Preparing Competent Practitioners

Abstract

Because performance in field practicum is so important to student learning, this study investigated whether students' motivation to achieve is related to social work skills in field practica. One hundred sixteen students at a northeastern social work program completed a questionnaire about their field practica. As predicted from value-expectancy theory, higher self-ratings of skills were associated with greater intrinsic motivation, seeing field tasks as less difficult, and having more confidence in their ability to accomplish tasks. How much students valued the tasks was not related to self-rating of skills.