Sue Steiner

Using Cooperative Learning Strategies in Social Work Education.

Cooperative learning strategies employ formally structured groups of students working together to maximize their own and other students’ learning. This educational approach changes the classroom environment from one in which students are passive recipients of the instructor’s knowledge, to one in which they are active participants in their own education. Cooperative learning strategies have received little attention in the social work education literature, despite proven educational benefits elsewhere. This article defines cooperative learning, reviews the educational theory and research that support it, demonstrates its relevance to social work education, and provides case examples for use throughout the social work curriculum.

Evaluating Teaching: Listening to Students while Acknowledging Bias.

Despite questions about their reliability and validity, student evaluations of teaching (SETs) are a primary measure of instructor performance. The current study examines SETs, including a thorough list of potentially relevant variables. The findings suggest that how much students perceive they learned in a course is an important predictor of SET scores. Further, a number of variables outside of the instructors control appear to introduce bias into SETs. Nonetheless, social work norms imply the necessity of seeking input from students. Suggestions are given for possible methods of dealing with this dilemma, and for needed future research.

Using Structured Controversy to Teach Diversity Content and Cultural Competence

Abstract Structured controversy is one type of cooperative learning strategy. It involves students in researching positions on topics and then debating each other. A unique aspect of this strategy is that students then reverse sides and argue the other position. This paper discusses the use of the structured controversy process to teach diversity content in the classroom. It addresses the advantages and barriers to using structured controversy, and identifies ways in which structured controversy can be used in the social work curriculum to teach cultural competence. The article also reports on an evaluation of the structured controversy process that was used in BSW and MSW classrooms. The findings from this evaluation suggest that structured controversy is an extremely useful technique for teaching diversity and cultural competence. The vast majority of students reported increased knowledge about and sensitivity to the concerns of people from diverse backgrounds.

Student Evaluations of Teaching: How You Teach and Who You Are

Abstract Student evaluations of teaching (SETs) have become an important measure of the quality of teaching in higher education institutions in the United States. Some research indicates that SETs may be systematically biased; however, most studies of SETs do not include much measure of instructional choices teachers make.This study includes most variables the SET literature identifies as important and also adds measures of teacher choices, such as whether to use instructional technologies and what percent of time to spend lecturing.The results provide some useful information about how better to connect with students but also indicate that SETs are systematically biased against female teachers, older teachers, and perhaps minority teachers.These findings call into question de facto higher education policy making SETs our most important measure of teaching quality.

Understanding HIV and AIDS: Preparing Students for Practice

Abstract As the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) epidemic continues to grow dramatically, social workers increasingly need solid knowledge and training to serve persons infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and those close to them. This article summarizes current biological, epidemiological, and medical knowledge about AIDS and HIV (including methods of preventing transmission) in a format suitable for social work students. It also suggests various ways in which such information can be incorporated into BSW and MSW curricula.