Using data from the Council on Social Work Education's Annual Survey, this study captures a baseline snapshot of policy practice education in U.S.-based bachelor of social work and master of social work programs. Results indicate that the nature of students' preparation to incorporate policy change into practice depends on which program they…

This article describes the assessment of accredited or in-candidacy master of social work programs' inclusion of a course on religion and spirituality (RS) in the United States. In June 2016, of the 257 eligible programs, 78 (30.4%) indicated they offer at least one required or elective course on RS in social work, either in or outside the…

Faculty members at universities are increasingly shifting their pedagogical focus from traditional lectures to active learning by integrating academic technology such as clickers (i.e., student response systems) into classrooms. However, few studies have examined the effect of clickers on learning outcomes such as test grades, and even fewer…

This teaching note describes an innovative process in which faculty members worked collaboratively to create an integrated three-course sequence of requisite course content in a PhD program, developed complementary assignments, and coordinated a classroom experience that led to the creation of an individualized area statement and eventual…

Described is the administration and outcomes of an asynchronous, Web-based, comprehensive exam covering MSW foundation curriculum. Over a 48-hour period of test availability, 198 students completed the 4-hour-long exam composed of 100 randomly generated questions. Significant differences in student performance across college locations were found.…

Ways that one graduate school of social work has successfully incorporated microcomputing into its foundation curriculum are described. The key factors include integrating the project into existing curricula, making the assignment part of a required, first-year course, and using a computer application designed specifically for novice social work…

Results are reported of a national study designed to identify preferred curriculum content important to the "professional foundation" in social work education. Findings show a high degree of consensus on curriculum material thought to be appropriate for a professional foundation. (Author/MH)

The degree of consensus between undergraduate program directors and deans/directors of master's degree programs on the priorities for content of the professional foundation courses in social work education is studied. The findings suggest agreement on the elements that should be included in the professional foundation. (Author/MH)

Efforts in the profession to define the physical environment are described, and an outline is presented of four curriculum modules to integrate environmental hazards content into the foundation preparation of social workers. (Author/MH)

A historical view of human behavior in the social environment (HBSE) in the undergraduate social work curriculum is presented, followed by an examination of the current state of HBSE in baccalaureate social work education, which was determined via a survey sent to all accredited undergraduate programs. (Author/MH)

This study compared the cognitive development of 272 students in 7 graduate and 9 undergraduate social work programs. Students beginning their social work study at the graduate level scored significantly higher than students beginning social work study at the undergraduate level in their ability to see situations in more mature and complex ways.…

Guidelines are presented for developing curricula that integrate health-specific content with traditional foundation content. Specific course content for practice in human behavior, social environment, organization, and policy sequences are proposed. (Author/MH)

Human behavior and social environment courses are traditionally the foundation on which the rest of the social work curriculum is based, but their development has been "chaotic." An analysis of 481 graduate courses at 66 graduate schools indicates that formal guidelines have been minimally implemented. (Author/MH)

A study of the influence of several instructor and course variables on student ratings found no significant effects related to instructor's rank or gender, course content, or class size. A finding that elective courses yielded more positive ratings than required courses was consistent with previous findings. (MSE)

Literature on the teaching of law in the social work curriculum is reviewed, and a 1991 survey of master's programs in social work concerning the extent of law-related coursework is summarized. A flexible approach to integrating legal content into existing courses is proposed, focusing on six legal precepts: definition/regulation of practice,…