The purpose of this investigation was to compare how teachers rate themselves with how students rate their teachers on the Teacher Efficacy the External Influences Scale, a scale designed to assess teachers' efficacy in the area of classroom organization and discipline. The participants in this study were seventh-and eighth-grade teachers and their students in a middle school located in a metropolitan area of a midsized, midwestern community in the United States. There were 710 students and 18 teachers participating in this study. The researchers found five of the 13 scale items were statistically significant. The results show that teachers have a positive influence on students' behavior, teachers may relate to most difficult students, teachers might compensate for students' home experiences through good teaching, some students may not respond to any teacher intervention, and students who report being disciplined at home were unlikely to accept discipline at school. This study suggests how the results might improve the collaborative relationships between teachers and students.
Drug Courts offer alternative sentencing for individuals with drug-related criminal charges, and although there is no mandate requiring a social worker to be a member of the team, this case study concludes that social workers have a unique purpose on the professional team resulting from their generalist and specialist knowledge and skills. The use of this knowledge and skill is illustrated in this descriptive account of the role of a social worker in a midwestern county in the United States. The implication of this case study suggests social workers should be included on drug court teams.
This exploratory study conducted at a mid-sized American Midwestern metropolitan university explores service-learning. The study describes the characteristics of students choosing service-learning and examines learning from the students’ perspective. A survey instrument was used to assess the attitudes of 500 randomly selected students, some of whom participated in service-learning projects. Their responses were contrasted with students who did not participate in a service-learning opportunity. The results of this study create a profile of students’ perception of service-learning.
This case study demonstrates the process by which a class composed of senior social work students learns macro practice values and skills by partnering with a community organization. The products of this collaboration emerge from the real-life problem scenario in which students, community partners, and the social work educator collaborate to develop the skills necessary to resolve problems. Through community partnership, social work educators are in the position to expand the opportunities for students to develop critical thinking skills, and provide opportunities to practice community organization within the classroom setting.
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