Applying ethical theories in social work – teaching that which cannot be taught?

NEČASOVÁ, Mirka and Alois KŘIŠŤAN. Applying ethical theories in social work – teaching that which cannot be taught? In Social Work Education in Europe: towards 2025, EASSW, Miláno. 2015.

Basic information

• Original name: Applying ethical theories in social work – teaching that which cannot be taught?
• Name in Czech: Aplikace etických teorií v sociální práce - vyučování toho, co nemůže výt vyučováno?
• Authors: NEČASOVÁ, Mirka and Alois KŘIŠŤAN.
• Edition: Social Work Education in Europe: towards 2025, EASSW, Miláno, 2015.

Other information

• Original language: English
• Type of outcome: Presentations at conferences
• Field of Study: 50300 5.3 Education
• Confidentiality degree: is not subject to a state or trade secret
• WWW: URL
• Organization unit: Faculty of Social Studies
• Keywords (in Czech): filozofie a etika, sociální práce, aplikace, výuka
• Keywords in English: philosophy and ethics, social work, applying, teaching
• Tags: social work ethics
• Tags: International impact, Reviewed

Abstract

The aim of this contribution is to explore the relationship between classical philosophy and ethics (considered as academic discipline often connected with instruction based learning) on the one hand and the ethics of social work (as practise oriented discipline connected with experience, reflection of values and internalisation of important professional values) on the other hand. Trans-disciplinarity is an important feature of social work and philosophy is one of the disciplines that inform and contribute to the knowledge in the field social work. The way of approaching philosophy and ethics by social work educators will be grasped by presenting summarised discussion among Czech social work educators published over the years 2010-2012 and research on education plans presented by schools united under the Czech Association of Schools of Social Work. The discussion represents various approaches to education and reflects the broader context within which social work and social workers operate as well. The views of the participants in this discussion could not be seen as antagonistic but rather as parts of a continuum, where the extreme position on one side is characterised exclusively by an endeavour to re-interpret the opinions of classical thinkers and on the other side would feature an exclusive reliance on practical experience and routine procedures without theoretical reflection. The concept of education in fact ranges widely across the entire continuum. Some ideas will be presented in the conclusion concerning the ways of continuation and strengthening the dialogue between the practice and the academic world in the field of social work.