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Field Education Program

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Field Insructor Selection Standards | Section Instructor Responsibilities
Section Instructor Role | Liaison Roles of Field Office

1. an ecological systems perspective that identifies strengths and problem areas for the client system, including those that reside primarily in the social environment;
2. a problem focus that does not necessarily rest inherently in the client system but in the interaction between the client system and the environment and or the fit between client needs and the availability of resources;
3. a multi-systems, multi-level approach to analysis and intervention that involves an open selection of theories, interventions and methods of evaluation appropriately involving the macro, mezzo, and micro components of the helping situation; and
4. a goal oriented timely process to resolve or mediate client system concerns.

1. management of the social work process-including data collection, problem assessment, and implementation of phases identified with specific interventions;
2. maintenance of professional relationships as this pertains to significant dynamics in working with clientele;
3. mastery of communication skills in a variety of interventive and organizational contexts;
4. knowledge and skill in the dynamics and use of organizational structure and behavior, both as it related to the significance of agency policies, and as it relates to relations with clients, and the community at large;

1. Confidentiality
   The student will be expected to maintain as confidential all information gained through his/her tenure in the agency concerning the agency clientele and agency information which is considered privileged. Agency records are not to be removed from the agency under any circumstances. The student is not to discuss cases or agency business with anyone who is not professionally involved in the situation and sanctioned to have access to the information. In those instances where the student wishes to use case material in other course work, approval must first be obtained from the field instructor and the confidentiality of the client maintained by the removal of all identifying information.
   
2. Professional Behavior
   The student will be expected to conduct him/herself in a manner consistent with professional behavior both inside and outside the office. Such behavior includes:
   
• dressing in a manner appropriate for the agency;
• working in a collegial manner with one's fellow students using the group as a medium for learning;
• efficiently using the time spent in the agency (direct work with clientele, staff and others; keeping agency records; journal recording, etc. have priority);
• meeting the needs of the clients which are appropriate though on occasion this may be an inconvenience and/or come outside the usual time to be in the agency;
• participate openly and actively in the assessment of her/his performance;
• submit completed Evaluation forms to the Director of Field Education, one week prior to the end of semester. Failure to do this can result in the submission of a delayed grade;
• go directly to the field instructor in the event of problems. If the problem cannot be resolved there, go to the section instructor. Should the problem not be resolved at this level, the student and section instructor should go directly to the Director of Field Education. In the event the Director of Field Education is the section instructor, the student should appeal to the Ad hoc field instruction committee.
  
Withdraw From Course
Field is distinct from most other university courses in that field placement in the community entails not only educational objectives for the student and faculty, but also professional responsibilities to clients, social agencies, and the community. Among the students' responsibilities to their education is the responsibility to utilize ongoing feedback from their faculty and agency supervisors. When students engage clients and assume service responsibilities, they have ongoing professional, educational and ethical responsibilities and courtesies to be considered. Also, considerable time and effort is spent on the part of faculty and community supervisors to plan and deliver a good field placement. For these reasons, it is a serious matter to drop the field course during the semester.

Students withdraw from courses for many reasons including: educational considerations, serious illness or personal crisis, and occasionally for performance problems. It is to this last reason, namely problems in the field course, that the following policy is addressed.

• Policy Statement
  Any student who withdraws from (failing, passing or without a grade) the field course following substantial performance problems as noted by field faculty will not be allowed to enroll in the field course in the following semester without permission of the Ad hoc field instruction committee. The usual procedure will be for students to take time off from field to address underlying deficits which impair their performance such as knowledge or interpersonal skill deficits, personal problems, personality or maturity factors, attendance problems, situational or circumstantial factors, etc. as noted by field faculty or field coordinator. Growth and development in these areas may require additional work and life experience, personal counseling or therapy, circumstantial changes which enhance a student's stability, and remedial learning experiences. The review criteria will focus on the likelihood of successful performance in the field course based on criteria such as: nature and severity of the performance problem, ability to integrate the content and develop the skills required in the field course, student's motivation toward corrective action, judgement of the student's ability to hear and use feedback constructively, availability and use of educational, career advising, and therapeutic resources.
  
• Review Process
  When a student withdraws from field for performance problems, the field instructor will write a letter to the student (with copies to the student's file) describing the performance problems in field practice with specificity and thoroughness including: suggestions for improvement, corrective action to address deficits, and potential resources.
  
  In most cases, students will be expected to take at least a semester to address their educational needs and performance problems. Only in exceptional cases will a student be allowed to resume the field course in the next semester following a withdraw. And only if the Director of Field Education in consultation with the Field Instruction Committee is convinced that the student has demonstrated improved readiness to perform adequately in field.
  
  In initiating the request for reentry, students will be expected to document their efforts towards growth and change which support the likelihood of satisfactory performance in the field. The Field Instruction Committee will make the decision whether a student reenters field. Should an adverse decision be made by this committee, Special Advising may be requested by the student.

