Social Work Commons^™

The Importance Of The Teacher's Role And Opinions On Individual Education Plans, Shallymar Ileana Bender

Theses Digitization Project

This study focused on gather a better understanding of what teachers are familiar with when working with and Individual Education Plan (IEP), and how this affects the implementation of IEPs in the mainstream classroom. This study also focused on accommodations teachers are required to make, or additional information needed to accomodate for the needs of children with special needs in the mainstream classroom.

Interdisciplinary Professional Education: Training College Students For Collaborative Social Change, Monica Nandan, Manuel London

Faculty Articles

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a rationale for developing interprofessional competencies among graduates from professional and graduate programs, so that they are well prepared to participate in local, national and global social change strategies. Design/methodology/approach – After reviewing the literature on strategic social change initiatives the authors briefly describe two such initiatives: corporate social responsibility initiatives and social entrepreneurial ventures. After reviewing the interprofessional literature from various disciplines and professions, the authors categorized them into “competencies,” “rationale,” “conceptual framework,” “principles” and “challenges.” An examination of exemplar pedagogy from this body of literature suggests ways to …

Racial And Ethnic Diversity In Undergraduate Social Work Programs: How Are Programs In Rural Areas Faring?, David L. Beimers, Brian Warner, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

Social work programs have a long-standing commitment to recruiting and educating racially and ethnically diverse students. However, some programs in rural areas have greater difficulty meeting this commitment. This study examined racial and ethnic diversity within baccalaureate social work (BSW) programs, focusing primarily on student enrollment, faculty, perceptions of diversity, and interventions to attract students. Program directors of BSW programs from 10 Midwestern states were surveyed. Forty-two programs responded. The results indicate that as a whole, social work programs differ in their levels of racial and ethnic diversity. However, BSW programs in rural areas tend to have fewer students and …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of Structural Bigenderism And The Consequences For Transgender And Gender Variant People, Kristie Lynn Seelman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

For years, transgender activists and their allies have spoken out about the oppression that transgender and gender non-conforming people experience in relation to societal systems and institutions, due to policies and practices that do not acknowledge non-binary experiences of gender, that do not recognize that one's gender may change over time or may not match cultural expectations for gender expression, and that punish and discriminate against trans people (Gilbert, 2009; Lombardi & Davis, 2006; Markman, 2011; Spade, 2006; WWRC, 2010). Scholars have called for human services professionals and researchers to critique the failures of institutions in society (and the people …

Managing The Polarities Of Democracy: A Theoretical Framework For Positive Social Change, William J. Benet

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

People around the globe have embraced democracy to bring about positive social change to address our environmental, economic, and militaristic challenges. Yet, there is no agreement on a definition of democracy that can guide social change efforts. The Polarities of Democracy model is a unifying theory of democracy to guide healthy, sustainable, and just social change efforts. The Polarities of Democracy model consists of ten elements, organized as five polarity pairs: freedom & authority, justice & due process, diversity & equality, human-rights & communal-obligations, and participation & representation. In this model each element has positive aspects and negative aspects and …

The Enduring Influence Of School Size And School Climate On Parents’ Engagement In The School Community, Lauri Goldkind, G. Lawrence Farmer

Social Service Faculty Publications

his study sought to examine the direct and indirect associations between school size and parents perceptions of the invitations for involvement provided by their childrens school in a school system that has actively attempted to reduce the negative effects of school size. Using data from the New York Public Schools; annual Learning Environment Survey, path analysis was used to examine the role that school climate plays in mediating the relationship between school size and parents perceptions of invitations for involvement. Results from an analysis of middle and high school parents who participated in the annual school survey provided evidence that …

Truancy Intervention And Prevention Programs For The Marshall Middle School, Gayle Chandler

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

After completing a field practicum at the Marshall Middle School in Marshall, MN it was realized that like many other schools in the nation; the truancy problem is growing at an alarmingly fast rate.

