Calibrating field practicum assessment in social work education with a competency-based evaluation tool in Hong Kong

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 260-273 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther OW Chow ◽  
Chau-Kiu Cheung ◽  
Gloria Hongyee Chan
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Field Instructors ◽  
The Social ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Field Practicum ◽  
Using Data ◽  
Work Education

As social work is an international profession, it is necessary to establish the validity of assessment of the field practicum of students for the purpose of professional accreditation. This study calibrates an indigenous assessment tool, the Social Work Practicum Assessment (SWPA), developed in Hong Kong with a competency-based evaluation (CBE) tool popularized in North America, using data collected from 171 social work final-year undergraduates. The results demonstrate convergence between the SWPA and CBE when rated by field instructors and were greater when the student-assessed CBE was higher. Alternatively, the student-assessed CBE displayed greater convergence with the instructor-rated CBE when the indigenous assessment was higher. The positive results imply the generalizability of the assessments across places.

scholarly journals A competency-based contract and student assessment for implementing US Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 2008 competencies in field education

2012 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 17-36
Author(s):  
Karen Tapp
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Student Learning ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Student Assessment ◽  
Field Education ◽  
Individual Student ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Learning Contract

This article introduces a competency-based integrated learning contract and student assessment for social work field education. Historically, learning contracts and student assessments have often been two separate documents and could appear unconnected. In addition, individually developed student learning objectives could lack consistency across placement settings. The proposed learning contract seeks to remedy these limitations and was created based on field supervisors’, field students’, social work faculty feedback, and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 2008 competencies. This article describes how the instrument was developed, pilot-tested, and then fine-tuned. The contract provides significant direction for field student learning while still allowing for individual student created competencies. The learning contract and student assessment tool itself is provided for ease of implementing and adapting to other field programs.

scholarly journals Core Competency Education of Social Work Students: An Empirical Assessment Through Scale Development

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 58
Author(s):  
Yu Guo ◽  
Shuang Lu ◽  
Chien-Chung Huang ◽  
Yuqi Wang ◽  
Yiwen Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Core Competency ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Competency Based Education ◽  
The Social ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Quantitative Examination ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Education In China

This study investigates how competency-based education and assessment prepare social work students to become competent professionals, with a quantitative examination of Chinese students’ (n=332) core competencies. Factor analysis suggests that core competencies can be grouped into conceptual and professional dimensions. The regression results demonstrate that curriculum content satisfaction, preference for the social work major, field experience, and knowledge of career outlook are positively related to students’ conceptual, professional, and comprehensive competencies. Gender and willingness for further study also relate positively to both conceptual and comprehensive competencies, and grade is positively associated with professional competency. These findings carry important implications for the competency-based approach to social work education in China.

scholarly journals Making rotational field placements work

2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-18
Author(s):  
Barbara Muskat ◽  
Marion Bogo ◽  
Illana Perlman
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Field Education ◽  
Potential Usefulness ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Field Instructors ◽  
Social Work Faculty ◽  
Field Placements ◽  
The Social ◽  
Rotational Field

This paper describes the development and successful pilot of rotational placements by the social work faculty of a large Canadian university. Modifications required for the pilot are discussed, particularly related to recruiting settings, enlisting field instructors and students, developing new field materials, training field instructors in the model and developing an evaluation tool used by field instructors and students. The strengths, limitations and lessons learned from the experience are discussed as well as the potential usefulness of rotational placements as an approach to addressing resource challenges in field education.

‘Social work is not just a job’: The qualities of social workers from the perspective of service users

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (6) ◽  
pp. 775-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ping Kwong Kam
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Service Users ◽  
Diverse Range ◽  
The Social ◽  
Personal Qualities ◽  
Work Education ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practice Skills

Summary The social work profession emphasises the development of the personal qualities of social workers in addition to requiring them to possess the necessary professional values, knowledge, theories and practice skills. Until now, we have tended to rely on the perspective of social work professional bodies, educators and employers to assess the personal qualities of social workers. We have seldom inquired about the views of service users on the qualities of social workers, thus disregarding their perspective. This article focuses on identifying the important qualities of social workers from the perspective of service users. Findings This paper reports on qualitative research on the personal qualities of social workers that service users value in Hong Kong. It draws on a diverse range of service users with direct experiences of the services provided by social workers. A total of 47 service users from 7 core social welfare service settings and 32 service units participated in an in-depth qualitative interview. Six significant personal qualities of social workers from the service users’ perspective are identified and discussed. Applications The findings have several implications for examining directions for development of the social work profession, the relationship between service users and social workers, effective ways to develop the personal qualities of students in social work education and ways to resolve the dilemma between service users’ expectations and the existing mode of social work service delivery. Issues of particular relevance to Hong Kong are highlighted in discussing these implications.

