Transfer Is Not Enough: A Case Study From a Western-Style MSW Program in Beijing

Abstract

Objective: The main purpose is to empirically investigate the outcomes of a Western-style Master of Social Work program that was designed by School of Social Work, University of Southern California and contextually implemented in School of Social Development and Public Policy, Beijing Normal University. Method: A three-wave panel study was used and a focus group discussion was conducted to evaluate the program. Results: Students reported a significant improvement in professional competence and satisfaction and a moderate decline in professional commitment after classroom training. However, after field training, there was almost no significant difference in professional competence and satisfaction, but there was a decline in professional commitment. Conclusions: The results come down to gaps between organizational development and students’ personal development, between education and practice, and between students’ expectation and reality. This study highlights the importance to fill in the gaps and sheds light on the way to indigenize social work education in China.

Validating a model for indicating the professionalisation of social work in China

“…The significance of perceived public recognition (X1) echoes previous studies demonstrating that social workers’ perceptions of public status could affect other professionally relevant issues, such as graduates’ job intention (Wang et al, 2019) or turnover among social workers (Lei et al, 2018). This finding clearly demonstrates the importance of including subjective evaluation in assessing public recognition, instead of simply focusing on the licensure system.…”

“…For example, in contrast to the competency frameworks developed in the United States, England and Hong Kong, Chinese experts appeared to favour only de-politicising techniques that would not highlight power relationships within an authoritarian regime (Lei & Huang, 2018). A collaborative Master of Social Work programme imported the curriculum design and pedagogy from a distinguished American university, but the professional commitment of students – measured by their willingness to seek employment in social work – consistently declined throughout classroom teaching and practice learning (Wang et al, 2019).…”

Irish Field Education/Social Work Placement: The Making of Multi-Touch eBooks as a ‘Wrap Around’ Resource

“…Agencies must be honest in what they have to offer social work students on placement. If the work involved is 'community orientated work' then identify it as such, if the work is going to be mainly administration [9] agencies must make this clear in the beginning. The contention would be that if on graduation students are going into social work jobs, especially statutory social work in areas such as child protection, mental health, and probation, then they need social work placements in social work teams, offices and Justice Departments.…”

“…The word indigenization in this context looks at taking research and empirical practice wisdom, re-positioning it and using it to form a scaffold for a developing profession. Growing professional identity in the context of economic policies, socio-cultural backgrounds and political regimes as in the studies of China [7][8][9] the Asian-Pacific [10] and Africa [11], fuels the debate on what is possible or impossible in changing environments.…”

“…The possible solution is to recognize the good parts, the best constituent elements of a model for identity and in addition recognize best local practice and couple this with agency support and endorsement. Indeed the research of Gray [9,13] encapsulates the sensible approach of recognizing in social work education the elements of 'culture, economics, politics and social realities.' Interlacing these with the essential elements of fieldwork placement; professionally trained placement supervisors, a variety of placement sites, essential University support and a consideration of time, place and culture, may anticipate a more integrated outcome.…”