ERIC Number: EJ1136717
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0884-1233
EISSN: N/A
Social Work Students' Experiences with Group Work in the Field Practicum
Knight, Carolyn
Journal of Teaching in Social Work, v37 n2 p138-155 2017
The study reported on in this article assessed MSW and BSW students' opportunities to practice group work in their field practicum. More than one third of participants had no such opportunity during their yearlong internship, despite their program's requirement that group work opportunities be available. Among the students who did have experience leading a group for clients, their opportunities to engage in core group work activities and skills was limited, as was their academic preparation to do so. Students demonstrated a desire to practice group work as professionals. Yet the findings call into question whether they were adequately prepared to effectively engage in the modality. The findings underscore the need for schools and programs of social work to collaborate more closely with field instructors and agencies to ensure that students are provided with suitable opportunities to practice group work. Greater attention also must be focused on ensuring that practice opportunities in the field reflect the depth and breadth of the group modality and complement learning in the classroom.
Descriptors: Social Work, Counselor Training, Practicums, Counselor Client Relationship, Graduate Students, Undergraduate Students, Internship Programs, Group Membership, Correlation, Work Experience, Public Agencies, Group Counseling
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A