Thinking and Thinking About Thinking: A Qualitative Study of Learning in a Process-Centric Teaching Model

In the 21st-century sociotechnical context where humans are steeped in information, approaches to social work education that foster students’ capacities to critically consume and be well poised to reflexively apply information are critical. This article presents findings from a qualitative study designed to deepen understanding of social work students’ thinking, thinking about thinking, and changes that emerged through a process-centric approach to human behavior in the social environment. Data were gathered from 52 students and analyzed thematically using a constructionist-informed grounded theory framework. An overarching theme of deepening empathic awareness emerged, with three nested subthemes, capturing shifts in thinking. This article offers a conceptual framework that emerged from the data that can inform the development of process-centric approaches to social work education and future research.