Equity Case Studies Report - School of Social Work - University of ...

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UBC school of social work equity and diversity strategic plan: A compilation of case studies 77 one of their strategies in moving beyond token inclusion and moving towards fully integrating the material. The philosophy behind such attempts to practice integrating equity into all courses is that everything taught can be related to equity and that equity topics are not separate, and therefore should not be compartmentalized. Additionally, all students who enter the Dalhousie School of Social Work take a required course on anti-oppressive Social Work practice that provides a base on which they can build on, as they continue their learning processes throughout the program. UC Berkeley’s School of Social Welfare is also in the process of developing an anti-oppression workshop for all incoming MSW students as part of their orientation activities. In addition to this workshop, the School has a diversity section in each course syllabus, which has recently been expanded to delineate diversity-related objectives of the courses and the methods and assignments by which these objectives will be achieved. By explicitly outlining these expectations, the School works at better integrating equity into their curriculum, as well as offering a selection of electives on specific equity topics. The Faculty of Social Work at U of T has undergone a process of implementing a diversity-integration framework in curricula. The result of their process in applying this framework is a course consisting of four modules, addressing anti-racism, Aboriginal issues, issues of diversity and inclusiveness, and cultural competence (George, Shera, & Tsang, 1998). After these modules were decided upon, the Faculty looked at how to provide this course. The decision was to offer the course materials by dividing the modules and teaching them in each of the four required courses, presenting them during the first three weeks of the fall semester (George, Shera, & Tsang, 1998). In 1996, a ‘diversity assignment’ was created, where students worked in groups of five to collect firsthand information about populations or communities that experience multiple oppressions, and in the beginning of the second month of the fall semester,
UBC school of social work equity and diversity strategic plan: A compilation of case studies 78 they made presentations of their findings to a panel (George, Shera, & Tsang, 1998). The grade received from this presentation counted for the first assignment for all four required classes (George, Shera, & Tsang, 1998). Moreover, in the second year of the MSW program, the two required courses and the field practicum all treat issues of diversity as integral elements of the courses, and concretely state this intent in their course outlines. Since 2009, U of M Faculty of Social Work’s Educational Equity Committee has been working closely with the MSW program committee to review and improve curriculum to enhance equity in their Faculty. Their processes and practices provide examples of applying a more holistic framework for integrating equity-related material into curricula. For example, the Faculty has recently paid more attention to the need to increase Aboriginal content in all courses and to have them taught by Aboriginal instructors whenever possible. In addition, there is a plan to increase LGBTTQI and cultural/racial diversity content in all courses, to develop a course on immigrant/refugee/visible minorities and anti-racism for the BSW and MSW programs offered each year, and to include material in all courses that address issues regarding disability. Each of the examples from the individual case studies present areas for improvements and changes to be made at the UBC School of Social Work. Recommendations based on the other universities’ processes and practices include increasing student evaluations and surveys to strengthen student participation in curricula development; collaboration between the Equity Task Force and the Curriculum and Field Education Committees; and an anti-oppression workshop for all incoming students during the orientation week and/or a required course offered to all incoming students in the first semester on anti-oppressive Social Work practice that includes equity and diversity-related issues without compartmentalization of these teachings. Last, following another example of addressing equity in curricula from Dalhousie and the University
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Equity Case Studies Report - School of Social Work - University of ...

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