**2.1 The pedagogical reasoning for eBook education**

*Global Social Work - Cutting Edge Issues and Critical Reflections*

cal elements of any further education.

globalization and indigenization of social work courses transferred and transported across borders and countries will continue. The most important question is 'Will the social work course be Fit for Purpose?' Regardless of location, the answer to this question will determine and challenge the success of both the academic and practi-

How many newly-designed social work courses start with deciding the academic subjects and modules necessary for the course and not a scoping exercise to see the variety and quality of possible statutory and voluntary placements? How many courses are led by academic insistence and not practice relevance? Within the current literature on placement education there appears to be a growing concern regarding placement learning opportunities [4], staff capacity and actual desk space [34]. The time may be coming for a rethink. Think of social work training as a doughnut (a circular bun with a hole in the middle) in order to acquire the specific skills required for interaction with individuals and families, courses may need to readjust their designs. Put the academic modules in the middle of the doughnut and the placement around the outside. Currently it would appear that most social work course designs are the other way round with the emphasis and importance on the bigger circumference given over to academic modules and the practice placement filling up the middle. This does not take away from the importance of all the integral subjects such as theory, vulnerable populations, social justice etc. but it will shift the thinking into a space that might be valued more, that is, the absolute role of teaching and learning on placement. It might also offer a catalyst for critically thinking about, for example, the subject of law as it is found in the practice learning setting. Further comments on this topic will be discussed in the concluding section

To understand the fundamental importance of student placement within profes-

sional social work training, in 2015–2017 this author [35] decided to work with MSW students, practice teachers and tutors to design a 'wrap around' set of eBooks encompassing the most important aspects of teaching and learning on placement. This was to be a new multi-touch downloadable eBook experience, viewed as a series of seven eBooks which would present short videos and aural podcasts made by social work students, practice teachers, tutors, subject experts and pre-placement trainers. It would also suggest current academic subject references. Placement topics such as language, professional identity and placement expectations and beginnings were to be covered in the first eBook with assessment, supervision, feedback, home visiting, reflective practice, the failing student and placement endings all covered in subsequent eBooks. MSW students, practice teachers, tutors and pre-placement trainers were to have their say in a thoughtful, inventive approach to the fundamental fieldwork experience. It is suggested that at present, access to social work knowledge is juggled between text books, lecture-based teaching and limited digital resources. These new eBooks where to show a collective learning experience made by and for practice teachers, students and all stakeholders in fieldwork training. They would be used in conjunction with pre-placement training for the students and the in-service training for the practice teachers and Tutors. The resource would also be available online to all students throughout their 2 years MSW course for reference across both first and second year placement. It was hoped the

**1.2 The absolute central position of placement within social work training**

**98**

of this chapter.

**2. The e-Book project**

The pedagogical basis for the eBooks encompassed not only that of creative teaching [36–38] but also the pedagogical importance of narrative enquiry [39, 40]. The uniqueness of the eBooks contributed to by the NUI Galway staff, students, practice teachers and tutors included in particular, the use of podcasting to produce content on specific topics such as language awareness, professional identity, cultural competence, feedback, reflective practice, the experience of failing and groupwork. The immediacy of the spoken word in sharing personal and professional opinions demonstrated the openness, validity and strength of the experiences by the contributors. The making of the eBooks at NUI Galway, gave a sense of Irish indigenous practice that now can be offered as a globally transferable resource. Dale [41] promotes this view of the benefits in education of podcasting and notes increased motivation among students in writing, improved fluency and enhanced listening skills. This is in addition to the students acquiring technical competencies and an increased awareness of the use of new media in social and professional settings, leading to reinforced learning. Indeed using podcasting as an adjunct to teaching and assessment methods in higher education has had some further exposure in the following research [42–48].

It is an important point that using this innovative curriculum design and engaging with virtual learning technologies, this may necessitate individual and group upskilling for both educators and students. This new and forward-thinking approach to academic knowledge delivery is further investigated in the studies of Cartney [49] and Waldman and Rafferty [50] who suggest that the relevance of podcasting (in particular lecture material) may have some benefit but that the broader context to forward social work education and personal contact with students must not be belittled or ignored. By using podcasting as a creative technology to forward student learning, the authors caution us not to hold the development of the personal contact with social work students to ransom against the rush to be technologically creative [50]. The application of technology to teaching is integrated with reliable and proven educational approaches [41, 51–53], these studies build on Laurillard's [54] book which suggests the approach of a 'Conversational Framework'. Here, teaching is seen as a fluid practice which *negotiates* knowledge as opposed to a static view of *imparting* knowledge. Didactic teaching is therefore moved and shifted into a modern integrated arena which values the sharing of ideas and issue debates. The argument here is not to see the debate as one thing or another i.e. podcasting versus didactic teaching, but to incorporate new technology methods into teaching therefore giving the recipients and the deliverer a more exciting and worthwhile experience.
