Introductions
Name
Agency Represented
Your role there
First time teaching field instructor? First time with
GMU?
A positive characteristic of your favorite FI when you
were an MSW student.
Workshop Goal
Enhance and enrich the partnership between
the university field education program and
community-based agencies toward producing
competent, conscientious and compassionate
social work professionals.
Workshop Objectives
Participants will:
Understand the philosophy and purpose of the field practicum
experience in the context of social work education.
Explore the tools needed to direct high-impact learning experiences
of social work students (e.g. critical thinking and ethical decision
making).
Understand Council on Social Work Education (CSWE)
competencies and how to translate these into experiential learning
activities.
Workshop Objectives
(cont.)
Learn techniques and strategies to strengthen the agencybased field program.
Understand the layers of university support and how to
utilize university resources to prevent and address field
issues.
Examine the field experience from beginning to end in
terms of student, school and agency roles.
Value the role field education plays in defining the quality
and nature of our profession.
Agenda
Overview of Social Work at GMU
The Field Philosophy
Field Training
Cultural Competence
Who’s Who - roles and responsibilities
Agenda
Documentation, Forms and the ipt system
(software/technology)
The Field Practicum from Beginning to End
The Application, Matching and Referral process
Supervision - Clinical, Legal and Ethical Factors
Trouble-shooting and Problem Resolution
Evaluation and Transition
Overview of Social Work
at GMU
Characteristics we Hope to Cultivate in Students and
Future SW Colleagues:
Strong identity as a social worker (versus a “role” or
“job”)
Social work core values-driven practice
Ability to problem solve and think critically and
creatively
Social workers with initiative, collaborative skills, and
the ability to integrate various contexts in any given
situation
SW at GMU:
How we get them there
BSW (junior and senior years)
MSW Foundation
MSW Concentration
Generalist Practice
Foundation
BSW
Introduction to Social Work
Interpersonal Communication
Methods of Intervention (individuals, groups, families,
communities)
Human Behavior (life course and macro systems)
Social Policy, Social Justice, and Policy Analysis/Advocacy
Research & Statistics
Senior year: 450 hours in the field
Generalist Practice
Foundation
MSW Foundation Year
Communication and Technology for SW Practice
Direct Social Work Practice
Human Behavior & Social Systems
Social Policies, Programs, and Services and Social
Policy Advocacy
Research Methods
Foundation year: 450 hours in the field
MSW Concentration:
Clinical Practice
Core:
Advanced Clinical Practice
Community-Centered Clinical Practice
Psychopathology
Advanced Research in SW
MSW Concentration:
Clinical Practice (cont.)
Advanced Clinical Practice & Policy:
Forensic SW Practice
Family Therapy
Trauma and Recovery
Military Social Work
Substance Abuse Interventions
Clinical Practice with Older Adults
Immigration Policy
Social Policy for Children and Youth
Aging Programs and Policies
Electives
Clinical Practicum: 600 hours in the field
MSW Concentration:
Social Change
Core:
Social Work and the Law
Organizational Leadership for Social Workers
Empowering Communities for Change
Advanced Research in SW
MSW Concentration:
Social Change (cont.)
Advanced Policy Courses:
Immigration Policy
Social Policy for Children and Youth
Aging Programs and Policies
Electives
Social Change Practicum: 600 hours in the field
The Field Philosophy
Field Instruction as an Investment
in the student
in the agency
in the profession
Field Instruction as Community Service
giving back
passing the torch to the “next generation”
Field Instruction as Professional Growth
Field Training
Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) Guidelines
Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS,
2008)
Educational Policy 2.3 Signature Pedagogy: Field
Education:
“Signature pedagogy represents the forms of instruction and
learning in which a profession socializes its students to
perform the role of practitioner…in social work, the
signature pedagogy is field education.”
CSWE Competencies
CSWE Competencies (At all program levels – BSW and
MSW)
1. Identify with the social work profession and behave
professionally.
2. Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional
practice.
3. Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate
professional judgments.
4. Engage diversity and difference in practice
5. Promote human rights and social justice.
CSWE Competencies
(cont.)
6.
Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed
research.
7.
Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment.
8.
Engage in policy practice to deliver effective social work services.
9.
Respond to and shape an ever-changing professional context.
10. Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families,
groups, organizations and communities.
Cultural Competence – Working with
People who have been Marginalized
Encourage cultural competence in training and supervision
Be mindful of cultural aspects of the organization or agency, service delivery
and within the supervisory relationship
age
SES/educational background
gender
ethnicity/race
religion
sexual nature
others
Field-based Learning
across the Curricula
BSW Junior Year Human Service
Experience Requirements
60 hours in human service
context
BSW (Senior Year) and Foundation
(1st year) MSW
MSW (2nd year) Concentration year
Clinical AFI must be 3
years post masters (all
other practicum levels
require AFI to be 2 years
post masters)
300 hours per semester*
Parallel curricula
BSW- 225 hours per
semester*
MSW 1st year - 225 hours
per semester*
* minimum requirement and does
not include time required to attend
field seminars
Who’s Who - Roles and
Responsibilities
Field Director
Associate Field Director
Field Coordinator
Faculty Field Liaisons
Agency Field Instructors
Task Supervisors
Task Supervisors
MSW or Non-MSW field supervisors
assigned by the Agency Field Instructor to provide
specialized instruction
reports to the Agency Field Instructor regularly
regarding all matters related to the student’s
performance
Agency Field Instructor maintains primary legal and
supervisory responsibility for the student and related
documentation
Documentation
All forms are found in the Field Manual, available
online at:
http://chhs.gmu.edu/sw/fieldeducation
Format of documents may change to better reflect
curriculum goals and professional competencies
Ipt system – Intern Placement Tracking
http://www.runiptca.com/web/login.php
Documentation
(continued)
Weekly Journals
components:
Summary of field activities
Highlights and Challenges
Competencies demonstrated
Ethics / Values Issues
What would improve your learning; Learning objectives for next week
Used to document professional growth and skill
Process Recordings (2 per semester or more)
development
Documentation
(continued)
Time Log of Field Hours
should be submitted and signed weekly –
helps to identify if the student is on-track for completing
requirements on schedule
Are there excessive absences?
