Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring The Flipped Classroom Model: In Social Work Education, Debbie Gonzalez

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This dissertation explores the use of a flipped classroom pedagogy in social work education. Flipped classroom pedagogy, a methodology which inverts the common instructional paradigm, has potential to offer an engaging framework for social work educators to implement in the classroom. The flipped pedagogical design provides a method in which to organize course content and promote innovative methods of student collaboration. In addition, the flipped classroom promotes an interactive learning process, in contrast to the passive learning environment of the traditional classroom. Currently, there is a lack of literature in social work regarding the implementation of this pedagogy into the …

Towards A Strengths Orientation In Child Welfare: Theory, Pedagogy And Practice, Mary M. Kirk

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

Underpinning social work education and social work practice are approaches that embrace strengths and resilience perspectives. Social work education aimed at students preparing for work in child welfare is no exception. This banded dissertation consists of three products that address linkages between strengths and resilience perspectives to social work education and practice with families involved in child welfare. The first paper is a conceptual article that discusses engaged pedagogy, transformative learning and reflective teaching pedagogies specific to child welfare-focused social work education. The paper explores the cogency of these pedagogies as powerful approaches for educating and preparing social work students …

Reconsidering The Social Work Education Continuum: Social Work Education At Community Colleges In The United States, Rex J. Rempel

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) will soon revise the social work education continuum by welcoming practice doctoral programs into membership, leaving community colleges as the only excluded level of higher education in social work. The three connected products in this banded dissertation use critical pedagogy and post-positivist perspectives to explore how and why social work education evolved independently at community colleges, one of the largest, most diverse, and most affordable educational systems in the United States.

Product One employs qualitative historical research to identify the forces which led community colleges and CSWE down separate paths between 1950 and …

Advancing Social Work Education For Practice In Healthcare: Transforming Education And Bridging The Classroom To Practice Gap, Katrinna M. Matthews

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation explores medical social work education as it relates to teaching social work students the skills and knowledge necessary to be effective in a healthcare setting. In addition, this banded dissertation identifies deficits in current curricula related to medical social work education and barriers to effective medical social work practice. This banded dissertation consists of three separate but closely related scholarly products. Bronstein’s Model of Interdisciplinary Collaboration, the Biopsychosocial-spiritual model, and the authors lived experiences serve as the conceptual framework that supports the findings of this research.

The first scholarly product is a conceptual article that examines the …

Simulation As Pedagogy: An Experiential Teaching Strategy For Social Work Education, C. Jean Roberson

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation is an examination of simulation as a pedagogy for social work education. While the Council of Social Work Education recognizes simulation as an accepted pedagogy, there remains little research on its use in social work education. To effectively utilize and structure simulation within the curriculum, more needs to be understood about its influences on social work student development and its fit within the social work educational context.

The first product of this dissertation, a conceptual paper, presents a framework for the use of simulation in social work education. The framework consists of three elements: holistic competency as …

Neurodiversity And Autism Spectrum Disorders: Grounding For Social Work Education And Praxis, Katie Terry

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation includes three products that use neurodiversity as a theoretical framework to explore how autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been treated in the social work academy. Neurodiversity is a social movement amongst some individuals with ASD who see the diagnosis as a difference, primarily manifested neurologically, in how their brains, senses, emotions and beings are different than typical people, which itself represents a type of diversity.

The first product is a paper that explores the emergence of the neurodiversity movement in the early 2000’s and the cogent factors that inspired this movement. The connection to social work’s strength-based …

Chemical Dependence Harm Reduction: A Needed Application For Social Workers, Josie C. Schmitz

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the need for substance use education for social workers and their response when implicating harm reduction approaches within their chemical dependence practice. This study fulfilled the requirements outlined for a systematic review by having a series of requirements, such as articles pertaining to do with harm reduction methods and social work, to be included within the research. This method revealed 11 articles that met the needed requests and were later examined. Within the 11, articles three prominent themes emerged. The themes included, but were not limited to relationships, exposure, and ambiguity. The …

Benevolent Sexism: Manifestation In American Social Systems, Amanda D. Greubel

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation focused on the manifestation of benevolent sexism in American social systems, past and present. Benevolent sexism takes a subjectively-positive view of women in traditional roles, revering them as gentle, nurturing, and in need of protection by men or other more powerful members of society. These beliefs fall into three categories: protective paternalism, complementary gender differentiation, and heterosexual intimacy.

