Mapping MSW Research Training

The surge of interest in evidence-based interventions necessitates MSW graduates who will pursue research activities in the workplace. However, evidence suggests that social workers tend not to use their research skills after graduation. This study examined three constructs that inform students’ relationships to research: (a) confidence in research skills, (b) academic activities that stimulate students’ interest in research, and (c) anticipated outcomes from future involvement in research activities. The findings suggest that MSW programs need to extend research training beyond the classroom by providing holistic research learning environments that clarify the role and purpose of research for the social work profession and provide opportunities for students to transform didactic research training into practical research skills.     

A Multi-Year Program Developing an Explicit Reflective Pedagogy for Teaching Pre-service Teachers the Nature of Science by Ostention

This investigation delineates a multi-year action research agenda designed to develop an instructional model for teaching the nature of science (NOS) to preservice science teachers. Our past research strongly supports the use of explicit reflective instructional methods, which includes Thomas Kuhn’s notion of learning by ostention and treating science as a continuum (i.e., comparing fields of study to one another for relative placement as less to more scientific). Instruction based on conceptual change precepts, however, also exhibits promise. Thus, the investigators sought to ascertain the degree to which conceptual change took place among students (n = 15) participating in the NOS instructional model. Three case studies are presented to illustrate successful conceptual changes that took place as a result of the NOS instructional model. All three cases represent students who claim a very conservative Christian heritage and for whom evolution was not considered a legitimate scientific theory prior to participating in the NOS instructional model. All three case study individuals, along with their twelve classmates, placed evolution as most scientific when compared to intelligent design and a fictional field of study called “Umbrellaology.”     

Multicultural Curriculum and MSW Students' Attitudes about Race and Diversity

Methods of incorporating culturally competent practice and social justice curricula often are addressed in a required course or across courses using an infusion model. This research explored multicultural curricula and MSW students' attitudes about race and diversity. Data were collected from 297 MSW students enrolled at two universities. Multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant differences between students in programs with required multicultural coursework and those utilizing an infusion model, with respect to attitudes toward African Americans but not on measures of diversity or social equality and justice. The results indicate the differential outcomes based on curriculum models and support the need for further research in this area.     

Recognition and development of academic talent in educationally disadvantaged students

Abstract

We studied 36 students identified as “educationally disadvantaged” who scored above average on standardized achievement tests and completed a program to reinforce their academic skills in either language arts or mathematics. We pretested and posttested an additional (control) group of 28 students who received no instructional intervention. We found a significant effect of the instructional intervention for both achievement and aptitude test scores in language arts as well as mathematics. Gains in mathematics were significantly greater than in language arts. After instructional intervention, the majority of students were eligible and academically qualified for challenging gifted‐talented programs. These findings are consistent with two other similar research projects using the same instructional program and model, suggesting stability of results. We discuss implications of this study for identifying and developing academic talent in such a population.     

Faculty members' provision of instructional accommodations to students with LD

The existing research on the instructional accommodation process of college students with learning disabilities focuses on attitudes and theoretical models without delineating actual practices. To date, the discussion of facilitating factors and barriers to this process has been broad and lacking specificity. Surveys were mailed to 485 faculty members at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, who received an instructional accommodation form from the office of Learning Disabilities Support Services in the fall of 1995. The survey focused on faculty members' reported degree of ease or difficulty in implementing instructional accommodations, their perceptions regarding adequacy of support, and their own beliefs and understandings concerning the need for and benefit of providing instructional accommodations. The results indicate that beliefs about the helpfulness of and need for instructional accommodations were associated with the provision of the accommodations. Also, a perception of support from the University influenced the ease of providing instructional accommodations. A significant difference was found between the behavior of tenure-track faculty and non-tenure-track faculty.     

Challenges for collaborative blended learning in undergraduate students

This study reports a quasi-experiment in collaborative blended learning (CBL) with undergraduate students who, despite being in a world-leading, enriched digital environment, were new to collaboration and CBL. The mixed-methods research found that only small improvements to students’ CBL took place over time, and explanations for this are proffered. The study found that the students needed specific and intensive instruction, practice, and development in how to collaborate, both with and without blended learning. Students discovered and appreciated the benefits, pitfalls, and challenges to collaboration and CBL largely by doing it: learning from experience. Collaboration and CBL do not release teachers from their instructional and pedagogical roles; rather, they place teachers and face-to-face instruction and practice in collaboration and CBL in classrooms, at the heart of effective practice and improvements here. Implications for teaching are suggested.     

Harm Reduction in MSW Substance Abuse Courses

Professional social work largely has endorsed the empirically supported paradigm of harm reduction in relation to substance abuse issues. Despite literature detailing similarities between social work and harm reduction, little is known about its presence in MSW substance abuse coursework. A purposive sample of 133 social work faculty from accredited MSW programs in the United States provided an exploratory, qualitative web-based survey. Findings indicate harm reduction varies in scope and nature and that faculty relate it to quality of life yet differ on its goals. Some faculty and students hold predisposed negative views toward harm reduction; students' views are influenced by professional and personal experiences yet also become more accepting with exposure. Implications for social work education and subsequent research are discussed.     

