Letter to the Editor

In a telephone survey 18 new social work educators responded to questions about their perceptions of mentoring in their first years as faculty members. Results indicate that new social work faculty believe mentoring relationships provide them with multiple benefits, including improved teaching and research performance. Data also suggest that programs must be carefully developed and supported if protégés, mentors, and their organizations are to fully realize these benefits. Factors such as mentor-protégé matching, mentor characteristics, the roles of mentors, organizational support, and the mentoring process must be considered if a successful mentoring program is to be implemented.     

Graduate education

Graduate training in sociology is an uneasy compromise between teaching new sociologists what would be good for them to know and doing what a graduate department’s various constituencies demand. Instead of worrying about teaching a core of materials, the graduate faculty instead should teach students what they know, and try to help students learn what they want to know, as they come to define that during the course of their studies. Instead of requiring courses, faculty should develop a continuing dialogue with students and incorporate them, formally and informally, in their work. His most recent book isDoing Things Together (1986).     

Social Work Students and Faculty: Testing the Convergence of Perspectives on Student Writing Abilities

Students (n = 244, 76% MSSW) and faculty members (n = 40, 36% tenure or tenure track) at a social work program at a large public southern U.S. university were surveyed to assess within- and between-group differences in perspectives on student writing. Faculty members expressed significantly greater concern with student writing than students. Latina/o, African American, female, and undergraduate students all reported more writing challenges compared to their peers. Likewise, full-time faculty members who teach mainly online or had less training in writing instruction reported more challenges than their colleagues. Overall, our findings support the need for writing interventions that acculturate students to the discipline through a more inclusive, culturally competent discourse as well as increased faculty preparation for teaching writing.     

The impact of a faculty training program on inclusive education and disability

This paper describes the knowledge gained by 20 faculty members following their participation in a training program on inclusive education and disability. The study, which was conducted at an university in Spain, aimed to design, implement and evaluate a program for training faculty members to respond in an inclusive manner to the needs of students with disabilities. An initial, formative and summative qualitative evaluation was carried out and four instruments were used for collecting the data: group and individual interviews, written open-ended questionnaires and observations. The data were analyzed inductively, using a category and code system. The results reveal that, after the training program, faculty considered what they had learned to be useful for their professional practice and highlighted that they felt better-informed and better-trained in relation to disability and were more aware of the needs of students with disabilities. Finally, in the conclusions section, the paper discusses the results in relation to those reported by other studies, and offers some recommendations for universities planning to implement training policies designed to build more inclusive learning environments.     

Seeing the Same Thing Differently: Program Director,Faculty, and Student Perceptions of MSW LGBT Competence

ABSTRACT

This exploratory study examined MSW education’s organizational-level lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) competence. Data were gathered from a sample of MSW program directors, faculty members, and students (N=1385) from 34 MSW programs in the United States. Hierarchical linear modeling analyzed differences in perceptions of organizational LGBT competence between MSW programs and among participants in the same program. Results showed organizational LGBT competence varied significantly among MSW programs and indicated program directors, faculty members, and students had different perceptions of the competence of their shared program. Specifically, directors rated the LGBT competence of their program higher than faculty, and faculty rated their program higher than students did. Implications for research and suggestions for social work education are discussed.     

The Collegiate Learning Assessment: facts and fantasies

The Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) is a computer administered, open-ended (as opposed to multiple-choice) test of analytic reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving, and written communication skills. Because the CLA has been endorsed by several national higher education commissions, it has come under intense scrutiny by faculty members, college administrators, testing experts, legislators, and others. This article describes the CLA's measures and what they do and do not assess, how dependably they measure what they claim to measure, and how CLA scores differ from those on other direct and indirect measures of college student learning. For instance, analyses are conducted at the school rather than the student level and results are adjusted for input to assess whether the progress students are making at their school is better or worse than what would be expected given the progress of "similarly situated" students (in terms of incoming ability) at other colleges.     

Current Implementation of and Opinions and Concerns Regarding Suicide Education for Social Work Undergraduate Students in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Study

This study explored the current implementation status of and opinions and concerns regarding suicide education at schools of social work in Japan. We conducted a survey of faculty members who taught at least one of the social work subjects. About half the respondents had given a lecture of some kind on suicide, and more than 80% agreed that suicide is an important topic to include in social work program curricula. However, more than half indicated they did not have enough knowledge or skills to teach students about suicide, and more than 60% were concerned about adverse psychological effects of suicide education on students. Our findings highlight the importance of providing faculty members with guidelines for teaching students about suicide.     

