A new Social Justice Innovation Initiative (SJII) proposal received funding for the upcoming academic year. The proposal for Anti-Bias Training in Field Education: Learning Collaborative for Students and Field Instructors will include faculty members Allison Diehl, Kim Crane Mallory (Field Director), Carmen Foster, Tami Walker, and MSSW student and CBSW member Baylie Spring.

From the SJII proposal: The goal of the anti-bias learning collaborative is to reduce bias and promote anti-oppressive practice among students and field instructors while inviting self-reflection regarding bias that exists within individuals and community-based organizations. Full-time students spend 1,000 hours in field during their MSSW careers, and the CSWE recognizes field education as the “signature pedagogy of social work.” Despite the critical role of field education to promote student learning, field instructors often lack current training related to bias and anti-oppressive practice that UTCSW students receive throughout the MSSW curriculum. As a result, some students report concerns about bias that they witness or experience within their field settings and uncertainty about how to respond. Related to this, some field liaisons and field instructors have expressed feeling ill-prepared to support students’ learning, desiring more training around anti-bias and anti-oppressive practice. Recognizing that one-time trainings often do not lead to long-term change, the learning collaborative approach, including both whole-group training and follow up peer learning sessions, would increase accountability and support among participants to promote meaningful learning and long-term change.

The project would have four key outcomes: 1) Create safer, more inclusive spaces for UT students within their field placements; 2) Enable field instructors and students to successfully build upon anti-racist and anti-sexist coursework in the field setting; 3) Empower both students and field instructors to improve the culture and promote anti-oppressive practice within community-based agencies; 4) Improve the service provision for clients within those agencies by reducing biased and discriminatory practices.

The impact of this project will be measured using pre- and post-assessment data for

participants and by measuring the number of participants who successfully engage in and complete the anti-bias learning collaborative.