BEYOND CE:Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | April 2017

Implementation of a Social Work Jurisprudence Exam in Texas

Background for Jurisprudence Exam

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Sunset Commission Review 2005

Licensees reported not knowing Statute and Rules that govern their practice and hope to reduce the number of complaints against social workers

Senate Bill 415 requires applicants to pass a jurisprudence exam as a condition of licensure.

Jurisprudence Exam?

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

A test of your state’s laws and rules.

Familiarizing Social Workers with the practice act (statute) and rules under which they are allowed to work.

AN EXAM!

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Considerations

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Question creation No fundsStyle of questions

Matching, t/f, fill-in-the blank, short-answer, essay, multiple-choice….

Who creates / who controls

Reliable and valid No fundsWho determines validity and reliability of questionHow to establish

Format of exam: pass/fail or other method

Licensees anxietyIf pass/fail, what happens if a licensee fails?

Stakeholders helpYou don’t know how to write a questionWhat are your credentials?We’ll take care of this

Example

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

781.212 Licensees and the Board

(a) Any person licensed as a socialworker is bound by the provisions of the Act and this chapter.

(b) A social worker shall report alleged misrepresentations or violations of this chapter to the board.

(c) The licensee shall report any and all name changes, address changes, or employment setting changes to the board within 30 days.

Coordinating question

A social worker shall report to the board within 30 days which of the following:

a. name changes

b. a, c & d

c. employment setting changes

d. address changes

Implementation

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Third party administers the exam

3 hour session – timed

Can’t fail format

Counts toward ethics CEU requirement

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Question Type Results Sample Size

Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners – Survey (2017) – 09/01/2016 – 01/31/2017

Gender Choice1. Male = 11.53% (37)2. Female = 88.47% (284) 321

Please Select Your Age GroupChoice

1. 21 – 29 = 44.24% (142)2. 30 – 39 = 30.22% (97)3. 40 – 49 = 14.33% (46)4. 50 – 59 = 7.48% (24)5. 60 – 69 = 3.1% (10)6. 70 – 79 = 0.62% (2)

321

High Level of Education Choice

1. Bachelor’s Degree = 26.4% (85) 2. Master’s Degree = 72.67% (234)3. Ph.D. = 0.93% (3) 322

Level of Licensure Choice

1. LBSW = 12.66% (40)2. LMSW = 57.28% (181)3. LMSW-AP = 0.32% (1)4. LCSW = 7.91% (25)5. Other = 21.84% (69) 316

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Question Type Results Sample Size

Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners – Survey (2017) – 09/01/2016 – 01/31/2017

How would you rate the Jurisprudence Training in terms of the contents of questions? Choice

1. Excellent = 45.96% (148)2. Good = 47.52% (153)3. Fair = 5.9% (19)4. Poor = 0.62% (2) 322

How would you rate the Jurisprudence Training in terms of the relevance to TSBSWE Law and Rules Choice

1. Excellent = 57.19% (183)2. Good = 39.69% (127)3. Fair = 3.12% (11)4. Poor = 0% (0)

321

How would you rate the Jurisprudence Training in terms of the number of questions?

Choice

1. Excellent = 28.35% (91)2. Good = 42.68% (175)3. Fair = 23.36% (37)4. Poor = 5.61% (18) 321

What do you feel is the overall rating of the Jurisprudence Training? Choice

1. Excellent = 37.07% (119)2. Good = 54.52% (175)3. Fair = 8.41% (27)4. Poor = 0% (0) 321

How important do you feel it is to know the TSBSWE law and rules? Choice

1. Very Important = 95.05% (307)2. Somewhat Important = 4.33% (14)3. Neither Imp./Not = 0.62% (2)4. Somewhat Unimp. = 0% (0)5. Very Unimportant = 0% (0) 323

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Question Type Results Sample Size

Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners – Survey (2017) – 09/01/2016 – 01/31/2017

How would you rate the Jurisprudence Training in terms of the contents of questions? Choice

1. Excellent = 45.96% (148)2. Good = 47.52% (153)3. Fair = 5.9% (19)4. Poor = 0.62% (2) 322

How would you rate the Jurisprudence Training in terms of the relevance to TSBSWE Law and Rules Choice

1. Excellent = 57.19% (184)2. Good = 39.69% (127)3. Fair = 3.12% (10)4. Poor = 0% (0)

321

How would you rate the Jurisprudence Training in terms of the number of questions?

Choice

1. Excellent = 28.35% (91)2. Good = 42.68% (175)3. Fair = 23.36% (37)4. Poor = 5.61% (18) 321

What do you feel is the overall rating of the Jurisprudence Training? Choice

1. Excellent = 37.07% (119)2. Good = 54.52% (175)3. Fair = 8.41% (27)4. Poor = 0% (0) 321

How important do you feel it is to know the TSBSWE law and rules? Choice

1. Very Important = 95.05% (307)2. Somewhat Important = 4.33% (14)3. Neither Imp./Not = 0.62% (2)4. Somewhat Unimp. = 0% (0)5. Very Unimportant = 0% (0) 323

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Question Type Results Sample SizeTexas State Board of Social Worker Examiners – Survey (2017) – 09/01/2016 – 01/31/2017

How difficult was the Jurisprudence Training? Choice

1. Much too Difficult = 0% (0)2. Somewhat Difficult = 5.28% (17)3. Just Right = 76.71% (247)4. Somewhat Easy = 15.22% (49)5. Much Too Easy = 2.8% (9) 322

How much do you feel the Jurisprudence Training course will help you as you practice social work? Choice

1. Strongly It Will = 65.73% (211)2. It Will = 28.04% (90)3. Might or Might Not = 4.36% (14)4. Doubt It Will = 1.56% (5)5. Will Not at All = 0.31% (1) 321

Would you take the Jurisprudence Training again as means to obtain part of your Ethics CEU requirements? Choice

1. Yes = 92.26% (298)2. No = 7.74% (25)

323

Do you know how to access TSBSWE laws and rules on the web? Choice

1. Yes = 96.58% (311)2. No = 3.42% (11) 322

Has there ever been a complaint filed against you? Choice

1. Yes = 1.55% (5)2. No = 97.83% (316)3. Unknown = 0.62% (2) 323

Has disciplinary action ever been taken against your license?

Choice1. Yes = 1.24% (4)2. No = 98.14% (317)3. Unknown = 0.62% (2) 323

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017

Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners – Survey (2017) – 09/01/2016 – 01/31/2017

Question: Additional Comments

Answer

126 questions seemed like a lot, and I felt that I did not absorb all the information. I had a bit of test anxiety as well, even though I knew I could not fail.

Great information necessary for social work practice.

I found the test to be very helpful and informative.

I like that I could click on source and read more information to better prepare to answer questions.

I prefer NOT waiting for the full 26 seconds to elapse before entering my response. The exam would more quickly completed as a consequent.

Probation completed. Case closed 101013

Very user-friendly exam.

Outcome

ASWB 2017 Education Conference | Beyond CE: Regulating Competency in a Dynamic Profession | April 2017