S.P.A.C.E.: a case study on navigating challenges and opportunities in online social work placements

Social work education has had to reassess its approach to online teaching and technology in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequential normalizing of working from home and flexible work arrangements in some industries. However, despite the potential benefits offered by online placement modalities, there remains deeply held skepticism and concerns about the quality of online learning experiences Utilizing principles of cooperative inquiry, this article examines social work students’ experiences of online placements by drawing from a collaborative model known as the ‘Supporting Placement through online Access and Community Engagement’ (SPACE) Project. Despite students’ initial perceptions of online learning experiences being inferior to face-to-face placement, no significant difference in their capacity to demonstrate the required learning outcomes was found between the two modalities. Students reported that a well-structured placement program, student-informed learning goals, access to good supervision, flexible work arrangements, and focus on creating a diverse peer community were enablers of good placement outcomes, irrespective of whether placement was offered online or face-to-face. The flexibility offered by online placements was seen as positive for those who would otherwise face barriers to participation owing to childcare, work, mental health, or other familial and cultural commitments.