Research suggests that most college and beginning graduate students lack the cognitive complexity required to engage in effective practical and ethical reasoning. Studies on cognitive development support the view that how people approach complex problems varies significantly depending on the underlying epistemic assumptions they use to guide their…

This teaching initiative responded to an effort to strengthen the connection between cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) theory and practice among Master of Social Work (MSW) students. This initiative was developed in response to feedback from our MSW students, who requested further training in CBT skills before entering practicum settings.…

The 2015 "Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards" (EPAS) recognizes simulation as a means for students to gain skills, technical proficiency, and field practicum hours. Research on its use in social work education has been largely cross-sectional. The purpose of this 9-month qualitative study was to explore the influence of three…

Social workers are charged to work with vulnerable populations and often encounter those experiencing homelessness. Despite this fact, social workers do not typically learn about homelessness in degree programs even though the topic aligns with the educational competencies set forth by the Council on Social Work Education. This teaching note…

The miracle question (MQ) is a technique for assessing clients' ability to discover their potential in search of solutions. Educators can train students to use the classic MQ (What would life be without this problem?) to develop solution-focused skills in social work and counseling. This article describes the MQ Variations tool derived from the…

The concept of political justice is deeply tied to our professional Code of Ethics. Social workers are well suited to challenge political inequalities that keep clients and communities from political participation. Laws affecting access to voter registration, casting a ballot, and having that ballot counted vary widely across the United States,…

This article examines three models of international social work learning experiences through the lens of Gray's (2005) three paradoxical processes: indigenization, universalism, and imperialism.

This study examined the effectiveness of an experiential learning-based integrated policy advocacy education model in Hong Kong, a partially democratic and non-Western society. The model incorporated guest lectures, a mock hearing, a site visit, and an advocacy project. A mixed methods evaluation involving 144 students in quantitative surveys and…

Social workers are challenged by the profession's Code of Ethics to engage in social and political action to create social change, and social work education is challenged by our Code and accreditation standards to prepare students for this challenge. Social policy instructors often need to adapt teaching methods in order to account for differences…

Disciplines that incorporate field education into their curriculum face similar challenges around fidelity and tracking of the integration of course work, field learning, and attainment of educational competencies. In social work curriculum, field education is identified as its signature pedagogy (CSWE, 2015), underscoring the importance of…

Systematic inquiry is an inherent part of social work practice. Despite this fact, social work students and practitioners continue to view research as difficult, intimidating and irrelevant. This disconnect is compounded by a lack of rigorous study on how best to teach research concepts to social work students. One way to bridge this gap is to…

The National Association of Social Workers and the Council on Social Work Education identify social justice as a guiding principle of the social work profession, yet there is little consensus in the field of what the term actually means and how it can be achieved. Master of Social Work programs are likewise struggling with how to educate students…

Professional shortages of geriatrically trained social workers pose a barrier to mental health care for older adults. Integrating graduate social work interns into primary care settings may increase the availability of trained social workers. However, few studies provide guidance on how to develop an interprofessional healthcare placement focused…

The destabilization of the current economy has sparked increased interest in entrepreneurship, especially for underrepresented minority social work students. The entrepreneurial thinking of these social work students entering social work programs at historically Black colleges and universities needs to be fostered in a learning environment. This…

The Council on Social Work Education requires schools of social work to meet diversity and social justice competencies. Many MSW programs meet these standards by having either a dedicated diversity and social justice course, or by using some form of diversity and social justice curricular infusion. The current study explored which of these…