Educating for Global Educating for Global Competence among Social Competence among Social Workers: Current trends & Workers: Current trends &

Future NeedsFuture Needs

Goutham M. MenonGoutham M. MenonUniversity of Texas at San AntonioUniversity of Texas at San Antonio

goutham.menon@utsa.edugoutham.menon@utsa.edu

2nd International Social Work ConferenceBoston

June 6-8, 2008

Overview of PresentationOverview of Presentation

Today’s graduates must be globally Today’s graduates must be globally competent to succeedcompetent to succeed

Current Trends in USCurrent Trends in US Approaches to defining global Approaches to defining global

competencecompetence Instilling global competence – 4 C’s: Instilling global competence – 4 C’s:

Content, Context, Collaboration, Content, Context, Collaboration, CommunityCommunity

Program ResponsesProgram Responses

StatementStatement ResponsResponse Counte Count

Response Response PercentPercent

Undergraduate Social Work Program Undergraduate Social Work Program onlyonly

5656 23.1%23.1%

Graduate Social Work Program onlyGraduate Social Work Program only 5454 22.3%22.3%

Undergraduate and Graduate Social Undergraduate and Graduate Social Work ProgramWork Program

118118 48.8%48.8%

Other (please specify)Other (please specify) 1414 5.8%5.8%

Total number of years as a Total number of years as a Social Work EducatorSocial Work Educator

StatementStatement Response Response CountCount

Response Response PercentPercent

1-5 years1-5 years 4343 17.7%17.7%

6-10 years6-10 years 3535 14.4%14.4%

11-15 years11-15 years 4848 19.8%19.8%

16-20 years16-20 years 3535 14.4%14.4%

Over 20 yearsOver 20 years 8282 33.7%33.7%

Total number of years working Total number of years working in the area of International in the area of International

Social WorkSocial WorkStatementStatement Response Response

CountCountResponse Response PercentPercent

1-5 years1-5 years 8484 37.8%37.8%

6-10 years6-10 years 6161 27.5%27.5%

11-15 years11-15 years 2828 12.6%12.6%

16-20 years16-20 years 1919 8.6%8.6%

Over 20 yearsOver 20 years 3030 13.5%13.5%

Which of the following Which of the following activities does your program activities does your program

offer?offer?StatementStatement YesYes NoNo

Internationalization/globalization priority Internationalization/globalization priority mentioned in mission statement of your mentioned in mission statement of your programprogram

129 (51.8%)129 (51.8%) 99 (39.8%)99 (39.8%)

International content in International content in undergraduate coursesundergraduate courses

143 (57.9%)143 (57.9%) 42 (17%)42 (17%)

International content in graduate International content in graduate coursescourses

155 (63.8%)155 (63.8%) 27 (11.1%)27 (11.1%)

Specific international theme elective Specific international theme elective coursescourses

150 (60.7)150 (60.7) 81 (32.8%)81 (32.8%)

Student awareness of international Student awareness of international opportunities through advisingopportunities through advising

190 (77.6%)190 (77.6%) 29 (11.8%)29 (11.8%)

International internshipsInternational internships 120 (48.2%)120 (48.2%) 114 (45.8%)114 (45.8%)

International students from other International students from other countries in your programcountries in your program

199 (79.9%)199 (79.9%) 40 (16.1%)40 (16.1%)

Study Abroad ProgramStudy Abroad Program 153 (63.2%)153 (63.2%) 71 (29.3)71 (29.3)

Which of the following Which of the following activities does your program activities does your program

offer?offer?StatementStatement YesYes NoNo

Scholarships/fellowships to support Scholarships/fellowships to support international activities of studentsinternational activities of students

96 (40.0%)96 (40.0%) 110 110 (45.8%)(45.8%)

Scholarships/fellowships specifically Scholarships/fellowships specifically for international studentsfor international students

110 (45.1%)110 (45.1%) 98 (40.2%)98 (40.2%)

Grants for faculty research on Grants for faculty research on international topicsinternational topics

110 (45.1 %)110 (45.1 %) 98 (40.2%)98 (40.2%)

Grants for faculty for Grants for faculty for international travel (conferences international travel (conferences and/or research)and/or research)

182 182 (73.4%)(73.4%)

48 (19.4%)48 (19.4%)

Opportunities for international Opportunities for international faculty/researchers to collaborate faculty/researchers to collaborate with your programwith your program

175 175 (71.7%)(71.7%)

44 (18.0%)44 (18.0%)

Offer entire degree program in other Offer entire degree program in other countriescountries

13 (5.3%)13 (5.3%) 210 210 (86.4%)(86.4%)

Offer course modules in other Offer course modules in other countries (not distance education)countries (not distance education)

51 (20.9%)51 (20.9%) 169 169 (69.3%)(69.3%)

Have you undertaken the Have you undertaken the following during the last three following during the last three

years?years?StatementStatement YesYes NoNo

Infused international/globalization Infused international/globalization content in the courses that you teachcontent in the courses that you teach

206 (85.5%)206 (85.5%) 35 (14.5%)35 (14.5%)