Gerontology Content in MSW Curricula and Student Attitudes Toward Older Adults

The unprecedented growth in the nation's older adult population has called attention to the increasing need for geriatric social workers. However, research suggests that social work students hold ageist attitudes that prevent many from pursuing careers in gerontology. The present study sought to identify student perceptions of gerontology content in MSW education and possible correlations with attitudes toward older adults and interest in gerontology. A sample of 252 MSW students participated in classroom surveys. The survey outcomes revealed that gerontology content in MSW curriculum was correlated with positive attitudes toward older adults, but it was not related to increased interest in gerontology.     

Human Service Administrator Perceptions of Online MSW Degree Programs

Online programs have proliferated rapidly in higher education, and this reality holds true for social work education as well. Employing a mixed methods design, this study looked at employer perceptions of online degrees compared to traditional degrees. Data was collected through an online survey that included Likert type and open-ended questions assessing employer attitudes and hiring practices regarding individuals who possess online MSW degrees. Results suggest that a majority of social service administrators believe traditional MSW degrees are preferable to those attained online, especially with respect to clinical training. These findings have significant implications for online MSW programs and graduates with online degrees.     

Development of a school building model for educating students with handicaps and at-risk students in general education classrooms

This study, conducted in the context of a 4-year project to redesign special and remedial services in an elementary school, examined the effects of cooperative learning, cross-age tutoring, and in-class services for students with handicaps and remedial students. All students (524) in Grades 1 through 6 in two medium-sized elementary schools took part in the study. All three treatments were introduced into one of the schools, with the second school serving as a control. The cooperative learning treatment was delivered to all sixth-grade students, cross-age tutoring to special and remedial students in Grades 1 through 3, and the in-class services to all grade levels. Results indicated that, although the character of the instructional services changed markedly, none of the three treatments had much impact on achievement. Reasons for the findings are explored.     

The NonMSW Task Supervisor,MSW Field Instructor,and the Practicum Student

Abstract

This paper adds to the literature on field instruction and supervision of social work practicum students by nonMSW professionals. It shares insights gained from a focus group discussion of professionals' experiences with practica when there was no MSW on site. Reported findings indicate student, agency, and relational characteristics contribute to the success of these placements. The focus group and the authors conclude that active involvement of all three parties -the on-site nonMSW supervisor, the off-site MSW field instructor, and the practicum student -in a triad model of field education increases the likelihood that these practica provide students with field learning experiences that are among the very best.     

Full time adult credential students?instructional preferences at California State University, Long Beach: pedagogy or andragogy?

INTRODUCTIONTheimplementationofandradogy,theartandscienceofhelpingadultslearn,toenhanceadultlearninghasbeenakeyissueintheeducationandtrainingofadultsinthe21stcentury.Thesignifi-canceofthestudywastodeterminehowadultlearningprofessionalspracticeandragogyafter30yearsofitspurposefulimplementation.Andragogy,accordingtoNuckles(2000),isaconceptinadulteducationthatflowsdirectlyfromhumanisticedu-cationalphilosophy.TheandragogicalmodelwasfirstdevelopedbyEdwardLindeman(1926).MalcolmKnowles,develop…     

Instruction of students with moderate and severe disabilities in elementary classrooms

Twelve students with low-incidence disabilities were observed in their kindergarten through third grade, general education classrooms. Frequency data were collected on the number of teaching opportunities delivered on the learning objectives reflected in the students’ Individual Education Programs, the individual who delivered the teaching opportunity, and the instructional context that was occurring at the time the teaching opportunity occurred. Results indicated that teaching opportunities on the learning objectives occurred at an overall rate per minute of 0.224 and 4 students received no teaching opportunities. The general education teacher and special education assistant delivered the most instruction in 1:1 instructional contexts. Results are discussed in relation to improving the quality of instruction when students with disabilities are included in general education classrooms.     

Anxiety and Performance in an MSW Research and Statistics Course

Data from 162 MSW students were analyzed to test the propositions that social work students have high levels of anxiety about research and statistics and that this anxiety has a detrimental effect on students' performance in a required research and statistics course. Levels of anxiety about research and statistics were very varied and only 12% of the stuents bad "very high" levels of anxiety. The relationships between such anxiety and performance in the course was not statistically significant. Anxiety reduction activities may be appropriate for humane reasons but the activities are not likely to increase students' learning of research and statistics.     

