This study provides an empirical picture of the ways in which the New Public Management doctrine has been implemented in the context of post-Soviet states in Central Asia. Specifically, the data present evidence on the extent of school autonomy along six dimensions in the three states. The implications of the shift towards education decentralisation have been studied and explained. Based on a mixed method this evidence is drawn from three sources: surveys, interviews, and legislative analysis. With the research limitations in mind, based on the analysis undertaken, it is possible to identify some important messages regarding academic theory and education management practice. The first message is that neo-institutional theory, particularly historical institutionalism, has been supported by the evidence from the post-Soviet states. Despite quite diverse trajectories of the countries' political, economic and public sectors development over the last two decades, the policies promoted in education appear to be converging in both outputs and outcomes across the region. The three countries demonstrated persistent path-dependency through their inability to overcome institutional inertia, so that operational policy and structure dimensions have not been decentralized, combined with the effect of declining fiscal and bureaucratic capacity at the centre, so that managerial matters have been delegated to a school level. This trend was regional. The second message is that, the patterns observed in the three post-Soviet states displayed similarities to the patterns observed in education systems of the developed western democracies. Hence, the view that the structure of the post-communist welfare states is problematic, and that the particularities of their transition with budget cuts on top of the communist legacy and a hodge-podge of different approaches do not allow these states to be classified (cf. Orenstein 2008), has not been supported by the evidence. Education institutions in the three post-Soviet countries investigated conformed to a general West European pattern, although for different reasons.

This study investigates the perspective of ‘Trabajo social intercultural y decolonial’ or ‘Intercultural and decolonial social work’ demonstrated by social workers and scholars of the University of Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia. A qualitative ethnographic and a methodologically plural approach are presented. The results shows that the intercultural and decolonial perspective could be of relevant pragmatic value for orienting future studies and opportunities for implementation in social policy programs. Empirical insights gained through this perspective can be used for improving the understanding of this specific domain and the practices of social work in Colombia and on an international arena.

The purpose of this study is to explore the question of whether or not graduate schools in social work have adequately prepared social workers to deal with the changing needs of individuals with disabilities.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka hur socionomer upplever att deras kompetens inom socialt arbete påverkats genom VFU utomlands. Två frågeställningar formulerades; vilka kompetenser socionomer upplevde sig ha utvecklat under VFU utomlands samt hur kompetenserna användes i det dagliga arbetet. Empirin kom från fem semistrukturerade intervjuer med yrkesverksamma socionomer. Datamaterialet analyserades med en kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Resultat analyserades mot en teoretisk referensram och kunskapsöversikt. Den teoretiska referensramen bestod av två teorier med olika definitioner av kompetens. Studiens resultat och analys visar att VFU utomlands är en möjlighet för socionomstudenter att få erfarenhet av att arbeta med socialt arbete utomlands. Erfarenheten upplevs generellt inte vara användbar i det dagliga arbetet. Dock framkommer efter analys flertalet kompetenser. Upplevelsen ger förståelse för internationellt socialt arbete och klienters erfarenheter av segregering. Studenter utvecklar bland annat sin förmåga till flexibilitet, lyhördhet och initiativtagande. Utlandspraktik kan vara socionomstudenters första erfarenhet av klientarbete och utvecklar därför deras kommunikationsförmåga, så som samtalsmetodik. Risken finns att utlandspraktik spär på studenters fördomar om andra länder än Sverige. / The purpose of this study was to investigate how social workers feel that their competence in social work has been affected through international placement. Two issues were formulated; what competencies social workers felt they had developed during international placement and how the competencies were used in their daily work. The data came from five semi-structured interviews with professional social workers. The data material was analyzed with a qualitative content analysis. Results were analyzed against a theoretical frame of reference and knowledge overview. The theoretical frame of reference consisted of two theories with different definitions of competence. The results and analysis of the study show that international placement is an opportunity for social work students to gain experience of working with social work abroad. The experience is generally not perceived to be useful in daily work. However, after analysis, several competencies emerged. The experience provides an understanding of international social work and clients' experiences of segregation. Among other things, students develop their ability for flexibility, sensitivity and initiative. International placement can be social work students' first experience of client work and therefore develop their communication skills, such as conversation methodology. There is a risk that international placement adds to students' prejudices about countries other than Sweden.

Congressional concern about homeless students resulted in the McKinney-Vento Act (MCKV) in 2001, which provides funds to local educational agencies (LEAs). MCKV is almost a decade old, yet no evaluations of its academic effectiveness have been reported. Using a systems theory framework, this study answered research questions (RQs) involving whether normally housed students in Grade 6 scored higher than homeless students in Grade 6 in reading (RQ 1) and math (RQ 2) on end-of-grade (EOG) test scores and whether homeless students in Grade 6 from LEAs that received MCKV funding scored better in reading (RQ 3) and math (RQ 4) on EOG test scores than those from LEAs that did not. Data from 2006 and 2007 were provided by the North Carolina (NC) Department of Public Instruction. About 20% of the state's LEAs received MCKV grants, which created a treatment group (funded LEAs) and a control group (nonfunded LEAs). Based on t tests, the normally housed students scored significantly higher on EOG reading and math tests. Using untreated control group designs with matched pretests (Grade 5 EOG test scores) and posttests (Grade 6 EOG test scores), 2 x 2 ANOVAs with repeated measures failed to reject the null hypotheses for RQs 3 and 4. This study did not support the hypotheses that MCKV grants improved the academic achievement of homeless students. MCKV provides valuable services, but in NC, it does not support training programs for teachers, counselors, and social workers on improving academic achievement. The positive social change implication of this study is that concerned educators can use these results to lobby legislators to fund training to improve academic performance of homeless students in order to help break the cycle of homelessness.

