Social Work Field Education Research Articles

Improving field education for social work in Vietnam: Intern supervisors’ perspectives of the current state and potential solutions

Research has identified challenges associated with the implementation of competency-based social work field education in Vietnam. However, there is limited information available from intern supervisors, who have unique perspectives at the crux of social work training and service delivery. An exploratory phenomenological qualitative approach was used to explore their experiences and perceptions through online interviews. Four categories were identified: diverse implementation of a common framework, rudimentary expectations and activities, challenges to implementation, and opportunities for improvement. These findings suggest that a multidimensional approach is needed, including improved collaborations between field agencies and universities to empower students, intern supervisors, and faculty.

Supervising social work students in field placements during COVID-19: Recommendations for future delivery during a pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic induced a marked transformation in higher education worldwide in the wake of social distancing. From course delivery to pedagogical style and student assessment, the educational landscape has altered, necessitating more creative and compatible approaches to support student learning. Intertwined with this phenomenon are the systemic, pedagogical, and technological challenges for the faculty supervising field students in the digital environment. Social work education is no exception. This article offers a brief overview of pandemic and post-pandemic related literature of online social work field education, shares faculty field educators’ reflections on challenges and opportunities associated with remote field supervision, and offers recommendations for future delivery during a pandemic or natural disaster, such as using a trauma-informed lens and Spiritually Informed Pedagogy for teaching and field supervision.

Transforming field education in social work: A special issue on field education

Welcome to this special issue of Transformative Social Work, dedicated to social work field education. As we navigate a rapidly changing world, the need for dynamic and impactful field education has never been more crucial. This special issue brings together a diverse range of perspectives and innovative approaches, highlighting how field education can be transformative in both practice and theory. In this collection of thought-provoking articles, we explore the latest research and new practices that are reshaping the way social work students, field educators, and practitioners engage with the field. Articles include discussions on Indigenous field education, developmental and green social work approaches, and field models such as macro placements, self-directed placements, and rotational hospital placements. We also feature the experiences of practicum students during the COVID-19 pandemic and examine what motivates field instructors to engage in field education. As we look to the future, the aspirations and commitments articulated by our contributors in this special issue offer a hopeful vision. The articles in this issue illuminate the adaptability of social work students, field educators, researchers, and practitioners, particularly in the face of unprecedented global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The innovations not only address current challenges but also lay the groundwork for more dynamic and responsive field education programs. There is a collective resolve to integrate lessons learned, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and uphold the principles of social justice that underpin our profession. By doing so, we can ensure that social work field education continues to evolve in ways that are inclusive, effective, and aligned with the needs of our diverse communities. We invite you to explore these contributions, reflect on their insights, and consider how they might inspire and inform your own practice in field education.

Integrated developmental and green social work field education to control fall armyworm Infestation in maize crops in Malawi

In Malawi, fall armyworm (FAW) infestation in maize crops is a problem of public importance as it reduces maize yields and exacerbates household food insecurity. In addition to pest resistance, the use of synthetic pesticides to control FAW negatively affects the health of farmers and the environment. Biochemical pesticides from plants contain naturally non-toxic chemotypes and are effective in controlling pests. Tephrosia vogelii plants contain these bioactive phytocompounds that have pesticidal properties. Geographical location and plant species influence the occurrence of phytocompounds in Tephrosia vogelii. Farmers in Sub Sahara-Africa are using Tephrosia vogelii as a pesticide but there are mixed research findings regarding its effectiveness in controlling FAW pests. This study was informed by developmental and Green Social Work frameworks to compare the effectiveness of Tephrosia vogelii leaves extracts, Belt 480 SC, and soap solution in controlling FAW in maize gardens. The study employed a randomized complete block design with four replication gardens and was conducted from November 2022 to March 2023. A social work field education student was assigned to coordinate the project. The study affirmed that the sampled Tephrosia vogelii leaf extracts contained pesticidal chemotypes. The results of field gardens suggest that Tephrosia vogelii leaf extracts have similar potency to Belt SC 480 chemical pesticide. It has been identified that Boom detergent soap is not as effective as Tephrosia vogelii leaf extracts. The study has social work field education implications for empowering practicum students to gain community mobilization skillsets, to participate in environmental justice advocacy, and to uphold social work values.

