Practicum Supervision Models

1. One-to-One Supervision Model

• One Field Instructor is assigned to one or two students to provide one-on-one supervision for the duration of the practicum.
• One Learning Contract is submitted electronically by the student to the Field Instructor, Faculty-Field Liaison, and Education Coordinator (where applicable).
• Mid-term and final evaluations are completed by the Field Instructor.
• Mid-term and final self-evaluations are completed by the student.

2. Co-supervision Model

• Two or more Field Instructors are assigned to a student for the duration of the practicum.
• One Learning Contract is submitted electronically by the student to the Field Instructors, Faculty-Field Liaison, and Education Coordinator (where applicable).
• Mid-term and final evaluations are completed jointly by the Field Instructors.
• Mid-term and final self-evaluations are completed by the student.

3. Rotation Supervision Model

• Two or more Field Instructors are assigned to a student in a sequential manner during the practicum.
• One Learning Contract is submitted electronically by the student to the Field Instructors, Faculty-Field Liaison, and Education Coordinator (where applicable).
• The Field Instructor responsible for each rotation completes an evaluation at the end of the rotation.
• Self-evaluations are completed by the student at the end of each rotation.

4. Group Supervision Model

• Two or more students are assigned to one Social Worker for 1-hour of weekly group supervision sessions throughout the practicum. There may be a separate task supervisor who oversees daily tasks and monitors the student’s progress.
• The primary goal of the weekly group supervision meeting is to foster a collaborative approach to supervision, where students gather in a group setting to benefit from the collective wisdom and experiences of their peers while receiving guidance from a Social Worker.
• One Learning Contract is submitted electronically by the student to the Field Instructors, Faculty-Field Liaison, and Education Coordinator (where applicable).
• Mid-term and final evaluations are completed by the Field Instructor.
• Mid-term and final self-evaluations are completed by the student.

Guidelines for Digital Communication Responses between Student and Field Instructor

Digital communication combined with remote or in-person participation can often “bleed” into other activities in a student’s schedule, unless clear boundaries are discussed. At FIFSW, Monday and Tuesday are protected days for class, while Wednesday to Friday (usually 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, 21 hours/week; increased to 28 hours/week for April/May in Practicum I) are protected days for practicum.  Students are not expected to read or respond to e-mails related to practicum beyond the negotiated 21 (or 28) hours/week practicum schedule.

Changes to this schedule must be mutually agreed upon, communicated to the Faculty-Field Liaison, and documented in the Learning Contract.