This was a follow-up study of graduates of Portland State University's School of Social Work from 1964 to 1973. The study gathered information in four areas: (1) graduates' career patterns, (2) tasks graduates presently perform in their jobs, (3) tasks graduates felt are necessary for students to learn in a school of Social Work, and (4) graduates' continuing education needs and experiences. It was hoped that this information would prove valuable in curriculum design, both in the School of Social Work and in the Division of Continuing Education. I A stratified random sample of sixty-one graduates, totaling 15.4% of the ten-year population of 396 graduates, was surveyed by mailed questionnaire. Fifty-two of these responded for a return rate of 85.3%. Results from the questionnaire were transferred to punch cards and frequencies, means, standard deviations, and a factor analysis of data were performed by computer. Forty-five of the fifty-two respondents considered themselves to be presently practicing social work. Twenty-four of these respondents worked primarily in direct treatment, and all but one of these reported having collateral duties in administration or facilitative services. Respondents showed almost no interest in pursuing further graduate study in social services or any other'field, and indicated only moderate interest· in continuing education seminars or classes. Of all continuing education offerings, family therapy received the highest interest score and research received the lowest. Respondents felt that the most important tasks to be taught in graduate school were direct service tasks. A factor analysis was performed to reduce these tasks to more easily reportable shared factors, and the tasks seen as most crucial for learning were those concerned with direct treatment, resource assistance, and client contact. Although respondents believed that direct service tasks -should be stressed in the School curriculum, most of the respondents also were performing non-direct service tasks such as leadership and consultation in group process.

This research study is an evaluation of a graduate social work training program funded by NIMH of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare entitled "Teaching-Trainingship Grant in School Social Work." This grant provides training opportunities in a field placement at John Adams High School in Portland, Oregon, for Portland State University School of Social Work Masters degree candidates. Originally approved in June 1969, the grant became operational for the school year 1970-71. In addition to faculty salaries, supplies, professional consu1tation, fees, etc. the grant provides trainee stipends for selected students participating in the program. Both first and second year students in the graduate program are eligible for field placement at John Adams High School where they spend two days per week as school social work trainees. The unit is currently instucted by an MSW social worker who is a faculty member of the School of Social Work at Portland State University. The instructor provides a variety of training experiences for students including direct services to clients and families, supervision, consultation, program development, teaching and research. The primary focus of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. at Adams High School. Secondarily, this study will attempt to answer three basic questions: Can a graduate school social work field instruction program in public school social work on the elementary and secondary levels be evaluated? Can an ongoing instrument be developed allowing for evaluation of program and individual instruction? Can the study provide analytical data for the program director's evaluation of the effectiveness of his training? This study was undertaken by the authors because of an interest in program evaluation as an integral function of professional social work practice. We feel agencies, particularly those financed through public funds are increasingly being pressured to not only quantify, but to qualify program effectiveness. Funding bodies now require evaluative research documenting direction and effectiveness of social programs. Findings of this study should be of value not only to the funding source and the program director, but also to other students who in the future may wish to conduct similar studies in evaluation of graduate social work field instruction. The following chapter discusses the background and development of John Adams High School and the educational climate that made possible the inclusion of this training program as a part of the learning experiences offered. Chapter III deals with the objectives of the training program. Chapter IV examines evaluative research. Chapter V develops the methodology of the research. The charts and statistics used are examined in Chapter VI. The data are presented and analyzed in Chapter VII. Summary, conclusions and recommendations are then set forth in the final chapter.

National movement and local demands indicated the necessity of training programs for child care workers (herein referred to as CCW's) in Oregon. In 1966, the "First National Survey of Children's Residential Institution" was done by Pappenforst & Kilpatrick. This survey showed that the primary concern of directors of children's institution was the quality of CCW's. A national conference was held in Cleveland in 1967 to study the characteristics essential to excellent performance and make recommendations for training programs of CCW's in residential treatment for children.There have been numerous expressions of the demands for training programs in Oregon by directors of agenciesas well as the Oregon Association of Child Care Workers. (herein referred to as OACCW). The objective of this research was to study residential child care in Oregon as a service delivery system, and to study the manpower element of the system in relation to the development of a feasible training program for CCW's serving now or in the future in various private or public residential child care agencies in Oregon.

There are two major purposes of this study. One purpose is to provide faculty, administrators, and advisory committees of the Human Services program at Clackamas Community College (CCC) with information for use in recruitment and curriculum planning. The other purpose is to fulfill practicum credit requirements of the Master of Social Work program at Portland State University. The four chapters of this practicum cover background information about Associate of Arts (AA) programs and CCC, the review of the literature, the empirical research, and implications of the study for the CCC Human Services Department.

The alumni survey conducted at Portland State University School of Social Work by second year students had two purposes. One purpose was to fulfill the research practicum requirements of a Masters of Social Work degree by providing experience in the area of applied survey research. The other was to provide a data base for future alumni research at the school.