Using Interactive Multimedia to Build Child Welfare Competencies in Social Workers

Evaluating the Efficacy of Traditional and Web-Assisted Instruction in an Undergraduate Social Work Practice Class

“…The current study extends Thurston and Cauble's (1999) research by assessing the efficacy of web-assisted learning with undergraduate social work students enrolled in a beginning social work practice class. This practice course introduces students to social work generalist practice, defined as the application of knowledge, values, and skills of the general method of problem solving.…”

“…And, Thurston and Cauble (1999) found that students in a multimedia enhanced undergraduate social work practice course mastered content better than their traditionally taught peers. The current study supports the results reported by Thurston and Cauble (1999) in that students in the web-assisted class section scored at similar or higher levels on all three course assignments when compared with their peers in the traditional classroom. But the current study results extends that which preceded it by utilizing random assignment, multiple methods of evaluation, and blind raters to produce a more rigorous design.…”

“…On the other hand, some work suggests web-assisted instruction benefits students by promoting relationships between students and instructor, increasing participation and enthusiasm for assignments, and providing a medium to discuss sensitive issues (Frey et al, 2003;McCombs, 1994;Mowrer, 1996;Van Soest et al, 2000;Wernet et al, 2000). And, Thurston and Cauble (1999) found that students in a multimedia enhanced undergraduate social work practice course mastered content better than their traditionally taught peers. The current study supports the results reported by Thurston and Cauble (1999) in that students in the web-assisted class section scored at similar or higher levels on all three course assignments when compared with their peers in the traditional classroom.…”

“…Faux and Black-Hughes (2000) found that students participating in a traditional face-to-face classroom did better on a post-test measure examining mastery of course material than did those taught through the Internet. However, Thurston and Cauble (1999) examined the efficacy of a multimedia approach to teaching child welfare content to undergraduates and found a significant, positive difference on pre-and post-test measures of general knowledge for the viewed modules, supporting the use of multimedia.…”

New Technology, New Approaches: Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Teaching on Violence Against Women

“…And, while decisions about the use of technology in social work education must be informed by research on the valued added by the use of available technology, the literature suggests that there is variability in how technology is being used in social work education (Sandell & Hayes, 2002;Thurston & Cauble, 1999).…”