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There have been longstanding debates about Master of Social Work (MSW) Advanced Standing programs. Many schools of social work offer Advanced Standing status to students with a Bachelor of Social W...

Social workers play a critical role in assessing and treating individuals and families with mental health and addiction concerns. Although social workers are key professionals in the mental health ...

As future mandated reporters, social work students face the dual challenge of rendering accurate reporting decisions while concurrently maintaining the therapeutic relationship in an effort...

There has been a call for social work programs to better prepare students for field education. This qualitative study examined an innovation titled Practice Fridays developed to enhance competence ...

Simulation, the use of trained actors as simulated clients, has gained empirical support as an effective teaching and assessment method in social work education. The associated costs involving the use of live simulation, however, often pose a barrier and prevent less resourced schools from implementing this pedagogical approach in the classroom. Social Work Serial is a pedagogical project that used video-recorded simulated client sessions as an alternative to live simulation. In this teaching note, we will describe step-by-step production and implementation processes involving the project and discuss the implications of video-based simulation for social work education.

Simulation-based learning (SBL) is a powerful tool for social work education, preparing students to practice in integrated health care settings. In an educational environment addressing patient health using an integrated care model, there is growing emphasis on students developing clinical competencies prior to entering clinical placements or clinical practice settings. This article highlights the importance of SBL in the development of the clinical competencies of graduate social work students enrolled in a Social Work Practice in Health course. The development and implementation of an educational initiative using a family-based simulation scenario to enhance classroom learning for health social work practice is described, and recommendations for future educational initiatives using SBL are provided.

To strengthen students’ preparation for engaging in field learning, an innovation was implemented to teach and assess foundation-year students’ performance prior to entering field education. An Objective Structured Clinical Examination informed the final evaluation of students’ performance in two companion courses on practice theory and skills. The evaluation was used by field instructors and students to develop the field learning plan. This article reports on a qualitative study that examined field instructors’ and faculty field liaisons’ experiences and reactions to using this new approach and its impact in shaping students’ field learning goals. Implications for supporting adoption of innovations that strengthen the link between classroom and field teaching are offered, including new institutional policies that resulted from ongoing evaluation.

One of the most challenging aspects of my role as editor in chief has been writing editorials that I thought would be of interest to the readers of this journal. Over the past four years I have wri...

Few studies have examined social work students’ reflections on and experiences working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning persons and addressing the intersection of race/ethnicity and sexuality within practice. This study explored current master’s of social work student (n = 11) and recent graduate (n = 7) reflections on conducting an objective structured clinical practice interaction with an African Canadian youth coming out as a lesbian. Narrative thematic analyses of reflective dialogues highlighted a variation of competence in gay affirmative practice across attitudes (managing personal reactions), knowledge (addressing diversity; terminology and information), and skills (readiness; challenging heterosexism). Curriculum development and agency-based training is recommended to address gaps in knowledge and competence regarding gay affirmative approaches.

Cyber counseling is a new and growing medium for offering mental health services to children and youth. However, there is a lack of identification of the core competencies required to provide effective online counseling. A school of social work, in partnership with a national service agency providing online counseling to children and youth, developed and offered a 13-week course to participating MSW social work students and agency staff. The development of online counseling competencies was assessed through individual interviews with participants and a content analysis of online posts. Participants scored well in areas of assessment and intervention. Challenges were identified in relationship building within an online environment. This research was funded by Bell Canada.

Reliable and valid methods to evaluate student competence are needed in social work education, and practice examinations with standardized clients may hold promise for social work. The authors conducted a critical appraisal of standardized client simulations used in social work education to assess their effectiveness for teaching and for evaluating social work students' competence. Following a comprehensive search, 18 studies, including 515 social work students, were examined. The authors extracted data from these studies and study methods and assessed the results. This review found that studies vary in methodological quality; however, using standardized client simulations is well-received by students. Consistent implementation methods and reliable, valid assessment measures are needed to advance this evaluation method for social work.

Although a growing literature examines competencies in clinical practice, competencies of students in macro social work practice have received comparatively little attention. A grounded-theory methodology was used to elicit field instructor views of student competencies in community, organization, and policy contexts. Competencies described by field instructors encompassed 2 broad dimensions: meta competencies and procedural competencies. Meta competencies included characteristics such as self-awareness, compassion, motivation, and commitment to social justice. Procedural competencies included project management and presentation skills, and the ability to articulate and implement steps to attain goals. These identified competencies provide a basis for development of a tool to assess student performance of competencies in macro practice.

In its EPAS, CSWE (2008) identifies field education as the signature pedagogy (Shulman, 2005b) of social work education. This article analyzes the field education– signature pedagogy fit. It finds congruence in selected organizational arrangements that are pervasive and routine, and disparities with respect to expectations about public student performance, peer accountability, the view of adaptive anxiety, and accountable talk. This article asserts that practicum effectiveness could be enhanced by a broader application of Shulman's criteria through a greater emphasis on group structures for learning/teaching in the field.

An exploratory study using qualitative methodology was undertaken with recent MSW graduates (N=12) from 2 graduate social work programs to identify and describe the students' emotional reactions to experiences in field education. Significant and interrelated themes emerged including the subjective and unique definitions of emotionally charged events; the considerable effect of the student–field instructor relationship and the organizational environment, whereby both act as major risk and major protective factors; and participants seeking help from sources in their family and social networks and not necessarily from those in formal social work education roles. Implications for field education are provided.

