published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

by Wong Yuk Ming. / Thesis (M.S.W.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1985. / Bibliography: leaves 97-101. / Library's copy: Author's copy (c.2) has different pagination: vii, 98 p.

This investigation was conducted for the purpose of developing and pilot testing an assessment center to determine job performance levels of caseworkers in essential job competencies.

M.A. (Social Work) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

No description available.

The purpose of this research was to determine, describe and analyze the patterns of social service curricula in Uruguay. This exploratory study obtained data about structured and unstructured social service education, and the educational and professional backgrounds of educators and social service workers. The research process included: (1) administration of a questionnaire to University of the Republic's School of Social Service (EUSS) faculty to determine their perceptions of School curriculum, and their personal backgrounds; (2) administration of a questionnaire to social service workers in Montevideo to determine their perceptions of their professional education, and their personal backgrounds; (3) analysis of structured social service at EUSS and the Institute of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters’ (IFCL) Department of Social Service (formerly School of Social Service of Uruguay); (4) analysis of in-service social service education offered in Montevideo; and (5) observation of and participation in social service activities essentially in Montevideo. Forty-four faculty members of EUSS and one hundred and twenty social service workers responded to questionnaires. The results of the present research may be summarized thusly: (1) the social service professional respondents demonstrated a complete dedication to their profession and to the well-being of less fortunate members of Uruguayan society; (2) perceptions held by EUSS faculty about twenty-two courses of the EUSS 1979 curriculum were: nine courses, satisfactory in content; twelve courses, improve content; and one course, considerable content improvement required; (3) social service curricula of EUSS and IFCL differed notably in their requirements in social sciences, methodology and special course work; (4) the curricular mission of the Institute for Domestic Social Training (IFFS) appeared overly concerned with the family unit; (5) EUSS practicum training was poorly supervised by faculty, a broad spectrum of training sites was not used, and agency personnel were not utilized sufficiently for supervision of interns; (6) in-service educational offerings were limited in scope and number, and schools of social service were not meeting the continuing education needs of professional workers; (7) rural social service needs were not being met by structured and in-service education, nor was sufficient research being done about rural social problems; (8) insufficient research was being directed toward the indigenization and reconceptualization of social service curricula; (9) EUSS instructors were all part-time and limited in post-graduate training; (10) interest in postgraduate courses and a masters' degree program was high among EUSS faculty and social service professionals; and (11) graduates of Uruguayan schools of social service were limited in their ability to conduct independent research or to accept mid-level administrative positions due to minimal training in these two educational areas. EUSS faculty and social service professional defined social service priority curricular areas of emphasis for the 1980 as health, primary and secondary education, children, housing, the family, and social rehabilitation. Several conclusions and recommendations were derived from this research, including: (1) EUSS and IFCL curricula differed in emphasis on the social sciences and methodology courses; (2) social service education should be divided, and undergraduate education should be the responsibility of IFCL, and post-graduate education, as a structured masters’ degree program, the responsibility of the University of the Republic through a newly founded Graduate School of Social Service. In-service education should be a cooperative program involving all public and private social service educational institutions; (3) social service educators and professional workers should unite to influence national social policy formation; and (4) social service educators and professionals should give high priority to research to meet future needs of the Uruguayan society.

