The Impact of Social Work Students’ Experience with Supervision

Authors

  • Karla Pobucká Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6639-7721
  • Věra Malík Holasová Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
  • Veronika Mia Racko Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia
  • Lenka Honsárková Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia

Keywords:

practical (fieldwork) education, educational supervision, student experience, reflection skills, teaching evaluation, ethical dilemmas

Abstract

The study intends to describe and explore the quality of the implementation of supervision training at the Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava. Among other things, the study provides a brief insight into the concept of courses focused on supervision in social work at selected public universities and colleges in Czechia. Data are processed through evaluation research. The data were collected using four selected techniques: a focus group, an anonymous online questionnaire from class evaluations, an anonymous online questionnaire from full semester course evaluations, and students’ reflective journals. Data were collected continuously over the academic years 2020 to 2023. The total number of communication partners was n=80. The research was viewed through a qualitative research survey lens. The study findings confirm the specifics of educational supervision, where dilemmas arise between voluntary participation in a supervision class and the student’s mandatory completion of the course and between the teacher and supervisor roles. The actual type and form of study (Bachelor’s, Master’s, part-time, full-time) influences the supervision process. Students’ reflection skills and working with them are essential here. Still, they are influenced by the educational context (compulsory participation in a supervision class, little choice of groups and supervisor) and related ethical aspects. The social work educator must deal with these difficulties by, for example, involving learners in the evaluation and development of teaching, using various forms of supervision, and approaching teaching quality as a priority.

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Author Biographies

  • Karla Pobucká, Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia

    Karla Pobucká work as a Professional Practice Administrator at the Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava. Her responsibilities include conducting seminars on professional practice. Currently, she work as a Professional Consultant specializing in individual planning at a residence catering to individuals with disabilities. Her research interests span across three main areas: the evolution of social services in the Czech Republic, individualized planning for the elderly and  individuals with disabilities.

  • Věra Malík Holasová, Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia

    Mgr. Věra Malík Holasová, Ph.D. works at the Faculty of Social Studies of the University of Ostrava as an assistant professor. She deals with the topic of economization of social work, management in social work, and supervision in social work. 

  • Veronika Mia Racko, Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia

    Veronika Mia Racko is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Social Studies of the University of Ostrava. At the Department of Social Work, she acts as a guarantor of professional practical learning.  Professionally, she deals with social work in an international and global context at the level of pregradual education. As part of her pedagogical activities, she focuses mainly on preparing students for entry into the practice field, non-violent communication and individual social work. 

  • Lenka Honsárková, Department of Social Work, Faculty of Social Studies, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czechia

    Lenka Honsárková works for a non-profit organization, where she focuses on working with families. She is pursuing her doctoral studies at Ostrava University, where she also teaches. She is actively engaged in supervision and psychotherapeutic practice.

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Published

01.01.2025

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Original Research

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Karla Pobucká, Věra Malík Holasová, Veronika Mia Racko, Lenka Honsárková

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Pobucká, K., Malík Holasová, V., Racko, V. M., & Honsárková, L. . (2025). The Impact of Social Work Students’ Experience with Supervision. Journal of Social Work Education and Practice, 10(1). https://jswep.in/index.php/jswep/article/view/264

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