Teaching qualitative methods to social workers: Four approaches

Abstract

This teaching note draws on the experience of the author in teaching qualitative methods to social worker students across BSW, MSW, and doctoral levels using four different approaches. The approaches are (1) a single class session within general research class; (2) a one-semester doctoral-level class taught a research team; (3) study abroad using visual qualitative inquiry; and (4) project-based, completing a program evaluation. The four individual methods are examined. Some progress has been made in the single session format, and a suggestion for including experiential exercise is offered. Challenges and outcomes of the semester-long doctoral class are noted, including extensive time and labor burdens. The study abroad model includes specifics to teaching in another country such as allowing for reflection time to process the experience. Finally, details of the research project model indicate student responses and interactions with course work. The author describes commonalities and outcomes from all four approaches and explores some existing, though sparse, literature on teaching qualitative methods to social work students. The author, while acknowledging the limitations of these case studies, concludes that experiential learning methods are optimum and there are positive aspects to the team format when employed.

A reflection on qualitative methods activism: Advancing knowledge and expanding scientific practice.

“…Their description of teaching qualitative methods in the theoretical frame of field social psychology provides instructors with tools that can be used in teaching both undergraduate and graduate students, making qualitative methods and their aims intelligible to a future generation of researchers. This work transforms methods education and adds to the growing body of writing that provides guidance to instructors who wish students to learn by actively employing qualitative methods in their courses (e.g., Castell et al, 2021; Gibson & Sullivan, 2012; Levitt et al, 2013; Munn, 2016). The availability and success of such methods can be helpful in reconstructing how we understand methods education in psychology and in advocating for widespread education in qualitative methods.…”

O ensino da metodologia de investigação na formação inicial em Serviço Social: Entre a transversalidade exigida e a predominância da metodologia qualitativa

“…Por exemplo, no contexto americano observa-se a prevalência das metodologias quantitativas em serviço social, enquantoque no contexto europeu pode-se observar uma prevalência de metodologias qualitativas na investigação em serviço social. Sendo que, de uma forma global, estas últimas, parecem ter vindo a ganhar maior reconhecimento no serviço social deste o final do século XX (Padgett, 2016 Parte deste reconhecimento, está associado ao alinhamento que os métodos qualitativos têm com os objetivos da profissão, nomeadamente por envolverem a dimensão da escuta ativa, da observação e por mostrarem a preocupação em dar voz às pessoas em situação de vulnerabilidade (Munn, 2016), bem como, dar respostas mais adequadas à complexidade do quotidiano e das situações-problema que os assistentes sociais enfrentam.…”