POSTCOVID SOCIAL WORK
EDUCATION:
CHALLENGES &
OPPORTUNITIES
DR.PRINCE SOLOMON
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR &
FIELD WORK COORDINATOR
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL WORK
MADRAS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE
SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION
ATTITUDE
KNOWLEDGE
SKILL
LESSONS FROM THE PAST…….
CHARITY
WELFARE
EMPOWERMENT
SUSTAINABILITY
???????
SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION
 1950 – First Survey on Social Work by United Nations (25 in a classroom –
ideal)
 Importance of Social Work Associations
 International Associations taking the lead in Components of Social Work
education
 Contextualization was allowed in each country and according to their
needs
 Developed – Developing – Underdeveloped Countries Social Work
education was different.
 Westernization – Americanization – Britanization – Internationalization –
Globalization
 Models of Social Work – Welfare Model to New world Order Model
Where has COVID-19 left us?
Physical Distancing Vs Social Distancing
Being Safe ( Revising the Maslow's Hierarchy)
Neo – Normal
Uncertainty (Not able to see the End)
Break the Chain( Chain Breaker)
Self Quarantine (Janata Curfew)
Forced to Stay @ Home
Forced to slow down (Pause)
Regional Vs Global issues
WHAT DO YOU SEE IN THE PICTURES?
IMPACT OF GLOBALIZATION ON 7 CORE AREAS OF
SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION
60
P
E
R
C
E
N
T
A
G
E
50
40
30
20
10
0
CORE AREAS OF SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly Agree
Opportunities in Social Work Education:
Post Covid-19
Curricular aspects
Teaching learning & evaluation
Research Consultancy and extension
Infrastructure and learning resource
Student support and progression
Governance, Leadership and management
Innovations/ best practices
TEACHING – LEARNING AND EVALUATION
GLOBALIZATION AND
TEACHING SOCIAL WORK
EDUCATION
• Modern Media Vs unaccessed
resources
• Lack of academic freedom
• Alternative mode of teaching
• Increased Staff:Student ratio
• Lack of teaching staff/additional
responsibility
• Unqualified teaching staff
• Faculty competence
• Work Load & Burnout
• Motivation to teach
GLOBALIZATION AND
LEARNING SOCIAL
WORK EDUCATION
• Rural camp
• Study tour
• Field work
• Innovative method of Learning
• Teacher-Student learning
• Research & Publication
• Activities Vs Learning
• Alternative mode of learning
GLOBALIZATION AND
EVALUATION IN SOCIAL
WORK EDUCATION & OTHERS
• Culturally not prepared
• Requirement or Accountability
• Western influence
• Content oriented Vs Job oriented
• Selective global influence
• Standardization of Social Work
Global Interdependence
Social Work students need to understand how global issues affect local communities
Social Workers should be concerned about globalization around the worlds
Social Work students need to learn about globalization to work with diverse groups
Future Social Workers need to have a global perspective of their profession
Social Work educators must be informed about globalization to be relevant to
students
 Schools of Social Work should include International content across their curriculum
Globalized Social Work education
 The subject of globalization should be a required topic in all Social Work classes.
 Today's Social Work students should be fluent in more than one language.
Global Problems
 Global problems are only important for Social Work graduates in other countries
Global Concern
 Globalization is a critical concern for Social Work education.





INFRASTRUCTURE AND LEARNING RESOURCES
LIBRARY
INFRASTRUCTUR
E AND LEARNING
RESOURCES
•E-JOURNALS/BOOKS
•LIBRARY HOUR
SMART
CLASS
ROOMS
RESEARCH
LABORATO
RY
•LCD/SMART BOARDS
•WIFI ENABLED CLASSROOMS
• SEPARATE LABORATORY
•SEPARATE FACILITIES FOR
RESEARCHERS
•DIGITAL CAMERA
•DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERA
Challenges in Social Work Education: Post
COVID-19
Existing Challenges will augment and pose bigger challenges
 Curricular aspects
 Teaching learning & evaluation
 Research Consultancy and extension
 Infrastructure and learning resource
 Student support and progression
 Governance, Leadership and management
 Innovations/ best practices
Field work Curriculum
 Orientation
 Observation Visits
 Social Experience Laboratory
 Rural Camp/Tribal Camp
 Study Tour
 Concurrent Practice Learning
 Summer Placement
 Internship
 Workshops
IMPACT OF COVID-19
CONCERN FOR SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION
POSITIVE IMPACT
NEGATIVE IMPACT
• Visibility & recognition of the profession
• Access to knowledge and Sharing of
knowledge
• Building international programs
• Increased oppurtunities of travel
• More use of technology
• New research trends
• Academic exchange of resources
• Change in Nomenclature
• Increased employment oppurtunities
abroad
• Teaching -learning
• Lost Identity
• Reduced personal relationship
• Supply of manpower to corporated and
Multinationals(HRM)
• Unethical practice
• Alarming Social issues
• Unequal distribution of resouces
• unaccessable Privatized Social Work
education
CONCERN FOR SOCIAL
WORK EDUCATION
• Loosing the focus on Social Work
education
• Retaining the core values of Social
Work
• Awareness on globalization among
Social Workers
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Purposeful cross -border experience for
Social Workers
• Need for paradigm shift
Thank You for Participating in
the Webinar Lecture Series:1