Instructor led rotational model: An innovative approach to social work practicums in hospital environments

With the saturation of student practicum placements requests in urban centres, job vacancies, budgetary restraints, and social workers’ intensive workloads, field education coordination teams are increasingly challenged to find social workers who are able to supervise student practicums and secure educational partnerships with organizations willing to support their staff in doing so. This is especially true in hospital settings, where social workers are still feeling the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in their daily work lives. Hospital practicums are highly sought out by social work students and yet there are few practicum opportunities for students compared to the demand. Social workers are employed in various practice settings, including hospital social work. As social workers are Canada's largest group of mental health professionals within the hospital system, having robust and sustainable practicum opportunities is critical to the training and development of future social workers. To address these ongoing challenges in social work field education, the University of Calgary, MacEwan University, and Alberta Health Services worked together to develop and pilot a new practicum model at the Bachelor of Social Work level. This practicum model, titled the ‘Instructor Led Rotational Model’, was implemented as a pilot project during the winter 2023 semester. This article provides an overview of this initiative, including a description of innovative practice education components and discussion of the challenges in field education that the model aims to address. Considerations for revisions and future offerings of the instructor led practicum model are also identified.

Bridging the divide: Exploring the disconnect between micro and macro practice and implications for BSW field education

The social work profession addresses wellbeing at individual levels, or the micro, as well as structural and systemic levels, the macro. By addressing the micro and macro, social workers work towards social justice for individuals and communities to create structural systemic change. Yet, there is an increasing focus on micro and clinical-focused content in social work education. This focus creates various challenges when social work students are placed in macro-focused field education placements. A study into the experiences of Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students, field instructors, and faculty liaisons considered the experiences of participants in their involvement of macro-level field education. The study found two emerging themes: macro-level practice is undervalued and underrepresented in the BSW curriculum, and yet at the same time there exists a deep desire for more understanding and integration of macro social work in social work education and field education. Implications for social work education, regulation, and the profession are also considered.

Navigating Social Work Field Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges, Benefits and Opportunities

In March 2020, the University of Guyana suspended face-to-face activities, requiring academic programmes and social work field education to reconfigure to virtual modalities. This paper revisits the impact of COVID-19 on social work education to examine the challenges, benefits, and opportunities to lecturers and students. Using a qualitative approach, a document analysis was conducted on lecturers’ journal entries and field notes, and 56 reflective reports submitted by students. The findings revealed self-reports of anxiety, loss of support of practice teachers, disappointment, and burnout. In spite of the challenges experienced, the analysis revealed that the peer-substitution practice dyads allowed students to develop their interpersonal and counselling skills. Additional findings suggest that there were opportunities for lecturers and the Social Work Unit to pilot the use of information communication technologies, create a framework for virtual monitoring of students, and demonstrate their commitment to preserving the signature pedagogy of social work education. We conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic has served as an impetus for the national University to continue exploring and implementing new approaches to advance the growth of social work programmes.

The Invisible Face of Social Work Field Education: Secondary Traumatic Stress Experiences of BSW Students

Abstract This study aims to examine the experiences of secondary traumatic stress of Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) students’ field education process in Turkey. In the scope of the research, nineteen BSW students, eleven of whom were female and eight of whom were male, who performed field education were interviewed. A semi-structured interview form consisting of twenty-three questions was used to collect the data. The obtained data were analysed using the descriptive analysis approach of qualitative research. The findings express the different experiences of BSW students in challenging cases encountered during the field education process and effects of challenging cases after field education and coping. Based on the research findings, it was concluded that BSW students are at risk of experiencing secondary traumatic stress throughout the entire field education process, and some recommendations were developed in this regard.

Online Learning and Liminal Spaces: An Example of Innovation in Social Work Field Education

Abstract Amidst the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, universities grappled with adapting to online service delivery, particularly affecting student placements in programmes requiring practicum experiences. Addressing this, four Australian Universities/Colleges collaboratively initiated the Supporting Placement through online Access and Community Engagement (S.P.A.C.E) Project, a twelve-month research endeavour. This study, based on qualitative data from S.P.A.C.E, reveals that the project’s success in delivering quality placement experiences hinged on three key factors: (1) the creation of a liminal (or third) space, (2) a genuine commitment to critical pedagogy and (3) the intentional use of online technology for an authentic learning experience. Significantly, the findings have implications for the field of social work by challenging assumptions about online learning, influencing social work theory through the exploration of a transformative ‘third space’, enhancing practice through critical pedagogy and suggesting policy directions that support flexible and viable online modalities in social work education. This research contributes to a growing body of evidence supporting online learning as a flexible and effective means for authentic and transformational learning experiences.

