Social work education in the Arabian Gulf: Challenges and opportunities

Sloan, Lacey; Bromfield, Nicole F.; Matthews, John; Rotabi, Karen Smith

doi:10.1080/15426432.2017.1311247

Cited by 14 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The government of the United Arab Emirates has developed a range of initiatives to enhance and sustain the wellbeing of its citizens and residents (Sloan et al, 2017). These initiatives include free healthcare, financial aid, benefits, interest free loans and free education from early childhood through University.…”

Section: Social Work Practice In the United Arab Emiratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Social Work Students On Practicum at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU): Challenges and Implications.

Sarhan

Tedam

2021

JPTS

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Assessing Social Work Students On Practicum at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU): Challenges and Implications. Dr. Taghreed M. Abu Sarhan¹ (Director of Field Education)Dr Prospera TedamSocial Wellbeing Dept. UAEUContact: abusarhan@uaeu.ac.aeAbstractThe Social Work program at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU) is the first and the only program-training students for Masters in Social Work (MSW) in the United Arab Emirates. MSW students are required to undertake 500 hours of practice in the field MSW while Bachelor in Social Work (BSW) students are required to complete 400 hours of practicum.This paper outlines both BSW and MSW practicum courses and examines the assessment tools and methods that contribute to their readiness for practice upon qualifying. The authors explore the framework in practicum settings in the UAE and critically reflect on the challenges of the current assessment methods in preparing professional social workers for practice upon graduation. The absence of service user contribution in the assessment process is considered a major disadvantage to the holistic development of social workers in the UAE and will be examined. Significantly, the two authors who are both female address the issue of gender within the context of assessment due to gender segregation in field practicum linked to the cultural and religious requirements in the UAE. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations to improve the assessment of social work students at both BSW and MSW levels at the United Arab Emirates University.Keywords: Social Work, Practicum, UAEU, Assessment methods, BSW and MSW.

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Section: Social Work Practice In the United Arab Emiratesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Social Work Students On Practicum at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU): Challenges and Implications.

Sarhan

Tedam

2021

JPTS

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“…Findings point to a disconnect between social work education and practice in the MENA region as perceived by students, and this may be attributed to the SWE system's basis on the Western-more specifically the American-model, as some scholars have examined (Al-Shuaibi, 2005;Mokhtar, 2006;Soliman & Abd Elmegied, 2010;Megahead, 2016;Al-Makhamreh & Libal, 2012). Implementing Western standards without critical assessment produces issues of ethics, cultural competence and efficacy (Ferguson, 2005;Holtzhausen, 2011;Lyngstad, 2013;Sloan et al, 2017). Within SW curricula and education, the integration of culturally competent practice requires that the field be carefully and thoughtfully introspective, so that such integration is not only effective but also appropriate and sustainable (Alsahow, Paris, Sayed, et al, 2019).…”

Section: Theme 1: Externally-oriented Real-world Application Of Social Work Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies of SWE in the MENA region tend to focus on cultural and religious dimensions (i.e., Al-Makhamreh & Libal, 2012;Sloan, Bromfield, Matthews & Rotabi, 2017), but fewer studies focus on institutional aspects, such as teaching methods, libraries, and linkages of curricula and SWE to practice institutions wherein social work graduates would work. Moreover, the perspectives of social work students from the MENA region are under-examined (Ewiess, 2005;Mokhtar, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social work education in the Middle East and North Africa: Students’ perspectives at 13 universities in 10 countries

Ibrahim¹,

Hreish²,

Hantoosh³

et al. 2020

Egyptian Journal of Social Work

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Social work education in the Middle East and North Africa: Students' perspectives at 13 universities in 10 countries AbstractEfforts for improving social work education (SWE) in the Middle East and North Africa aim to address complex development issues. Using quantitative and qualitative approaches, this paper examines students' perceptions of SWE, surveying 810 students in 13 universities in 10 countries: Egypt,

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“…In this context, the pillars of Islamic faith and ritual practice have important implications for the Islamic worldview and the conceptualization of social work in Muslim-majority countries like the Gulf States (Ibrahim et al, 2020). Many of the shared values that are emphasized in this Muslim worldview (community, interconnectedness, consensus, interdependence, community actualization, group achievement and success, community trust, respect for community rights, self-control, sensitivity to group oppression, identity rooted in culture, and implicit communication that protects other people's opinions) are consistent with and complementary to the values and goals of social work (Sloan et al, 2017).…”

mentioning

confidence: 97%

“…It demonstrates the government's active role in developing and maintaining social safety to ensure the satisfaction of citizens' basic needs. Emiratis are supported through various programs and initiatives, including high-quality medical care, subsidized higher education, government-funded pension plans, fuel subsidies, and access to land for home construction with interest-free loans (Rotabi et al, 2017;Sloan et al, 2017).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Social Work Practices in the Multiethnic Urban Reality of Covid-19 in the Middle East: The Case of UAE

Elsayed

2021

J Ethn Cult Stud

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The study developed a set of universal challenges for social workers and investigated the impact thereof on social workers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Based on a qualitative analysis of previous research, a set of 10 universal challenges was developed. A questionnaire was created, and a survey was conducted among 304 respondents currently employed as social workers in the UAE. The survey results showed that most survey respondents selected the risk of infection as the strongest challenge. Emotional burnout, lack of reliable information, limited resources, staff capacity, problems with social distancing, lack of instructions/protocols, remote client service, and inadequate education obtained average scores meaning that they are important but not critical. Scientists and practitioners can use this set of universal challenges to investigate pandemic-related challenges for social workers in various countries and regions.

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Social work education in the Arabian Gulf: Challenges and opportunities

Cited by 14 publications

References 8 publications

Assessing Social Work Students On Practicum at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU): Challenges and Implications.

Assessing Social Work Students On Practicum at the United Arab Emirates University (UAEU): Challenges and Implications.

Social work education in the Middle East and North Africa: Students’ perspectives at 13 universities in 10 countries

Social Work Practices in the Multiethnic Urban Reality of Covid-19 in the Middle East: The Case of UAE

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