SOCW 6301 Week 1 Discussion

SOCW 6301 Week 1 Discussion

Discussion 1: Research and Practice

Being a social worker is a difficult job. At times it can be challenging. At times it can be rewarding. Having a reliable and trusted network of colleagues can be a source of both professional and personal support and encouragement. The same sentiment can be applied to you and your online classmates. In order to practice presenting yourself to others and fostering collaboration within an academic community, you will upload a video introducing yourself to your colleagues. Your introduction is not a graded assignment and will not be calculated into your final grade.

•        Record and upload, by Day 3, a 2 minute video which includes the following: (Just  answer An explanation of your current environment, An explanation of two elements in your current social environment that most influence you, and  A description of how the two most influential elements impact you. Make sure the information is long enough for 2 minutes

•        Your name : Fredrick Cotton
•        Your geographic location: Louisiana
•        An explanation of your current environment
•        An explanation of two elements in your current social environment that most influence you

A description of how the two most influential elements impact you

Discussion 2: Evidence Based Practice

Competent social workers have many types of skills to complement a wide variety of theoretical knowledge. This skill set and knowledge base is often informed by research. Whether research is quantitative, qualitative, or a mixture of both, the information that well-formed studies yield contribute to the knowledge base of the social work profession as a whole.

For this Discussion, consider how evidence-based research informs social work practice. Think about how research findings translate into social work actions.

Post your explanation of how research informs a social worker’s application of the steps in the process of evidence-based practice. Be sure to explain how research contributes to what a social worker may do in practice. Please use the Resources to support your answers.

I will send you the link to the mail  book for resources for this class.

Learning Resources

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materials section of your Syllabus.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Research and Practice in Social Work using Evidence-based Practice

In this day and age, research and practice in social work is more important than ever before. With the constantly changing landscape of the world around us, it’s crucial that social workers keep up-to-date with the latest evidence-based practices. But what exactly is “evidence-based practice”? In short, it’s using the best available research to inform your Social Work practice. This means that you base your decisions and interventions on sound evidence, rather than on personal opinion or anecdotal evidence. ###

What is Social Work?

There are many different ways to answer the question, “What is social work?” However, most scholars and practitioners would agree that social work is a profession that promotes social change, development, and empowerment. Social work practitioners help people improve their lives by addressing individual needs and problems as well as larger social issues.

Social work is a dynamic profession that requires both research and practice in order to be effective. Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a key component of social work research and practice. EBP is based on the idea that the best decisions are made when they are informed by the best available evidence. In order to make evidence-based decisions, social workers must be familiar with research methods and findings related to the populations they serve.

What is Evidence-based Practice?

Most social work research is conducted using the scientific method, which is designed to ensure that the results are valid and reliable. The scientific method is based on a number of principles, including replication, peer review, and evidence-based practice.

Replication means that the research must be able to be repeated by other researchers in order to verify the results. Peer review means that the research must be reviewed by other experts in the field in order to ensure its quality. Evidence-based practice means that the research must be based on empirical evidence, which is data that has been collected and analyzed using scientific methods.

The goal of evidence-based practice is to ensure that social work research is of the highest quality and that it can be used to inform practice. To this end, social workers should familiarize themselves with the scientific method and use it when conducting their own research.

How to Use Evidence-based Practice in Social Work

When it comes to social work, evidence-based practice (EBP) is the use of interventions that have been shown to be effective through research. EBP is a major focus of the social work profession and is used to provide clients with the best possible care.

There are four main steps to using EBP in social work:

1. Identify the problem or need.

2. Select an intervention that has been shown to be effective for that particular problem or need.

3. Implement the intervention with fidelity.

4. Evaluate the outcomes.

While EBP is a relatively new approach, it is quickly becoming the standard of care in social work and other helping professions. As more research is conducted, we will continue to learn more about which interventions are most effective for different problems and populations.

Case Study: Using Evidence-based Practice in Social Work

The term “evidence-based practice” in social work (EBP) has been variously defined, but the general consensus is that it involves the use of the best available evidence to inform clinical decision making (1). In other words, EBP is a way of ensuring that social work interventions are based on the best available evidence, rather than on personal opinion or speculation.

There are many different types of evidence that can be used in EBP, including research findings, case studies, and expert opinion. In order to make informed decisions about which evidence to use, social workers need to be familiar with the different types of evidence and their relative strengths and weaknesses.

One type of evidence that is particularly relevant to social work is case study research. Case study research provides detailed descriptions of real-world situations and can be used to generate hypotheses about how similar situations might be addressed in future.

While case studies cannot provide definitive answers about what will work in all situations, they can be very useful in informing social work practice. When used alongside other forms of evidence, such as quantitative research findings, they can help social workers to make more informed decisions about which interventions are likely to be effective.

Conclusion

The above article provides a comprehensive overview of evidence-based practice in social work. It discusses the importance of research in social work, and how evidence-based practice can help social workers improve their effectiveness. The article also outlines some of the challenges associated with implementing evidence-based practice, and provides strategies for overcoming these challenges. Overall, this article is a valuable resource for social workers who are interested in using evidence-based practice in their work.