A History of Research in Social Work Education: 1915-1991

Research has been an important element of social work since the inception of the profession. In social work education, there has been, however, pervasive and enduring confusion regarding the design and implementation of the research curriculum. In 1992, the Council on Social Work Education issued a revised Curriculum Policy Statement that portends profound implications for educators. The author explores the difference in social research and social work research, presents a brief history of research in social work education, and explores the challenges confronting the new policy.     

Relationships and the Research Process: Participatory Action Research and Social Work

Social science research methods are experiencing a paradigm shift in that participatory research methods, in many cases relegated to second-class status, are gaining credibility as valid and legitimate ways to engage in scholarly and solid research. In social work, participatory research is one more way social workers can engage with participants as partners in the process of generating knowledge and transforming society. This article discusses a particular type of participatory research called Participatory Action Research (PAR). PAR is explained and an example of how PAR has been used is offered. This article offers a discussion of how PAR is consistent with the core values of social work, especially those values of partnership, relationship, and social change. Finally, the article offers social work researchers a framework for engaging in liberatory research.     

Making Continuing Professional Development Relevant and Accessible in Regional Social Work

ABSTRACT

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an integral component of quality social work practice (Australian Association of Social Workers, 2013). Despite this, there is a lack of knowledge around the perceived needs and challenges of accessing CPD for rural and regional social work practitioners. This research explored professional development education needs and challenges for rural social work practitioners. The findings revealed an increase in complex cases in practice leading to the need for more training in mental health, legal aspects, and therapeutic interventions. Strong demand for CPD was evident, with a preference for face-to-face training instead of online modules. In the face of persistent challenges some innovative solutions were possible from a partnership between service providers, higher education providers, and the professional body to better meet the needs of the rural social work practitioners.

IMPLICATIONS

• Increasing complexity in rural, regional, and remote social work practice has placed extra demands on the knowledge resources of social workers.

• Continuing professional development (CPD) must be relevant and readily accessible to meet the needs of those who practice in these areas.

• Partnerships between agencies, higher education providers, and professional bodies, along with the use of technology can increase accessibility for rural, regional, and remote social workers.

     

A Selective History of Internet Technology and Social Work

ABSTRACT

“Organized chaos” is the theme of the short history of the Internet and social work. It is a history of paradoxes. Although there are many paths to follow the historical influence of the Internet for social work, this essay notes that the Internet was bom from a military strategy. Decades later, social work education and practice employed this massive network. This essay traces the unlikely links among the original military agenda, astounding engineering feats, online social interaction action, and social work education and practice. A short glossary is provided to readers unfamiliar with technical terms.     

On Parallel Process in Social Work Supervision

The recognition and study of parallel process in social work supervision offers both the social work supervisor and supervisee a rich learning opportunity at the moment when an impasse seems unworkable. The parallel process is an unconscious replication in the supervisory session of therapeutic difficulties which a supervisee has with a client. This replication may originate with the supervisor unwittingly modeling behavior that is then taken by the social worker into the therapeutic interaction with the client. This paper reviews the need for social workers to grasp the dynamics of the parallel process, discusses the literature for the historical development of the phenomenon, addresses supervisory methods that will uncover the process, and illustrates the supervisor's stages of exploration and modeling in addressing the parallel process.     

Social Work Education and Clinical Learning

In response to a growing diversity of opinion regarding educational models and essential content in clinical social work education, this paper offers a perspective concerning graduate clinical curricula. Part I, the foundational piece of the paper, discusses the definition of clinical social work, social work’s core orientation and values, and influential contextual issues. The interrelated core orientations guiding knowledge and skill development are identified as the person-in-situation perspective and the concept of relationship. Based on this foundation, Part II identifies elements of a contemporary biopsychosocial knowledge base and essential clinical skills. This paper is intended to stimulate dialogue about a topic of importance to the profession and the clients it serves.     

Split or Synthesis: The Odd Relationship Between Clinical Practice and Research in Social Work and in Social Work Education

The relationship of practice and research in social work has often been characterized as a ‘split’ in interests and in professional purposes. The same split also appears in social work education. This article examines several issues related to better integrating clinical practice and research in social work and in social work education. The article opens with a historical exploration of the origins of the social work profession as based in differences between practitioners and researchers. Second, differences in the purposes, professional cultures and professional organizations of clinical social workers and social work researchers are examined. Third, the processes and methods of clinical practice and research are systematically compared and contrasted. A chart outlining their similarities and differences is offered. The article closes with several recommendations to improve social work education in both areas that can lead to better integration of clinical practice and research in social work.     

Attending to Social Justice in Clinical Social Work: Supervision as a Pedagogical Space

Although social justice is a central professional value of social work articulated in ethics codes, clinical social workers have been long criticized for not clearly incorporating this professed commitment into practice. Supervision is an optimal space within which clinicians can develop knowledge and skills to attend to the issues related to social justice in their practice. A growing body of literature emphasizes social justice in the delivery of clinical services, yet there is a death of literature on how clinical supervision can promote social justice seeking clinical work. In this paper, we draw from existing literature to identify key elements involved in social justice seeking clinical supervision. Using Goodyear’s (Clin Superv 33:82–99, 2014) learning mechanisms of clinical supervision, which consists of modeling, feedback, direct instruction, and self-directed learning, we discuss a case composite to illustrate ways in which clinical supervision can serve as a pedagogical space to advance clinical social workers’ commitment to social justice.     

Child-related Criminal History Screening and Social Work Education in Australia

Increasingly 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.     

Uses and Abuses of Social Research in Social Work

Because of the increasing conceptual development of single-subject research in recent years, and of statistical methods of analysis of single-subject data, it is not difficult either to teach or to learn this content area. The implementation of this content as a significant component of a social work curriculum does give rise to several issues, however. These issues, as well as the argument for the stage at which single-subject research is introduced into the curriculum, are discussed in this paper.