Students’ Reflections on Their Field Practicum: An Analysis of BSW Student Narratives

This qualitative study was undertaken to explore what undergraduate students reflect on during their learning to practice social work in the field. Reflection is essential in the social work field practicum where students learn the practice of social work by doing. Seventeen BSW students’ final field practicum learning papers are analyzed. Four themes emerge that highlight the content of their reflections: situations of uncertainty, opportunities for application, tensions in action, and confrontations with others. This article presents in detail these 4 themes. Discussion includes suggestions for helping students better engage in reflective learning.     

Engaging the Student in the Field Instruction Relationship

Abstract

BSW and MSW students' evaluations of their field instructors and these individuals' use of various supervisory skills and assignments were assessed early in the field placement. Skills that directly enhanced students' learning in the field were most influential. Supervisory activities that introduced students to the agency and what would be expected of them were particularly helpful. Differences in first-time and second-year students' reactions suggest that students' learning needs vary, based on their prior experience with and understanding of the field. The findings also suggest the need for training to help field instructors make the transition from social work practitioner to social work educator.     

社会工作介入大学生安全教育探索

当前大学生安全教育存在教育理念落后、教育内容陈旧、教育方法单一、教育师资不足的问题,社会工作可以从坚持以人为本的教育理念、细化教学内容、丰富教学方法、整合教育资源等途径介入大学生安全教育,增强大学生安全教育实效性。     

“Social Work Is a Profession,Not an Ideology”: A Qualitative Analysis of Student Perceptions of Social Justice Discussions in the Classroom

The purpose of this article is to describe student perceptions of their experiences around social justice discussions in the social work classroom through a qualitative, grounded theory framework. Student responses from a qualitative section of a survey were analyzed and sorted into three categories: perceived discrimination, heightened self-awareness/self-assessment, and future social work practice. Each of these categories was derived from comparable multiple themes stemming from the student responses. A conceptual model resulting from the analysis suggests that students who shared experiences of perceived discrimination during classroom discussions could develop an enhanced self-awareness, which would result in an added empathy for clients in their future social work practice. Suggestions for teaching strategies and directions for future research are also discussed.     

Social Work Students’ Experiences With Group Work in the Field Practicum

The study reported on in this article assessed MSW and BSW students’ opportunities to practice group work in their field practicum. More than one third of participants had no such opportunity during their yearlong internship, despite their program’s requirement that group work opportunities be available. Among the students who did have experience leading a group for clients, their opportunities to engage in core group work activities and skills was limited, as was their academic preparation to do so. Students demonstrated a desire to practice group work as professionals. Yet the findings call into question whether they were adequately prepared to effectively engage in the modality. The findings underscore the need for schools and programs of social work to collaborate more closely with field instructors and agencies to ensure that students are provided with suitable opportunities to practice group work. Greater attention also must be focused on ensuring that practice opportunities in the field reflect the depth and breadth of the group modality and complement learning in the classroom.     

学校社会工作视角下高校大学生心理健康教育探析

近年来,高校日益重视大学生心理健康问题,努力探索有效的办法和途径,积极开展心理健康教育。本文从学校社会工作这一新的视角出发,把社会工作的理念和方法介入大学生心理健康教育,提出改进和加强大学生心理健康教育的对策,为大学生心理健康教育提供有益的参考。     

Spiritism,Snaterí, Brujería,and Voodooism

This article discusses spiritism, santería, brujería, and voodooism as adaptive healing systems used for coping among Caribbean immigrants during times of stress. It also addresses the lack of appropriate specialized and/or advanced course offerings at the graduate level to prepare social workers for professional practice with families and children whose world view and attitudes in their participation in mainstream services are influenced by these belief systems. Implications for social work practice and recommendations for the integration of this content in social work curricum are included.     

Empowering Students in a Feminist Social Work Practice Course

Abstract

Since 1993, a faculty collective has team-taught a feminist social work practice course. The course, designed to heighten student knowledge of feminist practice, was expected to empower students. An overview of the course is presented with an analysis of its impact on student perceptions of personal and professional power. Pre and post measures of empowerment were analyzed and used to derive outcome measures of change in student views of themselves as empowered persons and practitioners. Findings indicate that students had significantly higher perceptions of their personal and professional power upon completion of the feminist practice course than before. Implications for social work students and practitioners are discussed.     

Testing a Curriculum to Teach Cultural Competence to Non-Mainstream College Students Interning in Mainstream Agencies

ABSTRACT

Cultural competence, from the perspective of students of color interning in mainstream agencies, was emphasized in a curriculum piloted in an undergraduate practicum seminar. Student interns who read a chapter on cultural competence in a standard textbook in lieu of receiving the curriculum served as the comparison group. Results indicated that student interns who took the curriculum were more prone to see problems in intercultural communication as systemic and more likely to feel competent handling possible racial discrimination in their field placement than were students in the comparison group.     

A Participatory Outcome Evaluation on the Impact of BSW Interns on Agencies

This article reviews the findings of an exploratory study investigating the perceived benefits and costs of BSW interns for host agencies. The qualitative study included surveys from over 100 agency student supervisors, colleagues, and administrative personnel assessing the perceived effects students had on a range of categories. It also included a quantitative assessment of financial savings derived through student contributions. Benefits of using student work included increased quality and quantity of services available to clients as well as generic positive effects on the outlook and attitudes of supervisors and agency staff. Minimal negative effects included student turnover and occasional instances of unprofessional attitudes.     

A Discourse Analysis of Online Dialogs in Social Work Diversity Courses

Abstract

Online discussions can extend learning experiences beyond the time and space of the classroom, allowing students more time to process information, and an additional mode of expression for those who are less active in open classroom discussions. They may be especially appropriate for teaching sensitive or controversial subject matter such as oppression and diversity, which is required by the Council on Social Work Education. This study investigated topical themes, depth, and tone of online dialogs in social work diversity courses at two universities in the mid-Atlantic area. Discourse analysis-a type of content analysis-is employed to gain a deeper understanding of the learning experience, and to compare the impact of anonymous and identified participation in the dialogs.     

Safety Training in Social Work Education

Abstract

Social workers are particularly vulnerable to violence due to the type of clients they serve, the preponderance of involuntary service relationships, the settings in which they work, and cutbacks in services. A national survey was conducted of field directors to discern their perceptions about danger to interns, schools' and agencies' practices and responsibilities for student safety, safety standards and policies, training personnel and content, and recommendations for change. Field directors believe that there is a need for more attention to student safety and that risks to students are increasing. There is dissonance between concern about violence and the lack of safety policies and training in schools of social work. Strategies for violence prevention are presented.