ABSTRACT
Distance learning in social work has proliferated in recent years and is increasingly promoted as a strategy for diversifying the social work workforce and expanding access to graduate education for individuals in rural and underserved communities. Our study assesses the accuracy of this claim by analyzing the 2018 GW [George Washington] Survey of Social Work Graduates to evaluate whether participation in an online or blended Master of Social Work program (a) increases diversity in the field by providing educational opportunities to nontraditional students and (b) is associated with practice in rural or underserved areas. Our findings indicate that online and blended education is associated with practice in rural and underserved areas. We also find evidence that online education increases diversity in the field by expanding access to education for older, working adults.
Disclosure statement
The authors have no conflict of interests to report.
Notes
1 The National Center for Education Statistics characterizes “nontraditional” students as a “heterogeneous population of adult students who have family and work responsibilities as well as other life circumstances that can interfere with successful completion of educational objectives.” Source: https://nces.ed.gov/pubs/web/97578e.asp.
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Notes on contributors
Chelsea Richwine
Chelsea Richwine, PhD, is a research associate at The George Washington University. Clese Erikson is deputy director, Health Workforce Policy Research Center, Fitzhugh Mullan Institute for Health Workforce Equity at The George Washington University. Edward Salsberg is director of Health Workforce Studies at The George Washington University.