Social workers need to gain field experience at the institution before they can begin to practice in the real world. The professional identity of the social worker is affected by his/her field work experience and learning agreement goals and objectives (Laureate Education, 2013). The learning agreement is a document indicating essential skills for the intern and the criteria that might be utilized by supervisors and instructors to evaluate the results of the field experience. In the following work, I will discuss the completion of my agency learning agreement with Vatsalya Adult Medical Day Care Center and provide a summary of my evaluation results.
My learning agreement contains information on the agency’s goals, diverse resident population, and relevant intern competencies required during the field practice. The completion of the learning agreement taught me to be aware of my strengths and weaknesses and focused my attention on the critical areas of social work practice. For example, working with my field instructor and colleagues helped me observe their support of diverse clients with cognitive impairments and compare their behavior with the strategies I learned during the course. Since each client was unique, there were situations where I could not find the proper solution from the textbook or the course. The approach called “the art of not knowing,” proposed by Pomeroy and Nonaka (2011) means that existing knowledge is not always enough to achieve professional success and promote innovation (p. 294). The lack of knowledge might motivate researchers and practitioners to investigate existing problems and develop solutions. Thus, social work competencies indicated in my learning agreement can lead me to positive outcomes and enhance my clients’ well-being if my skills are accompanied by motivation to learn and improve professional strategies.
My evaluation of the field experience demonstrates that the agency and the instructor created favorable conditions for learning and practicing social work. The safety policies and procedures at the field placement site were reviewed with me to ensure a safe working environment. I was also given appropriate tasks, which were clearly explained by the instructor and helped me develop essential skills and competencies. My instructor and colleagues perceived me as a valuable member of the team, so I managed to contribute to the agency’s mission by using my knowledge, values, and skills I obtained during the course. According to Garthwait (2017), critical examination of values, ethics, and theories can promote a positive change. I evaluate the field instructor as outstanding because she was always ready to provide support, relevant suggestions, and detailed feedback on my performance. Moreover, the instructor was sensitive to diversity issues, expressed interest in my education, and encouraged me to discuss my success and challenges with her. Finally, my faculty liaison was well-informed about the student’s needs/issues and motivated me to responsibly apply academic knowledge in practice. She respected diversity and different views, so I could freely express my ideas in blog posts and assignments.
Overall, the agency learning agreement is a valuable tool for social work students and instructors. Its completion determines the intern’s strengths and weaknesses and facilitates the choice of appropriate learning and working strategies. Based on my evaluation of the field experience, the combination of the efforts by the agency, the instructor, and the faculty liaison contributed to my academic and field experience success. Social work skills, competencies, and knowledge will help me to improve my practice at all levels for the benefit of my clients and the agency.
References
Garthwait, C. L. (2017). The social work practicum: A guide and workbook for students (7th ed.). Pearson.
Laureate Education. (Producer). (2013). Evaluation of learning. Web.
Pomeroy, E. C., & Nonaka, A. M. (2011). The art of not knowing. Social Work, 56(4), 293–295.