What is critical analysis and why should I do it?
By Tina Odu, University of East Anglia and BASW Student Ambassador
A reflection on concepts discussed at the BASW Charitable Foundation for Social Work student training session led by Siobhan Maclean.
What does it mean to be critical, or analytical? In an exercise at the start of the session, Siobhan Maclean asked participants to write down what we thought analysis was. I wrote that analysis meant ‘to explore deeply, thinking about multiple views, impact, biases, implications’. I would have provided a different response prior to starting my social work training. My ongoing social work training at the University of East Anglia has engendered me to explore the use of oneself and the position one occupies across different contexts.
From the training we learnt that ‘analysis is not a single event’, but that it involves ‘breaking down information, exploring what the information means and restructuring what is ‘known’ into a professional judgement or recommendation’. Professional curiosity is therefore important in analysis.
Another key concept I learnt this session was that the main difference between ‘reflection’ and ‘critical reflection’ was ‘power’. Being critical meant exploring issues of power and their respective socio-political contexts and going more in depth in one’s assessments. Questions to consider include: ‘Were there any aspects of power or powerlessness that you found particularly challenging’? ‘Why’? ‘What did you do about these?’
Reflection and analysis are interconnected, with both appearing side by side on the sixth domain of the Professional Capabilities Framework which underpins social work education and professional development in England (BASW, 2018). It is unsurprising then that reflection was partly covered in this session that focused on critical analysis. Three levels of reflection were explored: ‘reflection, critical reflection and reflexivity’. Social work students would need to evidence these at the first-level placement, second-level placement and during the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment.
Furthermore, we learnt that there were two kinds of models used in reflection generally: a ‘process’ and a ‘component’ model. Most Models are linear and follow a ‘process’ and may not lend themselves to exploring issues of power. An example includes the Gibbs reflective cycle (Gibbs, 1988), which explores ideas in a specific order: description, feelings and thoughts, evaluation, analysis, conclusion, and action planning. However, component models may be considered in any order and can help to explore issues of power. An example of a component model is the Korthagen’s reflective onion (Korthagen and Vasalos, 2005) which explores, in any order, environment, behaviour, competences, beliefs, identity, and mission. Another example is the ‘SHARE model’ (Maclean, Finch and Tedam, 2018). SHARE is an acronym for Seeing, Hearing, Action, Reading and Evaluation, which explores what one has seen, heard, done, read, and how it would be evaluated. The SHARE model is a ‘multi-sensory, triangulated approach’ which supports analysis.
For a reflective practice, Siobhan Maclean urges students and practitioners to consider aspects of power and powerlessness which involves, but is not limited to, ‘self-awareness’, ‘exploring emotions’, ‘creating uncertainty through dynamic questioning’ and a ‘willingness to live with that uncertainty’.
Details of further sessions in the BASW Foundation Student Development programme can be found here: https://www.baswfoundation.org.uk/events/
References and further reading
Siobhan Maclean (2023) The Reflective Social Worker: A Little Practical Book.
Lichfield: Kirwin Maclean Associates Ltd. Available to buy at https://siobhanmaclean.co.uk/publications/the-reflective-social-worker-a-little-practical-book
Gibbs, G., (1988) Learning by doing: A guide to teaching and learning methods. Further Education Unit. London.
Korthagen, F. and Vasalos, A. (2005) ‘Levels in reflection: Core reflection as a means to enhance professional growth’. Teachers and teaching, 11(1), pp.47-71.
Siobhan Maclean, Jo Finch and Prospera Tedam (2018) SHARE – A New Model for Social Work. Lichfield, Staffs: Kirwin Maclean Associates Ltd.
British Association of Social Workers (2018) Professional capabilities framework.
Available at https://basw.co.uk/training-cpd/professional-capabilities-framework-pcf.
(Accessed 18 August 2024).
YouTube
https://youtu.be/MwqqgJqxMus is a Siobhan Maclean webinar on the art of analysis
https://youtu.be/Gq6PBBkJcus is a Siobhan Maclean webinar on power and empowerment