Reshaping the social work education system toward cultural competency: The Hong Kong case

2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 316-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gizem Arat ◽  
Narine Nora Kerelian
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Culturally Competent ◽  
Social Harmony ◽  
The Social ◽  
Work Education

Hong Kong is a self-branded international city in Asia. Culturally competent service delivery for ethnic minorities is a nascent arena in the social work profession within the territory. This article attempts to depict the ways in which ethnic groups are situated within local social work practice, reviews the Hong Kong context of a culturally responsive social work profession, and proposes a framework for a more inclusive social work curriculum. In this framework on culturally competent social work education, the authors argue that social harmony and social justice are not mutually exclusive, calling for a (re)conceptualization of social harmony inclusive of social justice.

A Capstone Assignment to Measure Student Competencies as a Program Assessment Tool

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-190
Author(s):  
Cynthia West ◽  
Colin Key ◽  
Michelle Horton
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Core Competencies ◽  
Program Assessment ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Practice Behaviors ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Social Work Programs ◽  
Capstone Assessment ◽  
Student Competencies

The requirement of multiple measures for program assessment set out in the 2008 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) may be challenging for social work programs as the evaluation shifts to student competencies and practice behaviors. This article offers a thorough description of a competency- based capstone project as one program assessment tool for the measurement of all 10 core competencies and 41 practice behaviors. The capstone, using a simulated case necessitating many of the skills required in practice, is second only to field instruction as a competency measure. Appendix A includes an actual capstone assignment as a relevant evaluation tool. Identifying student strengths and weaknesses is an essential component of the capstone assessment. Students begin the capstone after the completion of two field experiences and the majority of the social work curriculum.

scholarly journals GENERAL VALUES AND WORK VALUES OF SOCIAL WORK STUDENTS IN HONG KONG

2013 ◽  
Vol 47 (01n02) ◽  
pp. 19-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
SHUI-WAI WONG ◽  
MANTAK YUEN
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Work Values ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Intellectual Stimulation ◽  
Economic Returns ◽  
The Social ◽  
Self Transcendence ◽  
Work Education

This paper reports research that examines general values and work values held by university students studying social work in Hong Kong. Comparison is also made with values held by similar students studying in different majors. Results indicated that social work students rated general values such as benevolence, self-direction, universalism and tradition higher than their non-social work counterparts. They also rated work values such as altruism, creativity, supervisory relations, independence and intellectual stimulation more highly. However, the social work students held lower values associated with economic returns, thus supporting a view that students with an inclination towards social work tend to espouse self-transcendence and intrinsic work values, and are less influenced by material rewards. Among the social work respondents, gender differences were found in both general and work values. Differences were also noted between the groups with different modes of study. Implications for social work education and future research are discussed.

Social work education in action: How studying for the profession facilitates the adaptation of internationally educated social workers in Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-127
Author(s):  
Annie Pullen Sansfaçon ◽  
Marion Brown
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Workers ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Educational Background ◽  
Work Skills ◽  
The Social ◽  
Theory Project ◽  
Work Education ◽  
Adaptation Processes ◽  
Depth Interviews

This article presents the results and theorization of a 4-year Grounded Theory project that sought to understand the processes and dynamics involved in the professional adaptation of internationally educated social workers now practicing in Canada. In-depth interviews with 66 participants, who undertook social work education outside of Canada and have subsequently settled to practice in the country, were conducted. Results highlight that the social work educational background of the professionals not only offers key conceptual, theoretical, and analytical foundations needed to adapt knowledge and skills to practice abroad, but also provides tools to navigate and negotiate professional adaptation processes as a whole. We conclude that ultimately, social workers may adapt well to their new work contexts because of the transferability of social work skills, knowledge, and values to new practice settings, thus facilitating interventions with services users and also their own process of professional adaptation.

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