Practicum

Practicum instruction, both historically and currently, is an integral component of social work education. Practicum teaching is conducted by social work professionals assigned by the agency and approved by the Department of Social Work. Certain underlying assumptions guide the practicum's organization and implementation.

Rationale and Purpose

• The practicum is necessary to effectively translate social work knowledge into practical skills and competence. 
• The student, university, and agency share a common commitment to education as the practicum's primary purpose. Service to the agency, its clientele, and the community are secondary purposes of the student's field practice involvement.
• Practicum instruction may take a variety of forms including interventions with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
• The practicum should enable the student to develop skills in one or more specific areas of social work practice and should present students with opportunities to demonstrate a broad range of practice competencies through a variety of practice activities.
• The field instructor should model social work values and ethics.
  The agencies and institutions selected as field practicum sites should provide environments that reflect the standards established by federal legislation and NASW for personnel practices.
• The field practicum program is designed to be sensitive to diversities including race, ethnicity, cultural, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, physical/mental ability, age, and national origin. This is accomplished through carefully examining the placement process; the agency context; and the roles of field instructor, faculty liaison, and student.

Field Oversight Group
The goal of the field oversight group is to monitor and oversee the quality of field and integration of the classroom learning with the field experience as they support the departmental mission. The field oversight group's responsibilities are to:

• Suggest field practicum policies and procedures as presented in the Field Practicum Manual.
• Ensure that practice content at the BSW & MSW-Foundation year and in both advanced concentrations are covered in field.

The Social Work Department expects students to be proactive in working with their field instructor to shape an individualized learning plan.

Field Curricular Objectives
BSW & MSW Foundation Year: Field Objectives

1. Demonstrate professionalism
2. Demonstrate collegial interaction
3. Demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to populations at risk
4. Promote racial and ethnic resiliency
5. Apply HBSE theory to individual, family, group, community
6. Facilitate a basic interview
7. Conduct an individual assessment
8. Develop goals and objectives/treatment planning with individuals
9. Conduct family assessment
10. Develop goals and objectives/treatment planning with family
11. Facilitate a family session
12. Conduct a group assessment
13. Develop goals and objectives/treatment planning with group
14. Facilitate a group
15. Participate in community assessment
16. Demonstrate goals and objectives/treatment planning with community
17. Demonstrate community organizing
18. Conduct practice evaluation on client system of your choice (individual, family, group, community)
19. Demonstrate documentation
20. Facilitate case management
21. Facilitate a crisis intervention
22. Demonstrate effective oral communication
23. Demonstrate policy analysis
24. Contribute to policy formation and/or application
25. Demonstrate advocacy/brokering
26. Demonstrate lobbying
27. Demonstrate personal and professional value integration
28. Demonstrate compliance with the Code of Ethics
29. Apply qualitative/quantitative research methods
30. Identify and demonstrate area(s) of growth specific to the student

Marriage & Family / Mental Health: Field Objectives

1. Demonstrate professionalism
2. Demonstrate personal and professional value integration
3. Demonstrate effective collegial interaction
4. Demonstrate advanced interviewing
5. Conduct advanced clinical assessment
6. Conduct solution-focused therapy (individual, family, group)
7. Conduct therapy relevant to chosen emphasis
8. Demonstrate advanced documentation
9. Conduct advanced micro-practice evaluation
10. Demonstrate effective oral communication
11. Contribute to policy formation and/or application
12. Identify and demonstrate area(s) of growth specific to the student
13. Identify and demonstrate area(s) of growth specific to the student�s emphasis

Administration: Field Objectives

1. Demonstrate professionalism
2. Demonstrate effective oral communication
3. Demonstrate collegial interaction
4. Demonstrate personal and professional value integration
5. Conduct advanced macro-practice application
6. Facilitate leadership
7. Demonstrate management (administrative supervision/project management)
8. Facilitate staff development and/or training
9. Acquire and manage capital resources
10. Demonstrate advanced interviewing skills
11. Conduct executive board assessment
12. Contribute to policy formation and/or application
13. Conduct organizational assessment
14. Implement information management plan
15. Demonstrate community development
16. Demonstrate macro-documentation
17. Conduct advanced program evaluation
18. Identify and demonstrate area(s) of growth specific to the student
19. Identify and demonstrate area(s) of growth specific to the student�s emphasis

Director of Field Education
The Director of Field Education, Shelly Perry, MSW, LCSW, is a full-time faculty member of the Andrews University Department of Social Work and, as such, reports to the Chair of the Social Work Department. She is responsible for the overall coordination of practicum instruction and has clear authority and responsibility for ongoing field administration.

To ensure a quality field experience, the Director of Field:

1. Guides the development of a field experience that supports the mission of the department
2. Monitors compliance with CSWE evaluative standards and CPS guidelines
3. Develops and assesses new field agency resources
4. Coordinates training and orientation
5. Assigns faculty liaisons to agencies
6. Facilitates ongoing communication with agency, field instructor, liaisons
7. Maintains practicum records-  (1. field department   2. agency contracts  3. student files)
8. Mediates concerns and problems related to practicum instruction
9. Provides the field instructor with information about the student and school policies
10. Consult with the agency about the placement of students, thus ensuring appropriate learning opportunities that fit the agency's service functions
11. Provides objectives and guidelines that direct the field experience

The Director of Field is evaluated by the Department Chair, Faculty and Field Instructor. The Director of Field is also evaluated by students using the Director of Field Evaluation Form.

