Search results for ‘Subject term:"social work education"’ Sort:
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Expanding horizons: religion in social work education
- Authors:
- NG Ho Yee, KVAN Erik
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 17(1/2), 1998, pp.31-47.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This paper discusses the issues brought about by introducing a course on religion and clinical practice into social work teaching in the University of Hong Kong. Since its inception, the social work curriculum has been tied to the "grand tradition" as reflected in the American context, and therefore the Hong Kong experience can be considered to reflect similar issues within the wider scene. The course instituted is based on the principle that religious beliefs are at the same level as all other beliefs which goes to make up the world and actions of social workers and their clients -assimilating the teaching of religion to the social work process and not to the study of comparative religion.
Spirituality: what we can teach and how we can teach it
- Author:
- ROTHMAN Juliet
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 28(1-2), January 2009, pp.161-184.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Spirituality has been accepted as an integral part of social work practice, enabling a strength-based approach to individuals, groups, and communities. However, because of the nature of spirituality and spiritual experiences and the potential for wide divergence in views, definitions, experiences, and understanding, spirituality is especially challenging to teach. Prior research suggests that students also identify spirituality as an essential component of social work practice and that they often feel ill prepared and equipped to address spiritual issues in practice after completing their social work education. However, it is recognised that material on spirituality should be infused throughout the social work curriculum, primarily in core courses such as practice, diversity, human behaviour in the social environment, research, policy, and ethics, and specific suggestions are offered to encourage such inclusion. To increase students' knowledge of the varieties of spiritual experiences of potential clients, a small random sample of the general population was interviewed regarding spiritual beliefs and experiences. Interviewees were asked to define spirituality, to share their experiences, and to suggest ways in which meaningful dialogue about spirituality might be encouraged in social work practice.
Overcoming a fear of religion in social work education and practice
- Author:
- STREETS Frederick
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 28(1-2), January 2009, pp.185-199.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Social work has been described as having a religious or moral foundation, yet the profession has increased its sense of professionalism and secularisation. This has led to a greater separation between social work and religion and spirituality. In this paper, the author offers a general theoretical discussion about social work and religion. The article is intended to address some of the concerns of social work educators may have in dealing with the topic of religion/spirituality in the teaching of social work. The author also encourages social work practitioners to consider the religious beliefs and spiritual practices of their clients. Reference is made to discerning religion and social work ethics and values when dealing with difficult issues of homosexuality, divorce, end-of-life care, HIV/AIDS, and abortion. In conclusion, the author suggests that the separation of religion from social work is a contradiction. It should be used to enable people to realise there capacity to live responsibly with the consequences of their actions in a manner that helps our modern society to flourish.
East meets west: a nonlinear model for understanding human growth and development
- Authors:
- SPANO Richard, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Smith College Studies in Social Work, 80(2-3), 2010, pp.198-214.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Life-span theories are a cornerstone in social work education and practice. It is believed that these theories that express development as a sequence of stages require closer scrutiny, and could be strengthened through application of nonlinear views for understanding human growth and development. For our purposes, Taoist principles provide this nonlinear perspective. In this article, the authors provide a summary of Erikson's writings, introduce four Taoist principles (reality is constantly changing, holism, harmony, and transcendence) as a means of critiquing and expanding on Erikson's work, propose a model for understanding human growth and development that integrates these Taoist principles, and discuss implications for social work education and practice. The authors conclude that this nonlinear model for understanding human growth and development is an alternative conception of human being as constantly evolving organisms whose epigenetic development is fully present at birth and changes in relation to the environmental context in which it occurs. It is this interaction with the environment that creates challenges over the entire life cycle of humans.
Practical mysticisms, habermas, and social work praxis
- Authors:
- GREY Mel, LOVAT Terence
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Work, 8(2), April 2008, pp.149-162.
- Publisher:
- Sage
Mysticism holds that there is an unseen non-empirical reality which is just as important in people's lives as concrete, observable reality and experience. Practical mysticism implies that this unseen reality results in concrete experience and a particular kind of knowing which is just as influential on people's actions and behaviour as observable reality. The authors draw a connection between practical mysticism and the increasing interest in themes relating to religion and spirituality in social work. These themes relate mainly to issues of meaning, motivation and intention in social work. Like all service professions, social work is undergoing re-evaluation away from merely pragmatic and instrumentalist conceptions of its mission to ones concerned with broader issues of meaning and purpose. In this context, issues of religious and spiritual motivation and intention become relevant. The authors propose that `practical mysticism', arguably revived in Habermasian critical theory, has particular relevance to debates relating to the role of religion and spirituality in social work education and practice. Importantly, practical mysticism has the effect of impelling a rethinking of the relationship between spirituality, religion and the applied values inherent in day-to-day social work practice. They see the consideration of practical mysticism to be a fruitful way of embracing religious and spiritual discourses relevant to social work, including their link with social work ethics and practice.
