Dr Gillian Ferguson

Professional biography

Gillian is an educational researcher integrating different areas of her own learning and professional experience, interested in research into learning, education and practice in social work and other professional areas including service and project evaluation. Her doctoral thesis focused on workplace learning in relation to social workers: titled, “When David Bowie Created Ziggy Stardust” The Lived Experiences of Social Workers Learning Through Work. The study explored the unique lived experiences of social workers’ learning in the course of their work activities, through an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study. The findings from this qualitative study sit at the intersection of knowledge about workplace and professional learning, offering new insights into how social workers learn through daily work. The thesis shows the nature and complexity of individual social workers’ experiences and how understanding these can help design more effective workplace continuing professional learning opportunities. 

Gillians's current research projects include:

• Developing an experiential learning pathway for social work child protection
• Exploring effective workplace practices that support social workers' learning
• Responsibility to act on climate emergency: a Document Analysis of social work educational and professional standards across the UK and an Exploration of Postgraduate Social Work Student perspectives on climate change with Lindsay Giddings
• Lead for Writing in Professional Social Work Impact Phase with Lindsay Giddings and Ann Flynn,

​Gillian was previously involved in Knowledge Landscapes a PRAXIS funded project exploring how professional doctorate researchers negotiate academic and professional epistemologies led by Dr Azumah Dennis 

Gillian is interest in phenomenological research, and use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) particularly in relation to the social work field. She leads the Open University Social Work IPA network (SWIPA) with Professor Sarah Vicary, launched in March 2024. 

Gillian is an active member of the Open University Social Work Research Group, initiator and co-lead for the Climate Justice and Social Work Special Interest Group. She is a steering group member of the Lifelong Learning Research Group and a member of the Open Societal challenge Existential Dis/Connections (open.ac.uk) team.

Gillian is a current peer reviewer for Qualitative Social Work; British Journal of Social Work; Journal of Practice Teaching and Learning; Social Work Education; Practice: Social Work in Action.

Currently Gillian is Practice Lead for Social Work and is involved in production and presentation of social work and health & social care modules at The Open University. She has previously been an Associate Lecturer and been involved in teaching across a broad range of modules, including widening participation, social work, health and social care, working with children and families.

Current teaching responsibilities include:

• K832 Developing Social Work Practice: Chair
• K833 Advancing Social Work Practice: Module team member
• K318 Leading, Managing and Caring: co-chair
• K123 Foundations for Social Work and Social Care Practice: author and module team

Previously Gillian was Programme Lead for the Practice Learning Award for a partnership in Scotland. She remains interested in learning through and in professional practice, and how this can best be facilitated. 

Gillian's professional experience in third sector and local authority settings continues to inform her teaching and learning activity. She remains close to professional practice through involvement in services and direct work.

Recent and forthcoming conference presentations

Forthcoming conference presentation: Ziggy Stardust, a complex web, and extraordinary work: reconceptualising professional learning for social workers, BERA Conference (September 2024), University of Manchester.

Forthcoming conference keynote address: Learning in an extraordinary job - professional development matters in social work, National annual conference for newly qualified social workers in Scotland, (September 2024), University of Dundee.

Forthcoming symposium keynote address: Ziggy Stardust, extraordinary jobs and a professional learning ecosystem, SWIPA research network inaugural symposium, (October 2024), Online.

Introducing a holistic model for Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis for social work practice and research Authentic Care in Health and Social Care Conference, University of Greenwich, 2024.

Social work regulation and responsibility to act on the climate emergency British Association of Social Workers Conference, Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, 2024 with Lindsay Giddings.

Ziggy Stardust and social work - how workplace learning theory influences and emerges from research into professional learning across the career, The Open University, LiFHE Research Group event on Workplace Learning, November 2023.  

Learning to do an extraordinary job: workplace learning as an essential component of social workers’ professional development across the career, Social Work Scotland annual conference, University of Strathclyde, 2023.

Workplace learning for social workers: a complex web, Joint Social Work Education and Research Conference, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 2023.

Writing for your life: resources for social work practice and education, Joint Social Work Education and Research Conference, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, 2023.

'When David Bowie Created Ziggy Stardust: Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers' Northern Ireland Health and Social Care Board, 9th Annual Social Work and Social Care Research Conference, Online, 2022.

‘Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers’ 13th International Conference on Practice Teaching and Field Education in Health and Social Work, Online, 2021.

Sector presentations and impact engagement

Learning to do an extraordinary job, Perth and Kinross Council, Social Work Forum, March 2024.

An extraordinary job and an incredible profession, keynote address to Highland Council Social Work Forum, October 2023.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers, Stirling University, Practice Education Forum, October 2023.

Workplace learning for social workers presentation to Highland Council, March 2023.

Workplace learning for social workers presentation to North Ayrshire Council, March 2023.

Workplace learning for social workers presentation to East Dunbartonshire Council, March 2023.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers presentation to Falkirk Council, Social Work Conference December 2022.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers presentation to Scottish Association of Social Workers Community of Practice Session December 2022.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers presentation to Strathclyde University Lunchtime Seminar Series November 2022.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers presentation to Dundee City Council May 2022.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers presentation to Open University Social Work Research Group April 2022.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers presentation to Dumfries and Galloway Council April 2022.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers to South Ayrshire Council March 2022.

‘Writing in social work’ presentation to British Association of Applied Linguistics PAWBL SIG with Dr Lucy Rai February 2022.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers presentation to Social Work Scotland, Learning and Development National Network, December 2021.

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers, Scottish Social Services Council, Newly Qualified Social Workers Supported Year in Scotland Test Sites event, July 2021.

Scottish Social Services Council, Newly Quaified Social Workers Supported Year in Scotland Test Sites - Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers

Reconceptualising workplace learning for social workers presentation to Social Work Scotland, Learning and Development National Network, December 2021.