A Model for Supporting Affective Learning within Diversity and Social Justice Social Work Syllabi

ABSTRACT

Teaching approaches are needed that can normalize students’ process of exploring emotions related to their learning and support the internalization of the professional social work values (i.e. human rights and social justice). Within the literature on social work education, the importance of affective processes to support the students’ learning of diversity and social justice content is acknowledged; however, the teaching continues to over-rely on cognitive learning approaches. The authors first discuss some limitations in the current inclusion of affective processes within diversity-related social justice courses. Then, informed by Krathwohl and colleagues’ taxonomy of affective domains, this article proposes a model for integrating affective domains within the syllabus (course descriptions, objectives, schedules, and assignments) of diversity-related social justice courses. The model’s continuum shows the student’s progression in affective learning; A1 indicates the simplest forms of emotion associated with receiving new information. Best practices for supporting affective learning within the course syllabus are discussed, and instructional examples that illustrate pathways for students’ embodiment of professional values are also explored.

KEYWORDS:

• Affective learning
• syllabi
• values
• diversity
• pedagogy
• social justice
• teaching methods
• oppression
• teaching research
• macro practice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).