‘Ways of attending’: using arts-based learning to explore social work students’ identities

Identity development is a central component of social work education, underpinning reflective practice and relational engagement. While existing literature emphasizes professional identity formation, less attention has been given to the integration of personal identities into professional selves. This research project addresses this gap, by examining how arts-based learning can support identity exploration. A qualitative research design was employed within an Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme comprising a series of creative workshops for 38 international students. Data were generated through a post-programme written survey, with 33 of the participants providing comments, which were examined using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings reveal that arts-based engagement facilitated shifts in perception, cognition, emotional awareness, and relational understanding. Participants described deeper self-reflection, increased self-acceptance, and developing more holistic views of themselves, while also considering applications for practice. These results are discussed with reference to theoretical perspectives on ‘attending,’ drawing on McGilchrist’s distinction between analytic and holistic modes of engagement. The study concludes that arts-based learning supports the examination of students’ identities by enabling alternative ways of attending. This contributes to students’ reflexivity with interesting and important consequences, not only for social work education but also for the students’ future social work practice.