Challenges of social work field practicum and professionalization in Bangladesh

ABSTRACT Social work education and practices began in Bangladesh more than half a century ago. Yet, it has not attained the professional status demanded by the country. This paper aims to examine the challenges of field practicum and the professionalization of social work in Bangladesh. Applying a qualitative approach, the study found that the field education of social work in Bangladesh has been devalued due to a shortage of professional agencies and qualified field supervisors, disagreement between students and agency supervisors, lack of state recognition, and prevailing societal perceptions. Furthermore, the study highlights a critical gap in practical skills development due to supervisors lacking social work training, hindering their ability to bridge the theory-practice gap for students. Consequently, graduates often lack the necessary competency to effectively address complex social issues. The study outcomes strongly advocate for the continuous support of social work educators and trained fieldwork supervisors. Furthermore, the establishment of an accreditation council for social work education and professional recognition of social work can also help overcome the challenges of field education in social work in Bangladesh.

Australian Students’, Educators’, and Practitioners’ Experiences of Modified Field Education Standards During the COVID-19 Pandemic

ABSTRACT Long-standing concerns about the sustainability of social work field education requirements were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) implemented revised Education and Accreditation Standards (ASWEAS) during the pandemic as existing standards had become unworkable. The revised ASWEAS (during 2020 and 2021) allowed greater flexibility regarding how placements could be delivered, enabling students, educators, and practitioners to trial modified placements normally considered non-compliant. This article reports the findings of a national qualitative and quantitative survey that used Appreciative Inquiry to examine key stakeholders’ experiences of the modified field placements. The findings demonstrated strong support for the modifications. The findings are discussed in the context of international standards and hold implications for the future development of ASWEAS. IMPLICATIONS A trial of modified field placements under revised ASWEAS due to the COVID-19 pandemic represented a timely opportunity to conduct a nation-wide, empirical study to explore experiences of different field placement models. Emerging empirical evidence confirmed enduring field education problems, and highlighted experiences that could inform more flexible, sustainable field placements.

Field Note—Talk It Out Counseling Clinic: A Field Education Innovation

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic introduced an unforeseen challenge to social work field education and drastically changed the landscape of social work direct practice. In March 2021, University of Toronto’s Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work launched the Talk It Out Counseling Clinic (the Clinic), training MSW students to provide short-term counseling and wellness workshops to residents in the Greater Toronto Area. Based on a community partnership model with an antiracism and trauma-informed service orientation, the Clinic provides services targeting those who face multiple barriers to health and equity and those who belong to Black and other racialized communities. In this paper, we introduce the Clinic, including its staffing and structure, partnership model, and training curriculum, present operation updates, and discuss future directions.

Book Review: Transforming social work field education: New insights from practice, research and scholarship by J.L. Drolet, G. Charles, S.M. McConnell, and M. Bogo

Book Review: <i>Transforming social work field education: New insights from practice, research and scholarship</i> by J.L. Drolet, G. Charles, S.M. McConnell, and M. Bogo

Findings from a national evaluation of social work field education programs in Liberia, West Africa

Program evaluation is an integral component of social work field education and continuous social work programmatic improvement. To conduct an inaugural national survey of social work field education programs in Liberia, West Africa, Made in Africa Evaluation (MAE) was used to design and implement a national evaluation of social work field education programs. The evaluation was led by and implemented with Liberian social work faculty and staff. Thirty-six field supervisors completed a quantitative survey. Results were used to assist programs identify strengths and areas for improvement. The MAE approach guided analysis and discussion of evaluation results. Findings revealed an emerging credentialed and experienced pool of field supervisors with high exposure and endorsement of human rights concepts, which was a strength. Field agencies were clustered in the city center of Montserrado County, the county seat for Monrovia-Liberia’s capital. Field agencies’ missions and services aligned with health, education, and gender equality sustainable development goals. Field agency supervisors provided few opportunities for students to practice macro based developmental social work activities such as advocacy and community work, an area identified as needing improvement. Challenges included Liberian social work faculty’s lack of experience in conducting evaluation research, insufficient access to scholarly databases to obtain research articles, and expensive data management platforms. Collaboration was recommended as a strategy to build evaluation capacity. How to reference using ASWNet style: Tuggle, F., Banks, S. and Gbessage, S. (2023). Findings from a national evaluation of social work field education programs in Liberia, West Africa. African Journal of Social Work, 13(6), 273-284. https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ajsw.v13i6.1 Visit journal website: https://ajsw.africasocialwork.net

Collaborative practice within the practice teacher-student relationship in social work field education: Reflections, learning and possibilities

This article will present a reflection on the benefits of a collaborative approach in the field of social work practice education and learning. It will specifically outline how collaborative practice, centered around a practice teacher and their student, was developed in a hospital neurorehabilitation setting. This will be demonstrated via the innovations which took place in establishing a peer support group for a cohort of patients under the age of 65. We will discuss with the reader, our framework which was developed with the intention of promoting an investment by practice teachers, students, field agencies and college educators in taking part in collaborative practice within the education environment. We will outline and reflect on the 3 main principles of our framework for collaborative practice within the realm of social work. These include: 1) Individual Traits, 2) Reflective Practice and 3) Learning and Professional Development. This article will highlight the benefits of embracing a collaborative approach in practice education by focusing on the principles above, within an interdisciplinary work setting.