Faculty Liaison
All full-time social work faculty members function in the role of field liaison. The field liaison provides a vital link between the Director of Field, the student, and the field instructor. The Director of Field designates field liaisons to represent the social work department in the field.

The field liaison is expected to make a minimum of two on-site agency visits per academic year to meet jointly with the field instructor and student. All faculty liaisons will make more frequent contacts when the written evaluation suggests that the student is performing below expectations. The faculty liaison is expected to have completed the following forms:

• Liaison Initial Assessment
• Liaison Follow-up Assessment
• Liaison Year-end Assessment 

To ensure a quality field experience, the Field Liaison will consult with the field instructor concerning:

1. Student field assignments, curriculum and relevant course assignments/projects
2. Professionalism
3. Development and progress of the learning plan, timely completion of objectives and overall field performance
4. Progress of the student, concerns about student academic and non-academic behavior
5. CPS guidelines
6. Evaluative standards
7. Program curriculum
8. Use of portfolio
9. Development and maintenance of a relationship with the agency

Faculty liaisons are evaluated by field instructors through use of the Field Liaison Evaluation Form. Field liaisons also have the responsibility to monitor the student's learning plan and overall progress through the use of the Liaison Assessment of Field Experience Form.

Field Instructor/Task Supervisor
Field instructors/task supervisors serve as social work supervisors. Practicum instruction emphasizes developing sound educational experiences based on reaching the identified educational outcomes. In working toward this end, the field instructor must be an administrator, educator, role model, and supervisor. It is possible for a student to receive daily task supervision from someone other than the MSW field instructor.

To ensure a quality field experience, the Field Instructor/Task Supervisor should:

1. Understand the Andrews University Department mission statement
2. Attend field instructors orientation and training
3. Assign activities to meet the student's educational needs
4. Meet with the student to review and establish a learning plan no later than the third week of placement, which the faculty liaison will review during the first site visit.
5. Provide one hour of formal weekly scheduled supervision**
6. Meet with student and liaison bi-annually and more frequently if needed
7. Advocate for access to agency resources and learning experience
8. Provide ongoing feedback to the student about his/her practicum performance (punctuality & attendance)
9. Submit written evaluations as required and recommends grade at semester's end

**These tasks may be performed only by the MSW field instructor who has graduated from an accredited school with two-years post MSW experience.

The Task Supervisor does not need the MSW degree, but should work closely with the MSW Field Instructor on all aspects of the student experience. When learning requires a task supervisor, it is the responsibility of the field instructor to ensure, through collaboration with the task supervisor, that the student learning plan is satisfactorily completed.

Field instructors are evaluated by the field liaison using the Faculty Liaison Evaluation Form and the Liaison Assessment of Field Experience Form. The student evaluates the field instructor using the Student Evaluation of the Field Instructor & Agency Form.

Field Instructor/Task Supervisor Selection and Evaluation
To meet their responsibility in the cooperative partnership with the agency, the Department will:

1. Consult with the agency about the placement of students, thus ensuring appropriate learning opportunities that fit the agency's service functions
2. Provide the field instructor with field instruction policies
3. Assist the field instructor through consultation and conferences
4. Designate a faculty member to serve as liaison to the agency
5. Plan periodic meetings with selected field instructors to integrate practicum instruction with the total curriculum

Field agencies are evaluated based upon their continued compliance with the above criteria. In addition, the agency is critiqued by the student, using the Student Evaluation of the Field Instructor and Agency Form. If such a qualified field instructor is not employed by the host agency, arrangements may be made with other agencies or with the Department of Social Work to provide this educational component. Field instructors are given the opportunity to critique themselves, the student, and the Department of Social Work by completing the Field Instructor Evaluation of the Field Experience Form.

Field Instructor Development
Field instructors serve as mentors, agency liaisons, and supervisors. The MSW Program provides orientation and education for field instructors. Included in this orientation for field instructors and task supervisors is preparation to develop the individual student learning plan, an overview of the Department of Social Work Curriculum, and its relationship to the Curriculum Policy Statement and the process for student evaluation.

Students
The Social Work Department regards each student as an adult learner capable of developing his/her learning objectives and assisting in shaping the educational process. This philosophy is exemplified by the student's responsibilities within a practicum assignment.

