Student Performance Problems in Field Instruction

Academic, field performance, and ethical behaviors are critical indicators of the student's readiness to assume professional responsibilities. Since field instruction is a major requirement for the major, the student must earn a passing grade in all quarters of field instruction in order to complete candidacy for both the Bachelor of Arts in Social Work degree and the Master of Social Work degree.

Academic Competence: Academic credit for both field and the core curriculum is given only to students whose course work meets minimally acceptable performance standards and conforms to the professional standards of ethical behavior and conduct. The program adheres to the university "Academic Honesty" policy (found in the "University Policies" section of this manual).

Professional Competence: In the field, students must demonstrate professional conduct, relationship skills, and behavior consistent with the values and ethics of the profession. Students are expected to comply with the NASW Code of Ethics (found elsewhere in this manual).

Professional incompetence signifies that a student is not adequately or appropriately performing at his or her program level. The following lists of behaviors are examples, but not a complete list, of behaviors that constitute professional incompetence, and which may result in a referral to the Academic Performance Review Committee with a possible recommendation of dismissal from the program:

1. inability to establish and maintain positive and constructive interpersonal relationships with clients and agency personnel
2. inability to perform professional duties due to personal problems
3. inability to accept constructive feedback from field instructor and/or an inability to make changes recommended by this feedback
4. failing to adhere to the time schedule for the placement hours
5. consistent lateness in meeting deadlines to complete work
6. rejection by three or more agencies during the placement process for reasons related to appropriateness or readiness for placement

Issues related to conduct, relationship skills, and behavior may or may not be included in the student's learning contract but will be considered as factors in field grading and continuation. The examples listed aove are not inclusive and additional performance competencies that students are expected to master are listed in the department's Academic Performance Review Policy, which is included in this manual.

Ethical Behavior: The NASW Code of Ethics is the cornerstone of determining and guiding ethical behavior for social workers and students, and behavior in adherence with these ethical standards is a requirement and standard for the program. All students are provided with a copy of the NASW Code of Ethics in their field manual. Discussion about the code occurs in social work practice classes. The following are examples of behaviors that constitute a violation of the NASW Code of Ethics and which may result in dismissal from the program:

1. engaging in sexual activities with clients
2. participation in dishonesty, fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation
3. exploitation of clients for personal advantage

In addition, a conviction for a felony offense while in the program is an example of misconduct which may result in termination from the program.

It is very important that any academic performance deficiency, nonacademic performance deficiency, or behavior problem in the field be brought to the student's attention by the field instructor, faculty, academic advisor and/or field faculty as soon as it has been observed. Only in this way will the student and the field instructor have full opportunity to initiate timely corrective steps. These steps are described below, but may also involve the initiation of the procedures delineated in the Academic Performance Review Policy.

Routine Process for Ongoing Communication and Problem Solving

All parties involved--student, field instructor, and field faculty--are responsible for identifying issues and/or problems in the field and are expected to engage in direct communication between relevant parties when appropriate. It is expected that many problems are quickly addressed and easily resolved through this method of problem solving.

Student Responsibilities: The student is responsible for notifying both the field instructor and the field liaison of any placement or performance concerns.

Field Instructor Responsibilities: The field instructor is expected to meet on a weekly basis with the student to discuss his or her performance. These meetings must include any potential or noted problems in skill development, job performance, ethical considerations, and any other relevant issues. A verbal evaluation is to be provided mid quarter to the student with performance feedback before the formal written evaluation is completed and discussed at the conclusion of each quarter of field placement.

Field Liaison Responsibilities: The field liaison monitors the student's progress through the student's participation in field seminars and by reviewing the student's integrative journal (undergraduates only). All students are monitored during individual and group liaison meetings and during agency field liaison visits or other contacts with the student and field instructor. Agency visits are required as specified in the "Field Liaison Role Set" policy in this manual. When minor problems in the placement occur, the field liaison may "coach" the student in how to address the problem directly or may serve as a sounding board for the field instructor before he or she deals directly with the student.

