Role Plays to Enhance Readiness for Practicum: Perceptions of Graduate & Undergraduate Social Work Students

ABSTRACT

Although field education is considered the signature pedagogy of social work education, there is a paucity of research examining how Bachelors of Social Work (BSW) and foundation year-Masters of Social Work (FY-MSW) students perceive strategies designed to prepare them for field placement. To enhance readiness for practicum, an interactive role play activity was introduced to BSW and FY-MSW students, and their perspectives of the activity were elicited using focus groups. A thematic analysis of the transcripts resulted in five themes: enhanced perspective-taking, “we have a voice”, reflections on supervisory relationship, pressure to excel in student role, and opportunity to practice in a safe space. The findings provide guidance for implementing pre-practicum activities appropriate to students’ level of education and training.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Taylor Institute for Teaching and Learning, University of Calgary under the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grant.

Notes on contributors

Brooke Allemang

Brooke Allemang is a PhD Candidate, Clinical Research Associate and Sessional Instructor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Gina Dimitropoulos is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Tara Collins is a PhD Candidate and Sessional Instructor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary – Lethbridge Campus. Priyanka Gill is an MD student at the University of Calgary. Amy Fulton is an MSW Field Education Coordinator and Sessional Instructor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Anne-Marie McLaughlin is an Associate Professor, the Associate Dean, and the Graduate and MSW Foundation Coordinator in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary – Edmonton Campus. Jessica Ayala is the Vice Dean and a Teaching Professor in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Carrie Blaug is a BSW and MSW Foundation Field Education Coordinator in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Angela Judge-Stasiak is a Field Education Coordinator in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Lorraine Letkemann is a Senior Instructor, the Director of Field Education and the Academic and Staff Operations Coordinator at the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary – Lethbridge Campus.