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Dr Barry Cooper

Dr Barry Cooper

Lecturer, Social Work

The Open University Faculty of Health & Social Care Social Work

Profile

I started in social work in 1980 and have worked as a qualified child care and mental health practitioner (ASW) in London and Bristol and also did a stint with the out-of-hours Emergency Duty Team for Avon. I spent many years with various practice teaching and staff training positions throughout Avon and worked as a VL for University West of England. I joined the OU in 1998 as an Associate Lecturer for K100 and worked as a programme tutor on the Diploma in Social Work. I joined the Faculty as a full-time lecturer in social work in 2004.

I am currently working on the new post-qualification Professional Practice (children and families) Programme. I am Faculty academic lead and social work consultant, working with the OpenLearn, LightBox Educational and BBC production teams on two major initiatives: a web-based interactive game that illustrates aspects of ‘a day in the life’ of a social work practitioner; and the co-production with the BBC of a second TV series examining child care social work with Bristol City Council.

Qualifications

Degrees

  • 1978 BSc (Hons) (Human Sciences), University of Surrey
  • 1985 MSW (Social Work), University of Sussex
  • 2006 PhD (The Assessment Profession? Towards a re-construction of continuing professional development in social work), University of Bristol

Professional qualifications 

  • 1985 Certificate of Qualification in Social Work, Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW)
  • 1987 Approved Social Worker (ASW), 1983 Mental Health Act, CCETSW
  • 1992 ASW re-approval, CCETSW
  • 1994 Practice Teaching Award, CCETSW
  • 1996 Post-Qualifying Award, CCETSW
  • 1998 Advanced Award, CCETSW
  • 1999 PGCE (Higher Education), University of the West of England

Teaching Interests

  • K830 The Professional Practice (children and families) Programme - due to be first available Nov 2011

This practice-based teaching and learning programme will enable students and practitioners to demonstrate critical reflection and critical analysis to develop and improve their own performance and that of colleagues alongside the ability to analyse, evaluate and apply relevant research evidence. Students will also demonstrate the ability to undertake and supervise direct work involving complexity, change and communication within a range of practice-based circumstances whilst demonstrating respect for difference and diversity which value personhood.

 


I am academic lead for the Faculty in this joint project between HSC and the Institute of Educational Technology (IET) and a member of the production team, writing material and managing an expert consultant for Supervision activities and resources alongside responsibility in the development and marketing of this on-line resource bank. The ‘About Supervision’ resources offer a suite of activities that respond to a central area for professional development in social work identified by the Government’s Social Work Task Force report. The PePLE resources will be integrated within the Professional Practice (children and families) options.

The overall aim of the project is to support learning in the workplace, by providing access to online resources developed for the needs of work-based social workers, in a flexible way, enabling usage by both individuals and teams. The site highlights the link between time spent using the site and the requirements for social workers to show evidence of CPD. Accordingly we have provided areas where responses to activities, whether video-based or text-based, can be saved and used as part of such requirements. We have indicated on the site a professional requirements area, listing links to the professional bodies in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

 

The PIVOT resources are a unique and innovative suite of downloadable teaching and learning activities with accompanying explanatory demonstration videos for enhanced reflection. The activities and exercises draw upon Personal Construct Psychology and solution-focused approaches to professional education. The PIVOT resources are available to students and tutors on the course web-sites of the three OU social work practice-learning courses as collaborative activities and have been recognised internationally and used within the Participation and Community Engagement initiative at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia.

Research Interests

My research interests centre on the theme of practice pedagogies that examine and explore the boundaries between professional practice and professional education within health and social care.

This involves developing three strands of theoretical and empirical enquiry in the specialism of professional social work that contribute to scholarship in this field:

  1. Firstly, Personal Construct Psychology and constructivist theories that link individual and institutional interests within a broad socio-cultural perspective (see conference presentations and PBPL funded PIVOT video resources and publications);
  2. Second, the critical theories of Jurgen Habermas and the ways in which they inform social work education and practice (see Cooper B, 2009 – sole authored book & Cooper B, 2010 - ‘Educating Social Workers for Lifeworld and System’);
  3. Third, a broad appreciative inquiry approach to the exploration of ‘best practices’ in health and social work (see co-edited book, sole authored chapters, research group outcomes and a current book proposal negotiated with Palgrave).

Current Research Projects

I am collaborating with colleagues in the Faculty towards a book in the Palgrave Critical Best Practice series - Child care social work: Critical Best Practice with children and families. This involves interviews with practitioners and supervisors in professional practice agencies in England, Scotland and Wales.

The idea for this book grew out of my involvement in an edited collection of essays exploring the idea of Critical Best Practice (CBP) (Jones, Cooper & Ferguson, 2008) and subsequent publications arising from a CBP practice enquiry group in the Faculty. This new theoretical approach has since been developed further in the concluding chapters of David Howe’s latest book on social work theory that has been adopted as a set text book for the OU social work degree programme . The book being prepared explores how a CBP approach can inform and illustrate the diversity of practice approaches within children and families’ social work. Through the analysis of detailed case studies, it provides insights into child care social work practice and contributes to the further development of an approach which is constructive, realistic and strengths-based .

