A New Perspective: The Common Factors Model as a Foundation for Social Work Practice Education

Abstract

Foundation social work practice education is critical to the preparation of BSW practitioners for professional practice and the establishment of a theoretical and skill base upon which graduate students may build competencies in the advanced curriculum. Issues in the foundation practice curriculum may hinder this development. The common factors model holds promise as an organizing framework for foundation social work practice education. This model may help to resolve some key issues in social work and social work education, and may provide a useful, coherent, and empirical base for the foundation practice curriculum.

Keywords:

• common factors
• practice education
• direct practice
• foundation curriculum

Notes

The authors would like to thank Alex Gitterman and Lawrence Shulman for their support, feedback, and encouragement for this project.