• The Marshall Middle School is comprised of grades 5-8.
• Under the age of 12 would be considered educational neglect.
• 12 years of age and older is considered truancy per Minnesota State Statute.

This project aims to research intervention and prevention programs for both truancy and educational neglect that have been tested, compare them to the needs of the Marshall Middle School, and make a recommendation as …

School Social Work: A Vital Link In Schools: A Report On School Work Services For The Mankato Area Public School District, Rachel Johnston

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

• The purpose of this research project was to obtain additional information, beyond the school social work job description, and document the job responsibilities, roles, activities, challenges, and contributions of the three school social workers working in the Mankato Area Public School District.
• The primary research question was: To what extent does the school social work job description match the work actually performed by the school social workers?
• The recommended ratio of school social worker to students by the National Association of Social Work (NASW) is 1:250 general education students or 1:50 at-risk or intensive needs students 16 The 3 school …

Best Practice Resource Manual For New Social Workers At District 77, Shelby Lenzen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

When starting a new job many places of employment have new employee orientation. During this process many employers educate the new employee on the background of the company or organization, policies and procedures, what their job entails and the employers expectations of the new social work employee. However, currently in the Mankato School District 77 there is no orientation specific for incoming school social workers or interns to help guide them in their job. This would also benefit MSW practicum students as they enter the school district. Also, when the social worker or intern starts with District 77 they do …

Development Of A Social Understanding Group Resource Manual, Tristann Carter

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Social Understanding Group Resource Manual was developed to address the expressed need for a comprehensive, evidence-based curriculum resource manual which would provide facilitators with easy reference to access categorized materials, activities, worksheets, and resources for Wayzata West Middle School’s Social Understanding Groups.

An Analysis Of The Re-Education Philosophy And The Applicability To Individual And Group Therapy, Psychoeducation And Skills, Sarah Manthei

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

An evaluation was conducted of the Re-Education philosophy, current practices of individual and group therapy, skills training, and psychoeducation for Level IV special education students diagnosed with an emotional behavioral disorder and/or mental health diagnosis. An assessment of current evidenced based practices for school-based mental health services was integrated. This provided the foundation for recommendations that are congruent with the Re-Education philosophy and for an evaluation tool to measure student success in learning and comprehending the skills curriculums.

An Exploration Of Counseling Practicum Students' Experiences In Department-Based And Community-Based Settings, Corrie Delorge Minges

LSU New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Counselor educators are continually improving the quality of their training programs. The purpose of the present study was to investigate counseling students’ practicum experiences and development in community-based and department-based settings. The framework for this study was based on Stoltenberg’s integrated developmental model, which describes stages of counselor development and supervision conditions needed for a learning environment (Stoltenberg & Delworth, 1987; Stoltenberg & McNeill, 2010; Stoltenberg, McNeill, & Delworth, 1998)

A nation-wide study was conducted utilizing counselor education practicum students enrolled in programs listed in the CACREP program directory (2008) and Counselor Preparation: Programs, Faculty, Trends (12^th ed.; …

Navigating Autism: Parent Experiences With Coping And Service Connection, Hilary Drew, Amber Moodie-Dyer, Jill A. Hoffman, Dawn Anderson-Butcher

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

This presentation shares findings from a qualitative study exploring the experiences of parents of youth and young adults with ASD and service providers. Themes from interviews and focus groups are discussed. The presenters explore the implications of the study for providing services to individuals with ASD in relation to research, policy and practice.

Family Aided Community Treatment As An Intervention For The Treatment Of Early Psychosis: A Proof Of Concept Study, Ryan P. Melton

Regional Research Institute for Human Services

Major psychotic disorders are one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, having severe impacts on the people who suffer from the conditions, their families and society. There is evidence that if these conditions are identified and treated early, the prognosis is improved. The purpose of this study is to produce findings related to the use of year long trial of family aided community treatment (FACT) with individuals who are experiencing a first episode psychosis as defined by the SIPS. Using a proof of concept design with multiple repeated measure t tests, this study focused on first-episode psychotic disorder participants …

