This paper aims to understand the impact on student learning of redesigning an elective substance use course with the intent of contextualizing the topic by modeling a structural critical lens. In addition, we look at how this shift impacts students' approaches to working with clients who use substances. Secondary data from student course…

Among graduate social work students, experiences of childhood adversity and trauma, along with secondary exposure to others' trauma, can result in negative effects. Unaddressed, this may lead to secondary traumatic stress, burnout, or difficulty sustaining effective practice. Self-care strategies that adequately promote well-being and resilience…

Although the social work profession has focused on becoming an anti-racist profession, social work students report being insufficiently prepared to challenge and dismantle racism. Current recommendations for educating social workers on racism use findings from White students and omit the voices of individuals who experience racism. However, this…

This qualitative study aims to examine foundation year Master of Social Work (MSW) students' experiences with the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) using a holistic framework. Study participants included 64 MSW students who completed a 15-minute virtual OSCE with standardized patients and expert observers followed by a five minute…

Debates over the nature of social work education are not new. What is new, however, comes from the Council on Social Work Education's (CSWE) injection of critical pedagogy into social work education through "anti-racist" and "anti-oppressive" competencies laid out in the 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards…

The social work profession is committed to addressing issues of social, economic, racial, and environmental injustice, which includes efforts to mitigate poverty and related issues such as homelessness and housing instability. Integral to this goal is graduating undergraduate and graduate social work students with attitudes toward these issues…

Reflective practice emphasizes the importance of providing practitioners with opportunities to reflect on their work in order to manage the complexity of day-to-day practice. This study found that graduate students who engaged in a reflection-centered educational model reported enhanced practice through reflection-on-action, reflection-in-action,…

This article documents how an MSW student in an introductory community practice course took her class assignment and over the course of two years revitalized, democratized, and transformed a sclerotic, corporate-run Home Owners Association (HOA). While the community analysis assignment required the student to interview six of her neighbors, the…

Evidence-informed, interprofessional education (IPE) programs in behavioral health are an important part of reform efforts to reduce fragmentation and increase quality of mental health and substance use disorder treatment. The aim of this study is to document an implementation science approach to translation of IPE, grounded in Interprofessional…

Many students report increasing test anxiety in the months before taking the national social work licensure exam. We evaluate whether adding a test-anxiety-reduction module to an online exam preparation course reduces MSW students' test anxiety. A non-equivalent pretest-posttest control-group design was used to compare 42 students who did not…

Contract grading provides graduate-level students with greater control and autonomy within the learning process. The contract grading approach requires students to take greater responsibility for achieving course learning outcomes as well as allowing learners to adjust the style and focus of assignments to meet their own unique needs and desires.…

There is an increasing concern for self-care and quality of life among Master of Social Work (MSW) students as they prepare to serve vulnerable individuals, families, and communities. Evidence suggests numerous benefits to practicing self-care; however, the majority of these studies focus on practitioners in the helping professions as opposed to…

Despite the growing importance of teaching about diversity and its connection to intersectionality, privilege, and oppression in social work education, few studies have examined whether teaching interventions could enhance students' knowledge of oppression. Thus, this study assessed the extent to which students assimilated content related to…

Understanding and applying effective research methods in social work practice is a mandate from both the National Association of Social Workers and the Council of Social Work Education. While research courses are fundamental to ensure that students master the competency needed to meet these expectations, students frequently tend to dread them. The…

Given the increasing value placed on research among social work practitioners, and that field education is primarily responsible for the integration of social work values, knowledge, and practice, it is essential that research skills be incorporated into BSW and MSW field practica. In 2020, a team of faculty co-investigators and students explored…