The first product was a historical textual analysis of documents from the Council on Social Work Education Task Force on Women. In 1973, the task force surveyed programs about their curricular content on women. Four themes were identified in …

Faith, Spirituality, And Social Work Education: An Exploration Into The Quest For Integration, Shannon Cassidy Cousineau

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the integration of faith and spirituality in higher education, more specifically for social work students. Faith and spirituality are important aspects of many people’s lives, and it is important for social work students to understand and comfortably discuss issues and strengths around religion and spirituality. Due to its proposition that people are spiritual beings, who believe in something beyond themselves, Transpersonal Theory is used as a guide for this banded dissertation. At its core, Transpersonal Theory provides a foundation for the journey many people take to find a belief in something outside themselves, either physical, emotional, …

Development Of Professional Identity In Social Work Education, Janet Holter

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

The development of social work professional identity is characterized by internalization of the knowledge, skills, values, and mission of social work, and begins with and is shaped by the content, and interactions, as well as student experiences within the context of the social work education curricula. This Banded Dissertation comprising three products centers on the development of professional identity within undergraduate social work education. The first product is a qualitative study in which the author examined student perceptions of professional identity, student definitions and perceptions of how social work education shapes students’ professional identity. Findings showed that intentional development of …

Developing Transformational Curriculum To Educate Social Work Students About Indigenous Peoples And Indigenous Knowledge, Deborah Thibeault

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

While efforts to recruit Indigenous social work students must be continued, social work educators need to ensure that non-Indigenous social work students are learning about the history, culture, and wisdom of Indigenous peoples. Additionally, social work students need to become aware of the impact the social work profession has had on this population. This awareness and understanding will help social workers practice from a place of being an ally and will assist in altering the views many Indigenous people have about social work. There are three products in this banded dissertation that focus on engaging social work educators in a …

Amplifying Lgbtq Voices In Social Work, Carey A. Winkler

Doctor of Social Work Banded Dissertations

This banded dissertation is focused on amplifying LGBTQ voices in social work education and practice through an exploration of language, policies, standards, and practices used in social work education. Using a historical lens, feminist, queer, and critical theories were used to examine issues of power, voice, context, and social justice.

The first product is a conceptual paper that examines the history of the language used in social work education related to how we think and talk about diversity. This examination includes a critique of the use of the term difference and the othering impact it can have on LGBTQ individuals …

Mapping Social Justice: A Case Study Of A School Of Social Work Student-Led Social Justice Initiative, Lauren Abdill

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Throughout the history of social work, two different branches – micro social work and macro social work – have emerged. Micro social work is largely focused on treating mental and behavioral health problems in individuals, couples and groups. Macro social work, meanwhile, focuses on making systemic changes through advocacy like lobbying and community organizing. Despite their differences, a key principle unites these branches: social justice. Although the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) identify social justice as a guiding principle of social work, there is little consensus in the field of what …

Social Worker Perceptions On Education For Generalist And Specialist Roles, Jamie Blackledge

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

The current study examines the following question: How well does social work education prepare a Generalist or a Specialist to be in their social work role? Findings from existing research and interviews of five Generalist and five Specialist social workers within the Minneapolis - St. Paul metro area were reviewed to explore the adequacy of the current BSW and MSW curriculum in preparing students for social work practice after completing their degree. Recent literature and responses from interviewees revealed common themes endorsed by both Generalist and Specialist social workers. Both note the relevance of generalist social work curriculum for Generalist …

The Impact Of Social Work Education On Social Justice Practice Behaviors, Nicole Dahl

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Research has suggested there is a gap between how social workers understand social justice and how they incorporate it into practice. Therefore, this review examined studies that targeted change in social work students’ social justice practice behaviors. Ten studies examined the effect of social work education from entry to graduation by collecting pre and post-test program data. The remaining studies examined the effect of a particular course. Finally, 55 social justice competencies from learning outcome reports were reviewed to gain greater understanding of MSW social justice practice behaviors. Findings suggest the majority of accredited schools of social work report students …

How Hospice Social Workers Make Sense Of Religious And Cultural Diversity As It Relates To Death And Dying, Andrea S. Hanson

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

Hospice care has become a popular care concept among medical fields and with patients and family members who are terminally ill or have entered into the final stages of their life. Cultural competency is important to the social work profession and it is especially crucial to respecting the culture of a client and his/her loved ones at the end of life. Within the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro, local hospice social workers encounter the culture and religions of various Asian, African, Middle-Eastern and Latino clients. I specifically sought to analyze data from qualitative, semi-structured interviews with six local hospice social workers with …

Spirituality In Social Work: Therapists’ Perspectives On The Role Of Spirituality Within Their Practice, Nancy Wiedmeyer

Master of Social Work Clinical Research Papers

No abstract provided.