Hi folks
Nice to hear about the joys of social policy teaching. I teach first years and third years (some social policy, and some social work students)
I use quite a lot of video material from news items, documentaries etc to get them interested in current issues.... just 5 minute clips usually.
I also use extracts from soaps etc also on issues like housing, disability, pensions, poverty, politicians etc..... e.g. CSI, antiques roadshow, Alf Garnet, etc.
Also, I find that pointing to websites where issues are debated or lobbied (e.g. professional organisations such as BMA or trade unions, or political parties ) gives them something to get 'excited' about!
You need access to internet, video etc at the lectures to do this. The students will only look if you point the way.... at least that's my experience.
All the best
Pauline
Dr Pauline Prior
School of Sociology, Social Policy and Social Work
Queen's University Belfast
Belfast BT7 1NN
Tel: 0044 28 9097 3342
Fax: 0044 28 9097 3943
Email: [log in to unmask]
-----Original Message-----
From: Social-Policy is run by SPA for all social policy specialists [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Hartley Dean
Sent: 08 April 2008 12:12
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Getting students interested about social policy
The approach I adopt, not only in my little book ('Social Policy' in the Polity Press Short Introductions series) but when I teach, is to emphasise that Social Policy:
1) Is not just about social problems and burdens (negative stuff) but about human wellbeing (positive stuff).
2) Is MASSIVE. In terms of what is spent on it, it's big bucks. In terms of scope, it's about every aspect of our lives. In terms of context, it's global.
3) Is both creative (because it's concerned with policy making or 'invention') and genuinely inter- and multidisciplinary (because it promiscuously borrows from across the social sciences).
4) It's a subject that goes to the heart of what matters: how do we as human being care for and about each other?
But, admittedly, none of this cuts much ice with students who are only interested in making loads of money when they graduate.
Hartley Dean
Department of Social Policy
London School of Economics
Houghton Street
London WC2A 2AE
Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 6184
Fax: +44 (0)20 7955 7415
Email: [log in to unmask]
________________________________
From: Social-Policy is run by SPA for all social policy specialists on behalf of Nick Ellison
Sent: Tue 08/04/2008 11:00
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Getting students interested about social policy
From: Paul Henman
Sent: Monday, 7 April 2008 11:44 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: getting students interested about social policy
Hi colleagues
I am emailing the SPA e-list to see what other social policy teaching
staff do to get students excited about social policy. What have people
found successful? Has anyone written about their experiences?
I am teaching social policy to mainly social work students who think
social policy is irrelevant and dull. Any pointers?
Thanks for any feedback.
Paul
(Dr) Paul Henman
BSW Honours Coordinator
Senior Lecturer, Social Policy Unit
School of Social Work and Human Services
University of Queensland QLD 4072
Phone: +61 7 3365 1845
Fax: +61 7 3365 1788
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