Field education has been referred to as the “signature pedagogy” of social work education to underline how critical it is for the effective preparation of students for professional social work practice. While in the field, students assume the dual role of learner and practitioner.
On Tuesday, Dec. 1, from noon to 2pm, York University’s School of Social Work will host a panel discussion and presentation about the importance of field education. The event will take place in 2060 Kinsmen Building on York’s Keele campus.
Presenting at the event will be Maureen Boettcher, the director of field education for York’s School of Scoial Work, and Tracy Omorogiuwa, field education coordinator at the Social Work Program at the University of Berlin. Professor Narda Razack, associate dean of York’s Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, will serve as the event moderator.
The presentation will explore the possibilities and challenges of the internationalization of field education through a reflective dialogue between Boettcher and Omorogiuwa on their international field education collaboration. So far, their collaboration has included a visit to Nigeria by Boettcher to observe field education processes; a visit by Boettcher and Omorogiuwa to Durban, South Africa, to jointly supervise University of Benin’s first Master of Social Work (MSW) Program cohort (with colleagues in South Africa); and Omorogiuwa’s current visit to Canada to observe field education processes.
Their collaboration is through the Social Work in Nigeria Project, an international collaboration between the University of Benin, Nigeria and three Canadian universities, (York University, the University of Windsor and the University of British Columbia). One of the objectives of the Social Work in Nigeria Project is to support Nigeria’s University of Benin in its quest to develop a fully-functioning field education program for its Bachelor of Social Work program, which has more than 600 students, and the new MSW program, which has a first cohort of 23 students.
The presentation will also include a photo slide show put together by graduate students who are part of the collaboration. The event is open to faculty, students and field supervisors. A light lunch will be served. Registration is recommended. RSVPs should be made by noon today and can be sent by e-mail to Alex Lovell, project manager, Social Work in Nigeria Project, or by phone at 416-736, 2100, ext. 58464.