A study with 97 graduate social work students identified antecedent, structural, and process variables affecting student group learning. Findings indicated that method of group selection, initial preference to be in a group, and level of interpersonal conflict are significantly associated with learning. Implications for faculty and course content…

A national survey of 267 retired social work faculty investigated their general characteristics, preretirement and postretirement experiences, current social and health status, and perspectives on changes in social work education and practice. Health, income, and experiences were generally good. Critical differences were found by gender, terminal…

One section of graduate-level social work practice was taught to use microcomputers whereas another was not; all students reported high levels of computer interest, use, receptivity, and ownership. At posttest and one-semester followup, nonsignificant differences between training and control sections were found on measures of use, interest, and…

Social work policy-practice is a recent development that attempts to integrate direct social work practice with social policy theory and advocacy for change. Salient issues in the emergence of this trend, models of the social worker role arising from it, and implications for social work curricula are examined. (MSE)

An international study investigated social work field instruction in 51 countries and the educational context in which it occurs. Results are reported, including (1) general findings concerning program affiliation and size, student age, program length, placement, field instructor affiliation and training, and payment patterns; and (2) summaries of…

A social work education model integrating classroom instruction and field experience, adapted from learning theory positing a four-stage learning cycle, is described. Instructors (in either classroom and practicum) begin with a specific practice situation and, with students, engage in a process of cognitive and personal associations to arrive at…

A study investigated perceptions of the causes of poverty held by undergraduate social work students (51 beginning, 29 intermediate, 39 senior). Results suggest students develop beliefs about poverty appropriate to the profession's values. Rise in fatalism and external locus of control correlated with completion of a social welfare policy course.…

The generalist-specialist continuum is not as useful an organizing concept for social work education as its supporters believe. Bachelor's and master's programs should be conceived as independent entities, with the bachelor's curriculum focusing on training case managers in public service agencies and the Master's program preparing graduates for…

A model for teaching social work students and professionals about widely existing severe, subtle, and overt forms of male controls and violence against women is described. Topics addressed during a three-hour workshop ranged from sexist language to harassment, battery, and femicide. Evaluation of workshops using the model suggest participants…

The status of women faculty in social work is evaluated, based on a review of literature and statistics. Findings show women are seeing some progress toward equity in employment policy and patterns but also indicate that inequalities continue. Strategies for supporting development and retention of women faculty are suggested. (Author/MSE)

This study of 34 baccalaureate programs in social work that lost their accreditation reveals demographic patterns of the institutions and programs, reasons for termination, current existence of human service-related programs, and plans for social work education and accreditation. (Author/MSE)

This survey of the 21 member institutions of 9 consortia in undergraduate social work education investigated the origin and development of collaborative programs, their structure and nature, and advantages and disadvantages. Results indicate that consortia that use rather than rival others' experiences are more successful. (Author/MSE)

A study compared master's degree student ratings of social work field instructor behavior with field instructor self-reports in a random sample of 31 student/instructor pairs. Students' ratings were more strongly associated with their global satisfaction than with instructor self-reports. It is concluded that better indicators of practicum quality…

This study evaluated the impact of social work field instructor training on student perceptions of the field experience. Students with seminar-trained field instructors (n=30) were more satisfied with faculty field liaison than students with other instructors, and trained instructors demonstrated expected supervisory behavior more often for most…

A study surveyed the views of 53 social work faculty in 4 institutions concerning the place of spirituality in the social work curriculum. Results show considerable support for a course on the subject. Possible explanations for opposition are examined, and suggestions for introducing spirituality content into the curriculum are offered.…