A social work roundtable examining impacts and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic

As have other disciplines, social work has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Societal shifts and service provision gaps have emerged or been amplified over the course of the pandemic. An online roundtable was convened with five Canadian social work leaders to explore impacts of the pandemic on social work as well as to reflect on lingering effects of the pandemic and lessons learned for moving forward. Panelists’ varied substantive areas of social work practice and/or research included youth advocacy, healthcare, social work education and field education, and community development and disaster response. This paper offers a verbatim reproduction of the roundtable including panelists’ reflections on client and community experiences, social worker experiences, workforce impacts, shifts in the way service and practice are conceptualized and delivered, and implications for moving forward. Recommendations are offered in considered disciplinary, interdisciplinary and community advancement.

Remote field placements during the pandemic: Lessons learned at the University of British Columbia School of Social Work

COVID-19 and the global pandemic significantly shifted social work field education and required innovations in how practicum experiences could simultaneously meet experiential learning objectives and maintain safety. Remote practicums where students were connected to an agency/organization but completed all their learning/service delivery and supervision virtually was one of these innovations. As a quality assurance exercise, the Chair of the Field Education Program at the University of British Columbia (UBC) School of Social Work interviewed four MSW students about their experiences in remote practicums. This article describes some of the benefits and challenges outlined by the students and illustrates possible practices and policies that the UBC School of Social Work field team can make to harness the learning from these experiences.

Re-Envisioning Field Education in Australian Social Work to Combat Placement Poverty: Students’, Educators’ and Practitioners’ Perceptions

Abstract In Australia, pressure is mounting from multiple stakeholders for a full review of the national social work education standards for field education as evidence grows about compulsory, unpaid placements exacerbating student poverty and the related adverse consequences for students’ learning and well-being. This article reports on the findings of an Australian nation-wide qualitative and quantitative survey that explored social work students’, educators’ and practitioners’ perceptions of proposed strategies to address the challenges identified with existing field education requirements. Descriptive statistics were calculated using Excel. Qualitative data were coded for thematic analysis. The main finding of the survey involving 1,191 participants was a call for a reimagined model of field education with flexibility in all aspects of how future placements are conceptualised, structured and delivered. The findings provide important and previously unavailable empirical evidence about field education strategies to inform and support the reimagining of existing Australian Social Work Education and Accreditation Standards. Recommendations for change, which have implications for both the Australian Association of Social Workers and the Australian Government, are discussed in the context of international standards for social work education and the social justice goals of the profession.

Critical Conversations in Compensating Social Work Field Education: A Systematic Review

Critical Conversations in Compensating Social Work Field Education: A Systematic Review

A Simulated Placement: Using a Mixed-Reality Learning Environment for Social Work Field Education

ABSTRACT COVID-19 presented fresh challenges for social work field education, requiring agile and innovative solutions. To address the scarcity of direct client-facing placements during the extended and unpredictable public health restrictions, Australian Catholic University (ACU) created the Simulated Placement Experience (SPE) for final-year students. The program immersed students into nine practice scenarios over a two-week (70-hour) intensive placement. Real-time feedback and reflective coaching sessions with a social work supervisor offered students enhanced learning and development opportunities applicable to multiple service settings and client presentations. The program was well received by participating final-year students, who highlighted that the experience enhanced their ability to perform and critically reflect on their direct practice skills. This article outlines the model and the initial evaluation of the pilot program using a Student Satisfaction of Simulation Survey tool. The findings of this evaluation reveal the potential for simulation to provide novel, valuable learning experiences to social work students for practice placements. IMPLICATIONS COVID-19 restrictions presented an opportunity for social work field education programs to rethink the structure and nature of placement learning. Simulation-based learning provides social work students with enhanced learning and increased confidence as part of direct practice placements. There is scope to include supported simulation-based learning to enhance future social work field education programs; however, discipline-specific simulation standards and conceptual frameworks are needed.