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Asked bachelor's and master's of social work students to evaluate at two points in their practicum the supervision provided by field instructors. Early in the practicum, students found helpful those supervisory activities that introduced them to the agency and clarified performance expectations. At the end, students preferred activities that helped them be self-critical and link classroom and field learning. (EV)

Surveyed social workers about their political activity. Found they are more active than the general public. Respondents engaged in a range of activities from voting to campaigning, but the most active were engaged in professional associations and were more likely to feel capable of affecting policy. This finding could provide social work educators a way to encourage political participation. (EV)

Discusses fieldwork's contribution to the preparation of social work practitioners in contemporary health care settings. Presents two programs that may serve as alternative models of fieldwork in such settings. Discusses their impact, including a summary of evaluations. Contends that a fieldwork structure using rotations may increase its value for students both academically and in the employment process. (EV)

Discusses the need to train clinical practitioners in social work to address ongoing issues of oppression. Describes a second-year Master's in Social Work clinical practice sequence taught from feminist, poststructuralist, postmodern, and social constructionist perspectives, where students learn to assess the impacts of oppression, discover clients' strengths, and respond in personal, social, and political contexts. (Author/DB)

Identifies challenges to the social work profession in an aging society including the shortage of gerontological social workers, lack of gerontological expertise and competence, negative attitudes towards older adults, inadequate social work curricula in aging, and cutbacks in federal resources. Offers strategies for enhancing gerontological social work education including recruitment, and curriculum enhancement. (DB)

A qualitative survey explored the professional educational experiences of 63 Native American social workers and social work students. Most respondents identified the need for more cultural content in the curriculum, personal struggles experienced in pursuing an education grounded in Anglo cultural norms, but also available supports, especially other Native Americans. (DB)

Two articles and rebuttals provide contrasting views on whether convicted felons should automatically be denied admission to a social work education program. One view focuses on the importance of the gatekeeping role in the profession whereas the other emphasizes the special understandings that such an individual, if truly reformed, can offer the profession. (DB) (DB)

Structured interviews with 19 leaders and potential employers in health- and human-services fields elicited information about the knowledge, skills, and attitudes sought in master's in social work (MSW) graduates. Commonly desired characteristics were knowledge of research processes, writing and communication skills, critical thinking skills, and an attitude of openness and flexibility. Author/MSE)

The increasing demand for social work clinicians in the Department of Veterans Affairs to be accountable for outcomes of client intervention is seen as a threat to the social work profession's leadership role. One program is examined to highlight system obstacles and administrative approaches that can reduce barriers between the academic and practice sectors. (Author/MSE)

A survey of Israeli social work faculty (n=62), social workers (n=70), and third-year students (n=90) found an overall positive orientation toward research. Faculty and practitioners feel students are less favorably disposed to research than students do and are unlikely to incorporate it into curricula. (Author/MSE)

Social work policy-practice is a recent development that attempts to integrate direct social work practice with social policy theory and advocacy for change. Salient issues in the emergence of this trend, models of the social worker role arising from it, and implications for social work curricula are examined. (MSE)

The national survey of full-time graduate social work students (N=687) examined student characteristics and practice orientations. Comparison of 1990 graduates with earlier cohorts suggests that, although students' personal characteristics have shifted, their motivations and goals are compatible with traditional social work functions. (Author/MLW)

This survey of 265 social work graduate students indicates that, although most students are committed to social work and express a strong interest in traditional social work client groups and practice, they plan to enter private practice as therapists. (Author/MLW)

Some reasons why numeracy is essential to day-to-day social work are outlined. The mathematics preparation of social work students is reviewed and some attributes of the numerate practitioner are described. Steps are recommended for implementing the proposed instructional strategy of integrating real-life quantitative modules in the curriculum. (Author/MLW)

A teaching model which focuses on the development of cognitive sophistication as a means of preparing social work students for culturally sensitive practice is described. The content was presented in three stages: bias was defined; the functions of bias were discussed; and vignettes were given to the class for analysis. (Author/MLW)

Drawing on a model of the transition process, two primary factors, developmental needs and the external environment, affecting the younger student in transition to professional social worker are discussed. Strategies for assisting in the transition through intervention in academic advising and teaching roles are also offered. (Author/MSE)

Social work education has traditionally focused more on practice methods than on solving social problems. It is contended that there is a need for an "integrated practitioner" who is, by design, prepared as a social problem specialist. Issues in developing a curriculum are discussed. (Author/MH)

