Social Work Professional Identity Development in International Students and Graduates

There has been a significant increase of international students in Australian social work education over the past decade. Issues around international students’ language skills, cultural capital or competence, special needs and field education experiences have been explored in social work literature. However, the literature to date has a tendency to focus on international students’ deficits, or the strategies implemented to address the identified deficits. Professional identity, a critical aspect of social work education, remains an under-researched topic in international students. Professional identity development in social work is often considered a complex process which is influenced by interacting internal or external factors. For example, personal or cultural identities can contribute to professional identity development in social work students in general, while discrimination or institutional oppression is found to negatively affect professional identity development in social work students. Intersectionality sees a person’s identity as fluid and multifold, and offers a useful framework for understanding identity issues in international students. Applying the concept of intersectionality, this meta-ethnography reviews six qualitative studies, guided by the seven phrases established by Noblit and Hare. The findings show professional identity development in international students can be influenced by interacting personal, linguistic, professional, academic, cultural and social factors. An intersecting model incorporating the six identified key themes was developed to provide a conceptual framework for professional identity development in international social work students.

The article discusses similarities and differences in social work education and profession in Australia and the USA, reflects on contemporary issues and challenges that affect social work education and practice in both countries, and identifies mutual areas of learning and exchange. Drawing on secondary data, it comparatively analyses important variables such as the growth of social work education, curricula and curricular models, accreditation standards, code of ethics and professional licensure. The analysis shows significant similarities and differences in these variables, and brings out unaddressed issues and challenges. It argues that the profession in general has not adequately been successful in translating its value-based ideals into social work education and practice in both countries, particularly in the context of the free market economies. Experiences of both countries provide scope for mutual sharing and learning.

ABSTRACTReflective practice, reflexivity, and critical reflection are now widely accepted as important in contemporary social work practice. Despite this, there remain differences in how the terms are discussed within the literature. This results in confusion in how students are instructed about reflective practice, reflexivity, and critical reflection. This paper presents a proposal for clarifying these concepts based on the results from an interpretive study of reflective practice in social work education and practice in Australia. The study utilised three different methods: autoethnography, an archaeological analytic, and qualitative interviews. It found that reflective practice is understood as a capability, a form of critical thinking, a discipline response to a changing sector, and a way of theorising from practice. Conceptual clarifications of reflective practice, reflexivity, and critical reflection are presented.IMPLICATIONSThere is a need for clarification about the meaning of reflective practice, reflexivity, and critical reflection within social work.Findings from a qualitative study on the meaning and use of reflective practice in Australian social work education may provide conceptual clarification of these terms.

Professional identity development in social work students and graduates is complicated by intertwining internal and external factors. This article reports findings from a subset of data from a longitudinal qualitative study which aims to understand what factors contribute to this group’s sense of professional identity. It draws on multiple interviews conducted with six international students/graduates in Australia, at approximately six-monthly intervals between 2021 and 2023. Findings indicate that the participants encountered intersecting barriers to professional identity, which outweighed facilitating factors. The study makes a unique contribution by addressing the current knowledge gap about how international students and graduates become social workers.

The professional identity of a counselor educator develops primarily during an individual's doctoral preparation program. This study employed consensual qualitative research methodology to examine the phenomenon of professional identity development in counselor education doctoral students (CEDS) in a cohort model. Cross-sectional focus groups were conducted with three cohorts of doctoral students in counselor education (N = 18) to identify the experiences that contributed to their professional identity development. The findings identified that (a) programmatic goals to develop professional identity align with the experiences most influential to CEDS, (b) experiential learning opportunities enhanced CEDS professional identity development, (c) the relationships with mentors and faculty contribute to their identity as a counselor educator, and (d) being perceived as a counselor educator by faculty is influential in professional identity development. Implications for counselor education and the counseling profession are discussed.Keywords: consensual qualitative research, counseling, counselor education and supervision, doctoral student development, professional identity developmentProfessional identity development is central to counseling professionals' ethical practice (Corey, Corey, & Callanan, 2010; Granello & Young, 2012). The process of professional identity development is defined as the successful integration of personal attributes and professional training in the context of a professional (Gibson, Dollarhide, & Moss, 2010, pp. 23-24). Counselor education doctoral students (CEDS) develop their identity as counselor educators primarily during their doctoral preparation program (Calley & Hawley, 2008; Carlson, Portman, & Bartlett, 2006; Zimpfer, Cox, West, Bubenzer, & Brooks, 1997). Specifically, intentional experiences designed by faculty and/or initiated by CEDS during then-doctoral preparation program promote their professional identity development as counselor educators, supporting an effective transition into academia (Carlson et al., 2006). Counselor education doctoral programs employ diverse pedagogical strategies to promote their students' identity development (e.g., Zimpfer et al., 1997). However, the impact that the experiences and strategies developed within programs has on students and their professional identity has not been examined in previous research. Therefore, an increased understanding of CEDS' professional identity development might offer insight into pedagogical experiences that enhance doctoral students' transition from counseling practitioners to faculty members in higher education (Calley & Hawley, 2008; Magnuson et al., 2003).Professional identity development within counselor education can be described as both an intrapersonal and interpersonal process (Gibson et al., 2010). The intrapersonal process is an internalization of knowledge shared by faculty members and supervisors (e.g., recognizing personal strengths; areas of growth in academic roles). The interpersonal process develops during immersion into the norms of the professional community (e.g., submitting manuscripts for publication, presenting papers at conferences, teaching courses). These two developmental processes co-occur while counselor education trainees are conceptualizing their specific roles and tasks within academia.Within counselor educators' professional identity development, three primary roles emerge: (a) teaching and supervision, (b) research and scholarship, and (c) service (Calley & Hawley, 2008). An exploration of the tasks and/or experiences that facilitate doctoral students' understanding of their future roles as counselor educators is needed (Calley & Hawley, 2008; Gibson et al, 2010). Carlson and colleagues (2006) developed a conceptual model of professional identity development in counselor education consisting of seven roles or tasks: (a) program expectations, (b) teaching and supervision, (c) research, (d) publications, (e) grants and funding, (f) service and conferences, (g) networking, and (h) professional development. …