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Field Instructor Responsibilities

All field instructors are considered adjunct clinical instructors of the School of Social Work with academic appointments. As instructors they participate in the development and evaluation of the course syllabus of any course which they teach and have access to institutional files and records which concern their students. As a group, field instructors assume a central role for most students as this type of instruction is basically tutorial in nature and provides the student with a relationship and role model which strongly influences the students' developing concepts of social work practice. It is the philosophy of the curriculum design of the school that field instruction is instruction and not an intern or apprenticeship where the student is essentially provided work experience. Because of this premise it is most important that those who teach these courses perceive themselves as teachers. It is important for those who engage in this task to have a good grasp of practice theory, significant social work experience, a good measure of patience, a desire to teach and a ready sense of humor. The rewards are often great, but so are the demands.

The Responsibilities of the Field Instructor Include:

1. participation in planning and evaluation meetings of the course;
2. following the syllabus adopted by the course instructors;
3. assuming instructional and administrative responsibility for student/s;
4. orientation of student(s) to their field placement;
5. selection of and negotiation for learning experiences including the learning plan;
6. provision of regularly scheduled individual conferences with each student(s) (at least one hour per week for Social Work 460 and two hours per week for Social Work 461) and where possible additional group conferences;
7. assisting the student(s) with the integration of practice and theory; including review of written mechanism for accountability (i.e.: journal);
8. evaluation of the student(s)' performance as a part of the on-going process and formally at mid and semester's end (see following page);
9. submission of a written evaluation of the student's performance at the mid-term & semester's end;
10. reading the student(s) journal or mechanism of accountability and providing written feedback on it;
11. assisting student(s) with writing the learning agreement/plan;
12. meeting with the section instructor two times during the semester, or as needed;
13. assistance to student(s) in obtaining information related to comprehensive examination;
14. inform the section instructor/field office (as needed) of all concerns relative to student field work progress, activities and any other issues that might affect the placement.

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Standards for Selection of Field Instructors (Agency Based)

A social worker with an MSW degree and at least two years practice following completion of the MSW degree is eligible for consideration as a field instructor. Considerations which go into making a judgement regarding readiness for field instruction are:

1. effective practice skills;
2. commitment to social work values as exemplified in the Code of Ethics;
3. ability to conceptualize the practice of social work;
4. ability to communicate ideas and concepts to others;
5. a commitment to social work education and a willingness to expend the necessary time and energy;
6. willingness to work with students, the faculty liaison, and the School in accordance with the School's philosophy, mission and goals and the emphasis of the students' program unit; and
7. willingness to develop and refine skills in field instruction through such means as attending classes, workshops and institutes, including the required seminar for new field instructors.

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Section Instructor Responsibilities (Faculty Liaison)

The Section Instructor is a full-time faculty member who has responsibility or:

1. participation in development, planning and evaluation of the course and its related activities;
2. assist with the development of the initial learning agreement/plan as needed;
3. assurance that the student has learning experiences appropriate for the student's mutually agreed upon learning needs (agreed upon by student, field instructor and section instructor) and the prior agency school negotiations;
4. primary leadership in the integration of theory with current learning as revealed in the student's productions and by the section instructor's regular review and feedback;
5. development of written mechanism for accountability and its review on a scheduled basis;
6. regularly scheduled conferences with the student and field instructor at the beginning and middle of the semester, and other meetings as needed;
7. evaluation of and grading of the student in consultation with the field instructor.

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Section Instructor Role (Faculty Liaison)

The agency liaison function is to maintain an educationally oriented relationship between the School and the agency. In that capacity the liaison acts as a conduit through which expectations, information and concerns are exchanged. As advisors, faculty serve to support and oversee the specific field educational programs of the students in accordance with the field curricula and the students' professional needs and growth.

The section instructors carry out the following tasks:

1. develop plans with the agency relative to the field education program and student placements, and deal with field placement-School issues;
2. serve as a continuing conduit between School and placement relative to developments in the curriculum, School policy or agency policy and practice and any other areas to maintain the School-agency relationship;
3. familiarize themselves with the School's various programs and interpret them to the field instructors and the agencies;
4. help students plan their educational experience in field;
5. discuss with their assigned students their work satisfactions and concerns relative the their practice, field instruction, agency experience and class work;
6. work with the field instructors to insure that students' field assignments reflect the field work curriculum and student needs;
7. insure that the School's standards for field work instruction are implemented, including attendance, record writing, field instruction conferences and evaluations;
8. prepare for meetings with field instructors and students including reading students records: meet with the field instructor and student to review the student; progress in the field;
9. discuss the students' educational progress with field instructors;
10. act as educational consultants to field instructors to enhance their field education skills;
11. assign students a grade in field work after consulting with field instructors;
12. attain information from the field instructors and/or students that may affect the students' field work experiences and use of placements;
13. inform and discuss with the Director of Field Education any problems relative to students' education in the field placements;
14. participate and carry out plans that deal with students or agency problems.

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Liaison Roles of the Field Office

1. Practicum placement - selects field agencies and field instructors, and matches them with students' learning needs.
2. Linkage - interprets school policies, procedures and expectations of field agencies, and assesses the fit between school curriculum and educational experiences provided by the agency.
3. Evaluation - collects and disseminates evaluations of section instructors.
4. Administration - ensures completion of placement forms (e.g., students' evaluation of agencies, field instructors, and faculty field liaisons).
5. Conducts field instructor training workshops.

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