Northern Arizona University Social Work Field Practicum
BSW Learning Contract and Evaluation Measures Guide
Assessing Student Performance in Field Education:
As the signature pedagogy of social work education, assessing student performance in
field is a critical component of individual field student and program assessment. The
intent of field education is to connect theoretical and conceptual contributions of the
classroom with the practical world of the practice setting. The Council on Social Work
Education has set forth 10 Core Competencies that field students must understand and
demonstrate. These core competencies are “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 the competencies in practice with individuals, families,
groups, organizations and communities”. (Educational Policies and Accreditation
Standards, Council on Social Work Education, Inc., 2008, 2012)
Competency # 1 Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself
accordingly. Social Workers serve as representatives of the profession, its mission, and
its core values. They know the profession’s history. Social Workers commit themselves to
the profession’s enhancement and to their own professional conduct and growth.
(Educational Policy 2.1.1)
Advocates for client access to services
Practices personal reflection and self-correction to assure continual
professional development
Attends to professional roles and boundaries
Demonstrates professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and
communication.
Engage in opportunities that set the stage for career- long learning.
Engages in supervision and consultation to enhance professional
performance.
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #1
Advocacy
Develop knowledge related to advocacy skills as a social worker
Become knowledgeable about services in the community and criteria for access.
Determine commonly used resources for clients and most effective referral
process.
Assisting clients in applying for and receiving services
Attend community or agency planning meetings that focus on service gaps and
restrictive eligibility criteria.
Work on a team that is developing new programs or grant proposals designed to
expand service delivery.
Accompany clients to other agencies and observe how other agencies treat clients
and respond to their needs.
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Personal reflection and self- correction
Keep a log of issues you prepared beforehand to discuss with the Field Instructor
at the weekly supervision meeting.
Use weekly journal to reflect on professional development and challenges; discuss
in supervision.
Participate in supervision to actively seek feedback on your capacity and
skills in relating to clients and in carrying out interventions.
Incorporate feedback received in supervision into daily practice.
Utilize peer and group supervision at your agency; solicit feedback re: cases and
other’s professional observations of you.
Attends to professional roles and boundaries
Attend Staff Meetings
Discuss boundary issues that are particular to clients within your agency with
your field instructor.
Read the agencies policies regarding confidentiality. Observe how policies are
implemented within the agency.
Discuss appropriate roles and boundaries of a student intern; practice these
behaviors.
Review and discuss NASW Code of Ethics standards on boundaries and dual
relationships, and professional behavior and discuss in supervision.
Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and
communication.
Student will meet all the agency requirements for attendance, submission of
documentation/reports by required deadlines, and will meet the dress code of the
agency.
Student will give full attention to field placement activities during field hours.
Student will engage in respectful oral and written communication with field
instructor, field liaison, colleagues, and clients in adherence with the NASW Code
of Ethics.
Student will ask for feedback on professional behavior in supervision sessions.
Engage in opportunities that set the stage for career-long learning
Participate with field instructor in developing and writing up learning agreement.
Attend professional workshops, seminars, and lectures in the community using
field placement time.
Read a scholarly article weekly and discuss in supervision.
Attend agency trainings and professional development activities.
Join/participate in local/national professional organizations (e.g., NASW.
NABSW, and Federation of Student Social Workers).
Engages in supervision and consultation to enhance professional performance.
Attend weekly supervision meetings; prepare topics to discuss with supervisor.
Consult with agency staff when appropriate to discuss work related issues.
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Competency #2 Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional
practice. Social Workers have an obligation to conduct themselves ethically and
to engage in ethical decision-making. Social Workers are knowledgeable about
the value base of the profession, its ethical standards, and relevant law.
(Educational Policy 2.1.2)
Demonstrates an awareness of own personal values
Demonstrates an awareness of professional values
Applies social work ethical values and principles
Articulates personal values that have been challenged and how they may
conflict with professional value
Identifies ethical dilemmas and uses an appropriate process to reach an
ethical decision
Tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts
Demonstrates honesty and integrity in practice
Follows agency confidentiality guidelines
Practices with informed consent from clients
Apprises supervisor of any conflicts of interest
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #2
Ethical Issues, Personal/Professional Values
Recognize the differences between a personal response to a client and a
professional response during an interaction with a client, and provide the rationale
for your professional response.
