A Dedicated Diversity Course or an Infusion Model? Exploring Which Strategy Is More Effective in Social Work Pedagogy. (2nd January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pitner, Ronald O.; Priester, Mary Ann; Lackey, Richard; Duvall, Deborah
• Is Part Of: Journal of social work education. Volume 54:Number 1(2018)
• Page Start: 49
• Page End: 60
• Publication Date: 2018-01-02
• Subjects: Social work education -- Periodicals; Social work education -- United States -- Periodicals; 361.305
• DOI: 10.1080/10437797.2017.1314839
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1043-7797

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The Council on Social Work Education requires schools of social work to meet diversity and social justice competencies. Many MSW programs meet these standards by having either a dedicated diversity and social justice course, or by using some form of diversity and social justice curricular infusion. The current study explored which of these strategies is more effective. Two-hundred and eighty-six MSW students participated in this quasi-experimental design (diversity-83; infusion-97; no diversity/no infusion-106), and were assessed on multiple indices of cultural responsiveness and social justice awareness. Our findings were mixed, but indicated that a dedicated diversity and social justice course is effective at increasing students' cultural responsiveness and social justice awareness. Implications for social work pedagogy are discussed.