Jan Fook – författare

Transformative approaches to social work have been popular for some time. Most discussions of this perspective, however, focus on actual practice with clients or service users, not educational contexts. In addition, there is often a lack of clarity about what “transformative” really means, both in theory and in practice.This book brings together a range of contributors to reconsider transformative social work, focusing on concrete examples in academic settings both inside and outside the classroom. They illustrate theories and practices of transformative social work in the academy in detail from different standpoints. Chapters by scholars at all career stages, students, staff, and managers consider all aspects of academic work—teaching and learning, research, and administration—as well as labor that academics perform outside the university. Authors describe their understanding of a transformative perspective as well as the practices that flow from this conception, providing rich detail on how a transformative approach can be implemented.This book stands out for the breadth of its focus, its international contributions, and its openness about the new challenges involved in doing transformative work today. It develops an expansive and systematic understanding of what “transformative” can mean across the entire academic and professional context of social work education.

Transformative approaches to social work have been popular for some time. Most discussions of this perspective, however, focus on actual practice with clients or service users, not educational contexts. In addition, there is often a lack of clarity about what “transformative” really means, both in theory and in practice.This book brings together a range of contributors to reconsider transformative social work, focusing on concrete examples in academic settings both inside and outside the classroom. They illustrate theories and practices of transformative social work in the academy in detail from different standpoints. Chapters by scholars at all career stages, students, staff, and managers consider all aspects of academic work—teaching and learning, research, and administration—as well as labor that academics perform outside the university. Authors describe their understanding of a transformative perspective as well as the practices that flow from this conception, providing rich detail on how a transformative approach can be implemented.This book stands out for the breadth of its focus, its international contributions, and its openness about the new challenges involved in doing transformative work today. It develops an expansive and systematic understanding of what “transformative” can mean across the entire academic and professional context of social work education.

"... the book makes an excellent contributionto the library of those keen to delve further intothe realm of critical reflection, understand variousinterpretations of interdisciplinary practices, anduse these to aid their own and others’ professionalpractice, exploration and development."Learning in Health and Social Care

How can professionals reflect critically on the aspects of their work they take for granted? How can professionals practise with creativity, intelligence and compassion?What current methods and frameworks are available to assist professionals to reflect critically on their practice?The use of critical reflection in professional practice is becoming increasingly popular across the health professions as a way of ensuring ongoing scrutiny and improved concrete practice - skills transferable across a variety of settings in the health, social care and social work fields.

This book showcases current work within the field of critical reflection throughout the world and across disciplines in health and social care as well as analyzing the literature in the field.

Critical Reflection in Health and Social Care reflects the transformative potential of critical reflection and provides practitioners, students, educators and researchers with the key concepts and methods necessary to improve practice through effective critical reflection.

Contributors: Gurid Aga Askeland, Andy Bilson, Fran Crawford, Jan Fook, Lynn Froggett , Sue Frost, Fiona Gardner, Jennifer Lehmann, Marceline Naudi, Bairbre Redmond, Gerhard Reimann, Colin Stuart, Pauline Sung-Chan, Carolyn Taylor, Susan White, Elizabeth Whitmore, Angelina Yuen-Tsang.

How can professionals learn more easily from their own experience?How can critical reflection be performed in a structured way?How can professionals maintain a critically reflective stance when contexts may be restrictive?Critical reflection in professional practice is popular across many different professions as a way of ensuring ongoing scrutiny and improved practice skills. This accessible handbook focuses on a description and analysis of the theoretical input as well as the approach involved in critical reflection. It also demonstrates some skills, strategies and tools which might be used to practise it.

The cross-disciplinary approach taken by the authors will appeal to a wide range of students and professionals and combines neatly with useful discussion of the complex educational and professional issues which arise from the practice of critical reflection.

An innovative website containing a variety of useful resources accompanies the book www.openup.co.uk/fook&gardner. Resources include:

Extracts from workshops, interviews and lectures Additional articles and readings Sample material for workshop preparation Throughout the book, the authors provide pertinent examples from their own practice, referring to relevant literature, providing annotated bibliographies, and noting where additional resource materials are available to provide further illustration.

Practising Critical Reflection is key reading for a variety of students across social work, health sciences and nursing, as well as health care and social welfare professionals.

