Interdisciplinary Service-Learning: Building Student Competencies through the Cross-Cultural Parent Groups Project

Abstract

Changing demographics and an emphasis on competency-based social work education call for innovative approaches to the delivery of curricular content. In an effort to introduce BSW students to the socio-political issues facing the local Latino immigrant community, a service-learning project was developed in collaboration with the Spanish Language Department and a local middle school. An analysis of outcomes from social work student evaluations showed that students engaged with the community and issues in new and unexpected ways. Through their engagement in a cross-cultural group project, students developed greater cultural competency, honed their group practice skills in an unfamiliar context, provided a needed service to the community, and raised their awareness about the working conditions of new immigrants as part of a developing framework for social action. Details and implications of the project as a means to build student competencies are described.

Social Work and Engineering Collaboration: Forging Innovative Global Community Development Education

“…Select evidence-based assessment and intervention tools were taught to social work and physical therapy students and practitioners and then implemented by the interdisciplinary teams. Another collaboration introduced Spanish language students to social work students to facilitate parenting groups (Belliveau, 2011). This course enabled students to learn from a collaborative approach in which Spanish students served as "language consultant[s]" while parents gained education on depression in adolescents.…”

The Relationship Between Service Learning and Undergraduate Social Work Students' Professional Value Development

“…They also develop skills related to self-awareness, critical thinking, problem solving, interpersonal communication, civic involvement, leadership, and cultural competence (King, 2003;Lemieux & Allen, 2007;Phillips, 2011). In short, students develop personally and professionally as a result of service-learning experiences (Belliveau, 2011).…”

“…Even within the profession, discussion of civic engagement and service learning has been sporadic until the last decade (Nadel et al, 2007). Still, service learning has been used in social work education in various ways to foster students' personal and professional development and encourage civic engagement (Belliveau, 2011;Ericson, 2011;Jones, 2011;Lowe & Clarke, 2012;Lucas-Darby, 2011;Maccio & Voorhies, 2012;Mink & Twill, 2012;Rocha, 2000;Stepteau-Watson, 2012;Twill, Elpers, & Lay, 2011;Williams & Reeves, 2004). This includes undergraduate and graduate courses; introductory social work classes; courses focused on theory, social welfare, research, and policy; micro, mezzo, and macro practice classes; and specialized electives (Cronley et al, 2014;Phillips, 2011).…”

Service Learning Within the Community Music Therapy Approach (CoMT)

“…While limited research is reported on service learning in music therapy education, there has been ample literature regarding the positive impact of service learning on students' development in allied health professions, which implies potential benefits for music therapy education. Service learning has, for example: helped art therapy students to increase their critical thinking skills and awareness of social justice (Feen-Calligan, 2008); enhanced physical therapy students' clinical skills in relation to the professional competencies (Nowakowski, Kaufman, & Pelletier, 2014); deepened understanding of the course materials among undergraduate nursing students ; developed multicultural counseling competencies of counseling students (Burnett, Hamel & Long, 2004) and, aided social work students in gaining a better understanding of the impact of social and political situations on clients' lives (Belliveau, 2011).…”