to the study of social work student preparedness, particularly as it concerns the ways in which students develop their disciplinary knowledge, the role of social work curricula in this process, and the aspects of ‘knowing’ which best prepare students for practice. Reflecting on my educational and professional experience in social work, it is my assertion that understanding how students engage with knowledge can enhance social work curricula by identifying elements that foster knowledge transformation and preparedness for practice.