Curriculum Enhancement Tool for Promoting Teaching of Evidence-

Based Practice

A Presentation on Research and Empirical Applications for Curriculum Enhancement in Social Work

(REACH-SW)

Laurie Brockmann, MSW, MPHMarch 17, 2009

The growing focus across health and human service professions on evidence-based practice—driven by policymakers, payers, consumers, and professionals—provides strong incentives for social workers to make better use of research methods and findings to enhance their social work practice.

Social work schools cannot begin to train students in every evidence-based intervention.

REACH-SW is designed to help educators provide students with the skills and experience to incorporate evidence-based practice into all aspects of their practice.

Brief Background

Three Interactive CD-ROMs

Instructors of Bachelor’s-Level Students Edition

Instructors of Master’s-Level Students Edition

Advanced Doctoral Students or New Instructors Edition

Objective: To support social work faculty in teaching students lifelong skills needed to find, assess, and apply EBP in real-world settings.

Supports social work faculty in helping students to: Understand importance, value, benefits, and limitations

of evidence-based practice (EBP) approaches Learn how to conduct EBP as a process (Gibbs 7-step

model) in real-world settings Learn how to find, evaluate, implement, and adapt

evidence-based interventions Develop critical thinking skills as a “lifelong learner” Increase scientific literacy Infuse evidence-based practice into every course

REACH-SW ….

Product Demonstration

Presenting REACH-SW for Instructors of

Master’s-Level Students

Module Content

• REACH-SW defines evidence-based practice as the integration of the best research evidence with client values and the practitioner’s individual expertise.

• Module Content is structured around Gibbs (2003) seven steps to conducting EBP in social work.

• Four Module Content sections provide information and knowledge to effectively and appropriately integrate EBP content into courses.

• Module 1: Defining Research Evidence• Module 2: Finding Research Evidence • Module 3: Assessing Research Evidence• Module 4: Applying Research Evidence

REACH-SW provides faculty the background information they need to know to effectively teach the application of EBP within a variety of social work courses, including:– Micro and Macro Practice– HBSE Foundations– Program Evaluation– Policy Analysis– Introduction to Social Work Practice– Advanced Social Work Practice– Introduction to Social Work Research, and many others

REACH-SW materials are not intended to be used solely in research methods classes or courses whose core topic is EBP

Infusion Approach

New content (e.g., EBP content using REACH-SW resources) can be infused into social work foundation courses in a variety of places, such as:

Course descriptions Course objectives Course outlines Lecture outlines Class assignments/activities

REACH-SW and Infusion

Module Content• The four Module Content sections function as a comprehensive,

module-based tutorial for faculty to provide background information and knowledge to effectively and appropriately integrate EBP content into courses.

Each Module Content Includes:• Overview of Module• Learning objectives• Text and video case examples• Links to relevant Module Resources

Four Modules

Module 1: Defining Research Evidence:• Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Defined • The Benefits of Using EBP in Social Work

Practice• Historical Development of EBP as it Relates

to Social WorkModule 2: Finding Research Evidence: • Define a Research-to-Practice Question• Plan for and Conduct a Search of Evidence

and Literature• Conduct a Document Search

Four Modules, cont.Module 3: Assessing Research Evidence: • Hierarchy of Evidence• Evidence Credibility • Reading Research Reports• Clinical Significance of Evidence• Applicability of Evidence to Current Practice Situation Module 4: Applying Research Evidence: • Applying Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Processes • Evidence-Based Interventions (EBI)• Communicating With Clients About EBP• Organization and Systemic Issues to Consider When

Implementing EBP• Using Research Evidence to Inform Practice

Module Resources • Each Module Resources section holds dozens of interactive

activities and resources to promote faculty infusing the module content into existing courses (core/foundation and elective courses).

• Faculty are encouraged to download and customize for use in their courses.

