Role Conflicts of BSW Students and Instructors in Experiential Learning: Lessons From a Case Study

2004 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 31-46
Author(s):  
James R. Vanderwoerd ◽  
Eunice N. Muthengi ◽  
Jill Muilenburg
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Community Change ◽  
Positive Contribution ◽  
Role Conflicts ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Work Education

Experiential learning is an important component of social work education. However, experiential learning contexts often place both students and instructors into multiple, conflicting roles. This paper uses a case study methodology to explore role conflicts experienced by BSW students and an instructor involved in a community change effort on behalf of minority residents in a rural Midwest town. This case suggests that, despite some risks, role conflicts in experiential learning make a positive contribution to social work education. Rather than avoiding or minimizing role conflicts, educators should incorporate these conflicts intentionally but cautiously into the learning experience.

OF FIELD EDUCATION IN AUSTRALIA AND HONG KONG: A SOCIAL WORK EDUCATOR'S PERSONAL REFLECTION

2008 ◽  
Vol 42 (01n02) ◽  
pp. 33-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
WING-HONG CHUI
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Essential Element ◽  
Field Education ◽  
Personal Reflection ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Work Education

Fieldwork is valued as an essential element in social work education. A partnership between students, agencies and universities is essential to a practical learning experience. Although this article is primarily concerned with issues surrounding field education in just one Australian university, this paper also makes comparisons with cases in Hong Kong where appropriate. Several aspects of field education including the dynamics of power in the fieldwork relationship, roles and status of field educators, on-going training provided for field educators and ways to strengthen collaborations will be discussed. The purpose of this analysis is to look at the basic principles of good fieldwork practice. 實習是社工教育中不可或缺的一環；學生、機構和大學的合作，乃重要的學習體驗。這篇論文不但檢視了環繞澳洲實習教育的議題，還將它們與香港的情況比較。討論範圍包括幾方面：實習關係中的權力互動、實習教育者的角色及地位、為實習教育者提供的持續訓練，以及各種加強合作的方法。這個比較分析的目的是要檢視良好實習的基本原則。

Appraising social work curriculum in India: learners’ perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richi Simon
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Student Community ◽  
The Social ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Education In India ◽  
Work Education

Purpose This paper aims to understand the social work curriculum as perceived by the learners of the master’s degree programme. The study compares the perception as held by students’ originating from the same and different faculties regarding the curricular aspects of social work education in India. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a qualitative approach. It is a case study-based paper whereby the participants were selected using multi-phase sampling, universities were selected using purposive sampling and 106 students were selected using quota sampling. Semi-structured online interviews were taken using an interview guide and transcribed. Inter-coder reliability was tested using Cohen’s kappa. The paper used grounded theory to analyse data. Findings The study suggests a significant difference in the perception of curriculum between those originating from the same discipline and other faculty. It was found that the learners perceive the curriculum to be obsolete in addressing contemporary concerns and needs serious reframing. Research limitations/implications As the study uses the case study method, it has been limited to four universities of Madhya Pradesh state of India to analyse the cases effectively. Further, only the domain of social work has been explored in the study. Thus, the results may lack generalizability. Further studies can also be conducted to test the propositions suggested. Even similar studies can be carried out with other disciplines. Also, the study being cross-sectional leaves scope for future comparative and longitudinal studies. Practical implications The paper presents some interesting perceptions of the student community, which can be used for redesigning and revising the social work curriculum. Such appraisals if done by every educational institute can bring significant reforms in the present education system of India and make it at par with the global standards and responsive to the contemporary needs of the society. Further, with such training, social workers can be true change agents. Social implications The study can play a significant role in the redesigning of social work education in India. Thus, directly or indirectly benefit the entire society. Originality/value The paper addresses the concern to include the current student community in curriculum design to ensure quality curriculum.

Valuing experience in a baccalaureate social work class on human behavior

2015 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-85
Author(s):  
Trevor G. Gates
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Adult Learning ◽  
Experiential Learning ◽  
Human Behavior ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
Social Work Education ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
Social Work Students ◽  
The Social ◽  
Work Education

Social problems are best understood through active engagement in the community, experiences that bring to light the social problems at hand. Social work education lends itself especially to practical application and experience, as addressing social welfare problems can never be entirely theoretical. Experiential education offers social work students such an opportunity, and the social work field experience offers social work students an opportunity for applied learning.Kolb’s theory of experiential adult learning, which argues that adults learn through concrete experiences, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation, provides a useful framework for understanding the importance of experiential learning in social work education. In this paper, I discuss Kolb’s contribution to adult learning theory, particularly how his theory built upon previous conceptual frameworks for understanding the adult learner. I also apply Kolb’s theory to my own learning and social work education practice. Finally, I reflect upon how my own learning experiences inform my understanding of Kolb’s experiential learning theory and my current perspective as a social work educator in a baccalaureate social work human behavior class in the United States.

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