Using Technology to Evaluate a Web-Based Clinical Social Work Research Course

Abstract

This article reports on a clinical research methods course taught online to
a total of 90 off-campus MSW students in the fall of 1999, 2000, and 2001. The course
was taught in a mid-size public university in a CSWE-accredited School of Social
Work. The purpose of the course was to teach single subject design research skills for
the evaluation of clinical social work practice. The student experience of the online
course was assessed using qualitative interviews that add a deeper, textured understanding
of the various facets of online instruction from the learner's perspective.
Important dimensions for social work instruction in online courseware were delineated.
A collaborative learning and teaching framework is presented for those social
work educators interested in implementing web-based courses.