Teaching Collaboration in Social
Work Education
Gunn Strand Hutchinson
Data
• A questonnaire to 38 Social Work Schools in the
Nordic countries. 24 answered (63,2%).
• Compared with data from 78 programs in USA
(43%), 17 from Canada (50%) and 10 from Israel
(100%). These studies conducted by Laura
Bronstein, Binghamton University, USA, Terry
Mizrahi, Hunter College School of social Work,
USA, Yoss Korazim-Körösy, The college of
Management – Academic Studies and Ministry
for social Affairs, Israel & Debra McPhee, Barry
University USA.
Number of Social Work students
45
40
35
prosent
30
25
Nordic
International
20
15
10
5
0
less than 200
201-600
601+
Total student body at the university
50
45
40
35
Prosent
30
Nordic
25
International
20
15
10
5
0
less than 5000
5001-20000
20001+
Social Work studies
100
90
80
70
Prosent
60
Nordic
50
International
40
30
20
10
0
Bachelor
Master or Magister
PhD
How the institutions promote
interdisiplinary collaboration
90
80
70
Prosent
60
50
Nordic
International
40
30
20
10
0
give recognition
Realease in work load
Monetary rewards
Social Work and collaboration within
the university
Social Work and collaberation within the university
70
60
Percent
50
40
Nordic
30
International
20
10
0
Collaberating disciplines
Collaboration with students from
other disciplines in field settings
100
P
90
r
o
s 80
e
n 70
t
60
50
nordic
international
40
30
20
10
0
no collaberation
mental settings
child welfare
medical settings
schools
children & family
service
Collaboration with other diciplines in
relation to work in the community
100
90
80
70
Prosent
60
50
Nordic
International
40
30
20
10
0
Courses and seminars
Consultative assistance Writing applications for
grants
Clinical practice
Community Work
projects
Collaboration with other diciplines in
research activities in the community
90
80
70
Prosent
60
50
Nordic
International
40
30
20
10
0
Publish together
Practice evaluation
Grant writing
Consultation
Plans for developing collaboration
80
70
60
prosent
50
40
Nordic
International
30
20
10
0
Course content
Seminars together
Field practice
Dual courses
Practice based
research
Community work
projects
Findings and further work
The most interesting finding of the comparison is
more collaboration with other disciplines in
relation to work in the community and
community based research are happening in the
international schools than in the Nordic. The
international study also show that students more
often collaborate with students from other
disciplines in field practice.
This finding I will discuss in a broader context and
I plan to do a literature study and write an article.