Courses and Professional Development
Field Instructors benefit from a wide range of courses and professional development opportunities. These will help orient new Field Instructors, and help current Field Instructors reinforce and further develop their supervision skills.
- CASWE Online Field Instructor Course
- FIFSW Professional Development
- Practicum Orientation Materials
- Online Learning Modules
- Remote Field Instruction
- Online learning resource guide
- Trans-Affirming Field Placements for Social Work students
- Institute for Life Course and Aging’s workshops for instructors of students in Social Work in Gerontology
- FIFSW Learning Tools
- The Relational Context of Supervision: Educational Practices to Enhance Learning
- Videos
- Podcast
- References
- Books
- Articles
- Journals
CASWE Online Field Instructor Course
The Canadian Association of Social Work Education (CASWE-ACFTS), the accrediting body for social work programs in Canada, has designed an online course for new and returning field instructors. The course consists of 9 modules delivered in a concise and engaging format that includes multimedia resources and will take approximately 10 hours to complete.
This online, asynchronous course is offered every two months and is intended to be easily accessed by field instructors and completed at their own pace, while providing them with the training and resources needed to enhance their field experience. More information can be found on the CASWE website.
Registration
A University of Toronto Verification Code is needed for registration.
- Contact Practicum Coordinator Alexandra Sparaggis to receive a Verification Code.
- Register online.
- Add the University of Toronto’s Verification Code and contact information for FIFSW’s Field Coordinator: Alexandra Sparaggis, alexi.sparaggis@utoronto.ca.
To Login
Once you are registered, login to the course through the CASWE dashboard.
FIFSW Professional Development
For Field Instructors, FIFSW organizes an annual schedule of professional development opportunities. The scheduled sessions are listed on the Professional Development Schedule. Field Instructors will receive a certificate of hours attended that may contribute to fulfilling OCSWSSW Continuing Competence Program requirements.
Practicum Orientation Materials
- Year 1 Professional development session slides December 10, 2021 (Powerpoint)
- Preparing the Learning Contract with your student (PDF)
- Bridging Class and Practicum Competencies (PDF)
Field Instructor PD session: The Learning Contract
Professor Marion Bogo developed a 13 ½ minute video for Year 1 Field Instructors to explain the relationship between the first semester courses, Elements in Social Work and Social Work Laboratory, and Practicum 1:
Online Learning Modules
Remote Field Instruction
The Canadian Association for Social Work Education (CASWE) has developed a module to support field instructors in providing supervision remotely. Field instructors offering remote supervision are encouraged to take advantage of this resource.
See also “Virtually Onboarding Your Intern” (University of Denver)
Online learning resource guide
FIFSW has compiled online learning resources for field instructors covering topics such as: student supervision, dealing with challenging behaviour, retention strategies, becoming a successful field instructor and self-care and wellness. Access the learning modules here:
Trans-Affirming Field Placements for Social Work students
The Field Office at University of North Carolina Chapel Hill has developed online training modules to help create Trans-Affirming Field Placements for Social Work students. They have kindly offered to share with other field offices. You are required to create an account to access the training modules. Register here:
Institute for Life Course and Aging Workshops (for instructors of students in Social Work in Gerontology field of study)
- Please fill out a workshop registration form and select “Practicum Supervisors of MSW Gerontology Students (FREE)” under the Other Registration Types section
FIFSW Learning Tools
- OSCE Fact sheet for Field Instructors (PDF)
- The Simulation Lab
- Bridging Class and Field – Fact Sheet for Field Instructors and Year 1 MSW Students (PDF)
The Relational Context of Supervision: Educational Practices to Enhance Learning
This innovative online resource consists of videos and PDF documents that use simulated supervision scenarios, supervisor discussion, and suggestions for small group exercises to address best practices in supervision.
Videos
Professor Marion Bogo addresses teaching and learning processes that lead to effective social work graduates, using research on social work education that has identified a model of holistic competence for all levels of social work practice.
Watch Professor Rob MacFadden speak about the impact of field education on social work practice:
Podcast
Professor Marion Bogo discusses the challenges faced in providing high-quality, effective field instruction on the University of Buffalo School of Social Work podcast in Episode 65 – Doing, Thinking, Then Doing Again: Reflective Practice in Field Education.
References
Books
Bogo, M., & Vayda, E. (1987). The Practice of Field Instruction in Social Work (Theory and Process With an Annotated Bibliography). University of Toronto Press.
Bogo, M., & Vayda, E. (1998). The Practice of Field Instruction in Social Work: Theory and Process, 2nd edition. Columbia University Press.
Bogo, M. (2010). Achieving Competence in Social Work through Field Education. Toronto: University of Toronto Press Incorporated.
Bogo, M., Rawlings, M., Katz, E., & Logie, C. (2014). Using Simulation in Assessment and Teaching. Alexandria: CSWE Press.
Articles
Two special issues of the Clinical Social Work Journal, guest edited by Marion Bogo and Karen M. Sewell, were dedicated to building on the social work discipline’s tradition and commitment to the supervision of staff and field education of students.
- Special Issue on the Supervision of Staff.
This issue includes papers on the supervision of professional social work staff.
– See the Table of Contents for the Staff Supervision Issue. - Special Issue on Field Education.
In the Field Education Issue attention is given to macro structural issues impinging on the profession’s capacity to provide quality learning experiences, in addition to the integration of concepts into our educational practices, and research studies that provide systematic approaches to training practicing field instructors and providing clinical supervision for students.
– See the Table of Contents for the Field Issue.
See also:
- Bogo, M. (2015). Field Education for Clinical Social Work Practice: Best Practices and Contemporary Challenges. Clinical Social Work Journal 43.
- van Breda, A. and Feller, T. (2014). Social Work Students’ Experience and Management of Countertransference (PDF). Social Work/Maatskaplike Werk 50(4).