Teaching research methods to social work students in India and Australia: reflections and recommendations

Abstract

This paper draws on the reflections of two social work educators who have, for many years taught research methods to undergraduate and postgraduate social work students in India and Australia. The intent is to suggest measures for enhancing the quality of social work research education. The reflections are embedded in a social justice and human rights framework, privileging the educators' unique social and cultural contexts and their commitment to engage with indigenous knowledge. The authors recommend effective social work research education requires the educator to draw on a deep understanding of their own context, as well as globally accepted research traditions.Particularly, we encourage research teachers to adopt student-centred approaches that emphasise a broad 'research mindedness' (in their students and themselves), building students' practical capacities and confidence to become effective, research informed practitioners; capable of contributing to their own communities and to the social work profession more broadly.Keywords: social work education; pedagogies; research education; Indigenous knowledge; social work; research minded practice; skills teaching Unlike teaching other social work methods, teaching research methodology to social work students can be rather difficult and challenging because of the apprehensions in the minds of both the teacher and the taught (Hardcastle and Bisman, 2003;MacIntyre and Paul, 2012;Fish, 2015;Newman and McNamara, 2016). The real purpose of research in social work, as an evidence-base for policy and practice decisions, begins to dawn in the minds of social workers after some experience in the field and after acquiring a broader and more inclusive world-view; and understanding the interconnectedness of everything we do with some form of research activity, however rudimentary that might be. With considerable experience of teaching research methodology to social work students and supervising doctoral research, the authors reflected critically on the pedagogical issues, practical realities, cultural biases and

Research Knowledge of Advanced Standing and Traditional Students: Implications for BSW Education

“…BSW graduates globally endorse enhancing individual well-being as a goal of social work (Weiss, 2005), indicating that strengthening the link between research and practice may enhance student's research knowledge and retention. Research methods courses designed to underscore that research can be used to assess micro and macro practices and as a tool to address social (in)justice may help students understand not only the practicality of research but also the necessity of research within the profession of social work (Ponnuswami & Harris, 2017). Ways to encourage this include taking the classroom content into the real world-compelling students to engage in research projects connected to their field placements or with community-based agencies and organizations with which social work programs are affiliated (Anderson, 2002;Blakemore & Howard, 2015;Lucero, 2015;Satka, Kääriänen, & Yliruka, 2016).…”

“…Further complicating the task of preparing students to engage in evidencebased practice, the importance of research is not wholly embraced by students, regardless of AS status, who are often reluctant (Ponnuswami & Harris, 2017), as they may view research curriculum as irrelevant, a punishment, and even intensely anxiety-provoking (Epstein, 1987;Gredig & Bartlesen-Raemy, 2018;Maschi, Wells, Slater, MacMillan, & Ristow, 2013;Morgenshtern, Freymond, Agyapong, & Greeson, 2011;Nelson, 1983). Furthermore, and reflective of the key role of a student's undergraduate major on research performance, the literature suggests that social work students, AS or NAS, report higher levels of anxiety about research, have less interest in it (Green, Bretzin, Leininger, & Stauffer, 2001;Royse & Rompf, 1992), and feel even less confident compared to students in other majors (Freymond et al, 2014).…”

Contemporary Scenario of Participatory Social Work Research in Rural India

“…Innovation can be seen as the process that renews something that exists and not, as is commonly assumed, the introduction of something new (Ponnuswami, 2011) in participatory social work research. Thus, innovation intends to make a systemic analysis of a threefold process.…”

Participatory Social Work: Research, Practice, Education

“…Innovation can be seen as the process that renews something that exists and not, as is commonly assumed, the introduction of something new (Ponnuswami, 2011) in participatory social work research. Thus, innovation intends to make a systemic analysis of a threefold process.…”