Field Education Director Responsibilities: The field education director is responsible for administering and overseeing all aspects of the field program. In addition, the field education director may also serve as a field liaison with individual students and may teach seminar classes and perform other field liaison functions.

Guidelines for Problem Solving in Field Education

Problem-solving steps in this process are modeled after commonly utilized problem-solving techniques and serves as the usual method for resolving problems in the field. In certain circumstances, the implementation of the Academic Review Policy, including a referral to the Academic Performance Review Committee will be initiated. The usual method for problem-solving in field education is:

1. Problem identification by student, field instructor, field liason, field education director, or faculty advisor.
2. Discussion of the problem, issues, or concern by those immediately involved.
   • the issue is resolved, or
   • a plan to address the problem is agreed upon and implemented, or
   • there appears to be no workable solution.
3. If no workable solution is found, the field liaison becomes involved. The field liaison may "coach" the student, the field instructor, or both, and suggest they meet again.
   • the issue is resolved, or
   • a plan to address the problem is agreed upon and implemented, or
   • there appears to be no workable solution.
4. If there is still no workable solution, the field liaison schedules a meeting with the student and field instructor. This meeting is usually at the field site. The field education director is notified of the meeting.
   • the issue is resolved, or
   • a plan to address the problem is agreed upon and implemented, or
   • there appears to be no workable solution.
5. If a mutually agreed upon solution cannot be facilitated, the department chair (undergraduate or graduate) is notified. The department chair and field education director may engage in further problem-solving activities.
   • the issue is resolved, or
   • a plan to address the problem is agreed upon and implemented, or
   • there appears to be no workable solution.
6. If no solution is agreed upon, a decision to terminate the field placement may be recommended. Termination of a field placement cannot occur unless the appropriate steps of the problem-solving process have been utilized. At any point in the process, the field liaison, the field education director, the department chair, and/or the student may request a formal performance review by the Academic Performance Review Committee in accordance with the Academic Performance Review Policy.

Grading

A GPA of 2.5 or higher for undergraduates and 3.0 for graduate students must be maintained to remain in the program. In field, a passing grade of "Credit" indicates satisfactory course completion and correlates with the grading system described above. In other words, a passing grade in field correlates to "C" level performance for undergraduate students and "B" level performance for graduate students. (See "Evaluation of Student Performance in the Field Practicum," "Grading of the Undergraduate Field and Practice Courses," and "Grading of the Graduate Field Practicum," all under the section entitled "Field Education Curriculum.")

Termination from the Field

If a student is terminated from the field or does not receive a passing grade of "Credit," a report, which includes written statements from both the field instructor and the field liaison, will be compiled by the field education director and placed in the student's file. This report shall include a recommendation regarding further placement options.

In rare cases, students may be offered an opportunity to repeat his or her field experience, after demonstrating that he or she has addressed the concerns leading to the original field termination or failure. Under no circumstances is an undergraduate student allowed to retake any portion of the field sequence more than once.

A MSW student is not allowed to repeat any failed course, including field.

In both the undergraduate and graduate programs, there is a close link between field and the concurrent practice class. If a student chooses to or is required to withdraw from either the practice class or the field, he or she must also withdraw from the other. A decision to enroll in a subsequent quarter must include approval to register for both courses.

If the conclusion is reached that the student is unable to meet minimal performance standards in the field related to professional competence, ethical behavior, and conduct, or is otherwise unsuited to the profession, the faculty advisor will be informed by the field education director and will advise the student of the options available. These options could be one of the following: 1) dropping the course, 2) retaking the course at a later time, 3) selecting another major, 4) withdrawal from the University, 5) termination from the social work program.

Appeals

Appeals of any action that the student perceives as adverse will be processed according to department guidelines as specified in the Academic Performance Review Policy and in conjunction with university policy as stated in the "Ohio University Student Handbook."

Academic Performance Review Policy

Rationale

The purpose of this policy is to establish a process for evaluating inadequate student performance in the classroom and in the field that necessitates some form of intervention to maintain minimum acceptable standards of performance, and in some serious situations, dismissal from the program. This policy also delineates the appeal process and procedure.

