A Case-based Collaborative Learning Model for Teaching Advocacy

Abstract

Social work graduate school programs focusing on clinical practice have traditionally attended less to the profession's advocacy role. Masters-level clinical social work students, therefore, may not receive adequate training to understand their roles in advocating for or against policies that directly impact their practice. This article proposes a collaborative learning model called 'Advocacy Week', which prepares students for a statewide NASWsponsored Advocacy Day. Using case presentations prepared in collaboration with clinical and policy social work faculty, aspiring clinical social work practitioners are exposed to the relevance of advocacy. Preliminary findings suggest that graduate students exposed to this model become aware of their advocate role as part of their clinical practice, a knowledge which has implications for social work education.

Policy practice in social work education: A literature review

“…Here again, the students who participated in most of the evaluated activities were not necessarily only those in macro tracks or concentrations, but were also in direct or clinical practice (e.g. Saulnier, ; Kilbane, Rodriquez Freire, Young, Hong, & Pryce, ) or BSW students (e.g. Zubrzycki & McArthur, ).…”

“…These focus on an internet‐based PP assignment (Tower & Hartnett, ), observing parliamentary proceedings (Henman, ), a hypothetical exercise of designing a policy which requires students to define its objectives, design strategies for achieving them and compare their costs and benefits (Weaver & Nackerud, ), or studying a compelling social problem in the news (antecedents, complexity, impact on different populations), understanding existing policies, and formulating potential solutions (Sherraden, Guo, & Umbertino, ). The fifth study evaluates the incorporation of a Case‐Based Learning workshop that creates concrete contexts in which policy and clinical practice impact on one another, into the Advocacy Week Model (Kilbane et al, ).…”

“…Four additional studies employ a post‐test design with a comparison group (e.g. Anderson & Harris, ; Kilbane et al, ). Most of these studies employ self‐report measurements or feedbacks in which the students are asked about their perceptions on the impact of the evaluated course or activity (e.g.…”

From Private Practice to Academia: Integrating social and political advocacy into every MFT Identity

“…This event is an opportunity for students to practice classroom learned skills by traveling to their state capitol and engaging with policymakers on specific legislative issues (Lane et al, 2012). Some states have extended Advocacy Day into a week-long lobbying experience, in partnership with academic faculty, state legislators, and local NASW chapters to promote cross-collaborative advocacy efforts (Beimers, 2016;DeRigne et al, 2014;Kilbane, Pryce, Young, & Hong, 2013;Kilbane, Rodriquez Freire, Young, Hong, & Pryce, 2014;Kilbane & Freire, 2013).…”

“…Findings suggest that formal training and understanding of the complexities of advocacy and policy are important to the actual practice of it. Kilbane et al (2014) reported that "the degree to which [social workers] perceive advocacy as at least professionally a relevant matter to them, if not taking it to be their own practice, is highly associated with understanding the importance and relevance of advocacy to social work practice" (p. 1064). In other words, when people believe that policy and advocacy is relevant to them personally, they also tend to believe that it is relevant to their practice/profession.…”