Applied Learning in Social Work Education: A Scholarly Journal from the Simmons University School of Social Work

Employer-Based Placements: A Double-Edged Sword

Published October 2025

As a part-time social work student with a full-time job, the prospect of completing an employer-based generalist field placement was both necessary and appealing. My employer was supportive, and my field instructor’s proposed activities aligned perfectly with my professional interests. While I am grateful for the learning opportunity provided by my employer-based placement, the process and execution presented unexpected challenges. Through my personal experiences as an MSW student navigating the employer-based placement process, I hope to offer general considerations about employer-based placements to help assist other social work students, employers, and field departments in determining whether this route is practical, given that field education is an essential element of the social work curriculum nationwide (Skeen, 2023; Wayne et al., 2010)

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment Training In Agency-Based Education at a Historically Black Graduate Social Work Program

Published October 2025

Social workers are engaged in practice that encompasses the core values of the social work profession: service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence (National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2013). Social workers are on the front lines of providing service and care to those impacted by alcohol and substance misuse (Wells et al., 2013). Too often, social workers observe the devastating effects of substance misuse in individuals, their families, and the community. The NASW acknowledges substance use in its ethical guidelines and established an addictions concentration providing advocacy, training, and support for social work providers who specialize in this area (DiNitto, 2005).

Building Research Capacity in Social Work: Lessons from the Field Practicum Experience

Published October 2025

Background

Field practicums play a critical role in preparing social work students for professional practice. Through training and instruction on skills such as critical thinking, effective performance, and ethical decision-making, practicums connect classroom learning to real-world application (Council on Social Work Education, 2015; Walsh et al., 2019). The goal of social work education is to develop graduates who are well prepared and deeply committed to improving the well-being of vulnerable individuals, families, groups, and communities, locally and globally (University of Kentucky College of Social Work, 2022). The field practicum plays a vital role in achieving that goal.

Engaging Faculty in Field Education: Strategies for Expanding Placements And Strengthening Student Supervision

Published October 2025

The significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all domains of social work education and practice continue to be felt even after more than five years since its onset. The evolving dynamics in response to the virus led behavioral health and social service providers to respond rapidly to the medical and psychosocial needs of the individuals and communities they served, and to do so amidst the challenges of lockdown, limited resources, and an exponential expansion in the adoption of teleservices, even in domains of practice where such use had not previously been prominent.

A Map for Structuring and Supporting International Social Work Practicum Placements

Published April 2025

Literature Review

The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) recognizes field education as the signature pedagogy of the social work profession (CSWE, 2008, 2015, 2022). Signature pedagogy is a term used to describe the most influential educational strategies within an area of study (Shulman, 2005). In their Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS), the CSWE (2022) defines signature pedagogy as “elements of instruction and socialization that teach future practitioners the fundamental dimensions of professional work in their discipline: to think, to perform, and to act intentionally, ethically, and with integrity” (p. 20). Field education, also known as practicum, refers to courses where students demonstrate mastery of the social work competencies in a professional setting (CSWE, 2008, 2015, 2022). Practicum experiences prepare students for practice and provide context for classroom learning (Brzykcy et al., 2016; Lee et al., 2019; Rai, 2004).