A study investigated the theoretical orientations of social work practice teachers by examining the content of teacher interviews. Teacher profiles and typologies were derived from the findings. (MSE)

A survey of human service agencies elicited information concerning their current and projected computer use for direct and indirect practice and the perceived issues, benefits, and emerging training needs for responsible and effective computer use. (MSE)

A tentative classification was derived by identifying specific beliefs and practice behaviors that discriminate among six theoretical orientations. From a sample of 199 practicing social workers from 133 mental health, family service, and medical centers, two dimensions were formed: active-interactional versus reflective individual and the experiential versus nonexperiential. (Author/MH)

Social workers must assist people in coping with complex, often apparently insoluble, problems. Data are presented on the relationship between intolerance of ambiguity and a variety of performance and preference measures of 212 social work students. (Author/MH)

In a field practicum based in a low-income community, social work students' sense of empowerment depended on the kind of feedback they received from others. The critical source of feedback was the field instructor. A field setting with limited structural supports is liberating to most students but overwhelming for some. (Author/MSE)

For 50 years, the Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) has supported social workers in serving diverse communities at risk of mental health issues and substance misuse, training over 1,000 masters and doctoral-level fellows, and preparing them for meaningful community engagement. Through testimonios, we explore the career paths, collaborations, and community involvement of five doctoral-level MFP alums working at a large public R1 university in the Southwest. Reflecting as MFP alums and diverse faculty of color, our testimonios bear witness to MFP’s influence on our antiracist, antioppressive, and decolonial work, our mentorship and recruitment of graduate students of color, and our efforts to build a diverse student pipeline to address mental health and substance misuse within marginalized racial and ethnic communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trigger warnings have become a hotly contested practice in higher education, including within the field of social work. Learning to become a social worker can be a demanding process that requires in-depth study about often socially taboo and traumatic topics. The learning process can, understandably, cause discomfort that may result in a disconcerting or anxiety-provoking experience for social work students. However, the inclusion of challenging topics in social work education, including human rights violations, domestic violence, sexual abuse, racism, sexism, and many other social injustices is essential in the development of competency in social work practice. What remains unclear is the role and responsibility of universities and subsequently educators, in how we include or exclude trigger warnings, their relevance to social work education, and how we manage the expectations of students and their responses to the exposure of sensitive material. This article argues that trigger warnings may contribute to the pathologization of the experience of discomfort while simultaneously silencing oppressed students who may not identify with the language or experience of being triggered. This article investigates trigger warnings from a critical social work perspective and considers if the use of trigger warnings may potentially be more harmful than helpful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To contribute to best practices in educating social work students on environmental justice, we report the results of a study evaluating a module that was incorporated into the course Human Behavior and the Social Environment (HBSE). A mixed-methods design was used to examine student attitudes toward environmental justice. Participants were 61 Master of Social Work students from three cohorts. The students provided pre- and posttest responses to the Climate Change Attitude Survey. Students also offered 33 comments in response to an open-ended question about views on climate change. Overall, findings revealed increases in beliefs that climate change is negatively affecting the environment and that this change has a disproportionately negative effect on populations served by social workers. Feedback indicated students viewed the module as contributing to their learning. Results suggest that integrating environmental justice content into core courses like HBSE is a promising approach to strengthening environmental justice education in social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing cases of child welfare requires the ability to engage with different sources of information systematically. This study examined how case-based learning (CBL) can be used to support social work students (N = 104) acquire knowledge crucial to assessing cases of child welfare and whether benefits of CBL could be maximized by structuring the learning process. We conducted a 2*2 quasi experiment and randomly assigned the students