Teaching philosophies and practices in social work education: do the core competencies influence our consciousness?

Assessing the mechanisms by which EPAS core competencies are embodied in classroom teaching is important for comprehensively examining EPAS’ success. This case study of one program presents emergent findings about perceptions of teaching, and the influence of core competencies, derived from interviews conducted with faculty members at a graduate social work program. Participants were asked about their teaching philosophies and practices, and the influence of social work core competencies in framing their philosophies and practices. Four primary themes emerged: (1) engaging students in learning, (2) linking the classroom and field, (3) critical thinking, and (4) core competencies are not evident at a conscious level. Participants described strong ambiguity about how the core competencies consciously influence teaching approaches, while clearly stating goals for interacting with students, integrating field experiences in the classroom, and helping students build critical thinking skills. Implications for social work education are described.     

Nursing-Home Resident Quality of Life: A Longitudinal Case Study Approach

Longitudinal quality-of-life (QOL) research incorporating multiple perspectives can add to knowledge about how nursing home residents experience QOL, but these methods are seldom used. This study employed interviews and participant observation to conduct multiple-perspective, longitudinal case studies of six residents. Close, reciprocal relationships with staff members, staff knowledge of residents, and autonomy were fundamental to QOL. Autonomy was experienced through choice and self-advocacy. Changes in QOL over time related to changes in resident health status, acclimation to the setting and family member availability. Study results may have implications for staffing and staff training.     

Colliding Intersubjectivites: Transparency in Analytic Couple Therapy

Using a research‐informed version of how analysts think and work, this paper renders more explicit and transparent how analytic concepts can inform working with couples. It describes how each partner's subjectively held belief systems interlock and escalate, which is referred to as ‘colliding subjectivities.’ The paper illustrates the potential for this situation of heightened tension to facilitate change.     

Including At-Risk Adolescents in Their Own Health and Mental Health Care

Summary

As urban adolescents encounter serious health and mental health risks, they present the allied health professions with important opportunities for health promotion and risk reduction interventions. However, the prevailing emphasis on adolescents' risk behaviors rather than on their vulnerability has limited our capacity to understand and serve them. Further limiting are the widely held myths that adolescents as a whole have few health problems and that they are poor judges of their own needs. This article presents an overview of current theories of adolescent risk and vulnerability and suggests Youth Development as an overarching framework for understanding both. Experience within a comprehensive, adolescent health and mental health center demonstrates how to meaningfully engage adolescents in their own health care from the start.     

以职业核心能力为导向的计算机网络专业教学改革研究与实践

从现代职业及计算机网络专业学习的要求出发,提出职业核心能力培养的重要性,具体以计算机网络专业教学改革为例,探讨了以职业核心能力为导向的高职计算机网络专业教学改革思路。     

Culture Change in Skilled Nursing: An Exploratory Comparison of a Traditional Home to a New Model

Abstract

The culture change movement has pushed for reform for more than two decades to align policy, the long-term care industry, and resident preferences with regard to care. Evidence from research indicates that culture change has the potential to improve quality in nursing homes. There is no one-size-fits-all way to implement culture change; however, there are key elements and associated concepts and models. A common thread is that they run counter to the medical model, typically found in nursing homes, where care is provided in a hospital-like setting according to the schedules and routines of physicians and staff with little resident input. This qualitative study looks for evidence of culture change in a traditional model of care compared to a newer culture change model, by describing the differences in practices associated with the medical model, person-centered care, and person-directed care between the two settings. Our results indicate that there is evidence of person-directed care in one model of culture change—the Green House home—but not in the traditional nursing home. Future studies should examine other culture change models to compare the differences in the utilization of person-directed care. This information will help to clarify the definitions and concepts of culture change, along with developing best practices for future culture change models.     

Development and Application of a Standards-Based Inventory of Foundation Competencies in Social Work with Groups

The International Association for Social Work with Groups Standards for the Practice of Social Work with Groups is an essential document for advancing practice and teaching about social work with groups. However, surveys have reported that many group workers know little about the Standards or about how to teach or apply group work knowledge and skills. This article summarizes the research on the development of a reliable and valid inventory based on the Standards and an effective teaching strategy to improve learning about the Standards. The inventory and teaching method provide tools for advancing evidence-based practice and teaching.     

Human resource development competencies as predictors of agricultural extension agents' performance in Yemen

Human resource development (HRD) issue is recognized as a significant factor for survival of organizations and professionals, including those in the sector of agricultural extension. Few empirical studies have examined the influence of HRD competency variables on agricultural extension agents' performance. The authors argue that HRD competency variables such as leadership development, communication, programme planning, programme implementation and programme evaluation could predict agricultural extension agents' performance. Questionnaire data were collected from a sample of 290 extension agents in Yemen to discover if HRD competencies affect the performance of extension agents. Regression analysis shows that three variables – competencies in programme implementation, programme evaluation and programme planning – contributed significantly to the performance of extension agents. These predictors explain 42.2% of the variance in the job performance model.     

Trends and challenges of developing human capital in India

With the population touching 1.2 billion, half of which is around 25 years of age, India is set to be among one of the top countries for human capital in the next two decades. While the country has been making rapid progress economically, human capital additions may remain marginal and may not keep up with the pace of economic growth unless accompanied by planned development of manpower. The Indian corporate sector was the first to start a dedicated HR function 30 years ago and the nation was the first to have a Ministry of HRD 20 years ago. Despite the early start, the last two to three decades have provided a mixed bag of experiences and expectations. Conservative HRD policies have not helped India's skill base to develop at the same rate as economic progress. An inadequate research base and the low quality of people entering the HR profession have prevented corporate HRD from becoming more productive than it is now. A lot of attention is directed towards recruitment, retention and compensation strategies rather than to talent multiplication. At the same time, innovative leaders and chief executive officers (CEOs) who have taken up the mantle of HR have made a mark. The future of human capital formation will be bright at the national level if the government makes more intense efforts to build human capital and becomes more innovative and expansive. At the corporate level, the credibility of HR is still suspect as it has not been able to match its steps with those of India's more innovative leaders. Preparation of a new breed of HR professionals combined with education of CEOs in what good HR can do may go a long way in helping Indian HR develop a strong footing.     

The social,emotional, and behavioral skill antecedents to college students' volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic

The disruptions to community functioning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic spurred individuals to action. This empirical study investigated the social, emotional, and behavioral (SEB) skill antecedents to college students' volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 248, Mage = 20.6). We assessed eight SEB skills at the onset of a volunteering program, and students' volunteer hours were assessed 10-weeks later. Approximately 41.5% of the sample did not complete any volunteer hours. Higher levels of perspective taking skill, abstract thinking skill, and stress regulation were associated with more time spent volunteering. These results suggest that strength in particular SEB skills can prospectively predict prosocial civic behaviors.