The book is funded through a Faculty Scholarship Development Fund as part of a project entitled 'Practioner Pathways to Publishing'. The project involves child care practitioners as active participants in the processes of writing and producing chapters for the book.

Publications

Authored Book
Cooper, Barry (2009). The Problem of Assessment in Social Work: Practice, Education and Continuing Professional Development. Saarbrucken, Germany: VDM Publishing House Ltd.
Book Chapter
Cooper, Barry and Hester, Richard (2010). Youth Justice: children in trouble or children in need? In: Seden, Janet; Matthews, Sarah; McCormick, Mick and Morgan, Alun eds. Professional Development in Social Work: Complex Issues in Practice. Post-qualifying Social Work. Abingdon, UK and New York, USA: Routledge, pp. 69–75.
Cooper, Barry (2010). Educating social workers for lifeworld and system. In: Murphy, Mark and Fleming, Ted eds. Habermas, Critical Theory and Education. International Studies in the Philosophy of Education. London: Routledge, pp. 169–184.
Cooper, Barry (2010). Criticality and reflexivity: Best practice in uncertain environments. In: Seden, Janet; Morgan, Alun; Matthews, Sarah and McCormick, Michael eds. Professional Development in Social Work: Complex Issues in Practice. London: Routledge, pp. 17–23.
Cooper, Barry (2010). Careering through social work: Metaphors of continuing professional development. In: Seden, Janet; Morgan, Alun; Matthews, Sarah and McCormick, Michael eds. Professional Development in Social Work: Complex Issues in Practice. London: Routledge, pp. 178–184.
Cooper, Barry (2008). Continuing professional development: A critical approach. In: Fraser, Sandy and Matthews, Sarah eds. The Critical Practitioner in Social Work and Health Care. London, UK: Sage, pp. 222–237.
Jones, Karen; Cooper, Barry and Ferguson, Harry (2008). Introducing critical best practice in social work. In: Jones, Karen; Cooper, Barry and Ferguson, Harry eds. Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1–11.
Cooper, Barry (2008). Constructive engagement: Best practice in social work interviewing – keeping the child in mind. In: Jones, Karen; Cooper, Barry and Ferguson, Harry eds. Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 88–106.
Cooper, Barry (2008). Best practice in social work interviewing: processes of negotiation and assessment. In: Jones, Karen; Cooper, Barry and Ferguson, Harry eds. Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 109–124.
Jones, Karen; Cooper, Barry and Ferguson, Harry (2008). Concluding reflections on the nature and future of critical best practice. In: Jones, Karen; Cooper, Barry and Ferguson, Harry eds. Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 286–292.
Speedy, Jane; Winter, Jan; Broadfoot, Patricia; Thomas, Judith and Cooper, Barry (2003). Researching assessment cultures, re-searching ourselves. In: Sutherland, Rosamund; Claxton, Guy and Pollard, Andrew eds. Learning and Teaching Where Worldviews Meet. Stoke-on-Trent, UK: Trentham Books, pp. 255–271.
Conference Item
Cooper, Barry (2008). Escaping the frameworks: Arguments for CPD as a practice-led break-out from normative occupational standards in health and social care. In: Professional Lifelong Learning: Critical Perspectives, 24th June 2008, University of Leeds, UK.
Journal Article
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2010). Keeping it personal: self-generated learning tools for lifelong professional development. Widening Participation and Lifelong Learning, 12 pp. 154–168.
Gordon, Jean and Cooper, Barry (2010). Talking knowledge – practicing knowledge: A critical best practice approach to how social workers understand and use knowledge in practice. Practice: Social Work in Action, 22(4), pp. 245–257.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2008). Dialogues in widening participation: Transitions to professional qualification and the importance of self-directed learning. Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal, 1(3),
Cooper, Barry and Broadfoot, Patricia (2006). Beyond description and prescription: towards conducive assessment in social work education. International Studies in Sociology of Education, 16(2), pp. 139–157.
Cooper, Barry and Rixon, Andy (2001). Integrating Post-Qualification Study into the Workplace: The Candidates’ Experience. Social Work Education, 20(6), pp. 701–716.
Cooper, Barry (2001). Constructivism in social work: towards a participative practice viability. British Journal of Social Work, 31(5), pp. 721–738.
Cooper, Barry (2000). 8008: The measure of a competent child care social worker? Journal of Social Work Practice, 14(2), pp. 113–124.
Other
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). Piloting PIVOT: The Professional Identity and Values Organisation Tool. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). Pre-PIVOT: The Commemorative Trophy for Good Works. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). PIVOT Stage 1: Personal Constructs of Practice. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). PIVOT Stage 2: Professional and Personal Values in Practice. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). PIVOT Stage 3: Generating Learning Aims for Practice. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). Personal Construct Grid Template for use in PIVOT Stage 1. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). Values Ladder Template for use in PIVOT Stage 2. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). Personal Constructs PIVOT Stage 1: Element Cards, Numbers Card and Question Card. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). PIVOT Learning Aims Scale - Template for use in PIVOT Stage 3. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Cooper, Barry and Pickering, Maggie (2009). PIVOT Learning Aims Scale - Completed Sample. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Gordon, Jean; Cooper, Barry and Dumbleton, Sue (2009). How do Social Workers use Evidence in Practice? The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.
Nix, Ingrid; Cooper, Barry; Davis, Roger and McCormick, Michael (2009). Prepared for Practice? Exploring and Evaluating the First Six Months of Post-qualified Practice in Social Work. The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK.

