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Reflective Essays

Vol. 24 No. 2

Student Engagement and Deep Learning in Higher Education: Reflections on Inquiry-Based Learning on our Group Study Program Course in the UK

Submitted
May 4, 2020
Published
2020-09-08

Abstract

A group study program in the UK provides the setting for understanding deep learning in social work education through inquiry-based learning (IBL). Thirteen undergraduate and graduate students from a large university in Western Canada participated in a 15-day learning journey complete with a research methods conference and multiple exchanges with academics, service providers, and service users during their experiential inquiry. Two student coauthors and a faculty member discuss this unique active learning experience in this reflective essay using a constructivist lens to illustrate and make connections between IBL, student engagement, critical thinking, and deep learning. Students’ deep-learning experiences are shared in relation to Sawyer’s (2006) six deep-learning activities, adding to our knowledge about how IBL can support student learning preferences. Implications for consideration for social work education conclude the essay.