Each Module Resources Section Includes:• Video case vignettes• PowerPoint slide presentations• Lecture notes• Student assignments• Handouts• Case examples• Classroom activities

Funded by National Institute of Mental HealthContent Development Partners

Joan Zlotnik, Anita Rosen

Advisory PanelEdward Mullen, Enola Proctor, Wynne Sandra Korr, Mary Ruffolo, Betsy Schafer Vourlekis

Special Project Advisors/TrainersEdward Mullen, Aron Shlonsky, Catherine Tompkins

Guest Editors and Module AuthorsEdward Mullen, Enola Proctor, Phyllis Solomon, Deborah Gioia, John Brekke, Haluk Soydan

Organizational PartnersBPD, CSWE, GADE, IASWR, NADD, SSWR

Project Team

Entire faculty (or large subset) are trained on use of REACH-SW at their campus.

This option has been used in context of larger curriculum overhaul/revision.

Past trainers have been Ed Mullen and Aron Shlonsky.

We work with department or school ahead of time to customize training to desired objectives and meet unique needs of faculty and school.

Supplemental In-Person Training Workshop Department-Wide Training

The REACH-SW Training Experience

Department-Wide TrainingCollege of Social Work, University of Tennessee

November 2007

Karen Sowers, Ph.D. Dean and Professor

University of TennesseeCollege of Social Work

“It was great to learn something new to help demystify EBP and incorporate it into our curriculum.”

“Hope you guys are getting great feedback on the project. I’m enjoying it. It just makes me think and approach courses differently already.”

“Overall, this was the best training I’ve been to this year. Thank you!”

Training Participant Testimonials

REACH-SW EvaluationN = 35 Instructors from diverse Social Work programs

around the nation

N = 243 Students (B.S.W. and M.S.W.)

Study Group Assignments for Faculty Self-Guided Instruction: CD-ROM only (no in-person

training) Individual Training: CD-ROM + individual training

session Training-of-Trainer: CD-ROM + ToT Training Control Group: No REACH-SW materials

University of Texas at AustinMethodist UniversityVirginia Commonwealth UniversitySouthern UniversityArizona State UniversityFlorida Atlantic UniversityFlorida State UniversitySpringfield CollegeSouthern Ct. Sate UniversityNC State UniversityUniversity of HawaiiSmith CollegeBoise State UniversityUniv. of North Carolina WilmingtonCalif. State University Long BeachOhio State UniversityPortland State UniversityMissouri State University

New York UniversityBennett College for WomenUniversity of Maryland at BaltimoreCalifornia University of PennsylvaniaSimmons CollegeUniversity of ChicagoLoma Linda UniversityUniversity of South FloridaUniversity of DenverSan Jose State UniversityUniversity of Central MissouriEdinboro UniversitySavannah State UniversityHawaii Pacific UniversityHunter CollegeUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of TennesseeHunter College

Participating ProgramsMore than 150 applications from faculty at programs around the nation for 35 spots

Student Participants

N = 243 (up to 9 students from each of the 35 participating instructors)

n = 187 experimental; n = 56 control participants 64% B.S.W and 36% M.S.W. students Mean age of 29 years (SD = 8.1) (range 19 to 58

years) 89% female 56% Caucasian, 20.3% African American, 11.6%

Latino/Latina, 4.6% Asian, 1.7% American Indian, 5.8% did not specify

Student Knowledge About EBP

1. Students in experimental groups demonstrated larger increases in knowledge from pretest to posttest compared to controls (p < .05).

2. Students in all experimental groups demonstrated significant increases in knowledge from pretest to posttest (p < .01). No one REACH-SW training modality demonstrated a greater impact on student knowledge than another.

Faculty Pre/Post Measures

1. Faculty Knowledge of EBP

2. Faculty Self-Efficacy for Teaching EBP

3. Faculty Feedback on REACH-SW (experimental only)

4. REACH-SW Tracking Survey (experimental only)

Instructor Results: Knowledge of EBP

Time 1 PretestMean (SD)

Time 2 PosttestMean (SD)

Variance Between

Times 1 and 2Mean (SD)

Self-guided 13.75 (1.83) 15.13 (2.30) +1.37 (3.66)

Individual 12.78 (1.79) 15.00 (2.24) +2.14 (1.86)

Training-of-trainer 12.00 (2.45) 15.00 (3.50) +3.00 (2.18)

Experimental (combined)

12.81 (2.10) 15.04 (2.68) +2.21 (2.67)

