The Development of Personality and Social Skills Needed for Practice through Action Research

Bohdana Richterova

Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The objective of the paper is to present the possibilities and realization of action research focused on the development of the personalities of students in helping professions. THEORETICAL BASE: The presented approach comes from personality and social development elements in combination with the four-phase action research model. METHODS: The first part defines the terms personality, social development and action research, interconnecting them on the basis of theoretical sources with possibilities of personal development. The second part presents the implementation and outcomes of 9 individual action studies of Faculty of Education students, focusing on the development of particular areas. OUTCOMES: The paper presents the topics of the students’ papers of the individual action research and their newly applied approach, including their possibilities and limitations. SOCIAL WORK IMPLICATIONS: The paper describes one of the possible approaches of personality and social development of future social workers using action research.

Keywords
action research, personality and social development, helping professions, personal reflective journal

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