• Using this resource
  • Who is the resource intended for?
  • How does the resource work?
  • The core resources
  • Supporting resources
  • Getting started
• Authors and Developers
• Accessibility Policy

Who is the resource intended for?

At its most simplest level, we hope the resource will be of interest and value to all social work/social care students and staff for whom research mindedness is, or is likely to become, a professional concern.

Specifically, this resource has been designed to assist students studying on social work qualifying courses, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Used in conjunction with other learning and teaching resources and activities, it will help students meet the required standards and competences:

Standards set by the relevant regulatory bodies

Competencies for research literacy are set out by the Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) in their subject benchmarking statements for social work education and training.

The resource has also been designed to be of use to staff working in practice contexts – practitioners, managers, research and information officers, staff developers, practice learning teachers, etc. – both in their day-to-day work, and in support of their continuing professional development.

To make it accessible and encourage its use amongst the widest possible range of students and staff, we have not specified any pre-requisite level of understanding, or assumed any prior knowledge of research mindedness. However, in order to ensure that you benefit from your visit(s) to the resource it has been designed to do several important things:

• explain what is meant by the concept of research mindedness
  
• engage your interest in understanding more about research mindedness, and how it relates to your studies and/or practice
  
• help you assess your current level of understanding of research mindedness
  
• assist you in identifying your learning needs and meeting them through guided self-managed learning
  
• provide you with access to a range of resources to expand and enhance your knowledge of research mindedness
  
• suggest ways in which you can continue to develop your capability for research mindedness

What the resource does not do

The resource is not a Research Methods course, and has not been designed to fulfill that role. However, where relevant to the task of helping you to review your current research methods knowledge and skills, you may be directed to specific additional resources. The decision whether to make use of these resources is, of course, yours.