Educational philosophy and strategies for teaching bsw students

EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY & STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING

BSW STUDENTS

PRO-SEMINAR: SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION

BRIANNA P. LEMMONS, MSW

MARCH 9, 2010

Overview

Pedagogy vs. Andragogy Underlying Assumptions of Andragogy Old & New Paradigms of College

Teaching Personal Mission Statement &

Educational Philosophy General & Course Specific Strategies for

Teaching BSW Students

Pedagogy vs. Andragogy (Conner, n.d.)

Pedagogy The art and science of educating children Didactic, traditional, teacher-directed/focused approach

Teachers assume responsibility for making decisions about what will be learned, how it will be learned, and when it will be learned. Teachers direct learning.

Assumption: learners need to know only what the teacher teaches them

Result: Promotes dependency on the instructor Andragogy

The art and science of helping adults learn Learner-Focused Approach Assumptions: adults are mature and have a need to

become increasingly independent and self-directed. They are motivated to learn by a desire to solve immediate problems in their lives.

Result: Promotes independence from instructor

Underlying Assumptions of Andragogy (Knowles, 1973, p. 31)

Adults are motivated to learn as they experience needs and interests that will satisfy them

Adults’ orientation to learning is life-centered

Experience is the richest resource for adults’ learning

Adults have a deep need to be self-directing

Individual differences among people increase with age

Old & New Paradigms of College Teaching (Fink, 2003, p. 19)

Category Old Paradigm New Paradigm

Knowledge Transferred from Faculty to Students

Jointly Constructed by Students and Faculty

Student Passive Vessel to be Filled by Faculty’s Knowledge

Active Constructor, Discoverer, Transformers of Knowledge

Mode of Learning Memorizing Relating

Faculty Purpose Classify & Sort Students Develop Students’ Competencies & Talents

Relationships Impersonal Relationship Among Students and Between Faculty

& Students

Personal Relationships Among Students & Between Faculty &

Students

Context Competitive, Individualistic Cooperative Learning in Classroom & Cooperative

Teams Among Faculty

Climate Conformity, Cultural Uniformity Diversity & Personal Esteem; Cultural Diversity &

Commonality

Power Faculty Holds & Exercises Power, Authority, & Control

Students Are Empowered; Power is Shared Among

Students

Epistemology Reductionist; Facts & Memorization

Constructivist; Inquiry & Invention

Personal Mission Statement & Educational Philosophy

“Creating Significant Learning Experiences That Will Last a Lifetime”

Fit Between Institutional and Personal Missions (Wankat, 2002)

“Any professor’s personal interests and mission should be aligned with the mission of his or her institution (Wankat, 2002, p.11).”

Hypothetical Institution Clark Atlanta University’s Whitney M.

Young, Jr. School of Social Work BSW Program

Mission of CAU’s Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work

The mission of the Whitney M. Young, Jr., School of Social Work is to advance the aims of the profession through education for excellence in social work practice. The School seeks to educate creative, responsible social work professionals committed to the search for solutions to problems of poverty, social and economic injustice, sexism, racism, and other forms of oppression while preserving the heritage of African American people.

Goals of CAU’s Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work

The School's mission is operationalized through the following program goals:

To educate students for excellence in advanced clinical professional social work practice;

To promote students' capacities for critical thinking and self-reflection;

To prepare students for practice with oppressed, at-risk, and diverse populations;

To prepare students to evaluate, understand and apply research to social work practice;

To educate students in the application of professional values and ethics to practice;

To promote the ability to add to and disseminate social work knowledge for the profession

Goals of CAU’s Whitney M. Young, Jr. School of Social Work-BSW Program

To prepare students for beginning generalist professional practice with individuals, families, small groups, organizations and communities

To prepare students to develop a professional identity that will incorporate the values and ethics of the social work profession;

To prepare students for practice with diverse groups;

To prepare students as beginning social work generalists who link social research and social service practice;

To prepare students for lifelong learning and critical thinking through an educational process combining a liberal arts foundation with professional social work education; and

To prepare students for graduate education in social work.

