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…

This article focuses on group work principles to emphasize the importance of collaboration and community as an effective pedagogical approach to teaching in online higher education. Online communities can serve as support groups by bringing together people going through the shared experience of higher education and providing the opportunity for…

Online social work educators are responsible for fostering high quality academic growth experiences for their students. Feedback instructors provide to students aims to further this goal. The purpose of this study is to understand how social work instructors and students in an entirely online MSW program value instructional feedback. Open-ended…

Social work programs are preparing professionals to respond to natural disasters and global pandemics when they arise. However, literature on the learning experiences of students in the social work classroom with synchronous instruction during a natural disaster or global pandemic is limited, as is documentation of the experiences of social work…

It has been postulated that field education is the signature pedagogy of social work education. Practicums are paramount in assisting social work students to develop the unique skills and competencies required for professional practice. Traditionally, field education in social work has occurred within the context of social service agencies…

In March 2020, a national emergency was declared due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In accordance with public health guidelines, social work programs rapidly responded by moving their courses online and modifying or ending field placements. The current study (N = 1,522) describes these responses from the perspective of BSW (n = 632) and MSW (n = 890)…

Students who are admitted into social work graduate programs juggle multiple responsibilities: coursework, field practice, employment, and personal. Such competing responsibilities can increase stress levels. Integrating self-care strategies into daily practice routines may benefit students by improving well-being and decreasing the chances of…

Institutions of higher education are encountering shifting trends in student enrollment and must embrace interdisciplinary approaches to address student recruitment and retention. This study explores reasons why students choose to leave an online MSW program. Data were collected through telephone interviews with students leaving the program during…

Use of instructional technology in social work has grown rapidly in recent years. Despite this increase, there is limited empirical investigation of its impact. In this paper we describe the use of a virtual agency for the teaching of research methods and program evaluation at a school of social work. Evaluation of the virtual agency showed that…

With the growth of online and distance education in social work, faculty training and support need to be provided to ensure high-quality online social work education. A model for training social work educators in online teaching is outlined that focuses on pedagogy, technology, and social work values. Columbia University School of Social Work's…

The HyFlex blended learning model is a student-driven approach that allows students to determine what blended learning they prefer to meet their unique needs. In a HyFlex course, students are presented with a choice with each class session -- whether to attend face-to-face or participate online. This article introduces social work educators to the…

Online/virtual educators face challenges related not only to technology and pedagogy, but also to student assessment, which remains a critical function to reinforce. Brief assessment tools can be used by the instructor to tailor the learning experience, and where appropriate, to reinforce student-centered learning. In this qualitative study, we…

Research in distance education has investigated student satisfaction and learning outcomes, comparing face-to-face with online delivery formats, and tested various technological tools, but has yet to consider alternative pedagogies. Liberatory pedagogy facilitates critical thinking, awareness, reflection and social action around constructs such as…

A proliferation of student enrollment in online higher education, particularly in social work, may reflect a neoliberal shift from public good to private commodity. Critical theory is an excellent lens to assess whether there has been such a shift. While online higher education represents opportunities for information globalization,…

With an increase in social work courses being offered in online and hybrid formats, it is imperative that social work programs understand the new teaching tenets and engagement mediums employed to meet the new Council on Social Work Education's Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards. This meta-analysis explores best-practices pedagogy for…