Leadership in Social Work Education and the Social Change Model of Leadership

Leadership is a topic of international debate in both social work education and practice. Questions remain, however, regarding what specific models of leadership should be emphasized and how leadership content should be infused within the social work curriculum. This paper seeks to contribute to the ongoing discussion about the infusion of leadership within social work education. Specifically, this paper shares the design and development of a graduate-level social work course in program evaluation that infused education around the social change model of leadership (SCM) and then explores qualitatively how 39 graduate students interpreted and applied this model of leadership through an experiential community-based evaluation project. Findings of this study suggest that students utilized the values identified in the SCM in a range of ways to understand and interpret their leadership experience both in their collaborative groups and in their partnerships with community-based organizations. Community organizations also reported benefiting from the experience in partnership with the students. Implications are discussed in relation to the potential value and impact of this model for social work education.     

学生领导力与核心价值观教育

在国民教育中加强对学生的社会主义核心价值观教育,是事关我国未来人才储备和社会可持续发展的重大问题。为破解当前我国学生价值观方面的现实问题,西方德育中价值观教育值得借鉴。我国当前学校价值观教育的内容和方法有待进一步发展。学生领导力教育以价值观教育为核心,重视社会责任感的培养,重视让学生积极参与社区活动培养影响他人的能力,且具有文化兼容性,可以成为社会主义核心价值观教育的一种新途径。     

大学生领导力发展的影响因素研究

目前,学术界虽然对大学生领导力还没有完全统一的定义,但是在对价值观对大学生领导力作用上的认识上却十分一致。价值观被视为大学生领导力发展的核心。价值观之所以重要至此,是因为领导过程是一个影响别人的过程,领导者比其追随者更有权力,因此要对他们影响追随者的方式承担巨大的道义责任。领导者在建立组织的伦理氛围中扮演了关键角色,这也要求他们能特别敏锐地察觉他们所推崇的价值观和理念。所以价值观是大学生领导力发展关键的部分,在大学生领导力的发展中起到统领作用,有抱负的领导者需要发展伦理思考能力、批判性分析道德的能力、整合不同价值观传统的能力、沟通能力和与下属建立信任的能力。     

‘How Am I Doing?’: Advancing Management Skills Through the Use of a Multi-source Feedback Tool to Enhance Work-based Learning on a Post-qualifying Post-graduate Leadership and Management Programme

The acquisition of advanced skills and knowledge in leadership and management is cited as key to delivering a vision for quality care services. Managers need concrete tools for promoting their own learning within organisational cultures for self-managed learning to thrive. We report on the application of a tailor-made multi-source feedback tool to promote the advancement of management skills on a post-qualifying award for social work managers. This particular tool was based on English national leadership and management standards and its 10 ‘key principles’. Managers were required to analyse and reflect on their current level of skill using line-management, peer, supervisee, staff and service user appraisal. They then developed a work-based learning and development plan, supported by mentoring and supervision. How we actually measure skill and associated knowledge and values is an under-researched area. Determining the ideal structure for defining and measuring outcomes of skill development highlights the complexities involved. Data from the managers' own evaluations are used to debate the value of using skill definitions flexible enough to enable individual use and interpretation but not so general as to be meaningless. The discussion suggests that use of a multi-source assessment tool and the process were found to be useful on a number of dimensions.     

发展大学生领导力教育的瓶颈及对策

世界各国的经验表明,高校开展大学生领导力教育有利于大学生更好地适应未来不断变化发展的现代社会。近些年,我国也开始关注大学生领导力教育问题,但在发展大学生领导力教育过程中存在定位有失偏颇、理解不够全面、教育资源的开发与利用不足等三大瓶颈。为此,对大学生领导力教育进行恰当定位,从大学生成长成才的角度出发开展领导力教育。探索大学生领导力教育长效机制显得十分紧迫和必要。     

