CHALLENGES AND CHANGES IN TEACHING PERSON-CENTRED COUNSELLING TO SOCIAL WORK LEARNERS VIA DISTANCE EDUCATION

This article focuses on the quest to be learner-centred in social work training and on the challenges faced by the Department of Social Work at the University of South Africa (UNISA) in teaching person-centred counselling skills to Social Work students via open distance learning. The author first explores the meaning of open distance learning and learner-centeredness, then briefly discusses the theoretical framework supported by the department in teaching Social Work and lastly discusses the strategies used and challenges faced in teaching person-centred counselling skills to Social Work students at UNISA, with recommended changes in addressing these challenges