Paul A. Kurzman

Ethical Issues in Industrial Social Work Practice

The valuational dimension of social work expertise is often overlooked. The profession needs to address the emerging value issues and dilemmas in the rapidly growing, nontraditional setting of industrial social work practice. The author suggests a framework for considering them.

The Evolution of Doctoral Social Work Education.

Doctoral education in social work is evolving as a major enterprise in American higher education, with more than 80 programs now in place. Committed to providing stewards of the profession, these PhD and DSW programs also are a major impetus for research and are the primary faculty pipeline for the 735 CSWE-accredited professional social work education programs in the country. Past achievements, current challenges, and present trends are discussed here, along with the principal issues facing doctoral programs in the decade ahead.

Preface to a Special Issue on Service Learning

From time to time, the Journal of Teaching in Social Work will publish a special issue centered on a contemporary issue of pedagogical importance. This special issue focuses on service learning and includes six articles written on ways of approaching and teaching service learning in both the graduate and undergraduate social work curricula. As an increasingly popular innovation in adult education, service learning has been relatively easily and rapidly adapted for professional education, in general, and for social work education, in particular. In the Social Work Dictionary (2003), Barker defines service learning as “An educational method in which students provide school-approved and school-monitored social services to their communities for school credit . . . which gives students a greater sense of involvement in the community and its needs and enhances their academic instruction” (p. 392). Bringle and Hatcher (1996), pioneers in the adaptation of service learning to higher education, state that service learning is “a credit-bearing educational experience in which students participate in an organized service activity that meets identified community needs and reflects on the service activity in such a way as to gain further understanding of course content, a broader appreciation of the discipline, and an enhanced sense of civic responsibility” (p. 222). It is, therefore, easy to see how this classroom-initiated experience dovetails well with field education—cited by the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards of the Council on Social Work Education as the “signature pedagogy” of the profession (Council on Social Work Education [CSWE], 2008). The Council further defines this signature pedagogy as “a central form of instruction and learning to socialize students to perform the role of practitioner . . . it contains pedagogical norms with which to connect and integrate theory and practice” (p. 8). Moreover, service learning generally includes peer learning, which Knowles (1980) notes is a highly valued component of adult education that usually is missing in fieldwork education. In addition, as some scholars observe, service learning can serve as a way of bridging the traditional divide between class and field, the school-based

Workplace Ethics: Issues for Human Service Professionals in the New Millennium

Human service professionals must navigate terrain laden with ethical obstacles. The values of the human services frequently come in conflict with the goals of the management of work organizations, which generally are productivity and profit. Human service professionals therefore need to have a clear conceptual framework that can serve as a guide when making complex ethical decisions and when confronting ethical dilemmas. Key to success in this regard will be the ability to blend organizational sophistication with an understanding of the ethical theory of “the common good.” In the end, what will be critical is the willingness to bind oneself to such a normative discipline of morality that underscores the principles of advocacy and equity.

Social Work Continuing Education: Current Issues and Future Direction

ABSTRACT Continuing education is arising as an area of rapid growth and increased attention in the social work profession. Conceptually, the impetus and focus are on the promotion of the principles of lifelong learning and professional replenishment; but pragmatically, the driving force has been the virtually universal requirement of continuing education hours for social work licensure renewal. This article lays out the history of continuing social work education and discusses the current and emerging issues herein for the profession.

Preface to a Special Issue on Teaching Practice Research

From time to time, the Journal of Teaching in Social Work will publish a special issue centered on a contemporary topic of pedagogical importance. This special issue focuses on teaching practice research and includes articles written on ways of approaching and teaching practice-research and research-practice in both graduate and undergraduate programs, in the United States and abroad. The manuscripts that were considered for publication emerged from the Third International Conference on Practice Research held in New York City in June 2014. Subtitled “Building Bridges Not Pipelines: Promoting Two-Way Traffic Between Practice and Research,” the 3-day symposium was organized to