Identify personal values and become knowledgeable about the NASW Code of
Ethics and how it guides practice.
Articulate to field instructor ways in which you use professional values to guide
practice. Discuss times when personal values or position may be in conflict.
Journal about a significant personal/ professional value-conflict that arises.
Demonstrate actions that protect client interests.
Discuss an ethical dilemma that is presented by the field instructor or taken from a
case study.
Chose an interaction or situation with a client, which requires you to ground an
action with a client in the NASW Code of Ethics and provide a rationale for your
behavior.
Identify agency and client ethical dilemmas that may be caused by funding cuts;
discuss with supervisor.
Discuss ethics with agency professionals and how they face ethics in practice.
Read professional journal articles as they pertain to values and ethics in practice.
Complete agency diversity training course and discuss how personal values could
conflict with a client’s values and how intern is dealing with that.
Draw on principals of client self-determination and discuss how this relates to
current clients they are working with.
Use supervision and process recordings to reflect on communication styles,
values, and biases.
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Competency #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 creativity and curiosity. Critical thinking also requires the
synthesis and communication of relevant information. (Educational policy 2.1.3)
Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of
knowledge, including research-based knowledge, and practice wisdom.
Analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention and evaluation.
Demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with
individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities and
colleagues.
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #3
Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge
Review scholarly journals/articles/videos/books, and select those that
apply to the internship setting and increase knowledge.
Read agency/organization newsletters and reports to improve knowledge
and practice wisdom.
Student to discuss what is being learned in the classroom related to
research based knowledge as a basis for interventions.
Student will use multiple sources of knowledge (i.e. classroom learning,
Field Orientation information, NASW Code of Ethics, Service Learning
experiences, consultation, etc.) to make sound principled decisions, and to
guide actions steps related to field placement.
Interview members of a treatment team/professional staff for varying
perspectives.
Analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention and evaluation.
Student to identify/analyze strengths and limitations of your agency’s
models of assessment, prevention, intervention and evaluation.
Student to identify theoretical construct for models of assessment,
prevention, intervention and evaluation.
Review models to determine effectiveness with specific age
groups/populations.
Participate in and observe case staffing, review values, goals, outcomes,
dynamics, and team effectiveness in strengths-based interventions and
planning.
Interview stakeholders to evaluate program effectiveness; create interview
questions, interview at least 5-10 consumers/clients, submit written report
to Field Instructor, to include recommendations for improvements, and /or
internal policy changes.
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Conduct a needs assessment with an agency client system and identify one
unmet need that takes into consideration all relevant diversity/cultural
issues. Present your assessment to your Field Instructor.
Select a micro-level client system and describe how a utilized intervention
was tailored to the client’s experience with poverty, powerlessness, and
alienation. Discuss the intervention with your Field Instructor.
Submit and discuss Process Recordings. Discuss your assessment,
interventions.
Demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with
individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities and
colleagues.
Write accurate, comprehensive client intakes/ assessments.
Review case documentation/intakes/assessments with supervisor and
discuss strengths and area for work.
Have your Field Instructor/Task Instructor observe interactions with
clients, groups, families and communities and provide constructive
feedback.
Present a workshop to agency staff on topic of interest/relevance to
staff/agency work. Solicit feedback on communication skills from
attendees via an evaluation form or informal discussion
Discuss client Process Recordings with Field Instructor to review/assess
oral and written communication skills.
Discuss a complex case in individual or team supervision.
Create an opportunity to do oral presentations
Lead/Co- lead a group activity/discussion
Lead/Co-lead a community event/presentation
Discuss follow-up phone calls and written communications to clients in
supervision.
Prepare materials/newsletters for distribution to clients/stakeholders.
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Competency #4 Engage diversity and difference in practice.
