Teaching Note: Making Sense of Poverty Through the Use of Simulative Learning

Abstract

Undergraduate social work students are often challenged by their inability to integrate the implicit and explicit course content in the matriculation of their studies. As educational mandates push for greater integration of skills and knowledge, some BSW programs are turning to the use of simulations to supplement classroom experiences and enhance competency-based training. This teaching note explores the authors' use of the Poverty Simulation, copyrighted by the Missouri Community Action Network, as a type of experiential learning in BSW education. Simulative learning is then linked to the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) 2015 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) Competencies to explore its usefulness in undergirding implicit course content.