Teaching Social Welfare Policy: A Comparison of Two Pedagogical Approaches

Reflections on Experiential Teaching Methods: Linking the Classroom to Practice

“…Mumm's own study (conducted with field instructors and students about the teaching methods used in field practicum settings) yielded similar results, even though discussion was found to be helpful by students. Anderson and Harris (2005) compared two types of experiential approaches and found both to be equally effective in improving student learning in a social policy course. The authors concluded that the approach of integrating a practicum component, as well as another integrating an applied research component, can increase students' competence and policybased skills.…”

“…We attempt to bridge the gap between theory and practice, even if this is not always a straightforward endeavor (Lu, Dane, & Gellman, 2005;Novak, 1995;Vayda & Bogo, 1991). Not only do many students have an aversion to theory, which they feel is far removed from their interest of helping people, but many also have difficulty 494 S. Wehbi seeing how their coursework is relevant to their practice (Anderson & Harris, 2005;Carniol, 2000). As an advisor to first-year undergraduate students and to graduate students, I have had countless conversations with students who have indicated that they are anxious to finish the coursework so that they can get to the real part of the degree: the practice component.…”

Inspiring and Training Students for Social Action: Renewing a Needed Tradition

“…Reisch and Lowe (2000) and Hardina (2000) found evidence of growth in social justice commitment through teaching specific models and tactics in community organization courses. Anderson and Harris (2005) found that experiential approaches to teaching social welfare policy increased social work students' knowledge of and skill in working on social and economic justice issues. When studying the impact of a community service laboratory intervention on social work students, Forte (1997) found an enhanced commitment to volunteerism and self-reported altruism.…”

Critical Thought within the Social Welfare Policy Course

“…On this level, students are expected to build on lower-order tasks of comprehension, application, and analysis through their creation of a new argument or plan. Though the clearest example of this task can be found in research proposals required of social work students in research classes, this type of expectation is sometimes seen in policy courses when students are required to study a problem and develop a policy proposal that would address the problem (Anderson & Harris, 2005;Rocha & Johnson, 1997;Scott, 2008). The final level is labeled evaluation.…”