Social Workers understand how diversity characterizes and shapes the human experience
and is critical to the formation of identity. The dimensions of diversity are understood as
the intersectionality of multiple factors including age, color, culture, disability, ethnicity,
gender identity and expression, immigration status, political ideology, race, religion, sex,
and sexual orientation. Social Workers appreciate that, as a consequence of difference, a
person’s life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and
alienation as well as privilege, power and acclaim. (Educational Policy 2.1.4)
Recognize the extent to which a culture’s structure and values may oppress,
marginalize, alienate, create or enhance privilege and power.
Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases and
values in working with diverse groups.
Recognized and communicate understanding of the importance of difference in
shaping life experiences.
Views self as a learner and engage those with whom they work as informants.
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #4
Relate your own previous experiences with diversity to agency assignments
Identify strengths of diverse population served by the agency and build upon
those strengths in case planning.
Visit religious or cultural organizations for diverse populations
Ask to work with a client whose culture, age, religion, sexual orientation, class,
disability, ethnicity, family structure etc. is different from your own.
Identify the informal service network used by the oppressed populations to meet
their needs.
Walk through the neighborhoods where your clients live
Look critically at your agency’s reception area. Are the books, brochures, and art,
magazines that reflect the population served? Are there workers who speak the
language of the population served? Are there translators or interpreters available?
Use supervision to identify and explore issues in cultural competency
Attend agency cultural competency training
Research cultures (traditions, values, religions, ad family structures) of clients,
groups, or communities to better understand them.
Develop community resource list that serves client population
Prepare a program that meets the needs of a specific cultural group
Work with at least two assigned diverse individuals, families, groups or
communities served by the agency.
Conduct a cultural competency assessment of the placement agency with
reference to NASW standards and Indicators for Cultural Competency.
Interview colleagues/community members from diverse cultural backgrounds
Use supervision/journals to discuss the effects of oppression on specific client
groups
Use supervision/journals to discuss the impact of social and economic issues that
clients face
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Competency # 5 Advances human rights and social and economic justice. Each
person has basic human rights, such as freedom, safety, privacy an adequate standard of
living, health care, and education. Social workers recognize the global interconnections
of oppression and are knowledgeable about theories of justice and strategies to promote
human and civil rights. They incorporate social justice practices in organizations,
institutions and society to ensure that these basic human rights are distributed equitably
and without prejudice. (Educational Policy 2.15)
Understand the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination;
Advocate for human rights and social and economic justice.
Engage in practices that advance social and economic justice.
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #5
Work with agency client committee to develop client advocacy project
Advocate for resources for client in need
Participate in NASW Legislative Days in Phoenix
Attend City Council meetings that relate to issues of human rights and social and
economic justice.
Identify barriers that clients face when accessing services
Identify gaps in existing services and advocate for client group
Join and participate in local/national professional organizations such as NASW,
Faith in Action, NAACP. etc.
Read research articles that address social and economic issues that pertain to
client populations served and discuss in supervision/journal.
Attend local/community meetings that address service gaps for clients and work
towards issues of social justice. (Flagstaff Continuum of Care, Coalition for
Children- ask field supervisor to identify appropriate groups in your community.
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Competency # 6 Engage in research- informed practice and practice informed
research. Social Workers use practice experience to inform research, employ evidencedbased interventions, evaluate their own practice, and use research findings to improve
practice, policy, and social service delivery. They comprehend quantitative and
qualitative research and understand scientific and ethical approaches to building
knowledge. ( Educational Policy 2.16
Use practice experience to inform scientific inquiry
Use Research to inform practice
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #6
Locate and read two professional peer reviewed journal articles on a client or
agency issue, share in supervision.
Develop a survey/needs assessment
Create, distribute, compile, and analyze a client satisfaction survey
Research relevant policies on services provided by your agency/community issues
Develop an intervention plan using an evidence-based process
Meet with agency personnel who are responsible for research and outcome
measurement.
Develop a design to measure practice outcomes.
Address evidence-based practice questions with field supervisor/task instructors.
Discuss concerns re: skills, practice techniques and professionalism in
supervision.
Participate in assessment and evaluation of client’s progress, satisfaction with
services.
Familiarize self with agency evaluation protocols and standards.
Critically analyze data and be aware of personal bias
Raise questions for practice based on research and/or empirical observation
Interview other social work staff to explore their use of practice research and how
they may apply research findings to their practice agency.