大学生社会责任型领导力调查与思考

社会责任型领导力是"有目的的、合作取向的、以价值观为基础的、引领积极社会改变"的过程。调查显示,上海大学生的社会责任型领导力水平低于美国大学生;在社会责任型领导力的所有维度中,上海大学生在"以礼相争"、"改变"、"自我意识"三个维度的水平上最低;性别、是否担任学生干部、是否曾接受过领导力培训、上大学以前的领导经验、团队合作方面的经验、在校园活动及社会实践方面的参与程度,以及对国家大事、社会热点、学校或所在社区事务及班级事务的关注程度等因素均对大学生的社会责任型领导力的发展有重要影响。因此,应大力推进大学生领导力教育,进一步丰富大学生领导力教育的内容,并通过提升大学生领导力教育的覆盖面,减少当前大学生领导力开发中的"马太效应",同时,着重提升大学生的社会兴趣,让大学生们在更多参与校园活动及社会实践中进一步增强领导力。     

Inter‐professional Learning to Prepare Medical and Social Work Students for Practice with Refugees and Asylum Seekers

Social workers and medical practitioners, particularly those in general practice, provide services for individuals who experience social exclusion. Access to medical, health and social care services has been identified as problematic for refugees and asylum seekers, reflecting their marginalised status within society. It is widely accepted that multi‐agency responses and working together are key requirements in improving access to services and promoting social inclusion; however, achieving this across professional and agency boundaries often remains challenging. Joint planning and training have been suggested as being important in improving communication, leading to more flexible and creative services.

This paper describes the genesis and implementation of a series of innovative inter‐professional workshops for medical and social work students, focussing specifically on marginalised groups. Learning and teaching input was developed by, and came from, service users and qualified medical, health and social work practitioners. The paper focuses particularly on the sessions relating to refugees and asylum seekers. The content and structure of the sessions are discussed and students' responses are reported. The implications for future inter‐professional learning and practice in relation to socially excluded groups are highlighted.     

Inclusion or outcomes? Tensions in the involvement of people with learning disabilities in strategic planning

Social inclusion is a key principle that underpins the provision of services for people with learning disabilities in England. Learning Disability Partnership Boards, which are responsible for local strategic planning of learning disability services, hold a particular role in promoting inclusion since they are required both to operate inclusively and to achieve inclusive outcomes. This study sought to explore the extent to which these ambitions for inclusion were being achieved. It consisted of three phases: a scoping exercise to elicit the views of key stakeholders; a postal survey of Partnership Boards (response rate 51%); and semi-structured interviews with Partnership Boards members in six local authorities. Findings suggest that Partnership Boards are struggling to fulfil their dual role, with tensions emerging between the desire to operate in fully inclusive ways and the ability to affect strategic change within local services.     

Cultivating knowledge of resiliency and reintegration among military youth through a national youth leadership program

Youth in military families are frequently challenged by the adjustment demands associated with the deployment and reintegration of a parent. A positive youth development approach was undertaken by the Boys and Girls Clubs of America to develop and implement a Military Teen Ambassadors (MTA) training for youth in military families that would facilitate knowledge of resiliency and reintegration and foster leadership skills to build assets for themselves as well as their peers within their local communities. To determine if MTA was functioning as intended and to refine future programming, this preliminary formative study assessed perceived participant learning outcomes associated with MTA on variables pertaining to knowledge acquisition, perceived skill acquisition, and community needs awareness. Data were collected prior to the training, immediately following the training, and 6 months after the training. Repeated measures analysis indicated significant mean increases over time in knowledge and awareness of resiliency and reintegration; perceived leadership skills; and community awareness. Qualitative findings provided triangulation in the aforementioned areas. These findings strengthen the body of knowledge on resiliency by demonstrating that the 7 Cs model may be an effective strategy to incorporate into leadership development programs seeking to build knowledge of resiliency among military youth. Study limitations, lessons learned, and recommendations for further research are delineated.     

