Competency-BasedFieldEducation

Objectives

• Distinguishbetweencontent-basedandcompetency-basedlearning

• Describe9coresocialworkcompetencies• Identifythefieldinstructor'sroleincompetency-basedlearning

• Applycontenttostudentcasevignettes

CouncilonSocialWorkEducation• TheCouncilonSocialWorkEducation(CSWE)isanonprofitnationalassociationwhichisrecognizedbytheCouncilforHigherEducationAccreditationasthesoleaccreditingagencyforsocialworkeducationinourcountry

• ProvidesguidelinesforsocialworkeducationthroughitsEducationalPolicyAccreditationStandards(EPAS)– Publishesrevisionsevery7years– Mostsignificantrevisionoccurredin2008withamovetocompetency-basededucation(CBE)

– 2015EPASisthecurrentsetofstandardsRobbins,S.P.(2014).FromtheEditor—Accreditation,competency-basededucation,andEPASrevisions.Journal

ofSocialWorkEducation,50:4,581-586.

WhatisCompetency-BasedEducation?

Competency-Based• Anoutcomes-oriented

approachfocusedonstudentlearningoutcomes

• Addressesstandards ofstudentperformanceofprofessionalfunctions

• Involvesidentifyingandassessingstudent’sabilitytodemonstrate competenciesoutlinedintheCSWEEPAS

CouncilonSocialWorkEducation.(2015).Educationalpolicyandaccreditationstandards.Retrievedfromhttp://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id=81660

Traditional/Content-Based• Amethods-oriented

approachfocusedoncontentandtheteachingprocess

• Addresseslearninggoalsandobjectives

• Involvesassessingstudentlearningwithexam/testscoresandearningcreditforcompletingcourse

“Socialworkcompetenceistheabilitytointegrateandapplysocialworkknowledge,values,andskillstopracticesituationsinapurposeful,intentional,andprofessionalmannertopromotehumanandcommunitywell-being.”

CouncilonSocialWorkEducation.(2015).Educationalpolicyandaccreditationstandards.Retrievedfromhttp://www.cswe.org/File.aspx?id=81660

DEMONSTRATEETHICALANDPROFESSIONALBEHAVIOR

• Socialworkersunderstandthevaluebaseoftheprofessionanditsethicalstandards,aswellasrelevantlawsandregulationsthatmayimpactpracticeatthemicro,mezzo,andmacrolevels.

• Socialworkersunderstandframeworksofethicaldecision-makingandhowtoapplyprinciplesofcriticalthinkingtothoseframeworksinpractice,research,andpolicyarenas.

• Socialworkersrecognizepersonalvaluesandthedistinctionbetweenpersonalandprofessionalvalues.Theyalsounderstandhowtheirpersonalexperiencesandaffectivereactionsinfluencetheirprofessionaljudgmentandbehavior.

• Socialworkersunderstandtheprofession’shistory,itsmission,andtherolesandresponsibilitiesoftheprofession.

• SocialWorkersalsounderstandtheroleofotherprofessionswhenengagedininter-professionalteams.

• Socialworkersrecognizetheimportanceoflife-longlearningandarecommittedtocontinuallyupdatingtheirskillstoensuretheyarerelevantandeffective.

• Socialworkersalsounderstandemergingformsoftechnologyandtheethicaluseoftechnologyinsocialworkpractice.

ENGAGEDIVERSITYANDDIFFERENCEINPRACTICE

• Socialworkersunderstandhowdiversityanddifferencecharacterizeandshapethehumanexperienceandarecriticaltotheformationofidentity.Thedimensionsofdiversityareunderstoodastheintersectionalityofmultiplefactorsincludingbutnotlimitedtoage,class,color,culture,disabilityandability,ethnicity,gender,genderidentityandexpression,immigrationstatus,maritalstatus,politicalideology,race,religion/spirituality,sex,sexualorientation,andtribalsovereignstatus.

• Socialworkersunderstandthat,asaconsequenceofdifference,aperson’slifeexperiencesmayincludeoppression,poverty,marginalization,andalienationaswellasprivilege,power,andacclaim.

