Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T16:40:08.587Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

44 - Undergraduate Research in Social Work Education

Challenges and Possibilities

from Part III.6 - Disciplines A–Z

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 August 2022

By
Angelique Jenney ,
Lauren K. Birks  and
Christine Ann Walsh
Edited by
Harald A. Mieg ,
Elizabeth Ambos ,
Angela Brew ,
Dominique Galli  and
Judith Lehmann
Harald A. Mieg
Affiliation:
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Elizabeth Ambos
Affiliation:
Council on Undergraduate Research, Washington DC
Angela Brew
Affiliation:
Macquarie University, Sydney
Dominique Galli
Affiliation:
Indiana University–Purdue University, Indianapolis
Judith Lehmann
Affiliation:
Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Get access

Summary

Undergraduate research education is increasingly important for social work practitioners given the demands for evidence-based practice in social service delivery. Increasingly research competency or new knowledge integration into practice has been identified as a professional responsibility. However, social workers eill often not use or engage in research in their practice settings, tasking social work educators to address this gap through developing innovative undergraduate curricula through which student learners can be engaged. This chapter examines the literature in this area and identifies several proposed engagement strategies such as incorporating research tasks directly into coursework, creating research assistant positions or internships, developing partnerships with community-based agencies to provide applied research opportunities or through case study scenarios and guest speakers, and using ‘real’ research datasets for qualitative/quantitative training. Building mentorship opportunities through research teams including undergraduate and graduate students to facilitate both teaching and learning opportunities in research may also be of benefit.

