An investigation of the use of the collaborative teaching-learning mode by graduate social work field instructors

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which graduate social work field instructors adhere to the adult education learning principles that are congruent with the collaborative teaching-learning mode. Further, a descriptive demographic profile of the field instructors in the study population was developed, and the relationship between adherence to the adult education learning principles and selected demographic variables was examined. The population for the study was all of the 402 field instructors for the 1984-1985 academic year from the four Council on Social Work Education accredited graduate schools of social work in the state of Texas. The Principles of Adult Learning Scale (PALS) was used to measure the degree to which the graduate social work field instructors adhere to the adult education learning principles congruent with the collaborative teaching-learning mode. PALS yields a total score and scores for seven factors which compose the elements of the collaborative mode and operationalize them. These factors are: Learner-Centered Activities; Personalizing Instruction; Relating to Experience; Assessing Student Needs; Climate Building; Participation in the Learning Process; and Flexibility for Personal Development. Each field instructor also provided selected demographic data. Within the delimitations of the study and based on the results, the following conclusions are justified: (1) The graduate social work field instructors adhered to the adult education learning principles that are congruent with the collaborative teaching-learning mode. (2) The graduate social work field instructors adhered to five of the seven factors inherent in the collaborative teaching-learning mode. (3) No practical relationships were found between mean scores for total PALS score and groups established by selected demographic variables. (4) No practical relationships were found between mean scores for any of the factor scores on PALS and groups established by selected demographic variables. Since the field instructors' adherence to the adult education learning principles that are congruent with the collaborative teaching-learning mode was established but was not related to the demographic variables, another possible explanation for such adherence was offered by discussing the similarities between social work and adult education.