• Socialworkersalsounderstandtheformsandmechanismsofoppressionanddiscriminationandrecognizetheextenttowhichaculture’sstructuresandvalues,includingsocial,economic,political,andculturalexclusions,mayoppress,marginalize,alienate,orcreateprivilegeandpower.

ADVANCEHUMANRIGHTSANDSOCIAL,ECONOMIC,ANDENVIRONMENTAL

JUSTICE

• Socialworkersunderstandthateverypersonregardlessofpositioninsocietyhasfundamentalhumanrightssuchasfreedom,safety,privacy,anadequatestandardofliving,healthcare,andeducation.

• Socialworkersunderstandtheglobalinterconnectionsofoppressionandhumanrightsviolations,andareknowledgeableabouttheoriesofhumanneedandsocialjusticeandstrategiestopromotesocialandeconomicjusticeandhumanrights.

• Socialworkersunderstandstrategiesdesignedtoeliminateoppressivestructuralbarrierstoensurethatsocialgoods,rights,andresponsibilitiesaredistributedequitablyandthatcivil,political,environmental,economic,social,andculturalhumanrightsareprotected.

ENGAGEINPRACTICE-INFORMEDRESEARCHANDRESEARCH-INFORMED

PRACTICE

• Socialworkersunderstandquantitativeandqualitativeresearchmethodsandtheirrespectiverolesinadvancingascienceofsocialworkandinevaluatingtheirpractice.

• Socialworkersknowtheprinciplesoflogic,scientificinquiry,andculturallyinformedandethicalapproachestobuildingknowledge.

• Socialworkersunderstandthatevidencethatinformspracticederivesfrommulti-disciplinarysourcesandmultiplewaysofknowing.

• Theyalsounderstandtheprocessesfortranslatingresearchfindingsintoeffectivepractice.

ENGAGEINPOLICYPRACTICE

• Socialworkersunderstandthathumanrightsandsocialjustice,aswellassocialwelfareandservices,aremediatedbypolicyanditsimplementationatthefederal,state,andlocallevels.

• Socialworkersunderstandthehistoryandcurrentstructuresofsocialpoliciesandservices,theroleofpolicyinservicedelivery,andtheroleofpracticeinpolicydevelopment.

• Socialworkersunderstandtheirroleinpolicydevelopmentandimplementationwithintheirpracticesettingsatthemicro,mezzo,andmacrolevelsandtheyactivelyengageinpolicypracticetoeffectchangewithinthosesettings.

• Socialworkersrecognizeandunderstandthehistorical,social,cultural,economic,organizational,environmental,andglobalinfluencesthataffectsocialpolicy.

• Theyarealsoknowledgeableaboutpolicyformulation,analysis,implementation,andevaluation.

ENGAGEWITHINDIVIDUALS,FAMILIES,GROUPS,ORGANIZATIONS,AND

COMMUNITIES

• Socialworkersunderstandthatengagementisanongoingcomponentofthedynamicandinteractiveprocessofsocialworkpracticewith,andonbehalfof,diverseindividuals,families,groups,organizations,andcommunities.

• Socialworkersvaluetheimportanceofhumanrelationships.• Socialworkersunderstandtheoriesofhumanbehaviorandthesocialenvironment,and

criticallyevaluateandapplythisknowledgetofacilitateengagementwithclientsandconstituencies,includingindividuals,families,groups,organizations,andcommunities.

• Socialworkersunderstandstrategiestoengagediverseclientsandconstituenciestoadvancepracticeeffectiveness.Socialworkersunderstandhowtheirpersonalexperiencesandaffectivereactionsmayimpacttheirabilitytoeffectivelyengagewithdiverseclientsandconstituencies.

• Socialworkersvalueprinciplesofrelationship-buildingandinter-professionalcollaborationtofacilitateengagementwithclients,constituencies,andotherprofessionalsasappropriate.

ASSESSINDIVIDUALS,FAMILIES,GROUPS,ORGANIZATIONS,AND

COMMUNITIES

• Socialworkersunderstandthatassessmentisanongoingcomponentofthedynamicandinteractiveprocessofsocialworkpracticewith,andonbehalfof,diverseindividuals,families,groups,organizations,andcommunities.

