Developmental Social Work Education & Innovative Fieldwork

By Prof R Mupedziswa, PhDPresented at Joint World Conference

Stockholm, Sweden 8-12 July,2012

Organisation of PaperIntroduction

Common issues in field training

Study finding – common fieldwork challenges

Responding to the challenges – innovative appoaches

Conclusion

IntroductionIt has been argued (e.g. Midgley, Osei-Hwedie,

Gray, Mupedziswa, etc. ) that social work education and training relevant to Africa should emphasise social development issues rather than individual pathology.

The calls for relevance have, apart from focusing on the need for a rethink on classroom instruction methods, etc., also implied the need to introduce relevant field placements in both rural or appropriate urban settings.

Introduction (Continued)However, social work educators heeding the calls

for appropriateness realised that availability of relevant field placements remains a major challenge.

This was confirmed in findings of a recent study done in Southern and East Africa (Hochfield, Selipsky, Mupedziswa and Chitereka, 2009).

The purpose of this paper is to suggest alternative ways of dealing with the identified challenges; it calls for the need to seriously consider introducing innovative fieldwork (practicum) approaches.

Overview of the Broader StudyStudy was collaborative and conducted by 3 institutions

(University of Johannesburg, University of Botswana and National University of Lesotho in 2008/2009.

The focus of the broader study was on establishing the extent to which social work institutions in Southern and East Africa had embraced the developmental approach.

Questionnaires were sent to 42 institutions in 21 countries and responses were received from 25 institutions .

The current paper isolated for analysis only the field practicum component of the findings from the broader study.

Challenges Identified by Social Work Institutions in the Study The most common challenges identified were: Inadequately trained supervisors (68%), A shortage of relevant placements (64%),

problems of timing of the field component (50%),

Poor quality of field supervision (41%), A lack of field supervisors with a social work

background (36%), Part-time students do not have time to fulfil

fieldwork requirements (18%). (Hochfield, Selipsky, Mupedziswa and Chitereka, 2009).

Proposed Innovative StrategiesInnovative strategies tried out elsewhere urge

social work educators to ‘think’ outside the ‘box’.

Equally there is no need to reinvent the wheel. Strategies tried elsewhere include:

‘Floating’ placement; (Kendall, 1974).The ‘workshop’ (Kendall, 1974)‘Village camping’; (Bogo and Herington, 1986;

Ankrah, 1986).‘Community centre’ (Mupedziswa, 2001)

Advantages of Proposed Innovative ApproachesLocale might be the scene of disaster, a slum

are, a neighbourhood, refugee camp, etc.

There is no need for a field supervisor.; supervision is done by school supervisors.

The placements are macro in nature and hence often consistent with a developmental approach.