Control 10.89 (1.90) 11.78 (1.20) +0.89 (2.37)

Self-Efficacy for Teaching EBP

Time 1 PretestMean (SD)

Time 2 PosttestMean (SD)

Variance Between

Times 1 and 2Mean (SD)

Self-guided 891.25 (354.90) 1163.75 (150.80) +272.50 (249.67)

Individual 833.75 (166.04) 1012.86 (163.68) +216.67 (145.01)

Training-of-trainer 836.67 (418.63) 1055.56 (175.22) +86.25 (236.34)

Experimental (combined)

853.20 (322.34) 1079.17 (169.22) +189.55 (226.49)

Control 996.67 (129.13) 1046.67 (157.96) +50.00 (156.60)

Instructor ImpressionsItem Mean (SD)

% Agree or Strongly Agree

1. The information presented on the CD-ROM is clear and easy to follow. 4.5 (0.6) 95.9%

2. The information presented on the CD-ROM is comprehensive. 4.3 (0.9) 79.2%

3. The CD-ROM is applicable to curricula in existing social work courses. 4.4 (0.6) 95.8%

4. The CD-ROM is appropriate for use with social work students at this level.

4.3 (0.6) 95.8%

5. The information and activities on the CD-ROM can be easily integrated into existing social work courses.

4.3 (0.8) 91.6%

6. The CD-ROM would help instructors teach social work students about evidence-based practice.

4.4 (0.6) 91.6%

7. The CD-ROM would help students learn about evidence-based practice.

4.5 (0.6) 95.8%

8. The CD-ROM helps me feel more comfortable teaching about evidence-based practice.

4.4 (0.9) 87.5%

9. As an instructor, I would use the CD-ROM with social work students. 4.5 (0.8) 87.5%

10. I would recommend the CD-ROM to other social work instructors. 4.6 (0.8) 91.6%

Note: The Feedback Questionnaire uses a 5-point Likert scale with possible responses ranging from 1 to 5. Four is “agree” and 5 is “strongly agree.” All items are coded in the positive direction so higher scores indicate more positive feedback.

Barriers/Logistical Difficulties

Of the 390 weekly instructor reports (26 instructors x 15 weeks in the semester = 405), we received only 19 reports of any barriers or difficulties instructors faced regarding use of REACH-SW materials inside or outside the classroom. Reported barriers included: Not having enough prep time to infuse REACH-SW into courses*Not having enough class time to use REACH-SW materials with students*Belief that REACH-SW content did not suit the elective courses taught (reported only twice)

*Most frequently reported

Evaluation Results

1. REACH-SW is a user-friendly tool that instructors can readily use to effectively infuse EBP content and principles into bachelor’s and master’s social work curricula.

2. Little formal training or technical assistance is required, but such added support may be useful to some in developing infusion skills and being able to practice infusing content.

3. Instructors who use REACH-SW find content to be highly applicable to curricula, appropriate for students’ use, and easily integrated into course materials.

Evaluation Results, cont.

4. Students whose instructors use REACH-SW materials in their courses may learn and retain more information about EBP than those whose instructors do not use the program.

5. Faculty who use the REACH-SW may learn more about EBP and experience higher levels of self efficacy for teaching EBP than those who do not use the program.

To Purchase CDs, Request Trainings, or For More Information

See me after the presentation REACH-SW CDs on display Brochures and pricing lists available

Visit Web site at www.danya.com/reach Order REACH-SW at this site, find information on

future trainings, or request a training

E-mail or call: REACH-SW@danya.com Cynthia Baker, Ph.D., REACH-SW PI, (301) 404-7101 Laurie Brockmann, M.S.W., M.P.H., (301) 910-1404

Pricing

Individual REACH-SW Program $150 Choose CD-ROM (BSW, MSW or New Instructor’s Edition),

includes User’s Guide

Complete REACH-SW CD-ROM set of 3$400 3 CD-ROMs: BSW, MSW and New Instructor’s Edition,

includes 3 User’s Guides

Bulk pricing available (as low as $90/CD) Department-wide trainings pricing varies by site,

number of faculty, and trainers Pricing available upon request

Q & A

Thank you for your attention.