• Socialworkersunderstandtheoriesofhumanbehaviorandthesocialenvironment,andcriticallyevaluateandapplythisknowledgeintheassessmentofdiverseclientsandconstituencies,includingindividuals,families,groups,organizations,andcommunities.

• Socialworkersunderstandmethodsofassessmentwithdiverseclientsandconstituenciestoadvancepracticeeffectiveness.

• Socialworkersrecognizetheimplicationsofthelargerpracticecontextintheassessmentprocessandvaluetheimportanceofinter-professionalcollaborationinthisprocess.

• Socialworkersunderstandhowtheirpersonalexperiencesandaffectivereactionsmayaffecttheirassessmentanddecision-making.

INTERVENEWITHINDIVIDUALS,FAMILIES,GROUPS,ORGANIZATIONS,

ANDCOMMUNITIES

• Socialworkersunderstandthatinterventionisanongoingcomponentofthedynamicandinteractiveprocessofsocialworkpracticewith,andonbehalfof,diverseindividuals,families,groups,organizations,andcommunities.

• Socialworkersareknowledgeableaboutevidence-informedinterventionstoachievethegoalsofclientsandconstituencies,includingindividuals,families,groups,organizations,andcommunities.

• Socialworkersunderstandtheoriesofhumanbehaviorandthesocialenvironment,andcriticallyevaluateandapplythisknowledgetoeffectivelyintervenewithclientsandconstituencies.

• Socialworkersunderstandmethodsofidentifying,analyzingandimplementingevidence-informedinterventionstoachieveclientandconstituencygoals.

• Socialworkersvaluetheimportanceofinter-professionalteamworkandcommunicationininterventions,recognizingthatbeneficialoutcomesmayrequireinterdisciplinary,inter-professional,andinter-organizationalcollaboration.

EVALUATEPRACTICEWITHINDIVIDUALS,FAMILIES,GROUPS,

ORGANIZATIONS,ANDCOMMUNITIES

• Socialworkersunderstandthatevaluationisanongoingcomponentofthedynamicandinteractiveprocessofsocialworkpracticewith,andonbehalfof,diverseindividuals,families,groups,organizationsandcommunities.

• Socialworkersrecognizetheimportanceofevaluatingprocessesandoutcomestoadvancepractice,policy,andservicedeliveryeffectiveness.

• Socialworkersunderstandtheoriesofhumanbehaviorandthesocialenvironment,andcriticallyevaluateandapplythisknowledgeinevaluatingoutcomes.

• Socialworkersunderstandqualitativeandquantitativemethodsforevaluatingoutcomesandpracticeeffectiveness.

FieldInstructor'sRoleinCBL

• Engagingthroughuseofrelationship1. Establishanavailable andsupportive

relationship2. Provideabalancebetweenstructure and

autonomy inpracticeandlearning3. Offeranopportunityforstudenttodevelop

reflective andconceptual capacities4. Engageinobservation,reflectivediscussion and

provision ofconstructivefeedbackBogo,Marion.AchievingCompetenceinSocialWorkthroughFieldEducation(p.101).UniversityofTorontoPress.KindleEdition.

FieldInstructor'sRoleinCBL(cont.)

• AssessmentofCompetence– Assessreadinesstoengageinpractice– Assessreadinesstoadvanceinpractice

• PlanningforCompetence– Co-createalearningagreementeachsemester

• EvaluationofCompetence– Evaluategrowthandlearning• Mid-semesterevaluation• Endofsemesterwrittenevaluation

FieldInstructor'sRoleinCBL(cont.)

• Teachingstrategiesandapproaches– Providetheoreticalframeworksandexplanationsforunderstandingpractice

– Helpstudentsuseconceptsandknowledgetheyhavegainedintheirpracticecourseswithclients,committees(withinandbetweenorganizations)andinthecommunity

– Offerarangeofdiverselearningactivitiesthatincludeopportunitiestoobserveandbeobserved