In this session, we will explore how we learn at work, the importance of learning organisations and what type of leadership enables learning spaces to flourish. The session will be presented by Dr Gillian Ferguson, Lecturer in Social Work and Programme Leader for the Doctorate in Health and Social Care at The Open University.
Learning organisations and cultures have long been promoted in Scottish social work, social care and health. Creating effective learning environments has been seen as central to the development of our diverse workforce groups. This session will explore how direct practice is one of the most important ways that practitioners learn within workplace environments, using evidence from Scottish research.
Understanding the complexity of what learning in the workplace is like for different workforce groups can help us rethink approaches to professional development. To understand and support learning we need to truly understand the nature of the work and the places this happens.
We’ll look at what the work involves and where it takes place. We’ll also explore ideas about how people learn in different environments, and what kind of leadership qualities help those learning spaces grow and succeed.
Our leadership links webinars are open to leaders at all levels and stages across social care, social work and health in Scotland.
Dr Gillian Ferguson
Role:
Lecturer in Social Work and Programme Leader for the Doctorate in Health and Social Care at The Open University
Dr Gillian Ferguson is currently a Lecturer in Social Work and Programme Leader for the Doctorate in Health and Social Care at The Open University. She is an educational researcher interested in professional and practice learning. Her research “When David Bowie Created Ziggy Stardust: The lived experiences of social workers learning through work” has helped reconceptualise how we understand social workers’ learning and its complexity. Gillian has worked across practice settings, in learning and development roles, in regulation and Higher Education across disciplines.
