SOCIAL WORK DISTANCE EDUCATION CONFERENCE

APRIL 15, 2015

BETSY L. WISNERKARINA E. GIL

W O R D E N S C H O O L O F S O C I A L S E R V I C E O U R L A D Y O F T H E L A K E U N I V E R S I T Y

S A N A N T O N I O , T E X A S

Using Feminist Theory to Stimulate Critical Reflection

and Multicultural Competence

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Preview

Presentation of important Concepts: Reflective practice, critical social work,

intersectionality and social justice Feminist and multicultural competence theories

Examples of instructional strategies and online assignments useful for incorporating Feminist theory and multicultural approaches into online social work courses

Ideas for overcoming potential limitations of these instructional strategies and assignments.

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REFLECTIVE PRACTICE

Social Work EducationPrepares students for reflective social work

practice Social Work Distance EducationOffer students opportunities to engage in

critical reflectionContent on critical social work theories

promotes reflective practice.

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CRITICAL SOCIAL WORK

Incorporates practice theories that recognize intersectionality Gender SES Race LGBTQI Advocates social justice of underserved and

marginalized populationsHealy (2001).

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FEMINISMS

Consist of diverse and fragmented approaches Have contemporary relevance to social work

practiceIncorporates differences and inequalities

(e.g.., gender, ethnic, racial, age, LGBTQI) Recognizes oppression

Role of power of dominant narrative in creating differences and inequalities

Subjugation of voices of those marginalized Dominelli (2001).

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MULTICULTURALISM

Respect for various culturesInvestigation of various culturesPromotes understanding oneself within the

context of multiple culturesConnerley & Pederson (2005).

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Multicultural Framework

Cultural awareness Promotes accurate interpretation of context and situation (Lum,

2011) Requires openness and objective observation of the environment

and the situation (Sue, 2001)

Knowledge acquisition Sets of practical principles (Lum, 2011) Moves beyond awareness toward effective and appropriate change

(Sue, 2001)

Skill development Application of practice principles of engagement, assessment,

intervention, and evaluation (Lum, 2011) Builds awareness and applies knowledge of effective change (Sue,

2001).

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FEMINISMS AND MULTICULTURALISM

ExampleChicana/o psychology

highlights the importance of recognizing critical aspects of feminisms

incorporates a multicultural perspective

Arellano & Ayala-Alcantar (2004).

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Feminist Theory and Multicultural Approaches Online Social Work Course Examples

Rationale for incorporating critical social work into online education

Examples of Instructional Strategies and Online Assignments Vignettes and Discussion Posts via VoiceThread Group Presentations Personal Theoretical Exploration.

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Critical Social Work Assignments

Help students improve critical thinking skillsHelp students internalize the knowledge,

values, and skills needed for effective critical practice

Increases student to student and instructor to student interaction

Allows students to take responsibility for their own learning

Garrison (2003); Gonzalez & Sujo deMontes (2001); Gresh & Mrozwoski (2000); Randolf & Krause (2002); Rontelap & Eurelins (2002).

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Discussion Post Vignette - The Session(Adapted from Thomas and Inkson, 2009)

A newly licensed social worker begins work with a man who identifies as Malaysian. He explains that he is experiencing low energy and poor concentration.

In their first interview, the man is very quiet and withdrawn. The social worker respects silence in counseling sessions so that clients may reflect and analyze. However, she wonders why the client does not seem to want to communicate at all. The social worker takes time to try to educate him about the nature of the counseling process.

The client does not seek any further counseling and the social worker is disappointed.

 

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Discussion Post Questions

1. Students read the vignette and post a main response via VoiceThread based on the following questions:

From a multicultural perspective, how may the client have understood or viewed the counseling situation and the role of the social worker?

From a multicultural perspective, how may the worker have understood and viewed the counseling situation and the role of the client?

Were the expectations culturally aligned? Using a critical feminist multicultural approach, what could the

social worker have done differently?

2. Students respond via VoiceThread to two classmates with comments, questions and information that helps to illustrate understanding of the context of the vignette within the frameworks.

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Group Presentation

Scenarios Students choose a prepared scenario Example: 12 year old Guatemalan girl experiencing insomnia and

anxiety-seen by school social worker Our scenarios reflect our MSW concentration emphasis on

Hispanic children and familiesChoose theories

Students collaborate to choose theories to incorporate in their “work” with the clients in the scenario

Students provide the rationale for choosing particular theories to incorporate in their “work” with the clients

Present PPTStudents collaborate to present the PPT presentation highlighting their

ideas for incorporating critical theories into their work with the clients.

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Theory to Practice Assignment

Graphic Mindomo mind mapping software http:www.mindomo.com

Paper Incorporate critical theories into practice

VoiceThread Discussion Forum Discuss theoretical base with peers and

Instructor.

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Personal Theoretical Graphic

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Overcoming Potential Limitations

Resistance to learning about theories Provide multiple and diverse ways of learning

Misunderstanding feminisms and multiculturalism Incorporate basic concepts of culture Discuss the differences and commonalities among diversity,

cultural competence and multicultural competenceEurocentric Bias

Incorporate information about cultural dimensions Incorporate diverse models of practice Incorporate diverse definitions of feminism.

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References

Arellano, L.M., & Ayala-Alcantar, C. (2004). Handbook of Chicana/o Psychology and Mental Health. In R.J. Velasquez, L. M. Arellano, & B. McNeill (Eds.), Multiracial feminism for Chicana/o psychology (pp.215-230). Manwah,

NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum & Associates. Connerly, A., & Pederson, P. (2005). Leadership in diverse and multicultural environment. Developing

awareness, knowledge, and skills. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Dominelli, L., & Campling, J. (2002). Feminist social work theory and practice. Basingstoke: Palgrave. Garrison, D., R. (2003). Self-directed learning and distance education. In. M.G. Moore & W. G.

Anderson (Eds.), Handbook of Distance Education (pp. 161 – 168), Mahway, NJ: Earlbaum. Gresh, K., & Mrozwoski, S. (2000, 10/10, 2000). Faculty/student interaction at a distance: Seeking

balance. Paper presented at Educause, Nashville, TN. Gonzalez, C. L. & Sujo de Montes, L. (2001). Effective practices in distance education. Computers in

the School, 8 (2/3), 61 – 77. Healy, K. (2001). Reinventing critical social work: Challenges from practice, context and

postmodernism. Critical Social Work, 2(1), 1-13. Lum, D. (Ed.) (2011). Culturally competent practice: A framework for understanding diverse groups

and justice issues. (4th Ed.) Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole Cengage Learning. Oterholm, I. (2009). Online critical reflection in social work education. European Journal of Social

Work, 12(3), 363-375. Randolph, K., & Krause, D. (2002). Mutual aid in the classroom: An instructional technology

application. Journal of Technology in Human Services, 38(2), 259 – 271. Rontelap, F., & Eurelings, A. (2002). Activity and interaction of students in an electronic learning

environment for problem-based learning. Distance Education, 23(1), 11 – 22. Sue, D. W. (2001). Multicultural facets of cultural competence. The Counseling Psychologist, 29(6),

790-821. Thomas, D. C. & Inkson, K. (2009) Cultural intelligence, living and working globally (2nd ed.). San

Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc.

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Contact Information

Betsy L. WisnerAssistant Professor

blwisner@ollusa.edu

Karina E. GilAssistant Professor

kegil@lake.ollusa.edu

Our Lady of the Lake University411 SW 24th St.

San Antonio, Texas