January 30, 2013
Field experience for social work students from Northwestern Oklahoma State University recently began for the spring semester. Ten social work majors entered practicum agencies within northwest Oklahoma to complete 420 contact hours, demonstrate the 43 practice behaviors and master the program’s 11 core competencies.
Field experience is the signature pedagogy for social work degree programs, which connects theoretical and conceptual course curriculum with the professional practice setting.
“We believe the practicum experience is the most important influence in the development of a student’s social work practice skills,” said Casie Brittain, interim director of field experience and adjunct instructor of social work.
Listed below are students studying field experience, hometowns and their practicum agency placements:
Jennifer Diener and Jennifer Ghigna, both of Enid, 4RKids; Crystal Bryant, Stillwater, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Oklahoma; Rita Lyons and Jessica Waller, both of Enid, Enid Youth and Family Services; Carol Carnagey, Laverne, Northwest Center for Behavioral Health; Rebecca Gaskill, Sharon; Morgan Helms, Woodward; and Jason Thompson, Woodward; Western Plains Youth and Family Services; and Lacey Vaughan, Lamont, Woodward County Department of Human Services/Woodward Public Schools.
“Field instructors participate on a voluntary basis, but the importance of their role as teacher, guide, challenger and role model to the student cannot be underestimated,” Brittain said. “Without them, our mission to educate our students could not be fulfilled.”
-NW-