Field Instructors' Commitment to Student Supervision: Testing the Investment Model

Abstract

The aim of the study was to examine field instructors' commitment to student supervision, using an adapted form of the Investment Model, which consists of six components related to supervision: rewards (positive aspects of the job), costs (negative aspects of the job), degree of investment in the job, quality of alternative jobs, satisfaction of the job, and commitment to the job. A non‐purposive sample of 178 field instructors of bachelor‐level social work students completed mailed questionnaires. The findings show that the greater the rewards, the greater the field instructors' commitment, investment, and satisfaction. On the other hand, higher job cost was inversely related to commitment, satisfaction, and investment. Job satisfaction mediated between rewards, cost, investment and job commitment. The article helps to illuminate some of the factors associated with field instructors' commitment to undergraduate student supervision and suggests ways of increasing it.

Keywords:

• Field Work
• Field Instructors
• Commitment
• Investment Model
• Student Supervision

Acknowledgements

This study could not have been completed without the cooperation of the field instructors who work with the Bob Shapell School of Social Work, Tel‐Aviv University, Israel. The authors would like to thank them all.