The purpose of this study was to explore field instructors' experiences and insights in working with lesbian and gay MSW students. In-depth 1-to 1.5-hour interviews were conducted with 8 field instructors selected using purposive sampling. Data were analyzed using narrative thematic analysis and a constant comparative method. One set of themes emerged across all informants; a second set emerged exclusively from lesbian-and gay-identified informants. Dynamic interactions among the student, the field instructor–student relationship, and the agency context suggest the importance of moving beyond individual-level conceptualizations to address sexual orientation-related barriers and opportunities in field education.

This article examines the historical development, rationale, and implementation of selected field education accreditation standards. Those reviewed include the number of required field hours, the role of the field liaison, and employer-based placements. Archival data and field education literature from the Council on Social Work Education demonstrate a lack of empirical evidence to support the contribution of these standards to student outcomes. Programs are encouraged to develop new field models, test, and empirically evaluate student achievement of educational outcomes. The critical examination of the status of field education can lead to greater effectiveness, an unfreezing of the status quo, and better experiences for students.

While the move to anchored scales has been an improvement in the standardization of field performance evaluation, these tools have not been found to consistently discriminate among student performances or identify students experiencing clinical difficulties. This article presents two efforts to redress this problem. The use of a new practice-based scale incorporating field instructors' language and conceptual dimensions of practice did not improve the discrimination of student performance. An alternative evaluation system that involved matching students to a standardized set of more holistic, realistic vignettes did improve field instructors' discrimination of student performances and facilitated the identification of students experiencing clinical difficulties. Implications for field evaluation methodologies are discussed.

This article relates the evolution of field-related accreditation standards since the 1982 Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Curriculum Policy Statement to the changes that have occurred in agencies, students, and educational institutions. It demonstrates how CSWE modifications helped solve some problems while creating new ones. The authors argue that radical approaches to field education must be explored in order to overcome the roadblocks to high-quality field experiences. The discussion includes a report of a meeting attended by 33 directors of field education who met to engage in such a problem-solving process. A plea for continuing such dialogue and action is urged.

The purpose of this study was to further understanding of group supervision in field education. The goal was to illuminate factors that students identified as important for a group climate that facilitated learning. A qualitative interview methodology was used to explore the experiences of 18 MSW students who received group supervision as the primary method of field instruction. Numerous factors influence students' ability to participate in group learning, such as their previous experiences with each other, level of competence, and skill as a group member. The respondents also described specific behaviors of the field instructor as group supervisor that they valued.

This study examines the reliability and validity of a measure to evaluate student field performance. Results demonstrated a consistent factor structure with excellent internal consistency, however, there was inadequate consistency between ratings of individual students in their first and second field education experiences. The measure had some predictive validity in that it could differentiate between students identified as having difficulty in Year 1 of the program, but not in Year 2. Scores were significantly associated with academic grades. Implications for future instrument development and the process of evaluation are considered.

Factors associated with effective interorganizational relationships between a school of social work and field agencies were explored in a survey of 62 randomly selected field educators. The study examined the relationships between three categories of agencies and the university on four dimensions: commitment to education; organizational supports and resources; interpersonal relations; and collaborative and reciprocal activities. Findings revealed that agencies with formal agreements with the university had more complex student programs and more reciprocal activities than other types of sampled organizations. Strengths and distinctive contributions of the different types of organizations to the university and to field education are illuminated.

To explore the influence of social work education on students' professional identification and practice interests (and to examine recent concern that students' career goals no longer match social work's traditional mission), authors of this study surveyed 180 graduate students at one school of social work at the beginning and end of the 1991-92 academic year. Analysis focusing on the students' interest in 12 practice areas was undertaken for three cohorts: beginning MSW students, second-year MSW students, and BSW graduates who entered directly into the second year of MSW study. The results indicate that most students are still attuned to social work's traditional mission, and that graduate education does have significant influence on practice interests and self-identification, especially for beginning students. Implications for the design of graduate programs are also explored.

Recent studies have suggested that the career interests of many social work students are inconsistent with the traditionally defined concept of social work identity. The current study conceptualized, operationalized, and developed measures of the prevalence of various interests, preferred activities, and self-identifications associated with social work identity among graduate social work students at the University of Toronto. Reliable dimensions of social work interests and activities were identified. Four distinct subgroups with particular patterns of interests were found: (1) policy and research, (2) private and direct practice with voluntary clients, (3) traditional social work, and (4) undifferentiated. Subgroup membership was related to self-identification and preferred service fields. Although the majority of the students chose “social worker” as their primary identification, significant numbers close “clinical social worker” or “therapist.” Self-identification was significantly correlated with pref...

Evidence indicates that the turnover of field instructors is high, thus threatening the quality and costs of social work education. To determine the factors that contribute to the high turnover rate, the authors surveyed new field instructors. The authors examined the influence of institutional supports offered by the practice setting and by the university on intention to continue and actual continuance, as well as intrinsic rewards and personal issues. The results contribute to an understanding of the career path of field instructors and suggest new short-term strategies to increase retention of field instructors. The authors conclude that the voluntary and somewhat precarious nature of university—agency partnerships for social work education needs to be reconsidered.

In schools of social work, specializations frequently provide an organizing philosophy and structure for program delivery. Health specializations increasingly are being offered. Components for a curriculum in health have been addressed by educators and practitioners, but the focus for discussion has primarily been on course content with little attention to a curriculum for the practicum. This paper addresses the gap in the literature by presenting a framework for such a curriculum relevant to practica in other specializations. This framework is based on the roles associated with three domains of practice in hospitals. Each practice role serves as a broad objective for the student's knowledge and skill to be learned. In addition, the paper discusses educational issues that commonly arise in hospital practicum.