International Collaboration: Developing Master Students' Practice through Study Abroad and Participatory Research

Background

Globalization presents international social work with both opportunities and challenges (Edwards, 2011; Rosser, 2012). This workshop provides an overview of an international study experience among American and Scottish Social Work students. This experience focuses on comparing and contrasting treatment of children, adolescents, and transition age youth in Scotland and America. Presenters will discuss characteristics of the international research conducted along with it’s results. The presenters will discuss the process of program development, implementation of the international experience, and the participatory action research in which the students engaged.

A collaborative qualitative research project was undertaken to meet the goals of the study abroad experience (Agbényiga & Lihua, 2014). American students gained experience in Scottish social services that included visits with legislators and organizations. Collaboration between American and Scottish students allowed exchange of ideas about services for youth, and how social work education impacts treatment. Students’ collaborated using a qualitative research method to reflect on this social work education experience and analyze the outcome of it.

Methods

American and Scottish students engaged in participatory action research (Shevellar, 2015) by using Photovoice methods while studying together in Scotland. The collaboration between American and Scottish faculty researchers (Iachini, Cross & Freedman, 2015) focused on comparing and contrasting the social services provided to youth in Scotland and America. The American university’s IRB and the Scottish university’s Ethics Committee approved the study. Both universities trained their students in Photovoice methods and documented their informed consent in their home country.

On arrival in Scotland intercountry student teams were formed. The student teams used the research question and Photovoice method to discover images (Lyons, 2006). Two Photovoice goals grounded the study research question. First, the methods enabled the individual students to record, and reflect on, their professions strengths and concerns (Furman, Coyne, & Negi, 2008). Second, student teams promoted critical dialogue and knowledge about personal and professional issues through large and small group discussions of photographs (Nadan, Weinberg-Kurnik, & Ben-Ari, 2015).

Results

The international participatory approach generated the ability for students to contextualize common social work education and practice experiences when working with youth. Team discussions between representatives of each country resulted in understanding professional identity formation, how it shapes treatment for children, adolescents, and transition age youth (Phillips, MacGiollaRi, & Callaghan, 2012). Students presented photographs including narration of their knowledge and deeper understanding of international social work practice (Rosser, 2012). Faculty identified key phrases or terms from each student presentation. The researchers collaborated on finding common themes. The results found commonalities about the quality and depth of social work treatment and attitudes for youth in each country. The themes found differences regarding how legislation and legislative bodies govern the care of children, adolescents, and youth. American’s found treatment to be driven by the agency, individualistic in nature, more medically driven. The Scottish students found treatment of youth to be focused on legislative directives, satisfaction of the child, and sense of responsibility. Scottish students found great differences in practice approaches when working with youth.