Social work educators prepare students for practice mostly through field education as the signature pedagogy. However, the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted this standard process. It forced quick decision making to various adaptations of, and innovations in, teaching and learning practice readiness for social work. As countries gradually normalize,…

In 2008 the Council on Social Work Education identified field education as the signature pedagogy of social work. In doing so, it designated field education as the synthetic, integrative curricular area in which students are socialized to the profession. This article examines challenges and opportunities this designation presents. How field…

This article presents the results of a cross-sectional study of social work field instructors' views of and implementation of the evidence-based practice (EBP) process and compares their responses with non-field instructors. A total of 688 National Association of Social Workers/Texas members (107 of which were field instructors) anonymously…

Objective: Many professions use some form of internship in professional education. Social work has utilized field instruction throughout much of its history. Recently, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) designated field instruction as social work's signature pedagogy. A systematic review was undertaken to examine evidence related to this…

Schools of social work invest an enormous amount of time and money training new field instructors to ensure their ability to help students integrate the knowledge, skill, and values of the profession. Some schools, like the one described here, frame their training in the context of a developmental model of supervision. Such models presume that…

This article proposes the use of a structured process recording format for policy practice students, field instructors, and social work faculty as a learning, teaching, and assessment tool. Traditionally, casework and group work have used process recording to facilitate students learning in the field practicum to assess both the process and…

This article uses the metaphor of "goodness of fit" to highlight the core features of a relational approach to field instruction. The distinctive attributes of this approach are contrasted with a traditional model of field instruction. The "teach or treat" dilemma is discussed to demonstrate the necessity for field instructors to maintain the…

This article examines findings from three focus groups conducted about resolving ethical dilemmas in the area of domestic violence. The study's findings point to the need to increase content on domestic violence throughout the social work curriculum and provide educational opportunities for field instructors and local professionals. Helping…

The social work literature often mentions the value and importance of faculty and field instructors serving as role models for students. Unlike allied disciplines, the influence of role models in social work education remains relatively unexplored. This article includes a search of two electronic databases on "role models and social work…

The importance of clearly stated criteria to identify and describe expected performance levels of undergraduate social work students at the end of practicum courses is emphasized. These criteria should be an integral part of the fieldwork program and reflect program objectives, community social service needs, and accreditation standards. (MSE)

Do social workers fail to use research because they think it is separate from practice? An approach to correcting that misimpression is to integrate both research and practice into the field practicum. Describes how this innovation can be implemented in social work education. (Author)

Specific skills to be mastered by social work students are identified and a competency based framework for teaching them is delineated. Embodied in this approach is a task centered method of instruction and a "micro" or transactional approach to assessing and advancing students' skill levels. (Author/MLW)

Objective: This project integrates clinical intervention as an integral part of social work studies for third-year students. Students applied a new manual-based intervention aiming to develop self-control skills among children exhibiting oppositional defiant disorder. Throughout, students were involved in assessment, intervention, and evaluation.…

The social work academic community is currently considering and critiquing the idea of evidence-based practice (EBP). Given the vital part that practicum education plays in the social work profession, understanding the views of field instructors on this subject is essential. The George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University…

The traditional format for process recording, used in social work field education, is a written verbatim report of the worker-client interaction. It is argued that the process recording should be reconceptualized as a continuum of techniques. A proposed method is explained, suggestions for incorporating varied techniques are offered, and a model…