scholarly journals RESTRUCTURING SOCIAL WORK FIELD EDUCATION IN 21ST CENTURY CANADA

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 45-65
Author(s):  
Jessica Ayala ◽  
Julie Drolet ◽  
Amy Fulton ◽  
Jennifer Hewson ◽  
Lorraine Letkemann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Field Education ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Field Placements ◽  
Social Work Field Education ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Solution Focused

Social work field education in Canada is in a state of crisis. For over two decades field education has faced increasing challenges and barriers within neoliberal contexts in higher education and the health and social services sector. These challenges have been magnified by an unprecedented growth in social work education programs and student enrolments, which has increased demand for field placements to an unsustainable level. Although some strategies for restructuring social work field education have been developed, to date little work has been done to formally identify, evaluate, and share information about these strategies across Canadian social work education programs. This article explores the current state of crisis from a solution-focused lens and describes three inter-related strategies to address critical problems with current models, practices, and processes. The strategies are presented as a Sustainability Model for Field Education. The results of a two-year study that sought to identify alternative delivery mechanisms for social work field education and promote sharing of information across social work education programs are discussed. A key recommendation is to restructure and move away from a crisis management approach by implementing strategies for enhancing the sustainability of field education.

Fighting for Field: Seven Threats to an Important Component of Social Work Education

1999 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-25 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Rhodes ◽  
Jim Ward ◽  
Jan Ligon ◽  
Wanda Priddy
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Field Education ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Loss Of Autonomy ◽  
Social Work Programs ◽  
Faculty Commitment ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Schools Of Social Work

Field education programs have historically been viewed as the single most important component of social work education at both the baccalaureate and graduate levels. However, a number of factors may affect the ability to execute quality field education programs. This article identifies and discusses seven significant threats to field education in social work programs, including the academization of schools of social work, loss of autonomy in the larger academic systems; the devaluation of field directors; growth of programs; gatekeeping; changes in the student population; and a lack of faculty commitment to field education. Two of six recommendations to address these problems are also challenged.

scholarly journals Addressing professional suitability in social work education

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 98-117
Author(s):  
Jeanette S. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Educational Practice ◽  
Field Education ◽  
Leadership Role ◽  
Canadian Study ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Social Work Field Education ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Insight Into

Limited research exists pertaining to field education coordinators’ leadership and educational practice in general, or with respect to the specific topic of gatekeeping in social work education. This article presents the results of a Canadian study that investigates the experience and approach of field education coordinators in addressing student professional suitability concerns. This exploratory study consists of a focus group conducted with field education coordinators from across Canada, and an extensive web-based survey questionnaire administered to all current, and some former social work field education coordinators in Canada. In brief, the results of this study reinforce the perception found in social work literature that gatekeeping predominantly falls to the field component of social work education. Findings of the study provide insight into the location of field education within academia; and highlights the important leadership role undertaken by field education coordinators in supporting students, faculty liaisons, field educators, and university administration in addressing concerns related to student professional suitability. Implications for social work education are discussed.

Survey of International Field Education Placements of Accredited Social Work Education Programs

2004 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 467-478 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick T. Panos ◽  
Gregory L. Pettys ◽  
Shirley E. Cox ◽  
Elizabeth Jones-Hart
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Field Education ◽  
Education Programs ◽  
Work Education

Graduate and Undergraduate Field Placements in Child Welfare: Is There A Difference?

1996 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane Elias Alperin
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Child Welfare ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
Field Placements ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
Service Departments ◽  
Partnership Agreement ◽  
Work Education

A continuing theme in social work education has been on defining the educational continuum between BSW and MSW degrees. While some authors have focused on the existence of continuity or discontinuity in the curriculum, recent research studies have identified similarities and differences in graduate and undergraduate field placements. Both social work education and the profession of social work have recently focused their attention on the field of child welfare, in an effort to attract more professional social workers to the field. Part of this effort has resulted in a “New Partnership Initiative” between social service departments and social work educators to aid in the reprofessionalization of public social services. The current study was undertaken, in part, to gather information on undergraduate and graduate field placements in child welfare in one state with such a partnership agreement.

scholarly journals An experience based model for practice learning

2012 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-38
Author(s):  
Debbie Plath
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Field Education ◽  
Experience Based Learning ◽  
Bachelor Of Social Work ◽  
Practice Teaching ◽  
Social Work Field Education ◽  
Work Education ◽  
The University ◽  
Social Work Program

Social work education in Australia is responding to the changing social, political and economic contexts in which social work is practised. The Bachelor of Social Work program at the University of Newcastle, Australia, aims to educate competent social workers able to deal effectively with the changing challenges of the work environment. This is achieved through an experience based model of social work education. This paper, presented at the 2nd international conference of the Journal of Practice Teaching in Health and Social Work in London in April 2003, provides an overview of some social work education issues in Australia. The experience based learning model employed at the University of Newcastle is described and discussed in relation to social work field education.

The Future of Social Work Education

2019 ◽  
pp. 83-88
Author(s):  
Spencer James Zeiger
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
New Faculty ◽  
Online Programs ◽  
Social Work Educators ◽  
The Future ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Study Participants

Former social work educators, and social work educators standing on the threshold of The Next Chapter, have wisdom to share regarding the future of social work education. We must pay attention to their ideas; our profession is at stake. Topics covered in this chapter include doctoral preparation (with the growth of social work education programs in the United States and a large wave of social work educators retiring, attracting well-prepared new faculty has never been greater); online concerns (most study participants were reluctant to give online programs a ringing endorsement); and the need for increased content on aging (as baby boomers progress through their lifespan, and as life expectancy increases with medical advances, the number of older adults requiring social services will continue to rise).

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