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Competency #7 Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment:
Social Workers are knowledgeable about human behavior across the life course: the
range of social systems in which people live; and the ways social systems promote or
deter people in maintaining or achieving health and well-being. Social Workers apply
theories and knowledge from the liberal arts to understand biological, social, cultural,
psychological, and spiritual development. ( Educational Policy 2.17)
Utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the process of assessment,
intervention, and evaluation.
Critique and apply knowledge to understand person and environment.
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #7
Discuss theories and frameworks of assessment, intervention and
evaluation related to one client in formal assessment assignment.
Identify the theory or conceptual framework used to work with clients in
your agency setting and discuss with Field Instructor/Task Instructor
Conduct assessments and intakes and assist in developing case plans,
making referrals, and conducting interventions.
Understand what the purposes are for assessment tools
Apply ecological perspective in data collection, assessments, planning and
implementation and discuss in journal.
Consult supervisor about use of theoretical models in agency work
Use eco-maps, genograms, and similar tools to facilitate assessment and
intervention goals for assigned clients.
Read additional materials provided by the agency to supplement
classroom knowledge.
Visit places that will increase understanding of client’s social systems
Conduct home visits to increase understanding of client’s social systems
Apply various theoretical approaches in client work and discuss
effectiveness with supervisor.
Utilize knowledge of developmental theory in working with
children/adolescents.
Apply Person-In-Environment theory to work with all client systems
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Competency #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 affects service delivery, and they actively engage in policy practice. Social
Workers know the history and current structures of social policies and services: the role
of policy in service delivery; and the role of practice in policy development.
(Educational Policy 2.18)
Analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social
well-being
Collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective policy action.
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #8
Participate in professional policy activities that enhance understanding of target
population and community as a whole.
Use supervision to identify and assess policy issues affecting clients
Read the agency policy handbook and understand the effects of various policies
on clients and the delivery of services.
Participate in opportunities for letter writing on issues of agency clients such as
elderly, children, immigrants etc..
Participate in problem solving sessions when increased needs demand policy
changes.
Propose a policy initiative for the agency
Follow the implementation of a policy initiative
Report on a policy issue to staff
Write to a legislator to address a policy that is socially unjust and reflect on this
experience in my journal, supervision and seminars.
Attend an Agency Board meeting where policy issues/changes are addressed
Attend SW Day at the Legislature
Review service eligibility policies and analyze and critique the impact of those
policies on clients/potential client
Attend a City Council meeting
Attend the Flagstaff Continuum of Care Meetings
Track and analyze a local, regional, state, or national news story relevant to policy
issues that affect agency clients and present at a staff meeting.
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Competency #9 Respond to contexts that shape practice: Social workers are informed,
resourceful, and proactive in responding to evolving organizational, community, and
societal contexts at all levels of practice. Social Workers recognize that the context of
practice is dynamic, and use knowledge and skill to respond proactively.
( Educational Policy 2.19)
Continuously discover, appraise, and attend to locales, populations, scientific and
technological developments, and emerging societal trends to provide relevant
services.
Provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes in service delivery and
practice to improve the quality of social services.
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #9
Participate in a community assessment
Participate or attend community coalition meetings
Participate in problem-solving sessions when increased needs demand
policy or programmatic changes
Develop a proposal for a new agency program
Develop specialized knowledge as it pertains to the clients served by the
agency, i.e. veterans, elderly, dying, children in foster care etc..
Familiarize self with agencies, programs, and community resources and
determine how clients might access those services
Attend trainings or in-service education sessions on how differences shape
the way each of us lives our lives.
Organize a community event to create awareness of social services: client
resources
Develop or revise community resource guide
Meet with Agency leaders (director and/or board chair) to find out what
they use to ensure the agency mission is being fulfilled and relevant
services are being provided.
Become involved in fundraising for your agency and develop knowledge
on how this is operationalized.
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Competency #10 Engage, assess, intervene and evaluate with individuals, families,
groups organizations and communities: Professional practice involves the dynamic
and interactive processes of engagement, assessment, intervention, and evaluation at
multiple levels. Social Workers have the knowledge and skills to practice with
individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities. Practice knowledge
includes identifying, analyzing, and implementing evidence-based interventions designed
to achieve client goals; using research and technological advances; evaluating program
outcomes and practice effectiveness; developing analyzing, advocating and providing
leadership for policies and services; and promoting social and economic justice.
