Fifty years of social work education: Analysis of motivations and outcomes

Alice Butler-Warke,Janine Bolger

doi:10.1177/1468017320911603

Alice Butler-Warke, Janine Bolger

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1177/1468017320911603

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Abstract

SummaryThis article uses the 50th anniversary of social work education provision at one of north-east Scotland’s universities as an opportunity to reflect on social work education outcomes and motivations for undertaking training. This empirical assessment is based on the detailed responses to questionnaires and interviews with social work graduates who studied between 1968 and 2012 to evaluate social work training and education among graduates. We use the Kirkpatrick model to evaluate social work education.FindingsWe highlight the combination of prior experience with social work and a sense of altruism that served to motivate students to engage in training. We discuss the levels of preparedness for practice based on training and note that it is the combination of teaching and placements that benefits students most. We reflect on the centrality of a common set of social work values that arise from a period of introspection during education, and we show that these values are incorporated into both professional and personal life.ApplicationsWe show that ‘big picture’ and evaluations of social work education are important in order to orient social work education in line with political and social change. We also suggest that educators should be cognisant of the importance of personal development and growth that are central to the training of social workers. Rather than seeing personal development as a by-product of social work education, we argue that training that strengthens social work values of justice and empathy is imperative.

Highlights

Despite over a century of social work education programmes across Britain and around the world, there is a surprising lack of in-depth understanding of the outcomes of social work education (Carpenter, 2011; Orme, 2018)
We suggest that educators do not treat the cultivation of social work values and the impact of students’ personal lives as a by-product of social work education but rather recognise that these values are central to the development of students as social workers
Drawing on Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model, we have examined how classroom and placement-based education have contributed to a stronger professional practice and have demonstrated positive outcomes for social work instruction that is beneficial to graduates, service users, and more broadly, the aim of social justice

Summary

Introduction

Despite over a century of social work education programmes across Britain and around the world, there is a surprising lack of in-depth understanding of the outcomes of social work education (Carpenter, 2011; Orme, 2018). While there are module and course evaluations that give superficial insight, ‘bigger picture’ or longitudinal studies that consider course outcomes and the levels of preparedness for practice are needed in order that we can successfully understand the strengths and weaknesses of social work education (Orme, 2018). We address this bigger picture outcome gap through an empirical study that assesses and evaluates the outcomes of social work education. Our work goes some way to show how this gap can be filled through in-depth case studies, the findings of which can feed back both into theory and practice. Our case study involves social work graduates from a university in the northeast of Scotland (referred to as ‘the university’), which has a tradition of educating social workers. Understanding the role of social work education in universities is of utmost importance as the social care sector experiences increasing cuts to funding that will affect future social workers (Evans et al, 2012)

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