Directive teaching and gut learning: The seminar technique and its use in video-based role-play learning

Abstract

Traditional models of teaching in higher education induce a sense of competition amongst, students, exposing their varying degrees of competence. This is particularly true in seminar teaching where students are expected to perform individually in front of their peers. Some show up better man others, and tiiose who do badly are not only penalized by their teachers and peers but also caught in a cycle of deteriorating performance.

Because social work training is concerned with teaching good practice to each and every student, some of whom are more naturally able man others, the traditional style of seminar can be counter-productive and so undermining for some that they become unable to learn. Moreover, some of those who present well in academic seminars may be the less competent in the field and vice versa; good performance in class and good practice do not necessarily go together. As a teaching method in social work training the seminar needs to be adapted and made a more sensitive instrument.

A related problem is that an academic style of teaching can render social work material lifeless; it is difficult to develop skills and different ways of intervening when the subject matter presented does not come across as real and alive.

While David Wallbridge was working on the Seminar Technique, Hazel Danbury was experimenting with the use of closed circuit television in student case discussions. She soon discovered the same problems occurring with CCTV as were found in the seminar. This paper outlines some ways of minimizing these problems: First, David Wallbridge's Seminar Technique is explained. This is followed by an account of how Hazel Danbury used it in conjunction with CCTV and then monitored the method over a ten-week term. Finally there is a brief account of the students own evaluation of the method.