Transcript Document
Enhanced Role for Field
Instructors
Marilyn Luptak, PhD, MSW, LICSW
Associate Professor & Chair, MSW Aging Concentration
Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar (2008-2010)
Spafford Endowed Chair in Social Work (2011-2012)
University of Utah College of Social Work, Salt Lake City, UT
September 2014
Differences from Working in
Traditional Field Model
Students are in an agency
for shorter periods of time
Field instructors are more
active in student training
Allows students to develop a broad array of
learning experiences with older adults rather
than a single in-depth experience
New Roles – New Definitions
Field instructor oversees and coordinates the
overall learning experience for the intern
Task supervisor/preceptor supervises the
intern within a specific rotation
Field instructors may instruct multiple
interns for shorter times
Selection of Interns
Inclusion of field instructor in selecting
intern
o Improves “match”
o Increased buy-in by field instructor
Field instructor focuses on intern’s
involvement in identifying learning needs
Students are genuinely excited about aging
Communication and Coordination
Increased coordination of learning
experiences for students
Greater case management role:
o Communicating with task supervisors
o Coordinating rotations
o Updating participants
When there are student difficulties:
o Supervisors need to share info quickly
o Can support each other
Expanded Role of Field Instructors
Facilitate basic requirements
Co-facilitate didactic groups
Provide enhanced geriatric competency
supervision to interns rotating in their site
Facilitate their interns’ presentations of the
Community Organization and Administrative
Research Projects
Guest lecture in MSW courses
Serve as advisory board members
Benefits to Field Instructors
Increased support
Increased connections to others in field;
exciting new perspectives, resources
Shared responsibility of intern
Increased connection to Universities
Benefits to Field Instructors
Opportunity to shape curriculum/shape
interns’ learning
Can view their own practice in a larger
context, incorporating connections for clients
Intellectual stimulation
Benefits to Field Instructors
University of Utah online postgraduate Gerontology
Interdisciplinary Certificate:
o Offers specific training in gerontology
o First field instructors started in May 2013
• 15 credit hours of online courses plus practicum
experience
SLC VA waiver program for field instructors – free
Competency levels of field instructors will be evaluated
before enrolling in and after completing the certificate
program
The Crucial Role of HPPAE Field
Instructors
Comments from a Principal Investigator at an adoption
school:
“With participation in the HPPAE, and particularly in
the HPPAE planning, monitoring, and administration,
our field instructors seemed to take a more holistic
view of field education. They became more aware of
the connection between and among staff at various
agencies serving the elderly; they began to see the
broader picture of services to the agency; and, with
the help of the competency scale, were able to identify
and teach to the skills and knowledge required for
gerontology social work services across a variety of
settings.”