Social work education in Australia is bound by a range of rules and assumptions supported by both higher education institutions and the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). This autoethnography explores a range of contradictions within social work education from the unique perspective of someone who was simultaneously a student and academic in social work. This experience occurred because, although PhD qualified in social work, rulings set down by the AASW lead to me being excluded from consideration in permanent roles. The position led me to becoming an online Master of Social Work (MSW) student whilst still being a social work educator allowing me to explore a range of contradictory rules and processes within social work education. Analysis of my reflections, journals, assignments and conversations with colleagues unveiled a range of mixed messages in relation to social inclusion, technical rationalism, self-care and field placement supervision. My findings contribute to current debates about how neoliberalism currently impacts on inclusion in social work education and development of a professional identity. In exploring my dual roles, this autoethnography unveils contradictions within social work education and accreditation that question the social justice mission of the profession.

This paper explores contemporary issues in Australian social work education. It examines formative influences on the structures and content of education, specifically the ways over time in which demographic, political, economic and social forces have influenced the composition, demand and domain of social work education and practice. It describes the current political context of social work and social work education and the response of the authors' own institution to change and uncertainty. It concludes by proposing that for change and diversity to be addressed, three moves would be productive. The first is to establish structures for closer dialogue amongst schools of social work, the professional association and employers. The second is to extend experimentation and innovation in social work curricula. The third is for educators to establish a collective voice and promote the values which should desirably underpin tertiary education in Australia.

Social work education in Australia has been based in universities since the 1940s. There are now 32 higher education providers offering social work programs across Australia. The significant growth in master’s level qualifying programs in Australia, along with recent higher education policy changes, has increased the need for social work academic faculty members with doctoral qualifications. This paper presents the findings of a scoping review of literature on social work doctoral education. Despite a growing literature on social work doctoral education in international contexts, the review found that there is a lack of Australian research and evidence on social work doctoral pedagogy, the number and diversity of doctoral students, the doctoral student experience, and doctoral graduate employment intentions and outcomes. Addressing the lack of Australian research in this area would be an important step to enabling Australian social work to address future research training and capacity needs and directions. IMPLICATIONS There is a lack of research on Australian social work doctoral education and this is a neglected aspect of social work scholarship of teaching and learning (SOTL) research. Research into social work doctoral education would provide baseline information on the number and diversity of students, doctoral student experiences, graduate outcomes, and employment intentions. Development of social work SOTL about doctoral education would support future research capacity and enable the advancement of social work research knowledge and skills.

This article reports on a case study of specialist social work education in Australia. In particular, the views of specialist forensic social workers are explored both about their needs for social work education to support them for practice in forensic social work and also about their experiences of a particular program. Whilst social work education focuses in varying degrees on mental health practice, social workers not only in mental health and corrections but also in child protection, disability, and drug and alcohol services are increasingly expected to understand linkages between offending behavior, psychological disorder and family systems, and balance community and individual needs. The social workers reported that their experience of postqualifying education led to adaptations in the nature of their practice, the development of generic skills, which enabled them to incorporate an awareness of the effects of the justice system on mental health and to balance what are often opposing needs and considerations when working in this contested area. The experiences of the study group of forensic social work practitioners can be used to inform the development of similar specialist programs elsewhere not only in forensic social work but more widely as part of debates about the nature of specialist social work practice.