This book explores concrete examples of different strategies and activities aimed at creating and embedding critically reflective learning and working environments within organisations whose prime function is social care. Critical reflection has long been recommended as a general professional skill and is a core component of the practice capabilities in social work in countries across the Western world. However, despite unequivocal support for it in social work education, sustaining critical reflection within organisations as both an individual and collective practices, supported by organisational cultures, is problematic. With contributions from social work practitioners and educators who have sought to embed critical reflection into broader activities and cultures within their organizations, the book addresses common features of critical reflection, and challenges and benefits in specific case studies. This book will inspire and develop new thinking and vision about being critically reflective in organisations, and facilitate efforts to improve the learning and working experience in addition to that of service quality and delivery. It will be required reading for all undergraduate and postgraduate social work modules focusing on management, leadership organizational change, and professional education.

This book explores concrete examples of different strategies and activities aimed at creating and embedding critically reflective learning and working environments within organisations whose prime function is social care. Critical reflection has long been recommended as a general professional skill and is a core component of the practice capabilities in social work in countries across the Western world. However, despite unequivocal support for it in social work education, sustaining critical reflection within organisations as both an individual and collective practices, supported by organisational cultures, is problematic. With contributions from social work practitioners and educators who have sought to embed critical reflection into broader activities and cultures within their organizations, the book addresses common features of critical reflection, and challenges and benefits in specific case studies. This book will inspire and develop new thinking and vision about being critically reflective in organisations, and facilitate efforts to improve the learning and working experience in addition to that of service quality and delivery. It will be required reading for all undergraduate and postgraduate social work modules focusing on management, leadership organizational change, and professional education.

Social justice is a concept which is widely touted and lauded as desirable, yet its meaning may differ depending on whether its focus is on the underlying values of social justice, the more specific objectives these entail, or the actual practices or policies which aim to achieve social justice. In the current global political context, we need to re-examine what we mean by social justice, and demonstrate that "making a difference" and contributing to human flourishing is more achievable than this context would suggest. The book aims to increase our sense of being able to enact social justice, by showcasing different ways of contributing to social justice, and "making a difference" in different settings and different ways. Part 1 introduces a fluid and contextual approach to social justice. Part 2 examines social justice and faith perspectives, such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam and community organisations. Part 3 illustrates perspectives on children, the family, sport and local government. Part IV provides perspectives of social justice in education. Considering concepts of citizenship and social justice from a variety of contemporary perspectives, Everyday Social Justice and Citizenship should be considered essential reading for academics and students from a range of social scientific disciplines with an interest in social justice, as well as those working in education, community work, youth work and chaplaincy.

Although postmodernist theory has been related to and explored in sociology and social policy, this book is amongst the first to apply the theories to social work, and relate them to current debates. Contributors come from the UK, Australia, South Africa and Canada and many have professional experience as social workers. They appraise the key issues in the contested field of postmodernism and feminism and focus on their applications to practice, research and education in social work.

Although postmodernist theory has been related to and explored in sociology and social policy, this book is amongst the first to apply the theories to social work, and relate them to current debates. Contributors come from the UK, Australia, South Africa and Canada and many have professional experience as social workers. They appraise the key issues in the contested field of postmodernism and feminism and focus on their applications to practice, research and education in social work.

Transforming Social Work Practice shows that postmodern theory offers new strategies for social workers concerned with political action and social justice. It explores ways of developing practice frameworks, paradigms and principles which take advantage of the perspectives offered by postmodern theory without totally abandoning the values of modernity and the Enlightenment project of human emancipation. Case studies demonstrate how these perspectives can be applied to practice.

Transforming Social Work Practice shows that postmodern theory offers new strategies for social workers concerned with political action and social justice. It explores ways of developing practice frameworks, paradigms and principles which take advantage of the perspectives offered by postmodern theory without totally abandoning the values of modernity and the Enlightenment project of human emancipation. Case studies demonstrate how these perspectives can be applied to practice.