The Foundations Of Hope In Therapy, John M. Winslade

Special Education, Rehabilitation & Counseling Faculty Publications

Hope is a necessary construct in narrative therapy but we need to be careful how we think about it. It does not lie in the essence of persons. There are not categories of people who are hopeful or hopeless. Rather, hope lies in the stories that we use to make sense of our lives but dominant stories from the world around us sometimes interfere with our access to hopeful stories. Therapy can help us reconnect with these stories, leading to the exercise of personal agency in our own lives. This presentation will explore how to help people do this through …

A Needs Assessment Of Communicare's Children Mental Health Services, Shelley Greenwell Fentress

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This document is a review of literature on needs assessments and the benefits of conducting one. Communicare is a mental health agency that serves the Lincoln Trail Region. Currently, most of the revenue from their children programs comes from Medicaid, which is a fee-for-services payer source. The Kentucky Medicaid Program is in the process of contracting with managed care organizations to oversee services that have been paid directly from Kentucky Medicaid. With these changes, mental health organizations must identify specific community service needs as well as expanding revenue sources. Applying for grants is one way mental health agencies can expand …

Indicated Truancy Interventions: Effects On School Attendance Among Chronic Truant Students., Brandy R. Maynard, Katherine Tyson Mccrea, Terri D. Pigott, Michael S. Kelly

Social Work: School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Other Works

BACKGROUND
Truancy is a significant problem in the U.S. and in other countries around the world. Truancy has been linked to serious immediate and far-reaching consequences for youth, families, and schools and communities, leading researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to try to understand and to address the problem. Although numerous and significant steps have been taken at the local, state, and national levels to reduce truancy, the rates of truancy have at best remained stable or at worst been on the rise, depending on the indicator utilized to assess truancy rates.
The costs and impact of chronic truancy are significant, …

An Exploration Of Fiscal Resources And Systems Needs Related To Autism Spectrum Disorder Services And Supports In Ohio: Fiscal Analysis And Parent/Caregiver Interview Results, Dawn Anderson-Butcher, Hilary Drew, Amber Moodie-Dyer, Jill A. Hoffman

School of Social Work Faculty Publications and Presentations

In order to advocate for policies that align and leverage funding streams in service to the needs of families and individuals affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASD), the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio (ESCCO) and the Center for Systems Change at the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence disorders (OCALI) commissioned the College of Social Work at The Ohio State University to conduct a fiscal analysis of ASD funds and to explore parent / caregiver perceptions of the ASD service delivery system in Ohio. There were two purposes of this work:

• To identify federal and state funding streams …

San Antonio High School Food Justice Program: A Handbook And Evaluation Of Edible Education, Katherine B. Tenneson

Pitzer Senior Theses

This senior environmental studies thesis explains and analyzes edible education through a food and gardening program at a continuation high school in Claremont, California. The first chapter situates the program-specific analysis by providing background information of the edible education movement, a history of the Edible Schoolyard in Berkeley, California, and an explanation of why food is a powerful teaching tool. The second chapter delineates the program by describing all of its components and compiling essential resources and teaching documents. The third chapter is based on interviews with 9 of 12 involved students and 7 teachers, and thoroughly explains the outcomes …

Mzungus, Mugazi, And Mitengos: A Case Study Of Hiv/Aids Education In Lilongwe, Malawi, Stewart Jones '12

Honor Scholar Theses

Despite continuous efforts from both local governments and foreign aid agencies, individual donors, and NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), HIV/AIDS rates of infection in Sub-Saharan Africa have not seen the overall decreases in recent years that would be expected based on the large amounts of money and support that have been given to this region. Though the reasons for this lack of decline are still heavily debated and in some ways, controversial, I will be approach this dilemma from the standpoint of an NGO in Lilongwe, Malawi, a country that has been slowly debilitated by HIV/AIDS in the last twenty years. Beginning …

Hiring Social Work Faculty: An Analysis Of Employment Announcements, Paul Force-Emery Mackie

Social Work Department Publications

An eleven-month long analysis of social work faculty position advertisements examined differences in social work faculty job descriptions between past and present findings, rural land, urban-located social work programs, doctorate and non-doctorate conferring institutions, and public and private institutions. Additionally, this investigation addressed 2008 EPAS standard 3.3.1 expectations regarding practice.

