Dialogic Journaling in Social Work Education: Examining Critical Self-Reflection, Professional Competencies, and Student Experience

Background and Purpose: Despite the centrality of critical thinking to social work education competencies, there is limited research on what types of instructor feedback most effectively support the development of critical thinking skills in social work education. While reflective writing is commonly used in social work programs, we lack evidence about how different forms of instructor response influence students' development of critical reflection and social work competence. This study examines how dialogic journaling supports the development of critical self-reflection and professional competencies in social work education, focusing on three key questions: (1) What aspects of instructor feedback most effectively foster critical thinking and student development? (2) How do students experience and engage with the dialogue process? (3) What evidence of competency development emerges in journal entries?

Methods: This pilot study employs Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)—a qualitative research methodology that examines how individuals make sense of significant experiences through a systematic interpretative process that acknowledges both participant meaning-making and researcher interpretation—with embedded quantitative elements. Participants were recruited from a graduate-level social work course on grief and loss (n=13). Data collection includes six written reflections from each participant with instructor responses, lossography assignments exploring personal experiences with grief and loss, 20-minute recorded synthesis discussions on their journal experience, and a competency assessment survey. Analysis followed an IPA framework, adapted to incorporate quantitative elements, with case-by-case analysis followed by cross-case examination and quality assurance measures (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2021).

Results: Preliminary findings (n=3) indicate that instructor feedback combining validation with probing questions elicits deeper subsequent reflection than simple acknowledgment. Students report that certain types of instructor responses—particularly those connecting personal insights to professional practice—help them recognize assumptions and develop new perspectives. Ongoing analysis is exploring different patterns of engagement that emerge when feedback addresses emotional content versus theoretical connections. Survey data and additional dialogue journal data are continuing to be collected and analyzed.

Conclusions and Implications: This research provides evidence-based guidance for supporting student development through written dialogue, addressing a significant gap in social work pedagogy. Findings suggest that structured dialogic journaling can enhance critical thinking and professional identity development. The study has implications for how educators can most effectively support reflective practice and for the assessment of professional competencies in social work education. Future research will examine broader applications with diverse social work courses and explore how artificial intelligence might enhance the efficiency and accessibility of feedback while preserving essential interpersonal elements of reflective dialogue.

Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2021). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory, method and research (2^nd ed.). SAGE Publications.