Social work practice with communities and organizations (SWCO) is a core component in social work, yet SWCO often receives less curricular attention than other social work competencies (Mendes, 2009). Addressing this issue, the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) identifies specific core community and organizational practice competencies which guide the development of appropriate learning outcomes. Competency-based education (CBE) “is an outcome performance approach to curriculum design. Competencies are measurable practice behaviors that are comprised of knowledge, values, and skills. The goal of the outcome approach is to demonstrate the integration and application of the competencies
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Educators endorsed the effect of CBE in fostering student engagement in the learning process for students’ acquisition of necessary values, knowledge, and skills (Damron-Rodriguez, 2008; Galambos & Greene, 2006; Sullivan & Downey, 2015). In higher education, competency plays a key role as a mechanism which both guides and assesses student performance (Dufty, 1992; Galambos & Greene, 2006). Competencies provide clear professional attributes upon which students may be assessed. Many educators, however, raise concerns about how to assess students’ competences accurately and reliably (Fitzgerald et al., 2016; Gallagher, …show more content…
Self-assessment fits CBE in higher social work education in the new era. First, self-assessment is appropriate for social work students as adult learners. Higher education promotes the lifelong learner/adult learner/reflective learner model and EPAS requires it as a developed professional competency (Crisp & Lister, 2002; Dochy et al., 1999). In this model, learners assess themselves for their learning purpose which motivates them to expand their learning (Dochy et al., 1999). Second, self-assessment is an important practice of social work students in the new era. The 21st century is marked as an era of new technology and high-order skills (Dochy & McDowell, 1997). As a consequence, the labor market highly endorses high-order competencies and skills, which include critical thinking, self-reflection, and self-evaluation (Dochy & McDowell, 1997). Acknowledging these demands from the labor market, most MSW programs request their students to conduct self-assessments of their own practice on a regular basis (Dochy & McDowell, 1997). Third, students, as future social workers, need to conduct self-assessments of their own competencies as a central dimension of their professional development
Educators endorsed the effect of CBE in fostering student engagement in the learning process for students’ acquisition of necessary values, knowledge, and skills (Damron-Rodriguez, 2008; Galambos & Greene, 2006; Sullivan & Downey, 2015). In higher education, competency plays a key role as a mechanism which both guides and assesses student performance (Dufty, 1992; Galambos & Greene, 2006). Competencies provide clear professional attributes upon which students may be assessed. Many educators, however, raise concerns about how to assess students’ competences accurately and reliably (Fitzgerald et al., 2016; Gallagher, …show more content…
Self-assessment fits CBE in higher social work education in the new era. First, self-assessment is appropriate for social work students as adult learners. Higher education promotes the lifelong learner/adult learner/reflective learner model and EPAS requires it as a developed professional competency (Crisp & Lister, 2002; Dochy et al., 1999). In this model, learners assess themselves for their learning purpose which motivates them to expand their learning (Dochy et al., 1999). Second, self-assessment is an important practice of social work students in the new era. The 21st century is marked as an era of new technology and high-order skills (Dochy & McDowell, 1997). As a consequence, the labor market highly endorses high-order competencies and skills, which include critical thinking, self-reflection, and self-evaluation (Dochy & McDowell, 1997). Acknowledging these demands from the labor market, most MSW programs request their students to conduct self-assessments of their own practice on a regular basis (Dochy & McDowell, 1997). Third, students, as future social workers, need to conduct self-assessments of their own competencies as a central dimension of their professional development