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While there is growing evidence of theoretical perspectives adopted in interprofessional education, learning theories tend to foreground the individual, focusing on psycho-social aspects of individual differences and professional identity to the detriment of considering social-structural factors at work in social practices. Conversely socially situated practice is criticised for being context-specific, making it difficult to draw generalisable conclusions for improving interprofessional education. This article builds on a theoretical framework derived from earlier research, drawing on the dynamics of Dewey's experiential learning theory and Archer's critical realist social theory, to make a case for a meta-theoretical framework enabling social-constructivist and situated learning theories to be interlinked and integrated through praxis and reflexivity. Our current analysis is grounded in an interprofessional curriculum initiative mediated by a virtual community peopled by health and social care users. Student perceptions, captured through quantitative and qualitative data, suggest three major disruptive themes, creating opportunities for congruence and disjuncture and generating a model of zones of interlinked praxis associated with professional differences and identity, pedagogic strategies and technology-mediated approaches. This model contributes to a framework for understanding the complexity of interprofessional learning and offers bridges between individual and structural factors for engaging with the enablements and constraints at work in communities of practice and networks for interprofessional education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the challenges of developing open access online multimedia learning resources in the area of Interprofessional and Interagency Collaboration in the social work curriculum in England. The article outlines the process of developing these web-based interactive e-learning materials. It considers the different domains and discourses and the identities that the project brought together. These included those involving the commissioners, developers, subject material authors, and peer reviewers; and those of theory, research evidence, and professional practice. The article reflects on the complex process of developing research-informed materials to enhance student preparedness for professional practice, through engaging with authentic scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional Education (IPE) is a feature of many social work curricula and whilst content is difficult enough to agree, implementation raises further challenges. In 2006/7, IPE was introduced for six undergraduate professionally qualifying programmes, including social work, at Bournemouth University. Challenges included moving beyond shared teaching to collaborative learning; providing parity of learning experience for large student numbers (n = 600+) unevenly spread between professions across a wide geographical area; and supporting staff in adapting to changing learning and teaching practices. Embracing opportunities for technology supported learning, a virtual town known as Wessex Bay was developed in partnership with service users and carers and embedded in the IPE curriculum, accessed through the university Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), Blackboard. Populated by providers of health and social care services, service users and carers and other residents, it enables the facilitation of interprofessional learning and collaborative practice using evolving scenarios. Evaluation using an iterative action research approach was undertaken. Emerging themes for both staff and students include technology issues, teaching and learning strategies, and professional identity. This paper discusses some of the implications for technology supported learning in situations where social work students are engaged in IPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the relationship of France and Rome. It notes that Rome has improved its relationship with France in order to regain the Latin origin for redefinition of their culture. It cites that Latinity is one of the reason why Romanians had shifted to French culture. It discusses how the relationship directly affected the cultural and national identity of Romanians. It cites that Romanians have increased their effort to learn more about France through traveling and publications.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one by is by Bernadine Brady and Pat Dolan on the issue of good practice in child and family services in Ireland and another by George Wilson and Harry Douglas on evidence-based social work practice in Norther Ireland.

Social work practice and education in many parts of the world are implementing an elearning agenda. This article considers the experiences of students using a website developed to support learning in agency settings to discover if and how it can be used to create a ‘bridge’ between the learning environments of the university and practice. The website contains a range of features, including downloadable practice assessment documents, links to university based teaching units, electronic personal notification of placement allocation, and an asynchronous discussion forum. The action research project which informs this article employed focus groups of students to ascertain their expectations and experiences of the website, in particular the asynchronous discussion forum facility, prior to and on completion of the 80 day placement, combined with analysis of the actual usage patterns and content. Three quarters of the cohort participated in the discussion forum and findings suggest that students used and valued the discussion forum for its ability to enable the student to student and tutor to student relationships underpinning collaborative learning to be maintained during the placement, and to enable resource sharing and networking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines theory and practice in community development in Great Britain. Concept of community; Overview of the historical context of British community work with reference to top-down and bottom-up approaches; Empowerment of local communities; Development of partnerships; Features of the ACHIEVE project, a community-based health improvement project in Bournemouth, England; Social engineering in economically disadvantaged communities.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the articles within the issue on topics including resilience among social workers, collaborative working practices, and the knowledge base used by social workers in child safeguarding situations.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the author discusses the changes in the journal in 2009, an article by Damien Riggs and Martha Augoustinos on some of the issues concerning gay and lesbian foster carers, and an article by Tony Stanley on the issue of child safeguarding practice.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including one by Gary Clapton on "how and Why Social Work Fails Fathers: redressing an Imbalance, Social Works's Role and Responsibility," and another about the area of bereavement and loss for older lesbians and gay men.

The article discusses various reports published within the issue, including on anti-poverty practice and the changing world of credit unions by Mark Drakeford and Lee Gregory, another about the Mental Capacity Act 2005 by Jill Manthorpe, Joan Rapaport and Nicky Stanley, and alcohol misuse among older people by Catherine Shaw and George Palattiyil.

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various papers within the issue on topics including a study introducing the Baby Fast programme, a research on attitudes of workers to support parents with learning disability and social work practice with children.

An introduction is presented to articles within the issue which discuss the challenges associated with social work practice and attempts made by practitioners to respond to complex situations, made uncertain due to changing government policies, while staying true to the professional values.

An introduction to the journal is presented in which the editor discusses articles related to inner-city psychosocial primary care mental health service, social work supervision, and benefits of employing family support setting and life coaching techniques.

The article presents an introduction to this issue including an article by Mark Drakeford and Kirsty Calliva which investigates the impact of parenting orders in context of youth justice practice, another article by Neil Quinn and David Gormley which gives guidance to academics and practitioners about the demand for tactics to fight the pervasive effects of discrimination and stigma and one by Brian Littlechild on the theme of working with parents and young people.