Critical reflection enables practitioners – especially those within health and social care –to theorise from their own practice, improving and developing their work and practising both creatively and professionally.This book provides an accessible overview of the influential Fook/Gardner Critical Reflection framework for students, researchers and professionals. It then presents a wide range of illustrative case studies from a variety of different health and social care settings, demonstrating how it can be used in effective and innovative practice around the world. By highlighting how professionals are actually using the Fook/Gardner model of critical reflection, it shares practical and resourceful ideas and provides specific theoretical and practical guidelines for use. It also further conceptualises and develops the theory of critical reflection by articulating underlying theory used in practice. The book also draws out particular issues for how critical reflection might be better practised within organisations, and develops a framework for a better understanding of this. The book is divided into four parts, discussing critical reflection in: Professional Practice Supervision and Management Research Education Including an up-to-date overview of the framework written by Jan Fook, this helpful text makes a significant contribution in terms of the practical theorizing of critical reflection. It will be of use to health and social care professionals keen to practice creatively and effectively, especially those undertaking short courses or further development in supervision, critical reflection, advanced practice, and leadership and management.

Critical reflection enables practitioners – especially those within health and social care –to theorise from their own practice, improving and developing their work and practising both creatively and professionally.This book provides an accessible overview of the influential Fook/Gardner Critical Reflection framework for students, researchers and professionals. It then presents a wide range of illustrative case studies from a variety of different health and social care settings, demonstrating how it can be used in effective and innovative practice around the world. By highlighting how professionals are actually using the Fook/Gardner model of critical reflection, it shares practical and resourceful ideas and provides specific theoretical and practical guidelines for use. It also further conceptualises and develops the theory of critical reflection by articulating underlying theory used in practice. The book also draws out particular issues for how critical reflection might be better practised within organisations, and develops a framework for a better understanding of this. The book is divided into four parts, discussing critical reflection in: Professional Practice Supervision and Management Research Education Including an up-to-date overview of the framework written by Jan Fook, this helpful text makes a significant contribution in terms of the practical theorizing of critical reflection. It will be of use to health and social care professionals keen to practice creatively and effectively, especially those undertaking short courses or further development in supervision, critical reflection, advanced practice, and leadership and management.

Learning Critical Reflection documents the actual learning experiences of social work students and practitioners. It explores how a more in-depth understanding of the process of learning, combined with an analysis of how to critically reflect, will help improve the learning process. The contributors are all professionals who have learnt, in a formalised way, how to critically reflect on their practice. They speak in depth, and with feeling, about their experiences, how downsides and upsides worked together to transform the way they understood themselves, their professional identity, and their practice. Existing literature about critical reflection is reviewed, identifying the details of learning, and pulling no punches in recognising the difficulty and complexity of becoming transformed through this learning process. The editors of this book also contribute their own reflections on learning how to teach critical reflection and include the findings of a research study conducted on students’ learning. Edited by two experienced educators, this book showcases the process of learning, from the perspective of the learners, in order that educators and students, managers, supervisors, and frontline practitioners alike, may make the most of opportunities to critically reflect in both educational and workplace settings. It should be considered essential reading for social work students, practitioners, and educators.

Learning Critical Reflection documents the actual learning experiences of social work students and practitioners. It explores how a more in-depth understanding of the process of learning, combined with an analysis of how to critically reflect, will help improve the learning process. The contributors are all professionals who have learnt, in a formalised way, how to critically reflect on their practice. They speak in depth, and with feeling, about their experiences, how downsides and upsides worked together to transform the way they understood themselves, their professional identity, and their practice. Existing literature about critical reflection is reviewed, identifying the details of learning, and pulling no punches in recognising the difficulty and complexity of becoming transformed through this learning process. The editors of this book also contribute their own reflections on learning how to teach critical reflection and include the findings of a research study conducted on students’ learning. Edited by two experienced educators, this book showcases the process of learning, from the perspective of the learners, in order that educators and students, managers, supervisors, and frontline practitioners alike, may make the most of opportunities to critically reflect in both educational and workplace settings. It should be considered essential reading for social work students, practitioners, and educators.

Social justice is a concept which is widely touted and lauded as desirable, yet its meaning may differ depending on whether its focus is on the underlying values of social justice, the more specific objectives these entail, or the actual practices or policies which aim to achieve social justice. In the current global political context, we need to re-examine what we mean by social justice, and demonstrate that "making a difference" and contributing to human flourishing is more achievable than this context would suggest. The book aims to increase our sense of being able to enact social justice, by showcasing different ways of contributing to social justice, and "making a difference" in different settings and different ways. Part 1 introduces a fluid and contextual approach to social justice. Part 2 examines social justice and faith perspectives, such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam and community organisations. Part 3 illustrates perspectives on children, the family, sport and local government. Part IV provides perspectives of social justice in education. Considering concepts of citizenship and social justice from a variety of contemporary perspectives, Everyday Social Justice and Citizenship should be considered essential reading for academics and students from a range of social scientific disciplines with an interest in social justice, as well as those working in education, community work, youth work and chaplaincy.