Adult Educator’s Mission (Knowles, 1970)

The needs and goals of institutions Adult education takes place within the context of

institutions and these institutions have needs and goals that define the adult educator’s mission

However, also included in the adult educator’s mission are two other distinct sets of needs & goals: #1. The needs and goals of individuals

These needs are missing from CAU’s mission & goals

The institution’s goals for the individual vs. the individual’s own personal goals

#2. The needs and goals of society

The Path to Discovering My Personal Mission & Goals

The CAU Whitney M. Young Jr., School of Social Work’s

Mission & Goals

Knowles’ (1970) Mission of the Adult Educator &

Principles of Andragogy

My Personal Mission & Goals

Personal Mission & Goals Statement

Needs and goals of student vs. those of the institution and society It is necessary to meet the needs and goals of the

students, in addition to those of the institution and society

Students are humans, and their personal needs (relevant to those of the institution and society) should be met in addition to those of the institution and society

Education is about personal and professional fulfillment Mission Statement:

To mentor and guide students through a process of self-development and growth toward becoming creative, practical, and critical thinkers and research informed and engaged social work professionals committed to the search for solutions to societal problems, while preserving the heritage of African American people.

Beyond Teaching to Mentoring (Reinarz & White, 2001)

Based largely on my current experiences as a mentor of adolescents and a strong belief in the importance of mentoring, in particular for students of color

Students of color at times perceive the college campus as hostile and unfriendly Barriers to their successful navigation of the system

can hinder academic performance and satisfaction with the college experience

Faculty are a valuable resource for students of color and represent an intellectual and experiential resource

This is particularly true and important at the BSW level given many student’s unfamiliarity with the college experience BSW students are essentially in their late adolescence

(traditional undergrad years typically span from 18-21)

Personal Mission & Goals Statement Cont’d

Goals: #1. To improve and enhance learning experiences by expanding

the experiential dimension of student learning #2. To (re)ignite a spirit of curiosity and excitement for learning #3. To establish a climate of inquiry, critical, creative, & practical

thinking that assists in the development of social work practitioners that demonstrate a commitment to searching for solutions to societal problems

#4. To assist students in acquiring the skills of self-directed learning

#5. To provide opportunities for self-development and growth by first seeking to understand students’ personal needs and goals, interests, abilities, motivations, prior experiences and how they develop and learn

#6. To strengthen the link between research & practice by reducing student levels of anxiety and negative attitudes toward research through increasing opportunities for knowledge integration and hands-on, meaningful, and rich learning experiences

Educational Philosophy

There is an existence in all people of the will and desire to learn “Believe your students can succeed, want to

succeed, and are willing to work for success (Tice, et. al., 2005, p.13).

Most students welcome and prefer challenging coursework. Be demanding and hold high expectations for your students. However, this should be balanced with a caring attitude and a willingness to assist your students in achieving success as defined by them “Most students do not object to hard work, they

object to busywork (Tice, et. al., 2005, p. 13).”

Educational Philosophy Cont’d

Learning should take place within and across course content areas Learning is not a process of compartmentalization, but of

integration, synthesis, and analysis of knowledge This is NOT done enough at the undergraduate level

Learning is an active process. A wholistic view of active learning should be taken (Fink, 2003) This view includes three components: 1) information and

ideas; 2) “doing” or “observing” experiences; & 3) reflection Reflection is NOT done enough at all levels of higher

education The purpose of science in the profession is to pursue to

the goals of practice Research is intended to support effective practice

“Tell me, I forget. Show me, I remember. Involve me, I understand.”

General Strategies for Teaching BSW Students

The “Significant Learning Experiences” Model (Fink,2003, p.6-7)

The central idea of this phrase is that: Teaching should result in something that is truly

significant in terms of the student’s lives A significant learning experience has both a

process and an outcome dimension Process

Engaged High energy

Outcome Significant and lasting change Value added to the student’s life

“Teach for the future (Tice, et al., 2005, p.7).” “The ultimate effect of your teaching and your course

should be manifested many years after its completion (Tice, et al., 2005, p.7).”

Although you may never see the fruits of your labor, plant the seeds with this in mind

The “Significant Learning Experiences” Model Cont’d

All significant learning offers one or more of the following values: Enhancing one’s

individual life Enabling one to

contribute to the many communities of which they will be a part

Preparing one for the world of work

Fink’s (2003) Taxonomy of Significant Learning (p. 30)

Taxonomy of Significant Learning

Learning How to LearnFoundational KnowledgeCaringHuman DimensionApplicationIntegration

Connecting ideas, people and realms

of life

Skills; creative, critical and

practical think-ing; managing

projects

Understanding and remembering infor-

mation and ideas

Developing new feelings, inter-est, and values

Learning about one-

self and others

Becoming a better stu-dent, inquiring about a sub-ject, and self-directing learners

Helpful Questions for Formulating Learning Goals & Strategies (Fink, 2003, p. 75) Foundational Knowledge

What key information is important for students to understand and remember in the future?