to one of the conditions: computer support scripts (adaptable vs. strict scripts), metacognitive reflection prompts (generic vs. specific), or a control group. Students in the guided CBL environment acquired better conceptual knowledge scores compared to counterparts in the unguided CBL environment but not strategic knowledge and reasoning. In the posttest, generic prompts and adaptable scripts were found to be single-handedly effective in fostering conceptual knowledge but not when combined. Future research can examine possibilities of scaffolding activities of assessment to achieve congruent use of conceptual, strategic knowledge and reasoning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recognizing the current turmoil resulting in the displacement of large numbers of people across the globe, the continuing persecution of groups within their countries, and the necessity of responding effectively and globally to human vulnerability, the authors argue for the elevation of human rights content within the social work curriculum. The authors examine the forces, both contemporary and historic, calling for a stronger relevance of human rights now and into the foreseeable future, the relevance of human rights content to social work education, and the broad scope of human rights content educators can map across the social work curriculum. They conclude the article by offering a curriculum framework supporting human rights practice education in social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the significant contributions of Black women social workers to our profession, and the unyielding stressors and expectations disproportionately affecting Black women in the context of Black Lives Matter and COVID-19, addressing anti-Blackness and understanding the lived experiences of Black women within higher education are essential first steps toward eliminating racism, the 13th and most recently adopted Grand Challenge. Guided by Black feminist polyethnography, this study examined how anti-Blackness is collectively felt and experienced by six Black and mixed Black women faculty and graduate students in schools of social work over their academic careers. Initial steps schools of social work can take to acknowledge and address manifestations of anti-Blackness within existing policies, procedures, curriculum, and dominant school culture are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2008, the Council for Social Work Education re-envisioned its accreditation framework. The primary intent was to advance more equitable social work educational environments, which required highlighting curriculum content, and the culture of human interchange. Still, little has been provided regarding their intersectional effects on classroom culture, or students' educational experiences. To respond to this gap, this study explores the realities of 17 African-American male social work students attending predominantly White collegiate institutions. Interpretive phenomenological analysis, social dominance theory, and Foucauldian power were used to explore and contextualize participants' experiences. Major findings highlight the nuanced ways gender and race intersect with power, curriculum, and pedagogical practices to protect and promote historically normative structures of racial dominance within social work education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulation is well-documented as an effective pedagogy in teaching social work practice. However, the financial and human resources needed to provide simulation-based teaching in large social work programs are prohibitive. Partnering with other disciplines with established simulation programs is one way to bring simulation to social work students through interprofessional education. This teaching note presents a pedagogical initiative designed to enhance social work, nursing, and pharmacy students' collaboration on acute care teams. Leveraging social work's perspectives, the simulation scenario used in this initiative was modified to incorporate a biopsychosocial perspective for assessing and engaging with issues of race, ethnicity, and economic hardship often seen in acute care settings. Implications for curriculum development, pedagogical strategies, and interprofessional education opportunities are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the healthcare system, identification and intervention for intimate partner violence (IPV) are critical, yet often hindered by siloed operations among healthcare workers. Effective interprofessional collaboration is pivotal for timely and appropriate interventions. This article describes an interprofessional educational simulation involving nursing and social work students. Pairs engaged in risk assessment and safety planning for IPV. In the pilot run with 140 nursing and 137 social work students, post-simulation results increased confidence (t = 5.25, p =.001) and positive evaluation of IPV knowledge (t = 63.22, p =.001). Focus groups underscored team synergy, communication skills, and prior experiences as critical elements. Future projects should expand simulation scopes to address diverse situations and include additional professions interacting with survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