Critical reflection helps professionals to learn directly from their practice experience, so that they can improve their own work in an ongoing and flexible way – something essential in today’s complex and changing organisations. It allows change to be managed in a way which enables individuals to preserve a sense of what is fundamentally important to them as professionals. It is particularly important as it can also help make sense of some fundamental issues, and so also has implications for how we live our lives. However, more systematic research on critical reflection is needed to help us understand what works best for professionals in different settings. This timely work explores how critical reflection is researched, evaluated and used as a research method itself, with the aim of improving how it is taught and practised in a rigorous and transferable way. Developing a more comprehensive and multi-disciplinary view of the current state of critical reflection and the research directions which need to be taken, the book is divided into four parts. It: - Provides an overview of different perspectives on critical reflection and stimulates dialogue between them - Establishes some common platforms from which to develop further research directions - Identifies the major issues in evaluating critical reflection teaching, and main methods for doing so - Contributes to social science methodological innovations by exploring how methods based on critical reflection can be used for researching professional practice- Contains contributions from academics who are internationally known and highly experienced in different aspects of critical reflection.Researching Critical Reflection is an important reference for all students, practitioners, and researchers – including in the areas of education, management, health and social work – who engage with critical reflection to develop their practice.

Critical reflection helps professionals to learn directly from their practice experience, so that they can improve their own work in an ongoing and flexible way – something essential in today’s complex and changing organisations. It allows change to be managed in a way which enables individuals to preserve a sense of what is fundamentally important to them as professionals. It is particularly important as it can also help make sense of some fundamental issues, and so also has implications for how we live our lives. However, more systematic research on critical reflection is needed to help us understand what works best for professionals in different settings. This timely work explores how critical reflection is researched, evaluated and used as a research method itself, with the aim of improving how it is taught and practised in a rigorous and transferable way. Developing a more comprehensive and multi-disciplinary view of the current state of critical reflection and the research directions which need to be taken, the book is divided into four parts. It: - Provides an overview of different perspectives on critical reflection and stimulates dialogue between them - Establishes some common platforms from which to develop further research directions - Identifies the major issues in evaluating critical reflection teaching, and main methods for doing so - Contributes to social science methodological innovations by exploring how methods based on critical reflection can be used for researching professional practice- Contains contributions from academics who are internationally known and highly experienced in different aspects of critical reflection.Researching Critical Reflection is an important reference for all students, practitioners, and researchers – including in the areas of education, management, health and social work – who engage with critical reflection to develop their practice.

Now 20 years since its first publication, Jan Fook returns to update her seminal text. Celebrating the ageless ideals of the profession, this book throws a life belt to all social work students and professionals looking to engage with the critical tradition of social work to improve their understanding and practice. Part One: Critical Potential and Current Challenges sets the historical and current contexts for critical social work, introducing you to what critical social work is and what it means for practice. Part Two: Rethinking Ideas unpicks the major concepts associated with critical social work, including knowledge, power, discourse, identity, and difference, and how these need to be rethought in new contexts. Part Three: Redeveloping Practices illustrates how these new ideas can inform new practices, proving you with all the tools you need to deliver flexible, responsible and responsive social work practice.

Now 20 years since its first publication, Jan Fook returns to update her seminal text. Celebrating the ageless ideals of the profession, this book throws a life belt to all social work students and professionals looking to engage with the critical tradition of social work to improve their understanding and practice. Part One: Critical Potential and Current Challenges sets the historical and current contexts for critical social work, introducing you to what critical social work is and what it means for practice. Part Two: Rethinking Ideas unpicks the major concepts associated with critical social work, including knowledge, power, discourse, identity, and difference, and how these need to be rethought in new contexts. Part Three: Redeveloping Practices illustrates how these new ideas can inform new practices, proving you with all the tools you need to deliver flexible, responsible and responsive social work practice.