Scholarship, Students, and Practitioners: Bringing Scholarship Into the Expectations of Practitioners

Abstract

Increased attention is being given to bridging the gap separating thanatology researchers and practitioners. College undergraduates studying to be human service professionals represent a cohort with a significant stake in bridging this gap. Inculcating in college students expectations as well as expertise to use research as practitioners not only makes sense but also is an ethical obligation for college faculty. Two noteworthy models of academic practice-Boyer's vision of scholarship and Schon's idea of reflective practice-provide a conceptual framework for faculty engaging practitioners-in-the-making in the use of research. An example of one effort to engage students in such learning is offered, along with discussion of some implications and alternatives.

Professionals' Experiences of Grief Counseling: Implications for Bridging the Gap between Research and Practice

“…The limited or lack of grief information in the counselors' formal studies provides a compelling rationale for the inclusion or improvement of grief content, particularly in the psychology, social work, and counseling curricula, and would provide the foundation on which post-training professional development could build upon. Excellent examples of classroom strategies and assessments are provided by Balk (2005) in his discussion of inculcating research skills into the training of health professionals. The creation of life-long learners are best-positioned to incorporate best practice throughout their careers.…”

The Preparation of Graduate Health Professionals for Working with Bereaved Clients: An Australian Perspective

“…Participants from five courses (psychology, counseling, occupational therapy, nursing, and medicine) acknowledged a desire for the inclusion of more applied knowledge and skills to help graduates meet the needs of clients and patients living with grief and loss, whereas the social work course appeared to be struggling with maintaining its existing grief education content, due to external pressures. Balk (2005) provides excellent examples of classroom strategies and assessments to facilitate scholarship among human service practitioners who work with death and dying issues. Prigerson and Jacobs (2001) also provide a practitionerfriendly differentiation between "typical" and complicated grief as well as practical strategies for communicating with and caring for bereaved clients/patients.…”