Defining Development And Foreign Aid, Evangelical Advocacy: A Response To Global Poverty

Bibliographies

A bibliography featuring primary authors, leading books, important papers, and other key publications introducing international development and offering a comprehensive overview of foreign aid.

The Polarities Of Democracy: A Theoretical Framework For Building A Healthy, Sustainable, And Just World. Chapter Seven, William J. Benet

Polarities of Democracy Collection

No abstract provided.

The School Success Program: Improving Maltreated Children's Academic And School-Related Outcomes, Christopher A. Mallett

Social Work Faculty Publications

Many victims of childhood maltreatment experience difficulties in school and with academic performance. This article reviews the evidence on the connection between child- hood maltreatment and school performance and presents an evaluation of a unique program established by Children's Services in Lorain County, Ohio. Since 2001, the School Success Program, in collaboration with 18 Ohio public school districts, has provided individual tutoring and mentoring by certified teachers to 615 maltreated children and youths, working closely with the whole family in an in-home setting. Most children and youths in the program have progressed to their appropriate grade level while improving overall …

Working With Parents In Early Years Services, Anne Fitzpatrick

Books/Book Chapters

No abstract provided.

Team Academy Student Attendance Policy, Jenna Lageson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

To create a new student attendance policy for TEAM Academy. To create documentation forms for staff to use to supplement the policy. The goal is to have an attendance policy that will have clearly defined expectations of the parents, students, teachers and other school personnel of TEAM.

How Much Does The Distance In Distance Education Matter? Our Students Speak, Manoj Pardasani, Lauri Goldkind, Janna Heyman, Bronwyn Cross Denny

Social Service Faculty Publications

Distance learning programs in social work education have been growing exponentially throughout the United States. This study interviewed Master of Social Work (MSW) students enrolled in two synchronous distance-learning courses that employed a blended pedagogy, and evaluates their insights about the learning experience. For these two courses, material was presented via video conferencing and supplemented with online media at two campuses at a large school of social work. In order to give students a voice about their experiences, data were collected using semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Common themes included: autonomy, emotional connectedness, technological challenges, and knowledge acquisition. Both the strengths and …

School Social Workers And Multiple Supervisees, Michelle Krueger

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There are a limited number of school social workers in District #77, Mankato Area Public Schools. There are two school social workers who provide services in eleven elementary schools and middle/high schools as needed. It was proposed that if there were five or six school social work interns who could primarily provide direct services, the school social workers could perform more of a supervisory role. “Group Supervision lessens dependence on the supervisor and offers a supportive peer environment which lessens anxiety and enhances self-efficacy” (Bogo, Cloberman, & Sussman, 2004).

Research Questions: How effective is group supervision? What are the pros …

Student Perceptions Of Minnesota State University, Mankato's Alcohol And Drug Policy, Renee Lips-Bush

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of students’ perceptions of the current alcohol and other drug use policy at Minnesota State University, Mankato (MNSU) now and in the future. The study explores undergraduate students’ perceptions through surveys disseminated in the fall of 2010 and fall of 2011. The study is part of a four year longitudinal study, which began in 2010 after the implementation of a revised alcohol and other drug use policy.

Sea Program Process Evaluation: Improving Existing Evaluation Methods, Rachel Faust

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to provide a process evaluation to more closely define how the program is currently being monitored, areas of quality assurance, and to create tools to aid in long term data analysis and collection of program outcomes. Staff and stakeholders of the program identified needs related to the program’s evolution which has since created transition and instability in how outcomes are tracked.

Due to increasing demands of current and potential funders to provide concrete objectives and outcome measurements, as well as to provide consistency in tracking between multiple schools that participate in the program, the …