Introduction

Course work, field performance and ethical behaviors are critical indicators of a student’s readiness to assume professional responsibilities. All students are admitted to the program with the assumption that they have the potential to meet all academic standards, including academic and professional competence.

Academic Competence: Academic credit for both the core curriculum and the field is given only to students whose course work meets minimally acceptable performance standards and conforms to the professional and university standards of ethical behavior and conduct.

Academic misconduct refers to dishonesty or deception in fulfilling academic requirements. It includes, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, un-permitted collaboration, forged attendance (when attendance is required), fabrication (e.g., use of invented information or falsification of research or other findings), using advantages not approved by the instructor (e.g., unauthorized review of a copy of an exam ahead of time), knowingly permitting another student to plagiarize or cheat from one’s work, or submitting the same assignment in different courses without the consent of the instructor. If students are found to be involved in academic misconduct, they may receive a grade penalty for academic misconduct and/or a referral to the university judiciaries that may subject them to the full range of sanctions (reprimand, disciplinary probation, suspension, or expulsion from the university).

Professional Competence: Students must demonstrate professional conduct, emotional stability, relationship skills, and behavior consistent with the values, ethics and legal responsibilities of the profession. Students are expected to comply with the National Association of Social Workers’ (NASW) Code of Ethics and the licensing code for social workers at this program level. Professional incompetence signifies that a student is not adequately or appropriately performing at her or his program level.

Criteria for Review for Academic Performance Review Committee

The following is a list of professional competencies that students are expected to master to successfully complete the program. Data that will be considered in assessing the student’s skills include both the successful completion of coursework, including adequate performance in the field practicum. Students will be assessed as performing below expectations (1), meeting expectations (2) or exceeding expectations (3). Students will be evaluated on an as needed basis using the following criteria based on the Department of Social Work’s objectives:

1. Practice with values, ethics and historical traditions of the social work profession.

____ Be knowledgeable of and adhere to the National Association of Social Workers’ Code of Ethics and the Ohio licensing code for social workers.

____ Practice in a manner that reflects appropriate and responsible professional behavior toward clients, co-workers and the agency. Professional behavior includes: being respectful of clients, other practitioners and staff, dressing professionally, being on time, and notifying agency staff ahead of time of any scheduling changes or absences. Completing assessments, summaries, progress notes, and other reports in a timely manner.

____ Understand and apply professional guidelines on confidentiality.

____ Communicate and practice in accordance with social work values, including respect for the client’s dignity, individuality, and the right to self-determination.

____ Know and follow agency rules, policies and procedures relevant to agency practice during the field practicum.

____ Recognize and apply ethical and legal standards across the range of professional activities in the practicum setting.

____ Recognize and understand the implications of one’s own attitudes and actions in an agency setting and demonstrate an ability to accept feedback and make modifications as needed.

____ Seek consultation and supervision from field instructors and field liaison when faced with issues of ethics, practice, behavior and all other situations required for practice.

____ Meet all obligations responsibly and in a timely way and alert faculty and field supervisors in advance if unable to meet an obligation or deadline.

2. Understand the distinctive characteristics of diverse populations as well as the nature of oppression and discrimination, and implications these have for practice with client systems of all sizes.

____ Develop and apply an understanding of and sensitivity to vulnerable and/or oppressed groups.

____ Apply knowledge and use of self in the context of diversity (one’s own attitudes, impact on others, values, and related strengths/limitations) as one operates in the agency setting with diverse others.

____ Apply knowledge and demonstrate ability to practice with sensitivity to the nature and impact of diversity in different practice situations (i.e. working with specific racial/ethnic populations).

3. Utilize a biopsychosocial strengths-based perspective to guide assessment and intervention efforts with client systems of all sizes.

____ Develop knowledge and skills to apply the biopsychosocial perspective in assessment and intervention efforts with client systems of all sizes.

____ Develop knowledge and skills to apply a strengths-based perspective to guide assessment and intervention efforts with client systems of all sizes.

4 (Bachelors). Critically evaluate and apply the theoretical and empirical knowledge and skills of generalist social work in the pre-engagement through ending phases of practice with client systems of all sizes.

