The Transforming the Field Education Landscape (TFEL) partnership marks a milestone in social work education as it launches the Student Handbook on Field Education this month.
The book launch is part of the TFEL Event Series: Making Change Together, which will be held in-person at the University of Calgary's main campus from March 17-21, as well as in Edmonton and online. The event series brings together students, practitioners, and academics to celebrate social work field education and discuss its future potential in workshops and networking events.
The series opens with a Climate Action and Advocacy Exhibition at UCalgary's Sustainability Hive. The exhibition will showcase both a new 11-episode podcast series and the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Students created factsheet posters on each of the SDGs, with a focus on southern Alberta. In collaboration with the Sustainable Development Goals Alliance (SDGA) student group, a series of activities will be held at The Hive, such as a showing of the film There's Something in the Water; origami seed paper and sticker-making workshops; and the launch of the SDGA newsletter with student groups and clubs.
Building on series' climate focus, Dr. Emmanuel Chilanga, PhD, an assistant professor at the University of Northern British Columbia, will lead a Green Social Work Practice workshop, drawing from his fieldwork in Malawi.
International social work partnerships will be highlighted by a panel featuring participants in the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholars program. The panel will explore crucial developments in international social work education and practice, followed by a research presentation on international practicum experiences by TFEL project director Dr. Julie Drolet, PhD, and project co-ordinator Kamal Khatiwada, MSW'22.
The TFEL open-access book encourages the adoption of research and scholarship into the practice of social work. Photo Courtesy of TFEL project
Series addresses contemporary social work issues
Digital innovation will meet traditional practice in the Art of Digital Storytelling workshop facilitated by TFEL digital storytelling co-ordinator and PhD candidate, Leslie Salgado. The session will showcase how digital media can be leveraged to create powerful narratives that impact creators and viewers. In Calgary, workshops on BSW field education redesign and spirituality in field education will take place in person on March 18.
An online workshop on Indigenous and Wise Practices in Field Education will be led by Dr. Christine Walsh, PhD, of UCalgary; Dr. Lynelle Watts, PhD, of Curtin University in Australia; and Hayley Brillon, BA'20, (Psychology), BA'20 (Sociology). The session will explore the collaborative efforts between Calgary and Perth, Australia, to Indigenize and decolonize social work curriculum and practice. The workshop goes beyond traditional classroom instruction by actively engaging Canadian and Australian Indigenous communities in curriculum co-construction, embracing diverse Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.
The Edmonton program (March 20-21) delves deep into critical contemporary field issues. It features Sinthu Srikanthan's examination of field education co-ordination for racialized students, and an innovative exploration of private practice in field education led by Eileen McKee and Matt Eldridge. A team of experts, including Dr. David Nicholas, BSW'85, MSW'88, PhD, and Dr. Julie Drolet, PhD, will present a workshop on neurodiversity and EDI in field education.
The series culminates with the TFEL book launch in Edmonton, marking a significant contribution to and celebration of social work field education. This celebration not only commemorates the TFEL partnership's achievements, it also sets the stage for the future of field education in social work.
Go here for registration and detailed information about the event series. The series offers in-person and online participation options, making it accessible to professionals and students across Canada and beyond.