Other Interests

Access to some of my publications can also be reached through the OU's Open Research Online: http://oro.open.ac.uk/view/person/bc85.html

Selected publications:  

Book

  • Cooper B (2009) The Problem of Assessment in Social Work: Practice, Education and Continuing Professional Development, VDM, 325pp, ISBN-13: 9783639119091

Edited Books

  • K Jones, B Cooper & H Ferguson (eds) (2008) Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives, Palgrave, 328 pp, ISBN-13: 9781403985019
     
  • K Jones, B Cooper & H Ferguson (eds) (2009) Lavoro per bene: Buone pratiche nel servizio sociale, Erickson, 311 pp, ISBN-13: 9788861373884 (Italian edition of above book)
     

Chapters in Books
 

  • Cooper B (2010) ‘Criticality and reflexivity: Best practice in uncertain environments’, in Seden J, Morgan, A, Matthews, S. & McCormick, M. (eds.) Professional Development in Social Work: Complex issues in practice, Routledge, pp. 17-23, ISBN-13: 978-0415553360
     
  • Cooper B (2010) ‘Careering through social work: Metaphors of continuing professional development’, in Seden J, Morgan, A, Matthews, S. & McCormick, M. (eds.) Professional Development in Social Work: Complex issues in practice, Routledge, pp. 178-184, ISBN-13: 978-0415553360
     
  • Cooper B & Hester R (2010) ‘Youth Justice: Children in trouble or children in need?’, in Seden J, Morgan, A, Matthews, S. & McCormick, M. (eds.) Professional Development in Social Work: Complex issues in practice, Routledge, pp. 69-75, ISBN-13: 978-0415553360
     
  • Cooper B (2010) ‘Educating Social Workers for Lifeworld and System’, in Murphy M & Fleming T (eds.) Learning Democracy: Habermas, Critical Theory and Education, Routledge, International Studies in the Philosophy of Education, pp. 169-184, ISBN-13: 9780415806176
     
  • Cooper B (2008) ‘Continuing professional development: A critical approach’ in S. Fraser and S. Matthews (eds.), The Critical Practitioner in Social Work and Health Care, Sage, pp. 222-237, ISBN-13: 9781412948418 [OU course reader – K315]
     
  • Cooper B (2008) ‘Constructive engagement: Best practice in social work interviewing – keeping the child in mind’ in K Jones, B Cooper and H Ferguson (eds.)(2008), Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives, Palgrave, pp.88-106, ISBN-13: 9781403985019
     
  • Cooper B (2008) ‘Best practice in social work interviewing: processes of negotiation and assessment’ in K Jones, B Cooper and H Ferguson (eds.)(2008), Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives, Palgrave, pp.109-124, ISBN-13: 9781403985019
     
  • Jones K, Cooper B & Ferguson H (2008) ‘Introducing critical best practice in social work’ in K Jones, B Cooper and H Ferguson (eds.) Best Practice in Social Work: Critical Perspectives, Palgrave, pp.1-10, ISBN-13: 9781403985019
     

Papers in Refereed Journals

  • Gordon J & Cooper B (2010) ‘Talking knowledge – Practicing knowledge: A critical best practice approach to how social workers understand and use knowledge in practice, Practice: Social work in Action, 22, 4, 245-257
     
  • Cooper B & Pickering M (2008) ‘Dialogues in Widening Participation: Transitions to professional qualification and the importance of self-directed learning aims’ in Transformative Dialogues: Teaching and Learning Journal 1(3) March
    http://kwantlen.ca/TD/TD.1.3/TD.1.3_Cooper&Pickering_Widening_Participation.pdf
     
  • Cooper B & Broadfoot P (2006) ‘Beyond description and prescription: Towards conducive assessment in social work education’, International Studies in Sociology of Education, 16(2), 139-157
     
  • Cooper B (2001) ‘Constructivism in Social Work: Towards a Participative Practice Viability’, British Journal of Social Work, 31, 721-738.
     
  • Cooper B & Rixon A (2001) ‘Integrating Post-Qualification Study into the Workplace: The Candidates’ Experience’, Social Work Education, 20(6), 701-716
     
  • Cooper B (2000) ‘8008 - The Measure of a Competent Child Care Social Worker?’, Journal of Social Work Practice, 14(2), 113 – 124. http://oro.open.ac.uk/23082/1/8008_Cooper_2000_J_of_SW_Practice.pdf
     

Other publications

 

 

last updated 08-Aug-2011