Teaching About Racial and Ethnic Diversity in Social Work Education: A Systematic Review

ABSTRACT

Little of social work literature provides evidence of best teaching practices for preparing social work students to work with clients from historically excluded racial and ethnic groups. A systematic literature review was conducted to assess studies published in the United States during the 10-year period (2007–2016) that examined: (1) social work educators’ pedagogical interventions for teaching about racial and ethnic diversity, (2) components of those interventions, (3) methodological designs to evaluate the interventions, and (4) the students’ learning outcomes. Following the systematic review protocol, the authors identified and assessed twenty-five studies (qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods). The studies reflected a variety of teaching interventions, such as diversity courses and projects, instructional technology, and cultural immersion programs. While many reported positive student learning outcomes, as a whole, the studies lacked methodological rigor and sound theoretical grounding. Although social work education attempts to prepare students for multicultural practice, the field lacks an intentional and systematic approach to teaching about racial and ethnic diversity and evaluating learning outcomes in social work students. There is an urgency to expand the empirical evidence on social work diversity education, particularly concerning teaching about race, racism, and Whiteness.

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Notes on contributors

Katarzyna Olcoń

Dr. Katarzyna Olcoń is a social work lecturer in the School of Health and Society, University of Wollongong, Australia. This article was part of her dissertation which she completed at the University of Texas at Austin. Building on critical race theory and critical Whiteness theory, her research centers on anti-racism in social work education and practice.

Dorie J. Gilbert

Dr. Dorie J. Gilbert is dean of graduate studies and professor of social work at Prairie View A&M University. Her scholarly work centers on interdisciplinary and international social work, study abroad and service-learning in Africa, global health and mental health disparities among African-descent populations, and multicultural pedagogy.

Rose M. Pulliam

Dr. Rose M. Pulliam is a clinical assistant professor in the School of Social Work at Texas State University. Her research interests include teaching anti-racism, disparities in health outcomes in Black populations, domestic and sexual violence, and international social work. She is also exploring the importance of experiential learning to enhance student critical consciousness and social justice activism.