Objective Measurement for Assessing Students’ Reflective Abilities During the Social Work Practicum

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to develop and validate an objective scale to assess abilities for reflective process and reflective practice outcomes within social work practicums. The study analyzed supervisors’ evaluations of 85 students and estimated the relationships between students’ and instructors’ objective ratings on competency. The results indicate that a total of 38 items could be used to measure abilities of reflective process and reflective practice outcome, respectively. The items were positively relevant for teachers’ evaluations of students’ competencies and partially related to students’ self-evaluations on performance as well as to supervisor’s support. The results also indicate that teachers and students might hold different perspectives with regard to performance, as suggested in the literature. This article includes several suggestions for improving social work practicums.

Acknowledgments

The authors thank all instructors in social work practicums for their contributions to this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Hui-Fang Chen

Hui-Fang Chen is an Associate Professor at the City University of Hong Kong. Her research mainly focuses on applied measurement in education, psychology and medicine, differential item functioning, and item response theory.

Gloria Hongyee Chan

Gloria Hongyee Chan is a visiting scholar at the City University of Hong Kong and a register social worker. Her research is related to youth development and counseling.

Wai Keung Jerf Yeung

Wai Keung Jerf Yeung is an Associate Professor at the City University of Hong Kong. He is a register social worker and has engaged in social work, including youth, children and family, and elderly services. His research interests include family and children, religion and health, and adolescent health.