Perspectives on Aging among Graduate Social Work Students: Using Photographs as an Online Pedagogical Activity

Abstract

The United States is experiencing an aging of the population, and by 2030, 20% of Americans will be 65 years or older (Federal Interagency Forum, 2010). However, for many helping professions, including social work, medicine, and nursing, student interest in gerontological practice is quite low. One international study found that only 5.4% of the more than 1,000 social work students who were surveyed indicated that working with older people was their primary area of interest (Author, 2014a). Finding ways to improve student interest and break down biases against older adults is essential to improve student interest, and incorporating evidence-based activities that can be incorporated into courses that are offered in an online format are increasingly needed as this mode of instruction continues to expand. The current exploratory study sought to pilot a two-part photo-activity in an online graduate social work practice course focused on working with older adults. Quantitative and qualitative results suggest that the activities helped students’ process their views on aging and older people, and most students reported at least some change in their attitudes. The development of innovative ways to engage students online by repurposing technology that they are already using can advance online pedagogy and facilitate critical thinking.

Pedagogical Methods of Teaching Social Justice in Social Work: A Scoping Review

“…Four studies (11%) discussed the use of an online discussion board as a way to engage students in after-class discussion or post-online module completion, with variations from student-initiated to instructor-monitored-but-not-engaged to instructors-engaged in the discussion (Boetto & Bell, 2015; Chonody, 2018; Littlefield & Roberson, 2005; Sherwood et al, 2018). Boetto and Bell (2015) described an online learning project on ecological social work in which students were asked to post reflections asynchronously after each workshop and engage in dialogue with peers through their posted responses.…”

“…They highlighted that even in the online and asynchronized spaces it is important for instructors to be hyperattentive to power dynamics in students’ participation. In a 6-week asynchronous online course on practice with older adults, students used the discussion board to critically engage with the concept of aging and cultural meanings (Chonody, 2018). The instructor asked each student to post a photo that represents “aging” and reflect on what this image means culturally and personally; students were also given an opportunity to review all photos posted by their peers to explore patterns and cultural meanings.…”

‘It was kinda like D.I.Y closure’. Using Photovoice to capture the experiences of final year social work students graduating amidst the pandemic

“…Bowers (2017) used Photovoice as a method of engaging social work students in critical reflection and found that using Photovoice allowed students to reflexively analyse and develop their professional identities and consider what that meant for their practice. In addition to Bowers (2017) study, I identified 7 other studies that utilised Photovoice with social work students with various research aims (Bailey-McHale et al, 2019; Bowers, 2017; Bromfield and Capous-Desyllas, 2017; Byrne et al, 2009; Chonody, 2018; Morley et al, 2017; Phillips and Bellinger, 2010; Walsh et al, 2015). Other studies identified in initial scoping reviews of the topic utilised similar photo-elicitation methods but with a sample of university or college students from other subjects; all indicated in their findings that photography based research methods were more effective than traditional methods, such as observation or interviews at engaging student participation (Anderson, 2016; Patka et al, 2017).…”

“…The study was designed with a view to working collaboratively with participants, following the principles set out in Participatory Action Methodology ( Liamputtong, 2008 ) and Photovoice ( Wang and Burris 1997 ) was selected as the primary data collection tool. Photovoice has been found to be an effective research method and teaching method for social work research and pedagogy ( Bailey-McHale et al, 2019 ; Chonody, 2018 ) because of its need for collaboration between participants and facilitator and its focus on reflexivity and anti-oppressive practice, all of which are essential skills for social workers to develop ( Jarldon, 2019 ). Once participants had captured their images, they wrote captions to accompany them and then presented them at a later focus group.…”