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ABSTRACT
In 2008, social work education underwent a major shift from accrediting undergraduate and graduate programs based on curriculum design and structure to focusing on student outcomes. These competencies are believed to be inclusive of the proficiencies needed for competent social work practice. Central is the notion that social work competency can only be assessed by observation of behavior in real or simulated practice settings. In addition, these educational competencies are based in the strong social and economic justice perspectives that are at the heart of the social work profession. This approach to identifying competency starkly contrasts assessments used for social work licensure. Licensure examinations are based on assessing knowledge for tasks that licensed social workers actually do in their jobs. Thus, there is a disconnect, with educators on one side asserting competency can only be assessed through behavioral observation of what social workers should be doing and regulators on the other focusing on knowledge that is driven by real world market conditions. This article examines this existing divide and provides suggestions for bridging it in the future.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Dawn Apgar
Dawn Apgar, PhD, LSW, ACSW, is an assistant professor/director of the BSW program and assistant chairperson of her department at Seton Hall University.