A New Methodology for Assessing Social Work Practice: The Adaptation of the Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation (SW-OSCE)

4. Epistemological approaches to communication competence

“…Furthermore, research has demonstrated that communication skills exhibited within an OSCE translate to actual clinical practice when later evaluated, which is a good indication of the usefulness of this method of communication skill training for applied health professionals (Walsh, Bailey, and Koren 2009). OSCEs have also been adapted for non-medical training for use in clinical counseling or psychological programs (Roux et al 2011) and social work programs (Lu et al 2011). Overall, numerous communication skills assessment measures have been developed to examine communication skills during an OSCE (Baig, Violato, and Crutcher 2010;Huntley et al 2012;Jiramaneerat 2009;Lu et al 2011;Nuovo, Bertakis, and Azari 2006;Roux et al 2011; for reviews see: Boon andStewart 1998 andSchirmer et al 2005).…”

“…OSCEs have also been adapted for non-medical training for use in clinical counseling or psychological programs (Roux et al 2011) and social work programs (Lu et al 2011). Overall, numerous communication skills assessment measures have been developed to examine communication skills during an OSCE (Baig, Violato, and Crutcher 2010;Huntley et al 2012;Jiramaneerat 2009;Lu et al 2011;Nuovo, Bertakis, and Azari 2006;Roux et al 2011; for reviews see: Boon andStewart 1998 andSchirmer et al 2005). Another, less common technique, for evaluating student communication competence during interactions with patients is to train lay-people who follow medical students during clinical rounds (Bergus, Woodhead, and Kreiter 2009).…”

Integrating Ethical Considerations in Multicultural Curriculum and Training

“…More recently, the Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation or OSCE (Lu et al, 2011), a training method that integrates self-understanding and development with clinical and cultural competence assessed by students, observers, and trained actors playing the part of "clients" during role-plays was developed. This method was modified from medical field pedagogy to the Social Work Objective Structured Clinical Evaluation (SW-OSCE) to serve as an objective means of observing and rating students for training purposes in the field of social work.…”

“I Didn’t Feel Equipped”: Social Work Students’ Reflections on a Simulated Client “Coming Out”

“…The examination used students' interviews with trained and standardized simulated clients followed by structured reflections on their interview to assess competence. Use of simulation in teaching and assessing learning has been increasingly studied within social work education (Lu et al, 2011;Rawlings, 2012) yet sexual orientation has not been included in previous social work OSCEs (Logie, Bogo, Regehr, & Regehr, 2013). In an effort to better understand MSW students' experience and perceived competence working with LGBQQ persons, we conducted and analyzed MSW student reflections on their practice directly following their performance in an OSCE.…”