Moving toward spiritual competency: deconstructing religious stereotypes and spiritual prejudices in social work literature
- Authors:
- HODGE David R., BAUGHMAN Lisa M., CUMMINGS Julie A.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Social Service Research, 32(4), 2006, pp.211-231.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
In spite of growing interest in spirituality and religion, and the prominent position given to religion in social work's educational policies and ethical standards, no studies have explored the profession's level of spiritual sensitivity. Accordingly, the authors examined the visibility of faith groups and their characterizations in 71 influential social work textbooks. This study found that faith groups, in contrast to a number of comparison groups, were essentially invisible as populations worthy of students' direct attention. Further, when faith groups were discussed, they tended to be characterized in a biased, spiritually insensitive manner. To move toward spiritual competency, social work must increase the amount of material devoted to faith groups and ensure that they are depicted in a manner that is consistent with their worldviews. (Copies of this article are available from: Haworth Document Delivery Centre, Haworth Press Inc., 10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580).
The diaconate as dual-skilled ministry: a proposal in support of dual degree programs for formation
- Author:
- CRAIN Margaret Ann
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 24(1/2), 2005, pp.55-63.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Since Vatican II, a number of Christian groups have sought to reclaim the diaconate in the service of the gospel. Roman Catholic deacons led the way in the United States but diaconal forms of ministry are now part of the structure in the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and The United Methodist Church. Each ecclesiastical entity is still shaping formation programs appropriate to its form of diaconal ministry. This paper argues that the formation for deaconesses, diaconal ministers, and deacons who will seek to build compassionate communities must include skills in discernment that are learned through theological education and the tools for analysis, intervention and change that come from training in social work. The complexities of understanding systems and other factors that create oppression and the necessity of understanding deeply the call to “do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8) require creative approaches to formation such as dual degree programs in social work and theology (MSW and MDiv). Dual degree programs can break down dualisms such as the “body/spirit” split. In order for this to work, the ecclesiastical bodies that supervise programs of formation and education must support candidates for the diaconate who need the dual degrees with money, time, and encouragement.
Current state of social work and divinity dual degree programs
- Author:
- LEE Daniel B.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 24(1/2), 2005, pp.137-155.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The first national symposium on Social Work and Divinity Dual Degree Programs was designed to examine the current state of these interdisciplinary joint degree programs from both pedagogical and practical perspectives. The underlying assumption was that a more holistic approach is needed to advance our understanding of human nature, including the dimension of spirituality and the complexity of social issues. The rationale, issues, and promise for a strong commitment on the part of participating institutions toward educating the dual degree students are reflected in the context of the symposium's theme: Building Compassionate Communities: An Integration of Theology and Social Work in Professional Education and Practice. By examining the current state of social work and divinity dual degree programme at Loyola University as a case example, this paper highlights the salient ideas and reflective discussions that were emerged from the symposium.
Clinical pastoral education (CPE) and the professional identity of dual degrees student
- Author:
- O'GORMAN Robert T.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 24(1/2), 2005, pp.125-135.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
Students in dual degree programs have an additional task of negotiating dual professional identities. While students do this somewhat successfully, it seems they do it without any deliberate or systematic help from either their divinity or social work curricula. This article suggests that the divinity requirement for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) can serve as an integrating element of the curriculum and examines perceived identity blocks that may make this possible.
Collaborative responses to the demands of emerging human needs: the role of faith and spirituality in education for social work
- Author:
- CONWAY Edwin M.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Religion and Spirituality in Social Work, 24(1/2), 2005, pp.65-77.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
The paper explores the disintegration and integration which exist between faith and religion and social work and learning. There is a brief explanation of Catholic Papal Teachings and Catholic Social Teaching as a demonstration of de facto concordance between social work and religion. The paper contains citations based on the current social principles of the Catholic Church, several recent papal exhortations and encyclicals. These readings highlight the need for good social work practice. The paper ends with some practical suggestions in ways to promote collaboration between the two fields of endeavor.