While there is mounting research on the well-known white founders of social work, documentation of Black social work pioneers and their contributions is scarce -- in both social work education and the broader telling of the profession's history. Given the systemic exclusion of Black social workers in the dominant narrative of social work history,…

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…

One goal of the Social Work Grand Challenge is to positively influence the applications of technology. Nowhere is the challenge of integrating innovative technology more apparent than in field education settings. However, current technology trends, challenges, as well as interns' use of technology, which is often used in field education settings,…

Teaching approaches are needed that can normalize students' process of exploring emotions related to their learning and support the internalization of the professional social work values (i.e. human rights and social justice). Within the literature on social work education, the importance of affective processes to support the students' learning of…

The ultra-Orthodox Jewish community is characterized by its strict religious observance and is a relatively self-secluding group existing as an enclave system. In the last few decades, a growing number of ultra-Orthodox Jews have pursued social work degrees. Social work is a profession that shares many of the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community's…

Social workers are well positioned to meet the needs of the immigrant population in the United States (U.S.) and social workers across all fields and specializations should both feel competent and have the appropriate skills to work with immigrant clients. In this paper, we provide context around the immigrant population in the U.S. and discuss…

Advocacy for social justice is a core duty of the social work profession. Social injustice, oppression, and marginalization in the United States demand that social workers critically evaluate and address systemic oppression, in the profession, society, and social work education. This study sought to explore the attitudes of social work students in…

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…

The 2022 Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) from the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) definitively identifies anti-racism as a necessary component of social work education. This change supports an effort to ensure that coming generations of social workers are more than culturally competent, but rather actively anti-racist…

COVID-19 has revealed and intensified economic and health disparities, prompting a profound national and global examination of racist systems perpetuating such disadvantage. The historic confluence of COVID-19 with movements for social justice offers a window, which COVID fatigue may already be closing, for us to enact true change in the process…

This paper argues for the application of Intersectional Feminist theoretical lens to social work pedagogy and provides sample educational activities, from simple to complex, which apply this lens to bachelors, masters, and doctoral social work levels. All social workers must be prepared to work effectively with transgender and gender nonconforming…

Experiential learning in Master of Social Work (MSW) programs can be an instrumental pedagogical method of juxtaposing theoretical knowledge with tangible hands-on approaches, enhancing student experience through incorporating curriculum beyond classroom settings. This paper seeks to employ the use of educational theorist David Kolb's Theory of…

This study sought to respond to the increased number of mature students in social work education and the understudied topic of their experiences. The research deployed semi- structured interviews and thematic analysis to explore the benefits, challenges, and needs of mature students (N = 19) over the age of 30 in a Canadian Bachelor of Social Work…

Over the past two decades, the number of online and distance social work programs has grown rapidly. The COVID-19 pandemic has further highlighted interest in online options from both students and instructors. As programs grow, it is important to recognize the need for retention strategies, especially for students with marginalized identities. The…

Impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic upon social work programs have been profound and institutions have struggled to identify appropriate policies and interventions to address students' educational, health, and safety needs. This manuscript reports the results of a survey administered to BSW and MSW students at three different timepoints during the…