Social Work Pedagogy

SW868, Section 001

Through doctoral education, students become stewards of the social work profession by developing knowledge and skills that advance the profession’s primary mission, “to enhance human well-being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty” (NASW Code of Ethics). Doctoral students advance this mission through excellence in teaching that fosters an inclusive learning environment and incorporates a critical praxis to maintain awareness of oppressive systems.

This doctoral-level, social work pedagogy course is designed to prepare students to contribute to the research and teaching missions of future educational institutions. This course will focus on three overarching goals: (1) understanding and applying theories of university teaching, adult learning, and social work education; (2) developing essential teaching knowledge and skills in social work education such as creating learning objectives, syllabi, and grading systems that apply principles of universal design; and (3) recognizing and applying contemporary issues (e.g., technology, hybrid, and inclusive learning environments) to social work education. Through these overarching goals, students will gain knowledge and skills for developing their personal teaching philosophies, course planning and instruction, and situating themselves and their classroom experiences within contemporary educational debates. Students will learn how to foster inclusive classroom environments, facilitate transformational conversations, use principles of universal design, and incorporate a critical praxis into their teaching.

While the course content is widely applicable to interdisciplinary teaching, the course will emphasize preparation for teaching in Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work degree programs.