The Acquisition of Social Work Interviewing Skills in a Web-Based and Classroom Instructional Environment: Results of a Study

ABSTRACT

This article reports findings from a study initiated to explore similarities and differences in the acquisition of interviewing skills of two groups of students enrolled in a required undergraduate social work practice course. One group was taught interviewing skills in a classroom-based teaching environment by one instructor and the other group was taught interviewing skills in an online instructional environment by a different instructor. Results indicate no statistically significant difference in actual skill acquisition at the completion of the course between students in both groups as rated by an independent expert evaluator. Future research direction is recommended.

KEYWORDS:

• Telelearning
• WEB-based instruction
• social work interviewing
• social work practice
• distance education