"Drawing on five-years of work and research on simulated learning experiences with actors, this book describes their implementation in social work classes on social work practice, policy, and research in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). PhD students took the lead in developing and implementing many simulations, worked with instructors to tie the simulations to learning objectives, and facilitated student discussion and reflection. Emphasis was given to understanding social work competencies in the context of issues of social injustice, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Staged in simulation house, in classrooms, in a library setting and online, the simulations included a collaboration with the UIUC police and with librarians at UIUC and the University of Washington, Tacoma. The book describes how brave spaces were created to facilitate difficult conversations, sharing, and reflections rather than grading performance. Challenges included resource and time constraints, concerns about re-traumatizing students or stereotyping experiences, and reluctance to include simulations in social work classes. It provides an immersive learning experience for students and instructors alike; simulations emerge as a paradigm shift in social work education as it allows them to become more alive and accountable to the multifaceted, complex, and human elements of social work practice. The text includes a wealth of case studies and material to build ethical simulations in practice"--
Based on five years of work and research on simulated learning experiences, this book highlights the integration of simulations in practice, research, and policy classes at the School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). It illustrates the versatile application of simulations in teaching social work practice across various settings, including mental health, schools, libraries, disabilities, and end-of-life care. It explores the use of simulations in teaching clinical research methods, program evaluation, policy analysis, macro social work, and fostering interprofessional collaborations. This book further discusses the use of online simulations in social work education, highlighting the pivotal role played by doctoral students in designing and executing simulations, aligning them with specific learning objectives, and facilitating student engagement and reflection in various contexts.
Presented in a mixture of writing styles and research methodologies, Social Work and Simulations offers a candid reflection on simulations from the perspectives of students and instructors. It emphasizes the creation of brave spaces to foster open dialogue, sharing, and reflection on social work competencies within the context of social injustice, diversity, and inclusion. Through immersive experiences, simulations offer a transformative approach to social work education, encouraging students and instructors to engage more deeply with the multifaced and human aspects of social work practice. Overall, this book provides rich case studies and practical guidance, offering valuable resources for developing ethical and effective simulations in social work education.
Social Work and Simulations describes how simulated learning experiences can be a powerful modality for social work education. Based on a variety of realistic situations and guided by the creation of a safe learning environment, students actively engage in and observe simulations followed by group reflections and discussions. The simulations are a powerful and immersive learning experience for students and teachers alike. They fill an important gap in social work education as they provide students with realistic learning experiences about the more human elements of practice without real-life consequences before beginning work in the field.
FOREWORD by Benjamin J. Lough
PREFACE by Kevin Tan
Section 1: Introduction
CHAPTER 1: Teaching Social Justice from a Social Work Perspective by Kevin
Tan, Jeanna Campbell, Liliane Windsor
CHAPTER 2: Looking to the Past to Inform Future Simulations: A Brief History
of Simulations in Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
by Terry Ostler, Kevin Tan, Chi-Fang Wu
Section 2: Simulations in Practice
CHAPTER 3: The Power of Live Simulations in Learning: How to Intervene in a
Mental Health Crisis by Monica Cherry, Mary Maurer, Sandra Kopels, Terry
Ostler
CHAPTER 4: Adapting Simulations to Different Settings: Learning from
Experience by Kevin Tan, Terry Ostler
Working with People Who Are Disabled: Tuyen Bui and Grace Mishler
Working with People Who Are Grieving: Flavia Andrade, Anissa Chitwanga, Kang
Sun
Working with People Who Are in Schools: Kevin Tan, Jeanna Campbell, Brenda
Lindsey
Preparing Librarians to Work with People and Their Mental Health: Yali Feng
Section 3: Simulations in Research
CHAPTER 5: Promoting Critical Conversations about SMART Goals in Clinical
simulations: Issues and Challenges by Vanessa L. Parker, Wan-Jung Hsieh,
Allison A. Carrington
CHAPTER 6: Using Simulations in Teaching Program Evaluation to MSW Students
by Tuyen Bui
Section 4: Simulations in Policy
CHAPTER 7: Bringing Macro Social Work Education into the Future through
Simulations by Melissa Iverson, Tiffany Laursen
CHAPTER 8: The Role of Simulations in Teaching Policy by Chi-Fang Wu, Tiffany
Laursen
Section 5: The Promise and Future of Simulations
CHAPTER 9: Using Online Simulations in the Social Work Classroom by Valerie
Cintrón, Kang Sun
CHAPTER 10: Simulations in Teaching Interprofessional Collaboration to
Address Social Determinants of Health by Janet M. Liechty, Sharva
Hampton-Campbell
CHAPTER 11: Trauma-Informed Response and Social Justice through Simulations
with Police by Tiffany Laursen, Jenna Mahoney, Anissa Chitwanga
CHAPTER 12: Involving Doctoral Students in Teaching Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion through Simulations by Nicole Cantoni, Wan-Jung Hsieh, Allison A.
Carrington, Chi-Fang Wu, Kevin Tan, Terry Ostler, Kyle Bennett
CHAPTER 13: Future Directions: A Call to Action, a Call for Reflection by
Kevin Tan, Terry Ostler, Chi-Fang Wu
APPENDIX A: Simulation Cases
APPENDIX B: Crisis Assessment Cheat Sheet
APPENDIX C: Advancing the Elimination of Fees & Fines in Juvenile Court
APPENDIX D: Guidelines For Actors
Kevin Tan is Associate Dean for Engagement, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is notably recognized for his contributions to school social work practice and community engagement initiatives with the 2021 Gary Lee Shaffer Award and the 2023 University of Illinois distinguished faculty award. He earned his PhD from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, a Masters in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis Brown School of Social Work, and a Bachelors in Social Work (Honors) from the National University of Singapore.
Chi-Fang Wu is Professor and PhD Program Director at the School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a poverty researcher, she has devoted her career to scholarship assessing the effectiveness of public benefits programs that promote economic advancement among women and improve the well-being of low-income families. She received the Tony Halter Excellence in Teaching Award, the Excellence in Mentoring and Advising, and the University Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award. Dr Wureceived her master's degree in social work from NationalTaiwan University and her PhD in social work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Social Work.
Terry Ostler received her BA (Summa Cum Laude), MA, and PhD degrees at the University of California Berkeley. She worked for two years as a postdoctoral scholar at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Education in Berlin. A developmental and clinical psychologist by training, she served on the faculty of psychiatry at the University of Illinois Chicago before teaching in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has published on parent-child attachment bonds and on parenting in individuals with severe mental illness. She is happily retired.