Developed or taught a course entirely dealing Developed or taught a course entirely dealing with international issueswith international issues

81 (33.5%)81 (33.5%) 161 (66.5%)161 (66.5%)

Conducted/taken part in a “study abroad” Conducted/taken part in a “study abroad” program program

106 (44.2%)106 (44.2%) 134 (55.8%)134 (55.8%)

Developed an international field placement Developed an international field placement program and/or placed students in program and/or placed students in international settingsinternational settings

94 (38.8%)94 (38.8%) 148 (61.2%)148 (61.2%)

Used guest speakers for international Used guest speakers for international issues in the classroomissues in the classroom

160 (66.1%)160 (66.1%) 82 (33.9%)82 (33.9%)

Was a visiting professor/instructor at a foreign Was a visiting professor/instructor at a foreign universityuniversity

82 (33.7%)82 (33.7%) 161 (66.3%)161 (66.3%)

Was host to a visiting professor/instructor from Was host to a visiting professor/instructor from outside your countryoutside your country

107 (44.6%)107 (44.6%) 133 (55.4%)133 (55.4%)

Have you undertaken the Have you undertaken the following during the last three following during the last three

years?years?StatementStatement YesYes NoNo

Conducted research on international Conducted research on international topicstopics

143 (58.8%)143 (58.8%) 100 (41.2%)100 (41.2%)

Collaborated with researchers from Collaborated with researchers from another countryanother country

124 (51.0%)124 (51.0%) 199 (49%)199 (49%)

Developed service/education projects in Developed service/education projects in another countryanother country

101 (41.6%)101 (41.6%) 142 (58.4%)142 (58.4%)

Was consulted in projects in another Was consulted in projects in another countrycountry

95 (39.3%)95 (39.3%) 147 (60.7%)147 (60.7%)

Participated in activities/committees Participated in activities/committees of international organizationsof international organizations

133 (55.0%)133 (55.0%) 109 (45.0%)109 (45.0%)

Attended international conferences Attended international conferences outside your countryoutside your country

149 (61.1%)149 (61.1%) 95 (38.9%)95 (38.9%)

To be a successful educator and To be a successful educator and researcher in a global setting, I will researcher in a global setting, I will

need to have: need to have: StatementStatement Not Not

ImportantImportantSomewhat Somewhat ImportantImportant

ImportantImportant Very Very ImportantImportant

Access to institutions and Access to institutions and researchers who share my researchers who share my interestsinterests

2 (0.8%)2 (0.8%) 13 (5.5%)13 (5.5%) 56 (23.7%)56 (23.7%) 165 (69.9%)165 (69.9%)

The ability to The ability to communicate and share communicate and share ideas with colleagues ideas with colleagues around the world easilyaround the world easily

3 (1.3%)3 (1.3%) 4 (1.7%)4 (1.7%) 58 (25.1%)58 (25.1%) 166 (71.9%)166 (71.9%)

Information about and Information about and access to financial access to financial resources (grants, resources (grants, fellowships)fellowships)

3 (1.3%)3 (1.3%) 20 (8.6%)20 (8.6%) 59 (25.4%)59 (25.4%) 149 (64.2%)149 (64.2%)

The ability to expose my The ability to expose my students and myself to students and myself to educators and students educators and students from other parts of the from other parts of the world electronicallyworld electronically

5 (2.2%)5 (2.2%) 23 (9.9%)23 (9.9%) 72 (31.0%)72 (31.0%) 130 (56.0%)130 (56.0%)

Learn about global issues Learn about global issues through study abroadthrough study abroad

6 (2.6%)6 (2.6%) 26 (11.3%)26 (11.3%) 76 (32.9%)76 (32.9%) 120 (51.9%)120 (51.9%)

To be a successful educator and To be a successful educator and researcher in a global setting, I will researcher in a global setting, I will

need to have: need to have: StatementStatement Not Not

ImportaImportantnt

SomewhaSomewhat t ImportantImportant

ImportanImportantt

Very Very ImportantImportant

Access to video/DVD Access to video/DVD resources from other resources from other countries/regionscountries/regions

8 (3.4%)8 (3.4%) 47 (20.3%)47 (20.3%) 83 (35.8%)83 (35.8%) 93 (40.1%)93 (40.1%)

Access to syllabi, Access to syllabi, teaching resources teaching resources developed by experts in developed by experts in international social workinternational social work

7 (3.0%)7 (3.0%) 34 (14.6%)34 (14.6%) 76 (32.6%)76 (32.6%) 113 (48.5%)113 (48.5%)

Information about Information about educators and their educators and their projects in international projects in international settingssettings

2 (0.9%)2 (0.9%) 21 (9.0%)21 (9.0%) 89 (38.2%)89 (38.2%) 120 (51.5%)120 (51.5%)

Current Trends - CoursesCurrent Trends - Courses

Range of courses reportedRange of courses reported• Majority are Policy, Macro Practice Majority are Policy, Macro Practice

coursescourses Stand alone courses are a mixed Stand alone courses are a mixed

bunch going with faculty bunch going with faculty expertise/interestexpertise/interest

