Challenges to bridging classroom and field instruction: Exploring field instructors perspectives on macro practice

ABSTRACT

Both field education and macro practice have been discussed as central educational domains for all social work students; however, very little scholarship to date has looked at how macro social work practice competencies have been integrated into students’ practicum experiences.  This exploratory study aimed to gain perspectives from field instructors regarding their perception of macro social work and, specifically, the integration of macro practice into their work with students.  Consistent with research that has elucidated the impacts of neoliberalism on social work, including the marginalization of macro practice in the field, emergent themes highlighted that field instructors face barriers within their agency settings to incorporating macro practice into their work with students.  Challenges include: the prevalence of the medical model, time constraints, and funding limitations.  Further, field instructors voiced gaps between students, the university, and their organizational setting in regard to expectations of including macro practice in field education.  Recommendations and directions for future research are discussed.

CITATION

Mehrota, G., Tecle, A. S.,Ha, A. T., Gneim, S., & Gringeri, C. Challenges to bridging classroom and field instruction: Exploring field instructors perspectives on macro practice. Journal of Social Work Education, 54(1), pp. 135-147.

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