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The introduction of COVID-19 disrupted almost every facet of global societies, including institutions of higher education. With limited time to prepare for the emergent shift to virtual instruction, few educators had the time or emotional energy to invest in course redesign to meet established standards of quality online education. Strained by lack of guidance from their institutions and limited confidence in teaching social group work virtually, twelve group work educators initially participated in a weekly mutual aid group of peer members sponsored by the International Association for Social Work with Groups. This paper describes the evolution of a peer-facilitated, international, mutual aid group for group work educators making the transition to an online format – its conception, formation, purpose, structure, facilitation, and process. The authors address the personal experiences of all members, and place the group into a theoretical context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes a model aimed at facilitating connections between students and professional associations. It assesses efforts to link Master of Social Work (MSW) students and the Association for the Advancement of Social Work with Groups (AASWG), and delineates the rationale, underlying assumptions, process, impact, and critical factors. Suggestions are offered for creating and enhancing connections between these two constituencies, doi: 10.1300/J009v30n04_02 KEYWORDS. Professional associations, social work students, social group work, professional development, faculty mentorship

This article focuses on the professional isolation faced by social group work practitioners and educators. It identifies the need for peer support and connection in an environment of limited opportunities for professional development. The paper describes and assesses long-term peer support groups initiated and developed by each of the authors, one for group work educators and the other for practitioners. It discusses the potential for expanding the development of such groups, which could benefit individual group workers as well as strengthen efforts to ensure the survival of group work. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: Website: [c] 2004 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.] KEYWORDS. Social group work, peer support groups, group leaders, group work faculty, part-time faculty

This study explored the historical landscape of U.S. social work doctoral dissertations focusing on group work. It investigated whether generating these dissertations factors into ongoing connections with this modality. The purpose of the study was two pronged: (1) to identify group work focused social work dissertations produced between 1970 and 2012 and (2) to interview dissertation authors to ascertain their professional connections with group work, their contemporary perceptions of group work education, and their suggestions for advocacy for the group work method. Sixty-three group work dissertations were identified and 24 dissertation authors were interviewed. The study found a strong relationship between completing a group work focused dissertation and ongoing professional involvement with the group work modality. The findings provide some meaningful support for focusing on doctoral social work programs as vehicles for increasing the number of social work professionals committed to the group work modality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author, a social work educator, describes how a light bulb moment led her to recognize that professional associations need the youth, energy and enthusiasm of student involvement, and that social work students need the mentoring, networking, professionalism and purpose of the professional community. Recognizing that students need to find their voice and their passion, she made it her mission, through involvement in the International Association for Social Work with Groups, to ignite a sense of empowerment in these budding professionals and encourage their engagement with the hard work of this profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Warnings about social group work's diminished place within social work education date back to 1978. This article reports the findings of a national study exploring the state of group-work education in Council on Social Work Education accredited programs. Our 2014 publication compared study results with those of the 1994 Birnbaum and Auerbach publication. This article highlights additional findings regarding underexplored aspects of group-work education including concentrations/specializations in group work, social work faculty expertise and involvement in group-work associations, efforts to link students with professional group-work associations, continuing education opportunities in group work for field supervisors, online/hybrid group-work course offerings, links between institutional characteristics and group-work offerings, and faculty members' perceptions of the state of group-work education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students in professional social work programs in the United States traditionally receive little direct information about or contact with professional associations. What exposure they do get is haphazard and primarily through extracurricular means. This article describes and evaluates a curricular module to enhance student awareness of and connection to professional associations. The group work classes at a Midwestern United States university were adapted to include a course module addressing the role of professional associations. Components of the module include readings, discussions, presentations and attendance at a professional association meeting. Pre- and post-tests were administered to assess the initial impact of this module. The module appears to have had an impact upon students' knowledge of and appreciation for professional associations. The authors advocate for increased curricular attention to facilitating this connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses issues related to the personal and professional understanding of non-monogamous relationships as discussed in the International Association of Social Work with Groups (IASWG) symposium.

The purpose of this paper is twofold - to describe a Group Work Camp workshop that facilitates continued professional involvement beyond the camp experience, and to share the information offered in this session. The workshop provides information about developing peer-reviewed presentations for professional association conferences and addresses the benefits of such presentations. It identifies different presentation formats and describes the abstract preparation, submission and review processes. It addresses the dissemination of supplemental material related to the presentation. Detailed recommendations for navigating the preparation and presentation processes are shared with the hope of easing anxieties for new presenters. By scheduling the workshop near the conclusion of camp, it builds upon the group experience to facilitate continued involvement with the association and its activities. It provides a bridge and a method for further professional groupwork engagement and outlines a path for post-camp connections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent increase in the number of social work courses being offered in online formats raises challenges and opportunities for social work educators. Simultaneously, the literature suggests that group work principles can serve as an important foundation for effective online education. This article examines the obstacles and opportunities for using group work principles to advance effective learning in online education. Three examples of fully online social work classes - a BSW group work course, an MSW group course and an MSW field work seminar - are discussed in order to identify and assess some of these obstacles and opportunities. Recommendations for best practices in online education are identified. The potential role of group work educators as leaders in facilitating effective online learning is also explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the relationship between social groupwork and technology. It discusses the evolution of online technology--how the technological revolution of the computer, the Internet, and mass access to new communication devices has impacted our lives with unprecedented speed and universality. It acknowledges the natural and understandable resistance of many skilled and renowned groupworkers to the use of these new modalities. It addresses the numerous benefits and challenges that technology brings, and the critical and timely need for groupworkers to make the conceptual shift to embrace these modalities. A case is madeforgroupworkers'ability to take a leadership role in the development of effective, efficient and ethical online groups across disciplines and fields, and the need to contribute to the burgeoning scholarly literature on best practices in the development of online communities. An example of the use of technology to facilitate connection and effective teaching among adjunct groupwork educators is offered as one avenue for increasing groupwork's voice within an academic institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]