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Volume 7, Number 1 Fall 2001 |
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Violence in the Field: Experiences of Students and Supervisors Workplace violence is a growing concern for employees and employers at work occurs in a variety of settings, and is not limited to employee also extend to students in internships, clinical training, or residency. Very few studies have surveyed the effect of workplace violence on students, either at the BSW or MSW level. This article reports finding survey of senior BSW students and their field internship supervisors; it is a similar survey conducted in 1990-1991 at the University of Georgia of Social Work. The Patchwork Quilt: A Tool for Promoting Cultural Understanding, Community and Advocacy Approaches that are culturally sensitive and that promote social and economic justice enrich the learning experience. This article presents a class project where students came together around a specific cause and created a patchwork quilt. Students were introduced to the concept of a patchwork quilt as a symbol of tradition, community, and advocacy. Two classes selected a quilt theme and class patchwork quilts were constructed. Students gained valuable experience in appreciating and employing cultural tradition, collaboration, and advocacy. Do We Appear to Be a Profession Chasing Its Tail? Non-Social Work Major Perceptions The profession of social work has recently completed its centennial celebration, yet it still remains a profession with an identity struggle. Could the internal struggles experienced within the profession have a negative effect on young people who are selecting career pursuits? An investigation was undertaken at a medium sized university assessing the perceptions held by non-social-work majors about the social work profession and the social work major. Results demonstrated that the social work major was perceived to be as difficult as other majors and social work students were perceived to be as intelligent as other students. Social work careers were perceived to be more challenging than other occupations. The results highlighted some confusion regarding intensity of the curricular requirements for social work and the difference between social work and sociology or psychology. The struggle for professional identity did not seem to negatively affect perceptions regarding social work for this sample of students. Are We Teaching Critical Thinking in the Classroom? The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) requires social work programs to integrate critical thinking into their curriculum (CSWE, 1992). This article reports results from a pilot study designed to assess how well students integrate critical thinking skills after a one-semester generalist practice course. Forty-six students completed a pre- and posttest assessing critical-thinking skills and their attitudes about critical thinking. The results show some minimal changes in critical thinking. It is concluded that critical thinking is a difficult set of skills to develop and it requires more than a single, one-semester course to develop those skills. We suggest changes in teaching methodology. The article concludes with a discussion of issues regarding measurement of critical thinking for future research. The Power of Collaboration: Developing a Safety Training Program for Student Interns Students in field-based learning experiences are generally not prepared to deal with assaultive client behavior. Moreover, the incidence of violence against professional social workers and social work students continues to increase. There is a growing concern in the university community for the safety of social work field students as well as student interns in other disciplines. This article reviews collaborative efforts among university departments that offer internship programs. A university-wide committee that addressed safety issues for student interns was formed. Available resources within the university were explored and components of a safety-training program were established. Possible program models were also developed. Baccalaureate Social Work Graduates Respond: Is Sexual Harassment a Problem in Field Placements? This article presents the findings of a nationwide study that surveyed 990 Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) graduates concerning incidents of sexual harassment experienced while they were in their field placement. Results from the earlier work by Fogel and Ellison (1998) indicated that field directors were aware of incidents of sexual harassment during field placement. The findings from this study suggest that incidents of sexual harassment may be underreported to school officials. In addition, respondents suggest that social work programs do not actively pursue reports or remedy for the student victim. The authors provide suggestions for strengthening program policies and procedures. The Relational Model of Identity Development: An Essential Curricular Component for Social Work Education and Practice This concept article presents a rationale for including the relational model, also referred to as "self-in-relation" theory, as a component in social work education and practice. The work of the Stone Center theorists at Wellesley College is discussed and related to the significance of relationships in social work and, thus, to its "goodness of fit" with numerous aspects of the profession. The relational model is applied as well to a variety of required curricular components mandated by the Council on Social Work Education. A literature review was conducted, and the results indicate that self-in-relation theory is being used by social work authors. Its diverse applications may speak loudly to its relevance for social work. Perspectives on Research-related Anxiety among BSW Students: An Exploratory Study Using a convenience sample of BSW students enrolled in a required research methods course, we explore two alternative perspectives on research-related anxiety. One perspective emphasizes the fear dimension of anxiety (math anxiety, library anxiety, and computer anxiety), and the other perspective emphasizes a dimension reflecting "eagerness to do well." Our exploration of these alternative dimensions finds that both have empirical support. By looking at student anxieties about research from a strengths perspective, however, we may find additional innovative ways to engage students in learning and using research. Linking Curricular Sequences: A Module for Developing Social Policy Integrative assignments that incorporate skills from related sequences are one method of strengthening previously learned skills as well as providing a more naturalistic learning experience. This article discusses an assignment in a macro-level social policy course in which the students are required to conduct a needs assessment that they had learned in a research course taken previously. Theoretical material is included as support for such an assignment. Advantages of an integrative assignment are discussed from the point of the view of the student.
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