The Educational Orientations of Graduate Social Work Faculty

Abstract

For this exploratory study of the educational orientations of graduate social work faculty, the author surveyed faculty in 38 randomly selected graduate social work departments in the United States in Spring 1991. All were sent a revised Hadley Educational Orientation Questionnaire, which measured their agreement with 12 items each on Mentoring Orientation and Master Teaching Orientation scales. The survey also asked about the source of their educational philosophies. Analysis of 346 responses suggests that faculty tend toward a master teaching approach in attempting to impart essential knowledge and to empower students, but they also incorporate elements from the mentoring approach. Faculty indicated that their educational philosophies were derived principally from work experiences, personal experiences, and professional socialization.