Application What kinds of thinking are important for students to learn here (critical,

creative, and practical thinking)? Integration

What connections should students recognize and make among ideas within this course and between this course and other courses?

Human Dimension What can our should students learn about themselves and interacting

with others? Caring

What changes would you like to see in what students care about (changes in feelings, interests, and values)?

Learning How to Learn What would you like to see your students learn about? How to engage in inquiry, construct knowledge, become a self-directed

learner?

Inquiry-Guided Learning (Lee, 2004, p.5)

“Involve me…I understand.” Characterized By:

Nurtured sense of curiosity and active learning Critical, creative, and practical thinking Guided and increasingly independent inquiry

Inquiry Continuum: Overtime, instructor guidance decreases while independent inquiry increases

This type of inquiry is key at the undergrad level Responsibility for one’s own learning Intellectual growth, development, and maturity

In this approach to learning: Students are active questioners and seek

answers to address questions, problems, and issues

Inquiry-Guided Learning (Lee, 2004, p.11)

The process involves developing the ability of students to: Formulate good questions Identify and collect appropriate evidence Present results systematically Analyze and interpret results Formulate conclusions Evaluate the worth and importance of those conclusions Identify problems Examine problems Generate possible solutions Select the best solution and provide an appropriate

justification

When should this type of learning occur? At the Ph.D level? NO, at all levels!

Inquiry-Guided Learning Cont’d Rather than teaching the results of other’s

investigations which students learn passively, instructors assist students in mastering and learning through the process of active investigation.

Strategies Include: Interactive Lecture Discussion Problem-Based Learning Case Studies Simulations Independent Study The exclusive use of traditional lecturing is NOT

consistent with inquiry-guided learning

The Limitations of Lecturing (Fink, 2003, p. 3)

“Tell me. I forget….” A long history of research indicates

lecturing has limited effectiveness in helping students: Retain information after a course is over Develop any ability to transfer knowledge

to novel situations Develop skill in thinking or problem solving Achieve affective outcomes, such as

motivation for additional learning or a change in attitude

Ideally, lecture should be combined with other modes of instruction that encourage active rather than passive learning

Social Welfare Policy Course Practice Course

Statistics Course

Course Specific Strategies for Teaching BSW Students

#2. To (re)ignite a spirit of curiosity and excitement for learning

#3. To establish a climate of inquiry, critical, creative, & practical thinking that assists in the development of social work practitioners that demonstrate a commitment to searching for solutions to societal problems

#4. To assist students in acquiring the skills of self-directed learning

Relationship of Strategy to Goals

Debate as a Strategic Tool for Teaching Social Policy (Gregory & Holloway, 2005)

1) Competency-Based Approach This approach is consistent with EPAS Explicit

Curriculum Educational Policy 2.1- Core Competencies “Competency-based education is an outcome

performance approach to curriculum design. Competencies are measurable practice behaviors that are comprised of knowledge, values, and skills. The goal of the outcome approach is to demonstrate the integration and application of competencies in practice.”

Focus is on the learning of course content Students engage merely in “surface”

learning in which minimal effort is made to achieve minimum requirements, leading to lack to analytical ability

Debate as a Strategic Tool for Teaching Social Policy Cont’d

2) Experiential & Reflective Approach Broadened conceptualization of the competency-

based approach Students become critical thinkers, use their

knowledge reflectively, and engage in “deep” learning for the purposes of gaining a real understanding of the material being studied, bringing new learning to bear on a previous knowledge base

This approach is consistent with EPAS Explicit Curriculum Educational Policy 2.1.3 Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate

professional judgments Social workers are knowledgeable about the

principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and reasoned discernment. They use critical thinking augmented by curiosity and creativity


Both approaches are consistent with: EPAS Explicit Curriculum Educational

Policy 2.1.8- Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well being and to deliver effective social work services Social work practitioners understand that policy

effects service delivery, and they actively engage in policy practice. Social workers know the history and current structures of social policies and services; they role of policy in service delivery; and the role of practice in policy development