Exploring the effects of group testing on graduate students’ motivation and achievement

This study explored the impact of individual versus two‐person group testing on graduate students’ achievement and motivation to learn while enrolled in a 16‐lesson educational research methods course. Students in two sections of the course were exposed to the same content and instructional methods, with one exception: students in one section took three professor‐created, criterion‐referenced examinations (during lessons 6, 11 and 16) individually, whereas students in the other section took the same examinations with a partner with whom they could examine and discuss the test items in order to derive a common answer. At the end of the course, the motivation to learn of all students was assessed. Results revealed that students tested with a partner achieved significantly higher scores on two of the examinations and demonstrated significantly higher levels of motivation to learn than did students taking the examinations alone. Qualitative analysis of the students’ written expressions concerning the course and of their comments from group and individual interviews revealed possible explanations for these outcomes.     

Practice makes proficient: teaching undergraduate students to understand published research

Scientific knowledge, including the critical evaluation and comprehension of empirical articles, is a key skill valued by most undergraduate institutions for students within the sciences. Students often find it difficult to not only summarize empirical journal articles, but moreover to successfully grasp the quality and rigor of investigation behind the source. In this paper, we use instructional scaffolds (reading worksheets, RWs, with tutorials) to aid students in being able to comprehend, and ultimately transfer, the skills necessary in critically evaluating primary sources of research. We assess students’ learning of these skills on a multiple-choice assessment of Journal Article Comprehension (JAC). Students in experimental classes, who received instructional scaffolds, improved on the JAC post-test compared with students in control classes. This result shows that students are acquiring fundamental research skills such as understanding the components of research articles. We also showed that improvement on the JAC post-test for the experimental class extended to a written summary test. This result suggests that students in the experimental group are developing discipline-specific science process skills that allow them to apply JAC skills to a near-transfer task of writing a summary.     

Student Performance in Three Classroom Settings

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of interactive television in teaching an MSW foundation research methods course. Specifically, the performance of distant students who received instruction via interactive television was compared with the performance of their peers who received simultaneous face-to-face instruction in an interactive television classroom on-campus and with students who took the course in a traditional classroom. This retrospective analysis of student performance, spanning a four-year period, found that students performed comparably regardless of the setting for the course. The three groups of students studied did not differ statistically on their combined midterm/final examination test scores, the required course paper, or final course grades.     

In the Boat with Only One Oar: The Creation and Adventures of an MSW Consultation Group

This article explores a faculty-facilitated consultation group that was created for MSW students in an academic setting as a response to the paucity of group work supervision and training available in many field placements. This study considers the context in which training occurs, the impact of systemic and professional factors, which includes diminished economic resources, on the quality and availability of direct group work supervision. Moreover, the prevalence of interns facilitating groups without training, consultation, or supervision is discussed. This consultation group was created as a response to felt and expressed need by MSW students. The developmental trajectory of the group from conception to termination is presented, and the article concludes with lessons learned by the facilitator.     

Promoting Success in High School World History: Peer Tutoring Versus Guided Notes

The purpose of this investigation was to compare qualitative and quantitative outcomes associated with peer tutoring versus teacher–directed guided notes in world history for secondary–level students with mild disabilities. Sixteen students with mild disabilities (15 of whom had learning disabilities) participated in a nine–week quarter of one of the two instructional conditions. The same special education teachers taught students during world history classes. Measures included pre– and posttests of reading fluency, comprehension strategies, and content tests, including end–of–chapter tests, cumulative–delayed–recall tests, and a delayed–recall end–of–year final exam covering the entire academic year. In addition, qualitative procedures were employed, including interviews of teachers and students regarding their instructional preferences. Findings indicated that students who participated in peer tutoring significantly outperformed those who participated in the guided–notes condition on content–area tests. No significant differences were obtained on oral–reading–fluency measures, but students in the tutoring condition performed significantly better at using a reading comprehension summarization strategy independently, and at remembering the strategy steps. Results of student interviews suggested that students responded positively overall to tutoring and guided notes, and provided specific relevant insights on each procedure. Students in the tutoring condition indicated that the time spent tutoring felt like one of the shortest academic quarters for them. Findings are discussed with respect to both benefits and challenges associated with implementing peer tutoring in high school special education content–area classes.     

Teaching practices in Grade 5 mathematics classrooms with high-achieving English learner students

Teachers need more clarity about effective teaching practices as they strive to help their low-achieving students understand mathematics. Our study describes the instructional practices used by two teachers who, by value-added metrics, would be considered “highly effective teachers” in classrooms with a majority of students who were English learners. We used quantitative data to select two fifth-grade classrooms where students, on average, made large gains on a mathematics achievement test, and then examined teaching practices and contextual factors present in each classroom. Participants included two teachers from a mid-Atlantic district and their students who were 67% English learners and 68% economically disadvantaged. We found that the use of multiple representations of mathematics concepts, attention to vocabulary building, individual and group checks for understanding and error analysis were prevalent practices in both high gains classrooms. Also, class sizes ranged from 12–19 students. Discussion focuses on whether observed practices are aligned with recommended teaching practices for English learner students.