MSW Students’ Perception of the Professional Identity of the Social Work Practitioner and the Social Work Researcher: Considerations for Educators

Abstract

Social work professional ethics require research-informed practice and practice-informed research. Anecdotal evidence, however, suggests that social work practitioners do not identify themselves with research even though research training is a requirement in social work education. Using Structured Interview Matrix methodology, the study explored MSW students’ (n=188) perceptions of the professional identity of the social worker and the social work researcher. Students drew images of the social worker and the social work researcher and wrote five words that best describe them. Data were analyzed using content analysis and thematic analytical frameworks. We found that participants perceived the social worker and the social work researcher to have distinct identities. The findings reveal implications for innovative pedagogical approaches to teaching social work research.

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