Debate as a means of promoting the learning of social policy

Debate encourages active and engaged learning Allows students to gain policy practice skills as

well as substantive policy knowledge Empirically validated link between debating and

the development of critical thinking and argumentation skills that allow students to: Identify and challenge values and assumptions Recognize the importance of context Investigate and analyze dilemmas, conflicts,

and competing alternatives Develop reflective skepticism Develop, defend, and advocate for a particular

position Articulate a point of view in a precise manner


Debate as a means of assessing student learning of social policy

Learning Outcomes: Ability to learn actively, use reasoning and

logical judgment, and think critically Knowledge of social policy and ability to present

social policy ideas Presentation, negotiation, persuasion skills; all of

which are valuable practice skills Ability to critique alternative arguments and

address complexities, problems, dilemmas, and differences that they will contend with in practice

Demonstrate understanding of the integration of policy and practice; ability to consider the implications of a particular position for service delivery processes and outcomes



The Integration of Research into Practice Courses (Berger, 2002; Hardcastle & Bisman, 2003)

Integrating relevant research content with appropriate practice content

Rationale Intertwining research with practice, rather than

compartmentalizing them, conveys the message that the two are related

Students learn the principles of practice and methods of studying various populations (i.e., observation component)

The intent is NOT to replace one with the other, but to integrate the two

Research as Practice Methodology Model This model argues that the intent of research

knowledge and skills is to support good practice That scientific epistemology and research

methodological skills are part and parcel of practice knowledge and skills

The purpose of science in the profession is to pursue to goals of practice

The Integration of Research into Practice Courses Cont’d

This approach is consistent with EPAS Explicit Curriculum Educational Policy 2.1.6 Engage in research informed practice and practice-

informed research Social workers use practice experience to inform

research, employ evidence-based intervention, evaluate their own practice, and use research findings to improve practice, policy, and social service delivery. Social workers comprehend qualitative and quantitative research and understand scientific and ethical approaches to building knowledge

#1. To improve and enhance learning experiences by expanding the experiential dimension of student learning



Integration of a Service-Learning Component in Statistics Courses (Wells, 2006)

Underlying Assumptions of this Approach: Integration of a service-learning component into statistics courses (or

research sequence) makes statistics “real” for social work students. A central goal is to use research skills to effect some social change or to

contribute to community improvement Can strengthen classroom learning and facilitate application of

academic skills to community needs Service learning activities with a research focus can provide clear

linkages between social work research and practice Engaging students in community-based projects with real world

applications of research skills learned in class can deepen student understanding of concepts

Implementation of Service Learning Component Instructor identifies community social service agency that would like

data analysis assistance and structures class assignments around the agency’s data and a social work statistics textbook

At the end of the course, students put together a final report and present their results to the community agency in the final class session

Integration of a Service-Learning Component in Statistics Courses Cont’d Modification: utilize a simulation

(indirect/vicarious “doing” experience) of a hypothetical agency/community and secondary data in order to eliminate the ethical dilemmas and risks associated with irresponsible conduct of research Make the project agency/community-

oriented rather than agency/community-based

References

Berger, R. (2002). Teaching research in practice courses. Social Work Education, 21, 347-358.

Fink, L.D. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to designing college courses. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Gregory, M., & Holloway, M. (2005). The debate as a pedagogical tool in social policy for social work students. Social Work Education, 24, 617-637.

Knowles, M. (1978). The adult learner: A neglected species. Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing Company.

Knowles, M. (1970). The modern practice of adult education: Andragogy versus pedagogy. New York, NY: Association Press.

Hardcastle, D.A., & Bisman, C.D. (2003). Innovations in teaching social work research. Social Work Education, 22, 31-43.

Lee, V.S. (2004). Teaching and learning through inquiry: Guidebook for institutions and instructors. Sterling, VA: Stylus.

Tice, S.L., Jackson, N., Lambert, L.M., & Englot, P. (2005). University teaching: A reference guide for graduate students and faculty. Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press.

Matlock-Scisney, M., & Matlock, J. (2001). Beyond teaching to mentoring. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 85, 75-84.

Wankat, P.C. (2002). The effective, efficient professor: Teaching, scholarship, and service. Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.

Wells, M. (2006). Teaching notes: Making statistics real for social work students. Journal of Social Work Education, 42, 397-404.

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Educational philosophy and strategies for teaching bsw students