Keywords

undergraduate researchsocial work educationevidenced-based practiceexperientialresearch competencycommunity-based researchresearch trainingresearch mentorshipsocial work practicesocial workers
Type
Chapter
Information
The Cambridge Handbook of Undergraduate Research , pp. 414 - 422
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adam, N., Zosky, D. L., & Unrau, Y. A. (2004). Improving the research climate in social work curricula: Clarifying learning expectations across BSW and MSW research courses. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 24(3–4), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1300/J067v24n03_01Google Scholar
Austin, M. J., & Isokuortti, N. (2016). A framework for teaching practice-based research with a focus on service users. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 36(1), 11–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2016.1129931CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Austin, M. J., Dal Santo, T. S., & Lee, C. (2012). Building organizational supports for research-minded practitioners. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 9(1–2), 174–211. https://doi.org/10.1080/15433714.2012.636327Google Scholar
Berger, R. (2002). Teaching research in practice courses. Social Work Education, 21(3), 347–358. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615470220136911CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cameron, P. J., & Este, D. C. (2008). Engaging students in social work research education. Social Work Education, 27(4), 390–406. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615470701380006Google Scholar
Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW). (2005). Code of ethics. Ottawa, ON: Canadian Association of Social Workers. www.casw-acts.ca/sites/default/files/attachements/casw_code_of_ethics.pdfGoogle Scholar
Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE). (2014). Standards for Accreditation. https://caswe-acfts.ca/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/CASWE-ACFTS.Standards-11-\2014-1.pdfGoogle Scholar
Curtis, K., Fry, M., Shaban, R. Z., & Considine, J. (2017). Translating research findings to clinical nursing practice. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 26(5–6), 862–872. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13586Google Scholar
Earley, M. A. (2014). A synthesis of the literature on research methods education. Teaching in Higher Education, 19(3), 242–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2013.860105Google Scholar
Epstein, I. (1996). In quest of a research-based model for clinical practice: Or, why can’t a social worker be more like a researcher? Social Work Research, 20(2), 97–100. https://doi.org/10.1093/swr/20.2.97Google Scholar
Frampton, N. M. A., Jenney, A., & Shaw, J. (2020). Implementation of practice-based research in social work education. Papers on Postsecondary Learning and Teaching, 4, 96–100.Google Scholar
Fraser, M. W., Lewis, R. E., & Norman, J. L. (1991). Research education in MSW programs: An exploratory analysis. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 4(2), 83–103. https://doi.org/10.1300/J067v04n02_07Google Scholar
Freymond, N., Morgenshtern, M., Duffie, M., Hong, L., Bugeja-Freitas, S., & Eulenberg, J. (2014). Mapping MSW research training. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 34(3), 248–268. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2014.912998CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gambrill, E. (2007). Views of evidence-based practice: Social workers’ code of ethics and accreditation standards as guides for choice. Journal of Social Work Education, 43(3), 447–462. https://doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2007.200600639CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gilgun, J. F. (2005). The four cornerstones of evidence-based practice in social work. Research on Social Work Practice, 15(1), 52–61. https://doi.org/10.1177/1049731504269581Google Scholar
Green, R. G., Bretzin, A., Leininger, C., & Stauffer, R. (2001). Research learning attributes of graduate students in social work, psychology, and business. Journal of Social Work Education, 37(2), 333–341. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2001.10779058CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hardcastle, D. A., & Bisman, C. D. (2003). Innovations in teaching social work research. Social Work Education, 22(1), 31–43. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615470309131CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harder, J. (2010). Overcoming MSW students’ reluctance to engage in research. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 30(2), 195–209. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841231003705404Google Scholar
Harrison, D. F., & Thyer, B. A. (1988). Doctoral research on social work practice: A proposed agenda. Journal of Social Work Education, 24(2), 107–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.1988.10672104Google Scholar
Hewson, J. A., Walsh, C. A., & Bradshaw, C. (2010). Enhancing social work research education through research field placements. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 3(9), 7–16. https://doi.org/10.19030/cier.v3i9.230Google Scholar
Jaynes, S. (2014). Using principles of practice-based research to teach evidence-based practice in social work. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 11(1–2), 222–235. https://doi.org/10.1080/15433714.2013.850327Google Scholar
Knee, R. T. (2002). Can service learning enhance student understanding of social work research? Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 22(1–2), 213–225. https://doi.org/10.1300/J067v22n01_14Google Scholar
Kwong, K. (2017). Advancing social work practice research education – An innovative, experiential pedagogical approach. International Journal of Higher Education, 6(5), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijhe.v6n5p1CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lazar, A. (1991). Faculty, practitioner, and student attitudes toward research. Journal of Social Work Education, 27(1), 34–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.1991.10672167Google Scholar
MacIntyre, G., & Paul, S. (2013). Teaching research in social work: Capacity and challenge. British Journal of Social Work, 43(4), 685–702. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcs010Google Scholar
Maschi, T., Wells, M., Yoder Slater, G., MacMillan, T., & Ristow, J. (2013). Social work students’ research-related anxiety and self-efficacy: Research instructors’ perceptions and teaching innovations. Social Work Education, 32(6), 800–817. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2012.695343CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCrystal, P., & Wilson, G. (2009). Research training and professional social work education: Developing research‐minded practice. Social Work Education, 28(8), 856–872. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615470802672962Google Scholar
Mehić, B. (2011). Translational research in medicine. Bosnian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences, 11(2), 73. https://doi.org/10.17305/bjbms.2011.2583CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Orme, J., & Powell, J. (2008). Building research capacity in social work: Process and issues. British Journal of Social Work, 38(5), 988–1008. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcm122Google Scholar
Rubin, D., Valutis, S., & Robinson, B. (2010). Social work education and student research projects: A survey of program directors. Journal of Social Work Education, 46(1), 39–55. https://doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2010.200800040Google Scholar
Secret, M., Ford, J., & Rompf, E. L. (2003). Undergraduate research courses: A closer look reveals complex social work student attitudes. Journal of Social Work Education, 39(3), 411–422. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2003.10779146Google Scholar
Schmidt-Wenzel, A., & Rubel, K. (2017). Inquiry-based learning in social work. In Mieg, H. A. (Ed.), Inquiry-based learning – Undergraduate research. The German multidisciplinary experience (pp. 139–148). Springer (open access). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-14223-0Google Scholar
Steinberg, D. M., & Vinjamuri, M. K. (2014). Activating adult-learning principles through small groups in preparing social work students to achieve CSWE research competencies. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 34(4), 363–383. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2014.937890Google Scholar
Teater, B. (2017). Social work research and its relevance to practice: “The gap between research and practice continues to be wide.” Journal of Social Service Research, 43(5), 547–565. https://doi.org/10.1080/01488376.2017.1340393Google Scholar
Uggerhøj, L. (2011). What is practice research in social work – Definitions, barriers and possibilities. Social Work & Society, 9(1), 45–59.Google Scholar
Vinjamuri, M., Warde, B., & Kolb, P. (2017). The reflective diary: An experiential tool for enhancing social work students’ research learning. Social Work Education, 36(8), 933–945.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walsh, C. A., Casselman, P. J., Hickey, J., Lee, N., & Pliszka, H. (2015). Engaged in research/achieving balance: A case example of teaching research to Masters of Social Work students. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, 8(2), 93–102. https://doi.org/10.19030/cier.v8i2.9142Google Scholar
Walsh, C. A., Gulbrandsen, C., & Lorenzetti, L. (2019). Research practicum: An experiential model for social work research. SAGE Open, 9(2), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019841922Google Scholar
Wells, M., Maschi, T., & Slater, G. Y. (2012). Integration of research and practice: Innovations and challenges in social work programs. Social Work Education, 31(3), 331–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2011.551827Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×