(Educational Policy 2.1.10)
Engagement:
Substantively and affectively prepare for action with individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and communities
Use empathy and other interpersonal skills
Develop a mutually agreed-on focus of work and desired outcomes.
Assessment:
Collect, organize and interpret client data
Assess client strengths and limitations
Develop mutually agreed- on intervention goals and objectives
Select appropriate intervention strategies
Intervention:
Initiate actions to achieve organizational goals
Implement prevention interventions that enhance client capacities
Help clients resolve problems
Negotiate, mediate, and advocate for clients
Facilitate transitions and endings
Evaluation:
Critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate intervention
Sample Field Practice Activities to Develop and Demonstrate Competency #10
Engagement:
Read case files and other pertinent information to prepare for engagement
(first meetings) with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and
communities.
Discuss plans for establishing the client relationship with supervisor
Shadow social workers in your agency to prepare for client interaction
Use communication skills gained in Practice classes when engaging with
clients such as: reflective listening, empathy, open-ended questions,
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content clarification, seeking feedback, and appropriate confrontation and
problem solving.
Develop trust and rapport with client systems to increase comfort level
and enhance their willingness to share thoughts, concerns, and feelings.
Employ caring behaviors and genuiness with clients colleagues, and
supervisors using active listening, empathic responses and behaviors,
patience and appropriate language and positive attitudes.
Utilize a strengths based approach to client work
Assist in building collaborative relationships between the agency and
other agencies in the community.
Work with client systems to identify common ground for the focus of
work and write the goals, objectives and desired outcomes in the client’s
own words.
Engage new group members in the group process by clearly articulating
the goals of the group and soliciting feedback from members.
Design an activity to engage group members in the group process
Discuss successes and challenges with client engagement in supervision
and in your journals.
Assessment:
Demonstrate an ability to gather relevant date in an organized manner; be
aware of and utilize standardized measurement and diagnostic tools;
generate recommendations to client systems based on information
gathered.
Use knowledge learned in the classroom and tools used in the Agency to
demonstrate competence in conducting an Assessment for an identified
client.
Be observed by field instructor/task instructor when conducting formal
and informal assessments on clients. Incorporate feedback and verify that
competency has been achieved.
Demonstrate an ability to fully assess and verbalize strengths and
limitations with client system.
Be able to competently perform the skills of asking open-ended questions,
seeking clarification, reflecting content and feelings, partializing problems
and going beyond what is said. Use Process Recording assignments as
evidence of ability.
Use a number of methods to gather data and assess, including: client
interviews, observations, record review, home visits, and reports of other
colleagues, or professionals involved with the client system
Develop a written assessment plan
Do an ecomap as part of an assessment
Intervention:
Use evidence-based interventions to develop plans
Participate in appropriate goal setting with client
Implement asset building interventions
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Develop a group session(s) to meet identified goals of clients served
Develop and implement a community project
Discuss intervention strategies in team meetings
Participate in collaborative meetings to develop plan of action
Address potential barriers to success in intervention
Continually review goals and objectives with client to monitor progress
Discuss intervention plans with supervisor in weekly meetings; assess
whether the intervention strategies are reasonable, likely to reach the
client’s goal, and within the agency’s scope of practice.
Discuss intervention strategies in field seminar
Advocate for clients in need of community services
Facilitate referral process of client to another agency, when appropriate
Lead/Co-lead a support group or psycho-educational group
Empower clients to identify and work on specific, achievable goals within
a designated time frame.
Review client progress throughout termination phase; prepare client for
final sessions/meetings
Follow-up with clients (as appropriate) to determine sustained recovery
efforts and success related to determined goals.
Evaluation
Develop and implement a practice evaluation that measures goal
achievement.
Evaluate assessments/data collection and intervention practices during
supervision
Review client files to determine progress towards agreed upon goals
investigate how the agency evaluates effectiveness of services
Assist in agency program evaluation
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