Search for a 'New Discourse' in Professional Education: Responding to the Challenges of the New Economy
This paper reports on a pilot study with social work educators, students and supervisors on the way changes in professional practice arising out of conditions of the new economy is affecting the nature and context of practice and consequently the pedagogical underpinnings of social work education. Issues canvassed included; what is the nature of professional practice in the new economy? are social work educators, students and supervisors able to articulate the current challenges to professional practice? are they finding themselves in professional contexts for which they are not prepared? should educators continue to focus on educating within a defined disciplinary knowledge or should a focus on learning from other professionals and sub-specialities be more beneficial? Preliminary results indicate social work practice is indeed facing many challenges and the future of professional education depends on how these challenges are addressed and creatively solved.