Social Sciences Education Practices: Cognitive Perceptions of Prospective Classroom Teachers

Abstract

There are many factors that affect the perceptions of students enrolled in the classroom teaching programs of education faculties concerning the concept of social studies teaching. The most important of these factors are the instructors they observed in the faculty and their previous educational lives. In this context, this study aimed to determine the characteristics of “an ideal social studies instruction” according to the cognitive structures of prospective teachers and to model an ideal social studies instructor according to these qualities. This research was designed as a case study, which is one of the qualitative research designs. The study group was selected by criterion sampling and consisted of 121 prospective teachers in their final year at two state universities located in the Marmara region of Turkey. A word association test, an open-ended questionnaire, and student drawings were used as data collection tools. When the results of the study were examined, the concepts of history, society, culture, people, and geography came to the forefront in the participants’ cognitive perceptions toward social studies. It was determined that the characteristics they attributed to an ideal social studies instructor were gathered under the standard of professional responsibility and informed action. The student drawings revealed that the instructor figures were mostly well-groomed and smiling, they were usually shown in museums and historical buildings. Lastly, as future social studies instructors, the prospective teachers felt adequate in terms of the professional responsibility and informed action standard, and inadequate concerning the content knowledge standard.     

University-Community Partnership Centers

Abstract

In academic settings, community research, and the service that goes along with it, is often not valued as much as other methods of research. The more qualitative and labor intensive nature of applied research often raises concerns about whether pre-tenured faculty can publish the sufficient quantity and quality of work necessary to achieve tenure. This paper describes successful collaborations through a university-based Community Partnership Center with members of community-based organizations in low-income inner-city neighborhoods, social work students, and faculty. Two case examples illustrate the co-authors' involvement with the Center as pre-tenured faculty. The article outlines the challenges and benefits of involvement with an established center for university-community partnerships. With careful planning and coordination, such centers can be excellent vehicles through which to achieve important mutual benefits for community-based organizations, student learning, and faculty responsibilities in research, teaching and service.     

Assessment of Integration of Disability Content into Social Work Education

ABSTRACT

Three hundred members of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) responded to a survey regarding the inclusion of disability content in social work courses and supports needed to increase disability content. Although respondents generally agreed that disability content is important in social work education, its inclusion is inconsistent, with most frequent inclusion in courses on diversity and least frequent inclusion in courses on research. Respondents identified barriers to increasing disability content, including lack of resources for teaching, lack of relevant faculty expertise, and an overcrowded curriculum. Strategies and resources for infusing disability content into social work education are discussed.     

Editorial

Abstract

This comprehensive research study examined how schools of social work in Canada have responded to disability issues. The study focused upon specific policies and practices ofthe Canadian schools of social work which have been developed to create a more inclusive environment for students, staff, and faculty members with disabilities and to prepare students for practice in dealing with individuals who are disabled. A ten page survey consisting of closed and opened-ended questions was sent to the deans and directors of the thirty-five schools of social work in Canada. This study found that although there have been significant changes in these schools over the last ten years, there are many barriers to disability inclusion from recruitment and admissions; accommodations; retention, graduation, and employment; curriculum; hiring faculty and staff with disabilities; and university relations/resources. It concludes with recommendations for schools of social work.     

Understanding pre-service teachers' construct of disability: a metacognitive process

This study identified pre-service teachers' understanding of disability as it relates to students they might teach and people they might meet in public, and determined the development of their understanding. Participants' voices were elicited through semi-structured interviews. Themes uncovered included: (a) many people with disabilities were 'hidden away'; (b) participants were afraid of people with disabilities; (c) participants lacked self-efficacy in teaching people with disabilities; (d) participants believed that people with disabilities lacked the ability to learn the same syllabus as typical students; and (e) participants also felt people with disabilities belonged and had rights in society. Conclusions drawn include the fact that in this Asian context, having a close relative with a disability did not presume that the participants would have a positive outlook on people with disabilities. Furthermore, there is a need for acceptance of people with disabilities in daily life activities, including in schools and other recreational activities.     