____ Understand the major social work intervention theories and apply evidence based methods as they relate to practice setting.

____ Develop the ability to identify developmental stages across the life span.

_____ Develop the ability to critically evaluate and apply the theoretical and empirical knowledge and skills of generalist social work practice.

____ Develop the ability to apply generalist social work practice to pre-engagement through ending phases of practice with client systems of all sizes.

____ Demonstrate the ability to function as generalist social worker in an agency setting.

4 (Masters). Critically evaluate and apply the theoretical and empirical knowledge and skills of generalist and advanced perspectives to practice in the pre-engagement through the ending phases of practice with client systems of all sizes.

____ Understand the major social work intervention theories and apply evidence based methods as they relate to practice setting.

____ Develop the ability to identify developmental stages across the life span and within the family life cycle.

____ Develop the ability to critically evaluate and apply the theoretical and empirical knowledge and skills of generalist and advanced practice perspectives to practice.

____ Demonstrate the ability to apply generalist and advanced perspectives to practice in the pre-engagement through the ending phases of practice, with client systems of all sizes.

____ Develop ability to function as generalist and advanced practice social worker in an agency setting.

5. Use appropriate oral and written communication skills with client systems of all sizes.

____ Develop clear and concise writing skills for professional practice (APA style, citing references appropriately).

____ Listen sensitively to clients and to staff/client interactions.

____ Develop skills in responding to clients and others that demonstrate understanding and empathy.

____ Utilize interviewing and other data collection skills in working with clients to identify strengths and goals.

____ Develop clear and concise public speaking skills for professional practice.

6. Utilize information technology to enhance effectiveness as social work professionals.

____ Develop knowledge and skills of current information technologies to effectively work as a social work professional in an agency.

7 (Bachelors). Through use of supervision, demonstrate self-awareness and professional use of self to enhance professional social work practice with client systems of all sizes.

7 (Masters). Independently, and through use of supervision, demonstrate self-awareness and professional use of self to enhance professional social work practice with client systems of all sizes.

____ Gain an awareness of self in relationship to others as a professional helping person in a rural environment.

____ Become familiar with the role of social worker as distinguished from other agency personnel.

____ Demonstrate an ability to prepare for supervision.

____ Demonstrate an ability to work collaboratively with field instructor and field liaison.

____ Demonstrate an ability to consistently adhere to time schedule for placement hours and meet social work program deadlines.

____ Demonstrate an ability/willingness to accept supervisory input, including direction; ability to follow through on recommendations; ability to negotiate needs for autonomy from; and dependency on supervisors.

____ Demonstrate an ability to self-reflect and self-evaluate regarding practice skills and the use of supervision, including using good judgment as to when supervisory input is necessary.

____ Demonstrate an ability to develop respectful, positive and constructive relationships with clients and agency personnel.

____ Demonstrate an ability to communicate professionally and work collaboratively with multi-disciplinary teams and a variety of community professionals.

____ Demonstrate an ability to accept constructive feedback and address issues regarding professional performance.

8. Assess practice effectiveness, evaluate research findings, apply research knowledge, and conduct independent research to enhance practice interventions.

____ Develop knowledge and skills to evaluate program and practice effectiveness.

____ Develop knowledge and skills to critically evaluate research findings and apply that knowledge to the practice of social work.

____ Demonstrate an ability to conduct an independent research project to evaluate individual practice interventions or agency programs.

9. Analyze the impact of social policies and agency structures on clients, workers, and the delivery of social work services and promote organizational change, where warranted.

____ Analyze and understand the impact of social policies and agency structures on clients, workers and the delivery of social work services.

____ Assess the impact of social policies and agency structures on clients, workers and the delivery of social work services. Promote organizational change, where warranted.

____ Demonstrate the ability to adhere to and apply social welfare policies and programs particular to the community and field practice setting.

10. Advocate through professional and political means for policies and programs that address the social and economic well-being of clients and others in need of assistance.

____ Demonstrate awareness of oppression and the need for advocacy in the community and society to promote social justice.

____ Develop and apply knowledge of professional and political methods for conducting advocacy for the social and economic well-being of clients.

