Debra Miles

RECONCILING INDIGENOUS AND NON-INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGES IN SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION: ACTION AND LEGITIMACY

This article describes an action research project undertaken in Australia to confront Eurocentrism in our social work curricula. Our aims, action, and reflections are discussed. Further, we explore the legitimacy of non-indigenous teachers taking action to reconcile indigenous knowledges in curricula. The findings have relevance for international social work education.

Racism Unmasked: The Experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Students in Social Work Field Placements

Abstract Attracting more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to the social work profession is an important strategy in responding to Indigenous disadvantage. The literature suggests that the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, knowledge, and skills in social work is impeded by racism and white privilege. This article reports on a research project that aimed to explore the field education experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social work students. Interviews were conducted with 11 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and graduates and their narratives were analysed through a collaborative process. Findings reveal experiences of subtle and overt racism as every day features of their placements. The findings highlight the need to address racism, the value of cultural mentors, and the necessity to increase the employment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic staff in social work education.

How Parents Manage the Risk of Child Sexual Abuse: A Grounded Theory

The aim of this study is to understand how parents manage the risk of child sexual abuse, including prevention as well as early intervention and detection strategies. Using a social constructivist theoretical foundation and grounded theory methods, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with Australian parents between 2006 and 2008. Based on the data, a balance theory was developed, which explains how parents attempt to balance the type of information given to children in order to protect their children from sexual abuse without scaring them as well as how parents manage sexual boundary crossing incidents experienced by their children in the context of complex social relationships. Implications for prevention programs as well as reporting of child sexual abuse are discussed.

International student exchange in Australian social work education

ABSTRACT International student exchange is pursued by Australian schools of social work as a strategy to engage with the internationalisation agenda set by government, universities, and the profession. However, little concrete information about the nature and scope of these activities exists. The study reported here aimed to address this gap. Twenty-seven of the 30 Australian universities that offer social work programs participated in an online survey about international student exchange activities. The results indicate that a majority of schools (n = 23) do engage in such activities, with international field placements the most frequent form of exchange. Exchanges are most likely to be facilitated and managed by social work staff. The findings, and their implications for the development of good practice in international student exchange, are discussed. This research provides a “point-in-time” snapshot of international exchange in Australian social work education and a benchmark for future analyses of this expanding practice in the profession.

Continuous quality improvement processes in child protection: a systematic literature review

Purpose: Protecting children from mistreatment is a global concern, and further research and evaluation in child protection services is required. Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) has demonstrated potential, but to date, there is no systematic review of studies that evaluate the application of CQI in child protection. Method: This systematic literature review examined the application of CQI in child protection services. The review identified published, English-language evaluations of CQI in child protection from 2000 to 2016 and critiqued the characteristics, methodological quality, and reported benefits of the included studies. Results: A search of social science electronic databases identified eight peer-reviewed studies, including six quantitative studies, one mixed-methods study, and one qualitative study. Discussion: The review highlighted that many studies on this topic lack specific validating data, but there is evidence that CQI models have some potential to improve processes for working with children and families by promoting implementation fidelity.

Harnessing opportunities to enhance the distance learning experience of MSW students: an appreciative inquiry process

Abstract Despite a long history of engagement with distance education models in Australia, the adoption of distance learning in social work education has been cautious and social work educators’ ability to teach and develop relationship-based skills in distance and online environments, is consistently questioned. This paper reports on a research project conducted with staff and students of a regional Australian university offering a qualifying Master of Social Work program through blended learning models. Underpinned by a framework of Appreciative Inquiry, the project employed focus groups and semi-structured interviews with staff and an online survey with students to identify issues of concern and to inform the redesign of course delivery. Pivotal to students’ experience was the need to create a sense of cohort to overcome perceptions of isolation and abandonment when subjects are delivered in distance modes rather than face to face. Moreover, inaccurate assumptions about postgraduate students’ familiarity with basic academic conventions and online teaching strategies were seen to contribute to a sense of personal failure and incompetence that could lead to withdrawal from the course. Strategies and processes introduced to address these matters are discussed and preliminary evaluations of their impact shared.

Intercultural Learning: Critical Preparation for International Student Travel

These intercultural learning modules will develop your understanding of cultural difference, diversity and the critical perspectives that will add a new and important dimension to your international experience. Intercultural learning requires more than developing your understanding of cultural customs or dos and don’ts. These modules will challenge you to think about the deeper issues of culture, race, imperialism, white privilege and cultural diversity that underpin all intercultural interactions. Intercultural learning also requires learning about ourselves. Approach these modules with an open mind and be prepared to critically reflect on your own perspectives, which shape your interpretation of intercultural experiences. Developing this critical perspective will prepare you to remain open to cultural difference, an important skill to establish as you set off on your intercultural experience.

Local connections, global perspectives

Higher education is increasingly focusing on facilitating agentic, outward-looking, globally minded graduates. International mobility experiences are positioned as key to developing these qualities; however, not all students have the inclination, resources, or support to enable them to participate in such experiences. Student surveys reveal that the top barriers to participation—time, finances, work, and family commitments—are outside the influence of educators. In response, educators need to look to opportunities afforded through both local and international experiences. Service learning can enable students to explore democratic action in a local space within a framework that accounts for global perspectives. This chapter draws on findings of six local and international case studies to explore curriculum and pedagogical frameworks that facilitate global perspectives through community-based learning experiences.

Stepping Forward to Learn: Thai Students Reflect on Hosting Australian International Exchange Students

The value of international student exchange programs is well documented—from the perspective of visiting students and sending institutions. This article reports on research that aimed to capture different perspectives by talking with host Thai students who interacted with and translated for visiting Australian social work students. This focus on the experience of international exchange from the perspective of the hosting Thai students foregrounds these seldom-heard voices, highlighting the potential benefits of engagement and reflective learning for host students and institutions. The analyzed data show that there are numerous opportunities for host students to benefit from international exchange and to develop the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that are necessary prerequisites for intercultural learning and sensitivity. The article illustrates the high demands on hosts and can inform good practice in the planning and design of exchange programs.

Sustaining quality learning abroad opportunities in Australian schools of social work

Student learning abroad experiences are encouraged to develop students’ intercultural understanding and global citizenship. This article reports internationally collaborative research exploring social work student short-term mobility programmes and international field education placements. Findings from interviews with staff from Australian schools of social work are presented. Themes developed from the data explore the establishment and ongoing resourcing and sustainability of international exchange programmes, including implications for risk and safety, relationships and partnerships, and reciprocity. The complex landscape of student international experiences is discussed, and it is proposed that the lack of adequate resourcing of learning abroad opportunities threatens their sustainability.