意见领袖视角下大学生网络领导力实现途径

意见领袖的要素是影响者、接受者和信息媒介,实质是影响力的实现。在信息社会背景下,网络意见领袖的出现,促进了网络领导力的发展。大学生是网络的生力军和意见领袖的重要群体,大学生网络领导力成为重要的研究领域。网络是大学生领导力实现的途径．大学生网络领导力的特征是价值理念文化性、工具技能时代性、影响渠道虚拟性、影响模式单一性、影响效果即时性和指导绩效发展性;影响因素有渠道与理念、工具与技能、环境与信息、指导与奖惩;研究领域更加系统化．研究范式是实证与质性相结合。     

Learning by leading: Integrating leadership in public relations education for an enhanced value

Twin surveys of senior public relations executives and public relations majors compared perceptual similarities and differences in leadership qualities, skill development sources, and unique features of public relations leadership. The perceptual gap revealed what students believe to be important or less important in the self-actualization process as future leaders. The results offered pedagogical recommendations on how to integrate leadership training in public relations education to prepare students with a sustainable competitive advantage.     

Uncovering the role of emotional abilities in leadership emergence. A longitudinal analysis of leadership networks

The aim of this paper is to investigate how different emotional abilities affect the emergence of task and relationship leaders in a group of 41 students. To conduct this investigation, leadership is envisioned as a dynamic network of leadership perceptions. The emergence of leadership and the role played by emotional abilities in this process are analyzed using Stochastic Actor Oriented Models (SAOMs). The results suggest that emotional abilities play complementary roles in emergent leadership. Whereas the abilities to perceive and manage emotions facilitate the emergence of relationship leaders, the abilities to use and understand them facilitate the emergence of task leaders.     

An Autoethnographic Exploration of Learning and Teaching Reflective Practice

Learning and demonstrating reflective skills for practice is a key requirement for students and practitioners in Social Work in Australia. Yet teaching and assessing reflective practice continues to present a number of practical and ethical issues for educators. This paper will discuss reflective practice in the context of an autoethnographic study that researched learning to be a social worker and educator. The findings from the study suggest that educators should be cautious about the extent to which educational activities direct attention to student selves for the purposes of building skills in reflective practice. The conclusions suggest that the moral order of the discipline, the hidden curriculum and the course culture in addition to the actual activities can have a significant impact on the extent to which reflective practice assessments deliver learning benefits to students.     

关于领导力早期发展的几个基本理论问题

大多数领导者的领导能力萌芽于青少年早期阶段。在当代一些西方国家,领导力被视为个体能力培养中的核心部分;在中国实际的少先队工作中,也包含着许多领导力早期培养的因素。领导力旱期发展是领导理论自身发展的要求．也是个体心理发展连续性的要求,同时体现着终身发展趋势。在领导力发展的影响因素上,领导力特质理论强调先天因素的重要性,而领导行为理论和情境理论则强调环境对领导力发展的作用。家庭对领导力的发展具有重要影响,家庭环境影响领导力特质发展,性别、出生顺序影响领导行为,亲子关系和领导力发展具有相关性。     

Preparing for Practice: An Evaluation of an Undergraduate Social Work ‘Preparation for Practice’ Module

The requirement for social work students to undergo assessed preparation prior to undertaking their first practice placement raises key questions about the type of knowledge and experience that is needed for those at the start of their training. This paper shows the need for social work educators to become re‐engaged in debates about the practice–theory relationship and to explore what is meant by an incremental approach to learning. A Preparation for Practice Learning module which was delivered to a cohort of Level 1 undergraduate social work students at a London university is described and evaluated. The paper highlights the key themes which emerged from the evaluation; these include the importance of work shadowing, observational learning and the centrality of critical reflection in aiding students' personal and professional learning. A discussion of its effectiveness in preparing students for their first practice learning experience follows. It concludes by recommending how students' learning in relation to the nature of social work and the skills required to undertake the role effectively might be addressed within the curriculum. Finally, a Preparation for Practice Learning model based on these findings is proposed.     

