A STUDY OF PRACTICE SKILL COMPETENCIES EXPECTED OF GRADUATES OF ACCREDITED BACCALAUREATE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAMS (COMPETENCY-BASED EDUCATION)

The purpose of this study was to learn if there were differences in expected competence outcomes of baccalaureate education between accredited social work programs using different curricular designs; namely, Traditional liberal arts, experience-based and Competency-based programs. The research questions addressed were: (1) Do the program types have different expectations of essential practice skill competencies for entry-level, generalist social work practice? (2) Are different theoretical frameworks utilized in teaching practice skill competencies? (3) Is entry-level, generalist social work practice defined differently?;An exploratory-descriptive research design was used and data was collected by mail questionnaire from baccalaureate social work programs accredited by the Council on Social Work Education in 1984. The programs, divided into subgroups by curricular design, were compared by descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests on independent variables of program structure, faculty, students, curriculum, practice sequence-theoretical framework, and definition of generalist social work practice. An inventory was developed to measure the independent variable practice skill competence. Program directors ranked their programs' expectations on a Likert-type scale of essential, desirable, and not-applicable competence levels from 49 sub-skills in eight practice skill categories: organizational, professional, administrative, community resource, communication, problem-solving, intervention, and research skills. Chi-square tests were used to compare the program types.;Traditional and Competency-based social work programs were found to be homogeneously matched groups. No statistical differences were found between the program types on practice sequence-theoretical framework or definition of generalist social work practice. On practice skill competence, the program types were found to differ significantly only on the community resource skills category. Overall, both Traditional and Competency-based programs were in agreement that 37 sub-skills were at the essential level; 6, at the essential and desirable levels; and 6, at the desirable level. In addition, the program types were found to differ significantly on three variables measuring evaluation of student practice skills and on social work employment. Competency-based programs were found to be more rigorous in preparing graduates for entry level generalist social work practice than Traditional programs. More CBE graduates were reported to be employed in social work than Traditional graduates.