History, the major storehouse of information, informs us about the important relationship between people and society and increases our understanding of basic societal values and institutional arrangements. A recent New York Times op-ed described "The Dangerous Decline of the Historical Profession." Likewise for historical content in social work education, exacerbated by the 1970s' rise of neoliberalism and the profession's long marginalization of historical research and teaching. The Social Welfare History Group renews its call to bring historical content back into social work education and to correct its deep-seated race, class, gender, and colonizing distortions. To ensure that all social work courses include history, we can revive the value historical knowledge; prepare a cadre of historical researchers and instructors; financially support emerging scholars and develop a pipeline of history-informed faculty to teach the next generation of social workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With mounting evidence over the last 20 years regarding the prevalence and severity of trauma histories among social work clients, there has been a concerted effort across schools of social work to embed trauma-informed principles within course content and training. As students work to integrate classroom skills into field practicums, field education departments play a critical role in guiding application of these skills and incorporation of self-care strategies into daily practice. We conducted a scoping review to understand what role field education departments across the United States have assumed in preparing students to work with trauma-affected populations. Following an exhaustive database search (1,523 titles and 895 abstracts were screened; 116 full texts were reviewed), 20 studies met inclusion criteria. The vast majority of initiatives, many of which were externally funded, involved facilitating trauma-informed field placements. Several studies described trauma-informed education models that paired coursework in core trauma concepts with a trauma-focused field placement. Only six initiatives explicitly detailed efforts to equip students with self-care awareness and skills. Findings suggest that while field education departments participate in or design trauma-informed programming, more cross-site and cross-discipline scholarship on best practices is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community college students are an untapped reservoir of talent and including them in social work education aligns with the values of the profession. Yet these students encounter formidable obstacles on the path from a 2-year degree to an affordable social work degree. In this article, we describe the systems thinking underlying a newly instituted Bachelor of Social Work completer program and how this approach was used to address barriers posed by the transfer process. Such an analysis reveals ways to intervene and simplify the process. As our case illustrates, systems thinking sets the stage for social work education to be re-imagined as a national workforce pipeline rather than a collection of accredited programs at independent colleges and universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most recent Council on Social Work Education's Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) demands that social workers develop competence in the ethical and professional deployment of technology. Arguably, artificial intelligence has become a critical element in the technological landscape, most recently with the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). Beginning in late 2022, there has been an explosion of interest in GenAI, along with a massive and ongoing rollout of GenAI tools for personal and professional use, such as ChatGPT. While GenAI will undoubtedly affect social work practice, scholars and ethicists have raised crucial concerns about GenAI, its potential abuses, and misuses, making it critical that social workers are trained in the proper usage of these technologies. Accordingly, we call here for a 10th competency to be added to the 2029 EPAS: Competency Ten: Social Workers demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and understanding to responsibly and effectively use Generative Artificial Intelligence tools. The current article discusses the recent developments in GenAI and offers social work educators guidance for including GenAI content in social work curricula to meet this proposed standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work education has responded to the heightened demand for graduates as competent behavioral health practitioners. However, the preparation of social work graduate students for transitioning into leadership roles in behavioral health settings is limited. To enhance graduate students' macrolevel competencies, specifically in behavioral health, a social work graduate program and a Medicaid managed care organization partnered to pilot an innovative teaching initiative. This teaching note describes the initiative, provides an overview of the competencies, and highlights evaluation data and findings. Using a pretest–posttest design, paired sample t-tests were conducted. Mean differences between the pretest and posttest scores were statistically significant, and there was a moderate gain. This initiative is an innovative strategy for improving social work graduate students' behavioral health leadership competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field practicum is known as the "signature pedagogy" for social work. Though the Council of Social Work Education's accreditation standards guide the placement processes, research on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQIA+) students shows that this population continues to face discrimination in practicum placements. In this point-of-view article, we present conflicts that can arise when programs do not have explicit conversations with agencies about LGBTQIA+ inclusivity. We discuss current accreditation standards and relevant points from the Code of Ethics that support implementation of specific protections for LGBTQIA+ students and clients in practicum placements. Recommendations are made for addressing barriers of equity now and in future iterations of the EPAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research note explores Bachelor of Social Work students' perceptions about how well their group practice courses prepared them for group opportunities at field internships. We conducted a posttest-only design pilot study to compare field groupwork experiences of students who attended group practice courses taught with and without the interpersonal classroom model, a teaching approach designed for social work group practice courses. In this research note, we share study results, including data about the types and amount of groupwork experiences students received at their field internships and responses to questions regarding how well their group practice courses prepared them for field groupwork experiences. The research note concludes with a few limitations and future directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work research has adopted the scientific method rooted in the hard sciences as the gold standard for understanding human behavior and creating interventions and policies for both individual and systemic change. Current methodologies are rooted in White supremacy that lack the subjectivity needed to provide space for the effects of racism and oppression to be included in studies and evidence-based practice. Social work cannot be antiracist and anti-oppressive unless it creates an inclusive research methods class that is critical of what is considered scientific rigor. This teaching note presents the current evolution of a social work research methods class to promote critical thinking around what is believed to be the gold standard of scientific research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This teaching note describes how a school of social work adapted Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) during the COVID-19 pandemic to an online live-streamed format, providing students the opportunity to engage in this experiential learning activity despite pandemic-related limitations. A step-by-step process for developing online OSCEs is described, highlighting three key areas—planning, training, and implementation—and the significance of developing a community of practice. Reflections from our team on promising practices for conducting a live-stream OSCE, and insights from the perspectives of simulated clients (n=4), and experienced OSCE raters (n=6) are shared. Implications are described to support future teaching as educators are compelled to continuously prepare social work students for the online realities of practice beyond COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]