Expanding Creswell's Ethics Content in Five Stages of Social Work Research: A Classroom Action Research

Background/Purpose: Creswell (2014) provides guidelines to identify and address the ethical issues in five stages of research design (a) prior to conducting research, (b) beginning the study, (c) collecting data, (d) analyzing data, and (e) reporting, sharing and storing data. In addition to ethical issues, two social work instructors included content on values, diversity and social justice to the Creswell’s research stages. IRB exempt review was approved to conduct this classroom action research. The objective of this study was to understand Blooms Taxonomy model on students’ knowledge base, critical thinking improves in applying concepts of social work professional values, ethics, social justice, and diversity (VESD) in the five stages of research design.

Method:  This qualitative classroom action research was jointly conducted by two instructors teaching two different sections of the same graduate level social work research course. When the teaching module on VESD was delivered, students were asked to identify and address issues related to these aspects in their group’s research proposal. Afterward, the students were asked to write their reflections on the process of learning on VESD using DEAL (Describe, Examine, and Articulate Learning) Model. Total 36 DEAL reflection papers were analyzed by thematic codes.  

Findings: Data analysis shows that teaching focused on identifying and addressing issues around VESD in all the five stages of social work research can enhance social work students’ sensitivity and capability in thinking more critically. Students also found it useful for their career development. They shared that instructional scaffolding and peer review feedbacks were critical in enhancing their learning to adopt VESD concepts and the quality of their research proposal. Students also highlighted some useful teaching-learning resources and offered suggestions regarding the pedagogical approaches to make learning more effective. IRB Quiz (CITI- Human Subjects Research Certification), the NASW code of ethics, video viewing (Nazi experiments, Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment, Milgram Experiment), peer review of research design section of their proposal, consultation with their instructors and classroom discussions were reported most useful in grasping the concepts and applying the learnings. Overall, student’s reflection’s show enhancement in Bloom’s Taxonomy suggested areas of not only knowledge/information and critical thinking, but further, they reported the importance of applying these concepts in not only research but also in their social work practice.

Conclusion and Implications: Findings highlighted the importance of completing the IRB Quiz (CITI- Human Subjects Research Certification), studying the NASW code of ethics and writing reflection papers on student’s own process of writing a research proposal. The process was found to be crucial in students’ learning and professional development regarding social work VESD. Also, the consultation with instructors, peer feedbacks, classroom discussions and critical dialogue, and was identified as crucial to this learning. Using Blooms Taxonomy VESD focused research learning was crucial for students to enhance their CSWE 2015-: Competency 1) Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior Competency, 2) Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice, Competency, 3) Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice Competency, 4) Engage in Practice-informed Research and Research-informed Practice.