Digital Observations
Filmed observation of supervision by Chris Sherrington
Currently the Cumbria -Lancaster Social Work Teaching Partnership is piloting a new approach to supporting social work practice educators in developing and reviewing their practice of supervision. Participants have been filming themselves in supervision sessions using their business laptops (provided by Cumbria County Council) and then watching the film and critiquing and analysing their practice with personal consultation with teaching partnership colleagues. The aim of the project is to explore practice and enhance opportunities for critically reflecting upon supervision sessions.
The pilot project only involves those social work practitioners registered on a programme of study of social work practice education. The process involves filming a supervision session with a learner in practice, either a student social worker or a newly qualified social worker. So far the emerging picture of how this benefits practice is very positive. As well as increasing digital literacy skills, practitioners have the opportunity of seeing themselves in actual supervision as social work educators with learners in the workplace and are able to see practice at first hand and explore the supervision session as it develops in front of the camera.
Practitioners report that once they are over their initial camera shyness and familiar with using the laptop in this fashion, watching themselves on screen becomes a very powerful way of visualising and sensing what happens in practice. Filming supervision removes the need for a 3rd person to sit in the session to take notes. Letting the camera take this role enables the practitioner to look back over practice and make connections between actual events and developing insight into knowledge of personal practice.
After the films have been made, staff from Lancaster University and Cumbria social work academy meet up individually with practitioners to watch the films, reflect upon supervision and comment constructively on the experience.
If you are interested in this approach and want to know more about how you might take forward filmed observations of supervision on the practice educator award, or have ideas on how digital media can enhance learning about social work in Cumbria, please contact Chris Sherrington (c.sherrington@lancaster.ac.uk)