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Social work practice education should be designed for sustainability and relevance in emerging and future work contexts. Changes influencing the emerging world of work including transformations in services, communication technologies, distributed working patterns, and new priorities and identities should inform the design of the integrated learning components of the curriculum. Changes influencing the future delivery of education include increased demand for flexible, collaborative, networked and digital learning; pre-existing but rapidly accelerated because of COVID-19. Together, these drivers compel us to innovate to ensure graduates are practice ready and resilient in these evolving contexts. In this analysis of social work, nursing, and allied health literature diverse approaches to integrative learning are examined, generating an evidence base for informing decision making when innovating in the design of integrative learning. This article advocates an orientation towards the future world of work and education, as a lens for reimagining integrative learning in social work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the fourth industrial revolution, and in higher education it will fundamentally transform the work of academics and higher education administrators. AI will also have several implications for students, including a reconsideration of what sorts of skills and knowledge should be taught and developed in the academy to prepare students for digital working lives. As social work educators, we have begun to wonder what the implications of AI in the academy will have for social work education. For educators, there are implications for pedagogy that go well beyond the introduction of new digital tools that merely integrate into existing teaching models and practices. This is because AI will not simply add to existing teaching modes and practices, but will fundamentally transform teaching and learning. Drawing on recent literature and research into in AI and higher education, this article explores possible future implications for social work education. We identify the transformative and disruptive potential of AI in higher education, and consider how this intersects with the ethical and relational side of social work as a profession. Implications for social work education are canvassed [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to understand the extent, range and nature of social work research activity after natural disasters and to identify the implications for future research and practice. A Scoping review methodology framework was used search of three databases: Web of Science, ProQuest and Informit was conducted to identify relevant studies between 2000 and 2018. Selection of studies was based on empirical research about social work and natural disasters and/or authored by social workers. Study selection found a total of 38 relevant articles. Charting the data was conducted and the following areas of focus were summarised: (1) interventions relating to psychosocial care, aid work and community work; (2) the effects of disasters on people and mediators of these effects; (3) social work education and challenges in disaster relief; and (4) measuring mental health outcomes of people who have experienced a disaster event. This scoping review has established that there is a range of social work literature focused on natural disasters that primarily examines social work interventions, the effects of disasters and social work education. Future social work research and practice needs to focus on the types and timing of interventions that promote positive recovery following natural disasters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social work is a profession focused on people within their environments. This is reflected in codes of ethics, where our shared mandate is to work towards individual wellbeing and social change. Recently, social work literature has promoted green and eco-social work, drawing on climate change science, notions of expanded and future justice, knowledge of the link between health and the environment, and principles of deep ecology. However, if social workers are to take up their place in a rapidly changing, globalised world, rife with environmental concerns, their education must prepare them to do this. One way of doing this is to embed curriculum on social work in relation to the natural environment in already existing units. This paper describes two examples of how this could be done based on the authors’ experiences from their respective universities. IMPLICATIONS It is incumbent on social work to respond to the mounting evidence related to the environmental crisis. Social work is well placed in terms of theory, values, and skills to lead the way in developing an eco-social paradigm of potential relevance across disciplines. Social work educators need to educate students about emerging issues, such as environmental degradation. Embedding material in already existing courses, as per examples provided in this paper, provides one way of doing this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The natural environment is increasingly incorporated into social work research, policy, and frameworks for practice in recognition of the importance of ecological justice and the interconnectedness of humans with nature. However, it is unclear to what degree social work education has broadened its scope to include the natural world. Using a content analysis of 937 subject descriptions within Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work (Qualifying) degrees, this article reports on the extent to which Australian social work education appears to cover content related to the natural environment. The findings from this study indicate there is an overall lack of engagement with this content. Reasons for this gap in social work education are discussed, as well as the implications for Australian social work education more broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Debate has arisen in social work about the value of online education, with proponents providing examples of innovative approaches to online teaching and those against it citing the need for face-to-face interactions to suitably teach and assess social work skills. At the same time, social workers are increasingly making use of social media, websites, online databases, email, and text messaging services for work with clients. Consequently, social workers must be adequately prepared to make use of online technologies in their practice. Drawing on examples of online interactive activities used at two regional universities and informed by Chi’s conceptual framework of cognitive processes of learning, this article argues that learning via information and communications technology (ICT) helps prepare graduates for emerging digital practice and should be an integral part of social work education. Further, ICT enables educators to monitor the levels and quality of student rehearsal of practice skills and knowledge in interactive learning experiences helping promote competent practice, grounded in social work values. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Field education is widely acknowledged as a central component of social work education. However, it requires a substantial commitment of time and energy from students which can present challenges to students who have multiple responsibilities. Based on a literature review conducted in preparation for doctoral research into social work student experience of juggling multiple roles and responsibilities with field placement, this article summarises what is known about the challenges they face and what helps them to complete placement. The findings have implications for students, schools of social work and field placement agencies. Further research should provide guidance for professional social work bodies, schools of social work, field educators and students. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Open access podcasting or podcasts on the internet on specific disciplinary topics are gaining prominence but are not well researched. This paper explores the usefulness of a new podcast series for social workers freely available on the internet that aims to: promote the profession of social work and contribute to a social work identity; make connections between theory, research, and practice; introduce students to real-life practice issues much earlier than often occurs in undergraduate degrees; and provide practitioners with opportunities for ongoing professional development. The evaluation was based on social media and website statistics, a survey of 22 students and nine educators, and a content analysis of listener feedback. While the evaluation provided limited evidence that all the aims had been met, the findings revealed very positive attitudes towards the initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses three feminist research principles through three doctoral studies and their accompanying supervision and support group: (i) capturing women’s experience; (ii) improving women’s lives; and (iii) equalising power. These guiding principles assisted in understanding the connections between feminist theory and the respective studies on: older people experiencing family estrangement (Kylie); a mentoring program with women from disadvantaged backgrounds (Jennifer); and arts-based intervention research to raise awareness of domestic violence in a disadvantaged community (Leanne). It discusses the way in which these guiding principles informed the studies and the supervision process from the students’ and supervisor’s perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]