Do activities reflect goals outlined in the learning agreement?
Do activities match what the student should be doing at that point in
the semester?
Is supervision happening regularly
RISK MANAGMENT
Learning Agreement
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
Placement Process:
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
The Interview
Identification of appropriate candidates
agency or student may decline opportunity for interview
Interview Strategy: Use of vignettes
best and worst case scenarios
information about skills and weaknesses
issues that may interfere with service delivery
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
The Interview – (cont.)
Interview Strategy: Review background
to match student to activities
to guide orientation and supervision
Interview Strategy: Introduction to
organizational structure and agency functions
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
Making the Offer:
Adapting employee policies
Background checks, drug testing, medical clearance, etc
Identifying an agency field coordinator
Functions as primary contact to GMU Field Program
Secure Offer for Internship
Is ALWAYS the agency’s decision to accept/fail to accept a student
Student follows up by completing electronic confirmation form and provides
significant information regarding placement location and field instructor
contact information
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
Issue: Employment with/by Internship Setting – Generally not
permitted
Petition for employment must be submitted AND approved
before credit can be obtained for practicum
Never offer students employment in the middle of the
practicum
this drastically changes their status with the agency and the
practicum component of the Department of Social Work
consider a stipend as an alternative
any changes in the student’s status must be reviewed by the Field
Liaison and Field Director
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
Supervision
Required - 1 hour of clinical and/or administrative supervision weekly by the Agency Field
Instructor (MSW) with access to AFI or preceptor daily
plan for AFI/task supervisor availability (i.e., vacations)
Frequent and regular communication with task supervisor
critical for evaluation and problem-solving
Preparation for supervision
use agendas, learning agreements and journals
Accountability
document, document, document
Mandating student accountability for hours, assignments, quality/ethically based work
Legal issues: Vicarious Liability & Risk Management
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
Trouble-shooting and Problem
Resolution
Student or Agency Field
Instructor may initiate this
process
Step One: monitor and
document problem areas
verbally address with the student
establish plan for improvement
explore clinical and ethical concerns
consider a “Memo of Concern”
Step Two: contact Field
Liaison for a meeting
Corrective Action Plan form
evaluation of progress toward
problem resolution
Step Three: contact Field
Director
evaluation for further intervention or
field practicum termination or change
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
Evaluation and Transition
Evaluation should be a continuous process
evaluation competencies should be reviewed in the beginning
there should be no “surprises” on the evaluation form
forms should be ACCURATELY reflect student competencies
relative to level in the training program by semester
“grade” or reluctance to put information “on the record” should not
interfere with ratings or narrative
students evaluate practicum experience and Agency Field Instructor
as feedback to University and Field Education Program
Field Practicum from
Beginning to End
Transition
begin early to prepare the student for transition with
clients, the agency and “role” as student
“endings as beginnings”
A Final Thought
Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy,
it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are,
the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be
at the rghit pclae.
The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it
wouthit porbelm.
Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter
by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe.
A few more?....
A vheclie epxledod at a plocie cehckipont near the
UN haduqertares in Bagahdd on Mnoday kilinlg the
bmober and an Irqai polcie offceir
Big ccunoil tax ineesacrs tihs yaer hvae seezueqd
the inmcoes of mnay pneosenirs
A dootcr has aimttded the magltheuansr of a
tageene ceacnr pintaet who deid aetfr a hatospil
durg blender
Documentation (continued)
The Learning Agreement
a “contract” for the semester
tool to identify core competencies (BSW, MSW)
2nd semester - should reflect increased autonomy and responsibility
used to evaluate progress and problems
micro, mezzo and macro activities as appropriate
protects the student, the agency and the school
an addendum can be submitted at any time to reflect changes to activities
Documentation (continued)
The Learning Agreement (continued)
S.M.A.R.T. Goals
Specific
Measurable
Achievable/Accountability
Realistic & Relevant
Timeline
Documentation (continued)
What Students Need to Submit to the Field Program
Learning Agreement
column (1) of LA/Eval document
approximately 3rd week of semester (to be kept in file at school)
Midterm
column (2) of LA/Eval document; the mid-term evaluation, reviewed with the
student (and task supervisor, if appropriate) and signed by the AFI and
student
journal entries for the first half of semester should be completed in IPT
time logs for first half of semester should be completed in IPT
Documentation (continued)
Evaluation Forms
includes both numerical ratings and narratives
the evaluation comprises 30% of the total grade at final
items reflect CSWE identified competencies
midterm evaluations should reflect the student’s progress toward
competencies - excessive “5” ratings at midterm raise the question
of the quality of experience for the second half of the semester,
i.e., what are students gaining from the rest of practicum?
A pattern of excessive “1” ratings reflects significant
underperformance
Essentially…
Students should be evaluated on how they are
performing AT THEIR LEVEL, i.e., a first
semester BSW student, second semester
concentration MSW, etc. & over the semester
time period.
problem areas and strengths should be clearly
documented