Successful Distance Learning Graduate Education in Human Services

SUMMARY

There is a critical learning process unique to graduate human services education. This process needs to be applied in the distance-learning environment. The planning and designing of course material, along with instructional strategies, need to incorporate the five phases of this learning process. Faculty who use this process to develop and deliver their distance programs will utilize the technology and educational environment of distance learning to the fullest. This paper gives readers the framework for designing human services courses so that graduate students benefit from the structure and presentation of course material in the unique environment of distance learning.     

Allies in Learning: Critical-Reflective Practice On-line with Allied Mental Health Practitioners

This paper is a reflection in action using personal examples of student feedback to guide teaching. In 2003, a post-graduate course was developed at Victoria University in New Zealand for occupational therapists and social workers employed in the mental health services. The aim of the programme is to provide opportunities for on-the-job learning while recruiting and retaining a skilled allied mental health workforce. The programme is publicly funded for students as part of a national workforce development strategy for mental health professionals. In this article, I reflect upon my first year as co-ordinator of the programme in 2007–2008. Due to my background as a social worker and my familiarity with social work theories of practice, I focus on my theories of teaching from a social work perspective while returning to reflect on themes for the student cohort as a whole. The programme is delivered using distance methods supported by nine days of on-site learning throughout the academic year. A problem-based learning (PBL) approach delivered on the Internet platform, ‘Blackboard’, enables students to study from their workplaces. The conceptual model of teaching evolved is a process of ‘creative attunement’ to the learner's world. I conclude by providing examples of the key elements of my teaching/learning model as a ‘work in progress’.     

Dialogue and Challenge: Involving Service Users and Carers in Small Group Learning with Social Work and Nursing Students

This paper examines the rationale for service user and carer involvement in professional education and reflects on an initiative in which social work and nursing students undertook a sequence of joint learning in relation to mental health theory and practice. Central to this initiative was the promotion of opportunities for dialogue, both between students from different professional disciplines and between students, service users and carers. To enable this, much of the learning took place in small groups facilitated by either a service user or a carer.

Evaluation of this initiative indicated that, for the majority of social work and nursing students, learning from this shared experience had a major impact on their professional development. However, a small but significant minority found it hard to enter into a dialogue with others on a basis of equality and a sharing of their human as well as their professional experience. Some students indicated that they would have preferred a focus on acquiring more specialist professional knowledge and skills. This raises important issues in relation to the changing expectations of professionalism and professional education—and what really makes someone ‘fit for practice’.     

Strategic leadership in public relations: An integrated conceptual framework

Although scholars have recognized the importance for public relations executives demonstrating strategic leadership in facilitating effective public relations practice, few have attempted to explain the multi-faceted nature of the leadership construct. In this paper, the author proposes an integrated conceptual framework to explain the leadership construct and its key dimensions. In addition, the author also proposes that leadership effectiveness can be mediated by a core set of organizational structure and culture as well as the social culture within which the organization operates. The paper also offers suggestions for future research to better understand how leadership influences public relations effectiveness.     

Organizational structure,leadership and readiness for change and the implementation of organizational cultural competence in addiction health services

Increasing representation of racial and ethnic minorities in the health care system and on-going concerns about existing health disparities have pressured addiction health services programs to enhance their cultural competence. This study examines the extent to which organizational factors, such as structure, leadership and readiness for change contribute to the implementation of community, policy and staffing domains representing organizational cultural competence. Analysis of a randomly selected sample of 122 organizations located in primarily Latino and African American communities showed that programs with public funding and Medicaid reimbursement were positively associated with implementing policies and procedures, while leadership was associated with staff having greater knowledge of minority communities and developing a diverse workforce. Moreover, program climate was positively associated with staff knowledge of communities and having supportive policies and procedures, while programs with graduate staff and parent organizations were negatively associated with knowledge of and involvement in these communities. By investing in funding, leadership skills and a strategic climate, addiction health services programs may develop greater understanding and responsiveness of the service needs of minority communities. Implications for future research and program planning in an era of health care reform in the United States are discussed.