Universities in South Africa endure the challenge on an annual basis to secure field placements for the growing number of social work students. Field practice together with the required supervision is a critical component of the social work curriculum, since it provides students with opportunities to practice the skills taught in their theoretical courses. Whilst securing field placement is an extension of the social work curriculum, it is also essential to understand the plight of the supervisors and agencies that provide this service. The literature available in South Africa on this aspect is very limited, yet the dependency on agencies and supervisors is immense. This the study aimed at exploring and describing the experiences of social workers who supervise social work students’ field placement within Durban and the surrounding areas in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. A qualitative explorative study was conducted through the use of an in-depth interview schedule and a total of 18 supervisors from a range of organizations formed the sample for this study. Supervisors were interviewed individually with the aim of exploring their experiences, perceptions, needs and challenges with regards to field practice placements and they were invited to make suggestions for a best practice model. The main conclusions drawn from this study were that agency supervisors acknowledge their critical role in this process. However, training and supporting them is minimised which impacts in various ways on their ability to function optimally. In addition, supervisors feel that students are not thoroughly screened for the profession; they are underprepared for the field and lack the basic skills essential for practice. Supervisors are often forced to function in isolation in the absence of models and theories on field practice placement and the lack of collaboration with the universities. The different universities in the province have different requirements and expectations of supervisors. The recent strategy to address the retention of social workers through the awarding of bursaries has resulted in enormous challenges, particularly related to students’ commitment, dedication to the profession and the impact on the NGO sector. The time spent in field practice is regarded as insufficient for students’ exposure to the dynamics of all types of services and the introduction of a policy, model and framework for student supervision by the professional counsel is long outstanding and impacts on the status of the profession. Emanating from the findings, recommendations have been made with regards to optimising the learning opportunity for students and to enhance the experience of supervisors in student supervision. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research investigates education strategies for field instructors working with undergraduate social work students. Social work students at the University of Stellenbosch receive practical experience and education at welfare institutions as part of their formal education. During this practice education period students are guided and educated by field instructors. Practice education of undergraduate social work students is a demanding responsibility to field instructors and knowledge and skills are required to complete the task successfully. During the practice education period, field instructors are still confronted with their own work pressure and environmental demands in practice, along with the practice education of undergraduate social work students. The basic premise for this research is focused on the importance of the role of field instructors during the field practice period, as well as the importance of continuous education to these field instructors. This research report includes 'n thorough literature study that refers to the knowledge and skills that are required of field instructors for practice eduaction of students. The partnership between the educational institution and practice education agency are discussed and the roles, tasks and expectations of the partners are described in the chapters. Both parties are responsible for the education of field instructors and several educational strategies are examined. As a conclusion, educational strategies for field instructors are discussed and recommendations are made. The empirical research involved the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the theoretical part of the research. An explorary study was used to obtain the information from respondants. The findings and results of the research are analized and compared with the literature and some recommendations are made. The findings of this research can be used as guidelines for the education of field instructors concerned with the education of undergraduate social work students. Field instructors contribute to the education of professional social workers and all parties involved in the education process should bare a responsibilty to participate in field instructors' education. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie navorsing ondersoek opleidingsstrategieë vir praktykopleiers van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente. Maatskaplikewerk-studente aan die Universiteit van Stellenbosch word as deel van hul formele opleiding blootgestel aan praktiese ondervinding en -onderrig by welsynsinstansies. Gedurende hierdie praktykonderrigplasing ontvang studente leiding en onderrig van praktykopleiers. Praktykonderrig van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente stel hoë eise aan praktykopleiers en verg kennis en vaardighede om die taak suksesvol uit te voer. Tydens die praktykonderrigperiode word praktykopleiers steeds gekonfronteer met die eise van die werks- en omgewingsdruk in die praktyk, tesame met die praktykonderrig van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente. Hierdie navorsing is gerig op die noodsaaklikheid van praktykopleiers se rol tydens die praktykonderrigperiode van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente, sowel as die belangrikheid van voortgesette opleiding aan hierdie praktykopleiers. Ten einde opleidingsstrategieë vir praktykopleiers daar te stel, fokus die literatuurstudie op 'n bespreking van die kennis en vaardighede waaroor praktykopleiers moet beskik vir praktykonderrig aan studente. Die vennootskap tussen die opleidingsinstansie en praktykonderrigsinstansie word volledig bespreek en rolle, funksies en verwagtinge van die vennote word aangedui. Beide partye dra 'n verantwoordelikheid teenoor die opleiding van praktykopleiers en moontlike opleidingsmetodes word ondersoek. Ter samevatting word opleidingsstrategieë vir praktykopleiers bespreek en aanbevelings word gemaak. Die teoretiese deel van die verslag word uitgebrei in die empiriese ondersoek, deur 'n ontleding en bespreking van die resultate van die ondersoek. 'n Verkennende studie is benut en beide kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe metodes is gebruik om die inligting van respondente te bekom. Die bevindinge en resultate van die ondersoek is geanaliseer en vergelyk met die literatuur en sekere aanbevelings is gemaak. Die bevindinge van hierdie studie kan as riglyn gebruik word vir die opleiding van praktykopleiers wat betrokke is by die onderrig van voorgraadse maatskaplikewerk-studente. Praktykopleiers speel 'n belangrike rol in die opleiding en onderrig van professionele maatskaplike werkers en betrokke partye in die opleidingsproses dra 'n verantwoordelikheid om praktykopleiers toe te rus vir die taak.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

This study assesses the continuing education needs of social caseworkers employed by the Community Care for the Aged, Blind and Disabled Program Division of the Texas State Department of Human Resources. A model by which needs assessments and discrepancy evaluation can be conducted was identified. The study was designed to answer three major questions. These were (1) What are the behavioral competencies critical to the effective practice of C.C.A.B.D. social casework within the Texas State Department of Human Resources? (2) What are the current continuing education needs of C.C.A.B.D. caseworkers with respect to these competencies? (3) What significant discrepancies exist as to the perception of these needs among caseworkers, supervisors, and administrators that hold implications for continuing education program planning. The needs assessment model developed in this study is designed to overcome many of the limitations of traditional approaches to needs assessment by defining critical job requirements from the perspective of current practice as well as administrative policy, establishing a profile of the successful worker as a model for staff development, and integrating the perceptions of administrators, supervisors, and workers in identifying continuing education needs.