Research Training and Professional Social Work Education: Developing Research‐Minded Practice

Abstract

The movement towards developing practice more firmly grounded on empirical research has, arguably, been one of the most significant international trends in social work during the past decade. However, in the UK the implications of this trend for pedagogical practices and the design of educational programmes have still to be fully explored. This paper reports on the findings of a repeated cross-sectional survey of MSW students in Queen's University Belfast which focused on their perceptions of the value of research training to professional practice. The study, conducted over a four year period, explored students' awareness of the relationship between research and practice and their readiness to engage with research training. The findings suggested that the majority of students perceived research training as a valuable component of professional development. However, the study also found a level of scepticism among students about its practical utility along with some resistance towards actively embracing a research agenda. The paper evaluates the significance of these findings for developing research and evidencebased practice as integral components of the new degrees in social work in the UK and for social work education programmes in other countries aiming to develop research-minded practice.

Reflections on Student, Service User and Carer Involvement in Social Work Research

“…Lyons (2000) suggests that social work has not always necessarily embraced research within either its academic or practice considerations. However, there has been a more recent ascendancy of empirical and evidence-based practice and consequently a prescribed inclusion of research on degree programme curriculums (McCrystal and Wilson, 2009). Where this has both traditionally and more recently taken place, it has often been of the scientific and positivist type paradigms and has only latterly encapsulated the wider social sciences' adoption of more qualitative and narrative perspectives.…”

“…We often felt like we were doing our research project in a vacuum, sustained by our own awareness and motivation rather than any strategic and integrated approach. More specifically, changes in strategic vision will require visualisation of not only service user and carer involvement across all aspects of possible continuums but also how more specifically research fits into whole qualifying programme approaches (McCrystal and Wilson, 2009) and how research modules might contribute to the on-going evaluation of partnerships delivering programmes.…”

Building Analytic Capacity and Statistical Literacy Among Title IV-E MSW Students

“…Research on the effectiveness of education in creating research-minded practitioners has largely focused on the attitudes of social work students towards research (Green, Bretzin, Leininger, & Stauffer, 2001; Hardcastle & Bisman, 2003; Royse & Rompf, 1992), and the difficulties in transferring knowledge gained during MSW training to social work practice (McCrystal & Wilson, 2009). Studies have demonstrated that social work students enter research classes with great anxiety, particularly around methods and statistics (Green et al, 2001; Hardcastle & Bisman, 2003; Royse & Rompf, 1992).…”

“…Yet, some authors have argued that research education can help relieve these anxieties and increase self-efficacy (Orme & Powell, 2007; Unrau & Grinnell, 2005). Others have demonstrated that although social work students may have positive attitudes about research while they are students, these views do not always extend into actual practice (McCrystal & Wilson, 2009). In their study, McCrystal and Wilson found that the majority of their sample of social work students felt that research was relevant to practice and an important component of their training.…”

Advancing Social Work Practice Research Education – An Innovative, Experiential Pedagogical Approach

“…Research was regarded as "being too difficult, too time-consuming, and too far removed from the "real" work done by practitioners in the field" (Fouché & Bartley, 2016, p. 73). While many students recognize and acknowledge the importance of a scientific knowledge base for the profession and of research as a way to achieve it, they are skeptical about its practical utility along with some resistance towards actively embracing the integration of research and practice (Berger, 2002;McCrystal & Wilson, 2009). Few are enthusiastic about learning and applying research skills.…”