To ensure a quality field experience, the student will:

1. Develop an individualized learning plan in collaboration with the field instructor
2. Maintain professionalism
3. Prepare for and actively participate in weekly supervision
4. Protect confidentiality of client and agency information
5. Consult with field instructor/task supervisor throughout the field placement, while proactively conferring with the field liaison at regular meetings and as needed
6. Adhere to agency standards, policy & procedures, including dress, personal conduct and attendance
7. Satisfactorily complete objectives on learning plan
8. Use appropriate departmental and agency protocols in addressing issues in field placement
9. Uphold the ethical standards as described in the NASW Code of Ethics
10. Possess health coverage either through the University or an individual policy
11. Exhibit good written and verbal skills
12. Use a participatory servant leader model that empowers the people they serve
13. Students will maintain appropriate insurance for any personal vehicles used in their field placements

Foundation students are evaluated by their field instructor using the Foundation Year Field Learning Plan. Second year Direct Practice Concentration students are evaluated by their field instructor using the Interpersonal Practice Field Learning Plan. Second year Administration & Development Concentration students are evaluated by their field instructor using the Administration & Development Field Learning Plan.

Agency
To ensure a quality field experience, the agency will provide:

1. A two-year post-MSW field instructor or task supervisor with qualified MSW supervision
2. A qualified field instructor who has sufficient time and resources to develop the student's learning experience
3. Practice experiences as defined in the student's learning plan
4. Student access to a broad range of experiences including individual, family, group, organizational and community
5. Adequate office space, clerical support and when possible, travel reimbursement for the student in conjunction with field responsibilities
6. Access to technical support and information for student's agency-based research projects
7. Arrangements for emergency medical care for the student, at the student's expense
8. Information regarding the agency's policies, including dress and appearance. 

Agency Selection and Evaluation
Selection of field agencies occurs in two ways:

• Director of Field identifies or the agency expresses an interest that meets the program's basic criteria for appropriate placements
• The agency expresses an interest in being a field placement site.

In either case the Director of Field will visit the agency and discuss the field expectations for the placement of MSW student(s). If the agency meets the general criteria for a field setting, they are asked to fill out the Director's Assessment form. This form assesses the agency's qualifications in more detail, including a description of the types of experiences and clients to which the student would be exposed. The Director of Field then makes a determination of the placement's suitability. The minimum selection criteria for practicum sites include a commitment to the following criteria:

1. Contributing to the education of professional social workers
2. The Andrews University Department of Social Work's mission, goals and objectives for training professional social workers
3. An agency-defined function of services to clients
4. Making available individual, groups and, agency or community projects for student assignments
5. Providing adequate personnel in terms of qualifications, instruction time and continuity
6. Providing adequate office space, clerical aids, and, when possible, travel reimbursement for the student
7. Participating in the student's research projects
8. The student as a developing professional by assigning appropriate tasks for learning social work vs. unrelated social work tasks designed to only assist the agency
9. Providing a sufficiently qualified field instructor (particularly the availability of an MSW with two years of post-master's experience) who has sufficient time and resources to develop the student's learning experiences, prepare and conduct individual student conferences, attend school-sponsored meetings and complete quarterly evaluations

They will also be evaluated by the Faculty Liaison using the Liaison Assessment of Field Experience Form at each liaison visit to the agency.

Field Practicum Structure Within the Agency 
Students are placed in a variety of settings consistent with the social work profession, the MSW Program's objectives, and the University's mission. The program is designed to give each student foundation and subsequent advanced practicums concurrent with classroom instruction. Block placements are rare and must be approved by the Curriculum and Field Oversight Group. The Department of Social Work makes several requirements of students to enhance the field practicum learning process. The following requirements will be further explained in the text.

Basic Expectations for all Field Practicums:

• Develop opportunities to participate in multi-disciplinary interactions
• Provide awareness of community resources
• Provide exposure to practice activities, that are in the learning plan
• Provide exposure to diversity such as gender, age, race, socioeconomic class and disabilities in client populations,

First Year Field Practicum Expectations - BSW & MSW Foundation Year
In the first year of field practicum students are expected to fulfill a minimum of 50% of their field hours in direct practice areas. Direct practice is defined as the student having direct service contact with clients. The remaining hours may be spent in supervision, agency meetings, community agency networking, collaboration, and documentation time. The following are general expectations and guidelines for student caseload assignments.

These guidelines may vary depending on the type of agency and client population.

1. Preliminary orientation is expected to be completed by the second week of placement and caseload assignments are to begin by the third week. Ongoing orientation may be incorporated into regular field placement hours.
2. Three to five ongoing individual cases per quarter should be assigned. The first year student is expected to apply practice theories and intervention modalities appropriate for problem-solving cases with individuals, families, groups, and/or communities.
3. Students are to participate with one to two family cases per quarter. It is recognized that the term family may apply to a variety of familial patterns.
4. Students are to participate in a task or treatment group experience. If a group is not available, the field instructor should consult with the faculty liaison to discuss other possibilities as to how the student can meet this requirement.
5. Students need to establish an on-going working relationship with one or more client systems, such as individuals, families, groups, and/or communities. The duration is left to the field supervisor's discretion based on the nature of the facility.
6. Students should participate in professional groups such as: staff meetings, interdisciplinary team meetings, in-service training, case conference, etc.
7. Students must participate and take initiative in weekly supervision, including examination of professional practice with client systems, problem-solving and use of self.
8. Agencies should provide experience with termination and follow-up services in the community.
9. Students are to assess the agency's administrative structure and service delivery.