Review of For social betterment: Social work education in Australia by Jane Miller. Monash University Publishing, Clayton, Victoria Australia, 2024 ISBN 9781922979438 pp.355, $AUS39.99

ABSTRACTIncreasingly human service organisations in Australia require staff, volunteers, and social work students on placement to undergo child-related criminal history checks. In turn, many schools of social work require prospective or enrolled students to undergo criminal history checks and provide a clearance of their suitability to work with children. Universities have historically played a role of gatekeeper to the social work profession, but the appropriateness of using past criminal history in this gatekeeping process is contested. This study examines the websites of 30 Australian universities to ascertain the extent to which they require social work students to undertake child-related criminal history screening. Most universities required students to have a child-related criminal history clearance, and all but one of the remaining universities identified that screening may be required, depending upon placement agency requirements. This may limit or close off access to social work education for people with criminal histories and lived experience of hardship and disadvantage.

Professional social work education in Australia requires students to undertake supervised and assessed field practice in addition to theoretical classroom‐based education. Field education placements take place in a wide range of social and community service organisations ‐ often partly funded by these organisations. However, in a climate of economic restraint and cutback, the social and community services sector increasingly looks to education for resources for field education. One solution is the development of student units, especially designed to offer practice‐based experience for students. This paper is motivated by the high value Phillip Institute of Technology places on student units in field education. It addresses the question, “What are student units?”, presents a tentative categorisation of types of social work student units and concludes with a possible framework for evaluation.

This special issue in the Journal of Social Work Education is a forum for professional and scholarly discourse on military social work education initiatives developed to educate and train social work professionals and students for practice with military personnel, veterans, and their families across the micro–macro continuum. Special emphasis was given to educational and technological trends, innovations, and challenges related to educating the next generation of social workers to provide evidence-based services to a new generation of veterans that incorporate the CSWE’s (2010) advanced knowledge and practice behaviors in military social work and NASW’s (2012) practice standards. Additional focus was given to university–community and university–military partnerships, collaborations, and initiatives that involve community and military stakeholders. Quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods, and conceptual manuscripts from researchers, educators, and practitioners on military social work education and practice were solicited from the professional social work community. In this special issue we highlight select exemplars of the social work profession’s unique contributions to military social work education. The issue is divided into two sections: (1) discourse on the integration of military social work into professional social work education and (2) innovative military social work education and training programs for doctoral and master’s students, student veterans, and licensed social work professionals—many including program evaluation and other research components. Each section is described in following paragraphs, including a brief overview of representative manuscripts. Integration of Military Social Work Into Professional Social Work Education Four manuscripts highlight military social work as a field of practice requiring specialized knowledge and skills, teaching strategies based on the CSWE competencies and advanced practice behaviors in military social work, the inclusion of military and veteran culture in social work education curricula, and adapting social work field placements for training in military social work practice. Wooten presents a rationale for military social work as a specialized field of practice, the need for military social work education, and opportunities and challenges for professional social work education. She delineates foundation and advanced knowledge in military social work and concludes by proposing an integrated model of intellectual capital to guide strategic planning for professional military social work education in addition to professional infrastructure needed to develop intellectual capital in military social work. For social work educators unfamiliar with military and veteran culture, Daley provides examples of teaching strategies based on CSWE’s advanced practice behaviors in military social work for integration into social work courses, specifically focusing on their application to CSWE’s Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS; CSWE, 2008). He identifies foundation and advanced year military social work educational goals based on EPAS 2.1.1 to 2.1.10 and suggests that the infusion of military social work across the social work curriculum will assist students and faculty in becoming more sensitive to the issues faced by military service members, veterans, and their families. Continuing the application of CSWE’s EPAS to military social work education, Canfield and Weiss proposes the inclusion of military-related material into the foundation courses of undergraduate and graduate social work education because social workers providing services in civilian settings not focused on military-related difficulties may encounter military personnel, veterans, and families who seek services outside of the DoD and VA. Key issues, military examples, and resources are recommended for the integration of military culture into human behavior in the social environment, generalist practice, research methods, and social policy core curricula. With a focus on field education as the signature pedagogy of social work education, Selber, Chavkin, and Biggs advance a promising field instruction model in military social work with the growing student veteran population on American campuses. This innovative approach to field education expands placement opportunities beyond the VA for professional training in service delivery to current and past military cohorts.

Since its inception, social work education in Australia has been heavily influenced by the social work education systems in foreign countries, particularly the United States and Britain. Through a survey of Australian schools of social work, the sources, manifestations, and extent of American influence is delineated and the causes for it are explored. Positive and negative results of this influence are assessed and possible directions for change are suggested.

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.