This article describes an internship program designed specifically to meet graduate students' training needs within the context of their work in a prevention program for children in foster care. An internship based on a strong model of intern recruitment and supervision, structured inclusion of interns in a supportive agency culture, a…

This article presents a conceptual model of the field director's role outside of field education, specifically in the following 3 areas of leadership: (1) curricular, (2) programmatic, and (3) institutional. A survey was conducted to explore the field director's input targeted in these areas beyond prescribed field education tasks. The…

In social work field education, mentoring is underused and lacks research data. There is a paucity of research that examines the effect mentoring has on social work field directors who administer field programs at the undergraduate and/or graduate level. This exploratory study fills this void by examining the mentoring opportunities and…

Social work field instructors are responsible for the gatekeeping function of evaluating student performance and determining practice readiness. Yet little empirical literature elucidates how field instructors of graduating BSW students judge competence, suitability, or readiness for practice. This qualitative study reports findings from 6 focus…

The prevalence of suicide suggests social workers will encounter clients at risk for suicide, but research shows social workers receive little to no training on suicide and suicide prevention and feel unprepared to work effectively with clients at risk. Baseline results from a randomized intervention study of the Question, Persuade, and Refer…

Incorporating material on professional self-care into social work course content is valuable to the education of neophyte social work practitioners. This article presents a review of the literature on professional burnout, secondary traumatic stress, and compassion fatigue, including the risk factors associated with the experience of these…

In 2008 the Council on Social Work Education identified field education as the signature pedagogy of social work. In doing so, it designated field education as the synthetic, integrative curricular area in which students are socialized to the profession. This article examines challenges and opportunities this designation presents. How field…

Field practicum is an active learning process. This study explores the different learning stages or processes students experience during their field practicum. First-year master's of social work students in field practica were asked how much they had engaged in educational learning activities such as observation, working independently,…

An increase of 88% in programs from 1990 through 2004, low GRE scores, low entry- level wages, declining pass rates in licensing tests, and an increase in ethical violations reported all support the contention that there are higher enrollment rates and decreased gatekeeping selectivity in today's graduate MSW programs. This article discusses four…

This qualitative study sought to reveal the traits and outcomes of students who completed a rural community organizing field placement. All stakeholders involved in the placement of students took part in a focus group and follow-up individual interviews. Findings suggest that students need to be open, flexible, self-directed, and maverick in…

In light of the assertion that field education is the signature pedagogy of social work education, this Internet-based study explores field director demographics and questions the fulfillment of this potential, examining BSW and MSW field education through the lens of the field director position. Field directors (159) and deans/directors (150)…

This exploratory study surveyed 17 BSW-level field instructors on their experience, beliefs, and perceived self-efficacy regarding evidence-based practice (EBP). The authors conducted focus groups concerning EBP in participants' agencies and with BSW students under their supervision. Results indicate that although they felt positive toward EBP and…

This article examines how a baccalaureate program initiated an introductory field experience in an attempt to improve 2 frequently identified impediments to quality field experiences, namely the lack of a complete generalist practice experience and the lack of opportunities for integration of theory into practice. The key components to this…

This study presents pilot data using an instrument called the Implicit Factors Survey (IFS) that is designed to measure factors within the implicit curriculum, or the educational environment in which the explicit curriculum is delivered. The implicit factors explored included community, diversity, faculty advising, and support services. Also…

An exploratory study using qualitative methodology was undertaken with recent MSW graduates (N=12) from 2 graduate social work programs to identify and describe the students' emotional reactions to experiences in field education. Significant and interrelated themes emerged including the subjective and unique definitions of emotionally charged…