Current Trends – Study Abroad – Current Trends – Study Abroad – 47 Countries47 Countries

Albania Argentina Armenia Austria Australia Bangladesh Belize Canada China Costa Rica Cuba

Czech Republic Ecuador Finland France Ghana Guadeloupe Guatemala Haiti Honduras

Hong Kong Hungary India

Ireland Italy Jamaica Japan Kenya Korea Latvia Mexico

NetherlandsNew Zealand Nicaragua Nigeria Northern Ireland

Poland Romania Russia Scotland SloveniaSouth Africa Spain St. Lucia Thailand Trinidad Turks and Caicos

Ukraine United Kingdom Zimbabwe

Current Trends – Field Placements Current Trends – Field Placements – 66 Countries– 66 Countries

Albania American Samoa Argentina Armenia Australia Bangladesh Barbados Belize

Brazil British Virgin Islands Canada Chile China Dominican Republic Ecuador

El Salvadore Estonia Fiji Finland France Germany Ghana

Great Britain Grenada Guatemala

Haiti Honduras Hong Kong India Ireland Israel Jamaica Japan Kazakhstan Kenya Korea

Latvia Lithuania Marshall Islands Mexico Nepal New

Zealand Nicaragua Nigeria Northern IrelandNorway Panama Peru Philippines Romania Russia

Singapore South Africa Spain St. Kitts St. Lucia St. Vincent Switzerland Thailand Tonga Trinidad

Turks and Caicos Uganda Ukraine Zimbabwe

Defining competence: Three types Defining competence: Three types of competencies requiredof competencies required

KnowledgeKnowledge – Basic facts, concepts, – Basic facts, concepts, ideasideas

SkillsSkills – behaviors and practices – behaviors and practices acquired through experience – not acquired through experience – not knowledge but ability to put knowledge but ability to put knowledge into practiceknowledge into practice

Attitudes & beliefsAttitudes & beliefs – Opinions and – Opinions and feelings that affect behavior and feelings that affect behavior and interpersonal interactionsinterpersonal interactions

Global KnowledgeGlobal Knowledge

• How the modern world works – global How the modern world works – global economics, international relations, economics, international relations, comparative politicscomparative politics

• Information about specific world Information about specific world regions/nationsregions/nations

• How “social work” is approached in How “social work” is approached in different culturesdifferent cultures

Global SkillsGlobal Skills

• Language proficiencyLanguage proficiency• Adaptability to, and comfort with, Adaptability to, and comfort with,

different culturesdifferent cultures• Ability to practice social workin Ability to practice social workin

other cultures (going beyond other cultures (going beyond knowledgeknowledge). ). Familiarity with Familiarity with cultural differences in disciplinary cultural differences in disciplinary thinking and practice.thinking and practice.

Global Attitudes/BeliefsGlobal Attitudes/Beliefs

• Appreciation for other culturesAppreciation for other cultures• Tolerance for cultural differencesTolerance for cultural differences• Willingness to try culturally different Willingness to try culturally different

approachesapproaches• Appreciation for differences in approach Appreciation for differences in approach

to problems and issues across culturesto problems and issues across cultures• Interest in learning about other culturesInterest in learning about other cultures• ““Home culture” not always the best Home culture” not always the best

practice approachpractice approach

Future Needs: CONTENTFuture Needs: CONTENT International content seems to be International content seems to be

“faculty-interest” oriented“faculty-interest” oriented Few programs have stand alone Few programs have stand alone

courses – not feasible in many casescourses – not feasible in many cases Often disjointed, without clear Often disjointed, without clear

purposepurpose Is there a consensus on what needs Is there a consensus on what needs

to be included in courses? And in to be included in courses? And in what courses should it be infused?what courses should it be infused?

Future Needs: CONTEXTFuture Needs: CONTEXT

Why should a student who may Why should a student who may never leave a region/city be exposed never leave a region/city be exposed to international content?to international content?

What is the purpose?What is the purpose? How do we make it relevant to the How do we make it relevant to the

student?student?• San Antonio – Poverty, immigration, San Antonio – Poverty, immigration,

human trafficking, etchuman trafficking, etc

Future Needs: COLLABORATIONFuture Needs: COLLABORATION

Very few institutions have faculty Very few institutions have faculty “experts” in the global context of “experts” in the global context of social worksocial work

How do we develop 20-30 minute How do we develop 20-30 minute presentations on regions /topics presentations on regions /topics /problems and be willing to share /problems and be willing to share that to other institutions?that to other institutions?

This is a critical area for sustaining This is a critical area for sustaining activitiesactivities

Future Needs: COMMUNITYFuture Needs: COMMUNITY

The global context of social work is a The global context of social work is a community affaircommunity affair

Reciprocal relationships for student/faculty Reciprocal relationships for student/faculty exchange, development of course modules exchange, development of course modules etc need to be emphasizedetc need to be emphasized

Sharing of knowledge and the Sharing of knowledge and the development of programs collaboratively development of programs collaboratively will bode well for the field.will bode well for the field.

Comments?Comments?