Branch Campuses: Extending the Reach of Social Work Education

The study explored the characteristics and experiences of branch campus social work education programs and educators in the United States. Eighty-one branch campus social work educators in 26 states completed an online survey. Findings revealed that undergraduate and graduate branch campus social work education was primarily delivered face-to-face to nontraditional students. Half of these programs were recently established, and the majority were expected to grow. However, teaching these students was not necessarily viewed as a shared responsibility. Although some branch campus faculty reported higher workloads and limited connections to parent campus colleagues, faculty generally reported great satisfaction teaching branch campus students. Practical implications are provided.     

Variables that affect teachers' attitudes towards disability and inclusive education in Mumbai, India

Teacher attitude is one of the most important variables in the education of children with disabilities. Attitudes of general educators in the city of Mumbai, India, toward disabilities and inclusion of students with disabilities into regular schools were studied through the usage of two attitude scales. The study investigated whether variable background characteristics such as age, gender, income level, education levels, years of teaching experience, acquaintance with a person with a disability, having a family member with a disability, frequency of contact and closeness to a person with disability affect the attitudes of teachers towards people with disabilities and towards inclusion of students with disabilities into regular schools. The analyses revealed that while some of the variables of interest did affect teachers' attitudes towards disabilities, the only variable that affected teachers' attitudes towards inclusion was prior acquaintance with a person with a disability.     

Furloughs and Faculty Management of Time: Maintaining Quality in an Economic Crisis

An anonymous Web-based survey was used to gather the perceptions and experiences from 114 faculty members teaching in 16 social work programs in the California State University system about the effect of severe budget cuts on their educational activities. Most respondents reported they worked on their furlough days and maintained the same or larger workload that they had before the furlough. Larger workloads, diminished feelings of personal accomplishment, and stressful interactions with students were associated with higher levels of emotional exhaustion. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

‘Even if Martians exist,they’re far from our everyday life’: faculty perspectives regarding gay and lesbian students in social work education

Following a study on gay and lesbian students’ experiences in a Social Work Department in Greece, this qualitative study explores faculty perspectives regarding lesbian and gay students in social work education. Perceptions of gay and lesbian students’ invisibility and low level of comfort were held in common by participants, although some faculty members referred to the more inclusive and accepting climate of the Social Work Department compared to other higher education Departments and Greek society in general. Most participants reported that same-sex sexuality issues are inadequately covered in the curriculum. Displays of heterosexist behaviour by students were reported by most participants and so were conflicts among students when same-sex sexuality issues were discussed in class. The lack of official anti-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation was highlighted. In the absence of a common strategy regarding the teaching of same-sex sexuality content, faculty determined on an individual level how and to what extent to discuss such issues in the classroom. At times the faculty appeared willing but not adequately prepared to approach gay and lesbian issues. Implications for social work education are discussed.     

Scholarly Productivity of Social Work Faculty at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: Are h-Index Scores a Suitable Measure?

Faculty scholarship at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) has in the past served as a blueprint for the Black masses. Even today, HBCU faculty scholarship continues to be an informative source to communicate accurate information regarding marginalized groups. This study examines h-index scores of 65 faculty members at five doctorate-granting schools of social work. The majority of calculated h-index scores were considered to be low in terms of productivity. We make the argument that these scores are not a good measure of productivity because of the problematic nature of their use to evaluate HBCU faculty. Implications for future research, practice, and teaching are presented.     

The Use of Adjunct Faculty: An Exploratory Study of Eight Social Work Programs

This pilot study of the practice of employing social work practitioners as adjunct faculty analyzes the results of questionnaires returned from 6 deans/directors, 43 adjunct faculty, and 175 students at 8 U.S. institutions offering BSW and/or MSW programs. The responses covered the teaching effectiveness of adjunct faculty (in 1992–93), their reasons for teaching, the support received from and expectations of the programs, and various pros and cons surrounding their employment. Among the findings: students regard adjunct faculty as somewhat less effective teachers than full-time faculty, but appreciate their expertise on contemporary or specialized practices; administrators appreciate the financial benefits and flexibility associated with adjunct instruction; and the adjuncts themselves appreciate affiliation with academic programs.     

Family Law and Foster Care

Abstract

There are challenges associated with teaching family law and public policy; however, cooperative learning, a recognized teaching strategy that serves to enhance students' overall development, including academic, cognitive, and social growth, can be used successfully to teach this subject matter. In this paper, we describe how we taught students about some aspects of qualitative research methods, foster care policies, and pertinent family law concepts and practices; this was done through the initiation of a research team of undergraduate and graduate students. We explain the development of a cooperative research team, and the methods used to teach family law, using foster care as a context. The observed outcomes for students and faculty members are offered to readers.