Development of CSWE Competency Equivalency Between An On-campus

and Online MSSW Program

Anna C. Faul, PhD. Samantha Cotton, MSSW Pamela Yankeelov, PhD.

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Overview

• Currently 24 accredited online Social Work

Masters-level programs (Online MSW

Programs, 2015).

• Programs range from fully online to hybrid

where students have to meet on campus

periodically.

• Current literature suggests this shift towards

online learning will continue.

Online Education in Social Work

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Kent School of Social Work

Development of an Online MSSW Program

• 2012: Online 60-hr MSSW program was

established and 25 students were admitted.

• 2013: Online program expanded to admit

50 students.

• 2014: Began accepting 30-hr Advanced

Standing students in addition to 60 hr-

students.

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• Standard 60-hour Program • Fall semester start date • For students with a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline other than Social

Work.

• Advanced Standing 30-hour Program • Summer and Fall semester start dates • For students that have already earned a Bachelor’s in Social Work.

• Specializations • Gerontology (Online and On-campus) • Psychosocial Oncology (Online and On-campus) • Military (Online and On-campus) • Mental Health (Online and On-campus) • School Social Work (On-campus) • Couple and Family Therapy (On-campus) • Alcohol and Drug Counseling (On-campus)

Programs and Specializations

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• Online program • Independent learners • Students looking for flexibility in when they take

courses. • Rural areas without access to a nearby graduate

program.

• On-campus program • For students looking for the traditional graduate

school environment.

• Admissions requirements are the same for

both programs.

Different Programs, Different Students

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Research Question: Is there equivalency between the online and

on-campus programs?

Development of CSWE Competency Equivalency Between An On-campus and Online MSSW Program

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Admission Information

• Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution of

higher learning

• A minimum 27 credit hours in social sciences, i.e.

communications (6), natural sciences (3), humanities (9), and

• A minimum of 3 credit hours in each of the following

prerequisite courses: statistics, research methods, and

human biology.

• 3 letters of recommendation

• Prospective students with less than 2.75 GPA must take the

GRE or MAT.

• Advanced Standing Students: • Minimum GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate courses • Minimum GPA of 3.25 in social work courses

Sample Requirements

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• Includes students that were accepted and

enrolled in the Kent School of Social Work

between 2012 and 2014 in both the on-

campus and on-line programs.

• Total sample included 597students • 192 online students and 405 on-campus students• 20 students classified as hybrid (equal

online/on-campus classes) were eliminated from sample.

Sample

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Demographics

• Age

• Gender

• Race

Academic Background

• Undergraduate Major Type

• Undergraduate Institution

• Incoming GPA

• Critical Thinking Scores

Predisposing Characteristic Variables

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Biglan Classification (1973)

• Categorization of academic

areas as either hard or

soft. • Hard : more science-oriented

areas with an agreed upon body of theory.

• Categorization of academic

areas as either applied or

pure.

Undergraduate Major Type

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Carnegie Center Classification (updated 2010)

• Utilized the basic classification system.

• Institutions were categorized by type: • Doctoral/research university • Master’s colleges and universities • Baccalaureate Colleges • Specialized institutions • Tribal colleges and universities

Undergraduate Institution

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California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST)

• Multiple choice test geared towards measuring the

core reasoning skills of students.

• Provides an overall score and scores in 5 sub areas.

• Subscales include: • Analysis • Inference • Evaluation • Deduction • Induction

• Students at Kent School take the CCTST before

beginning the program and upon completion of

program.

Critical Thinking Skills

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• CSWE competencies • A mean score was calculated for the combination

of all competencies. • Competencies are measured through rubric

scores, practicum evaluations and through self-efficacy assessments.

• Cumulative GPA • Average grade point average for graduate courses

taken at Kent School.

• CCTST Post-scores

Outcome Variables

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Predisposing Characteristics- Demographics

Results

Variable Online On-campus P-value

Age 34 years SD=8.09

31 years SD=8.79

.001***

Gender 85% female 85% female .989

Race 77% white 74% white .465

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Predisposing Characteristics-Academic Background

Results Variable Online On-campus P-value

Undergraduate Major

73% Soft and Applied

Majors

43% Soft and Pure Majors

.001***

Undergraduate Institution

50% Master’s

Institutions

58% Doctoral/Research Institutions

.001***

Incoming GPA Mean= 3.35 SD=.391

Mean=3.35 SD=.356

.957

CCTST Pre-score

Mean=17.14

SD=4.51

Mean=16.7SD=5.17

.344

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Outcome Variables

Results

Variable Online On-campus P-value

Cumulative GPA

Mean=3.44 SD=1.05

Mean=3.50SD=.87

.414

Competency

Scores

Mean=3.84SD=.64

Mean=3.72SD=.67

.056

CCTST Post-test

Mean= 18.65SD=3.97

Mean=17.71SD=5.17

.234

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Different Backgrounds

Discussion

Online

OlderSoft and applied undergraduate majorsMasters Undergraduate Institutions

On Campus

Younger Soft and pure undergraduate majorsDoctoral Research Institutions

The programs cater for different type students

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Different Backgrounds

Online On-campus

Older Students Younger students

Soft and Applied Majors (Ex: Accounting, Finance,

education)

Soft and Pure Majors (ex: Social Work)

Master’s level Institutions Doctoral/Research Institutions

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Outcomes

Cumulative GPAMean competency scoresPost critical thinking scores

The programs have similar outcomes

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Structure of the Program

• Alignment between on-campus and online

course curriculum

• Instructor Factor • Majority of the online instructors have

taught the same courses on-campus. • Majority of sequences have a senior

instructor teaching online.

• Increases quality control and integrity of

social work online programs (Reamer, 2013)

Implications