____ Demonstrate appropriate judgment and methods in conducting advocacy for the social and economic well-being of clients.

11. In addition, any of the following are grounds for review by the Academic Performance Review Committee (APRC):

____ Inability to perform professional duties due to personal problems.

____ Rejection by three or more agencies during the placement process for reasons related to appropriateness or readiness for placement.

____ Academic dishonesty, including cheating on examinations or plagiarism, which involves presenting the work of someone else as one’s own.

____ Marginal academic performance (failure to maintain an overall 2.5 GPA in undergraduate courses or 3.0 GPA in graduate courses).

____ A request by any faculty member for a review due to the student’s poor coursework or field performance.

Academic Performance Review Committee

The Academic Performance Review Committee consists of three members: 1) a field faculty member; 2) the student’s advisor; and 3) an additional departmental faculty member. In the case where the Chair of the respective program is the student’s advisor, another faculty member will be assigned to the committee in his or her place. This committee will convene when the student is not meeting the requirements in any of the 10 competency areas described or #11 above.

Procedures for Student Performance Review

The Department of Social Work has established the following mechanisms to respond to requests for performance reviews.



1. The Academic Performance Review Committee will review any undergraduate and graduate student to assess his/her progress in the program using the above criteria and identify any problems that need to be addressed. This committee seeks to detect any emerging problems as soon as possible. Problem identification occurs when the student, field instructor, field liaison, field education director, faculty advisor or faculty member notifies the Director of the undergraduate or graduate program of a concern.


2. Depending upon the student’s status as an undergraduate or graduate student, the Chair of the respective program will be responsible for calling the Performance Review Committee together to initiate the review process. The Chair of the APRC will be appointed by the Chair of the Department.


3. When a student’s performance is evaluated as deficient, the committee determines what, if any, course of action could bring the student’s performance into compliance with program and professional standards.


4. The student is then notified in writing by the Chair of the Academic Performance Review Committee of the committee’s concerns.


5. The student then prepares a written response and has the option, at his or her request, to meet with the Academic Performance Review Committee to discuss the performance issues.


6. An action plan will be created by the Performance Review Committee to set forth the problems to be solved, actions to be taken to solve said problems, a time table for completion of the designated actions, and a reevaluation of the student’s performance.


7. If the student fails to fulfill the action plan, the student cannot be continued in the program. Discontinuance can occur during any quarter of enrollment in the program, including the last quarter.


8. In some conditions the student’s behavior may be so serious that the committee may recommend immediate removal from the program until a formal review can occur.


9. In the case of undergraduate students, the Academic Performance Review Committee makes a recommendation to the Undergraduate Program Director and in the case of graduate students, they make a recommendation to the MSW Program Director, who will make the final decision regarding the Academic Performance Review Committee’s recommendations.

Notification Procedures

The Program Director of the Undergraduate or Graduate program will notify the student of her or his final decision in writing.

Appeal Procedures

1. The student can appeal this decision through a petition for reconsideration. The petition will be submitted to the Director of the Undergraduate program in the case of graduate students and the Director of the MSW program in the case of undergraduate students.



2. The petition should be presented in writing and address two major points. First, any extenuating circumstances that contributed to the poor performance should be identified. Secondly, there should be a discussion of the steps the student plans to take to address these circumstances or improve his/her performance.



3. The advisor will forward a recommendation, with rationale, regarding the student’s status in the program to the appropriate program director.



4. 4) The Program Director will call the Department’s Appeals Committee to order. The Appeals Committee will consist of the Director of the Psychology and Social Work Clinic, a Group I tenure track faculty member from one of the regional campuses, and one faculty member from the Department of Social Work who was not involved in the previous deliberations. The Committee Chair will be assigned by the Chair of the Department.

Appeal Process

1. Within five days after the Appeals Committee has been constituted, the committee chair will set a date for a hearing.



2. Giving at least one week advance notice, the Appeals Committee Chair will inform the student, the student’s advisor, field faculty member, and the Appeals committee members of the time and place of the hearing.



3. All committee members, the student’s advisor, and the field faculty member must be present at the review hearing.