Applying theory to practice
Learning Objectives
After considering this resource, you should be able to name different examples of formal and informal theoretical knowledge and be able to identify further examples in your own practice.
The theory base can be split into:
- formal theoretical knowledge, which includes theories which aim to explain why things happen in certain ways, and
- informal theoretical knowledge, which helps develop understanding through reflecting on your personal experience and practice knowledge, as well as the expertise and understanding you gain from service users and carers (Lomax, Jones, Leigh and Gay, 2010, pp.40-43).
To practice effectively, you will need to apply both formal and informal theoretical knowledge to your practice and be prepared to change or tweak the theory applied as your knowledge of a situation develops.
The following activity provides different examples of formal and informal theoretical knowledge, and encourages you to identify examples from your own practice.
Reflective Questions
- How can applying theory to practice develop your own practice?
- Think about your placement agency. What local factors such as staff resources or agency objectives, could have an impact on your ability to use theory in practice? For example: group work might take a lot of time, require specialist workers and need particular facilities.
- How can supervision sessions help you make the most of opportunities for integrating theory and practice on placement? Talk to your practice educator about this during your next supervision session.
Reference:
R Lomax, K Jones, S Leigh and C Gay (2010) Surviving your Social Work Placement. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.