Making Social Work Count: A Curriculum Innovation to Teach Quantitative Research Methods and Statistical Analysis to Undergraduate Social Work Students in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Students in the United Kingdom (UK) are found to lack knowledge and skills in quantitative research methods. In order to address this gap, a quantitative research method and statistical analysis curriculum comprised of 10 individual lessons was developed, piloted, and evaluated at two universities in the UK. The evaluation found BSW students' (N=81) self-efficacy to improve significantly from pre-to post-test, but statistical knowledge improved only slightly and was not statistically significantly. The findings point to recommendations for social work educators in the UK and beyond to consider when integrating the 10-input quantitative method curriculum and when teaching research methods and statistics to social work students.

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