The Developmental Model of Supervision as Reflected in the Experiences of Field Supervisors and Graduate Students

Abstract

Schools of social work invest an enormous amount of time and money training new field instructors to ensure their ability to help students integrate the knowledge, skill, and values of the profession. Some schools, like the one described here, frame their training in the context of a developmental model of supervision. Such models presume that student professional development follows a series of sequential, hierarchical stages from less to more competent and that supervision interventions differ at each stage of development. There is, however, limited empirical support to suggest how supervisors (field instructors) use these models while training MSW students. Using a mixed method design, this study demonstrates that the sampled supervisors assumed different roles and varied their approach to supervision and the type of feedback provided on process recordings, in accordance with developmental models, when working with first- and second-year MSW students. These findings have implications for training field supervisors and for field instruction in general.