Education for Autonomous Practice:

Abstract

Preparation of graduate social work students for contemporary practice is a challenging responsibility shared by educators in schools and agencies. This paper considers current needs for autonomy and accountability in social work practice and suggests that the learning experiences provided by field instruction can play a major role in the development of autonomous graduates. The authors advocate active engagement of social work students in the learning process and suggest that the student's involvement in learning and active participation in evaluation of performance will enhance the capacity for self-assessment that is basic to autonomous professional practice.