Continuing Social Work Education Provision: Trends and Future Developments.

Overview & Synopsis

The current state of the art concerning the provision of continuing social education and recent expansion and pressures for continued growth through the 1980s are considered. Specific topics include: the continuing education directors and staff; the continuing education program (CEP) as an organization; the CEP's programming, funding sources, and patterns; the CEP and linkages to its environments; the CEP's status and integration into social work education; flexibility versus standard setting and the need for institutionalization of the continuing education function; the evolving functions of the CEP; the emerging array of continuing education consumers; teaching modalities; and the CEP and its regulatory environment. By comparing current data with previous surveys, projects, and literature, an attempt is made to depict the extent of growth, institutionalization, and integration of continuing social work education in relation to social work education and practice in general. Projections for the future are included, and emerging themes and pressures for continued growth of continuing social work education are addressed. Data were derived from five sources: the 1978 Continuing Education Directors' Survey, which is appended; site visits to CEPs connected with social work education programs; interviews and discussions with continuing social work education from the project advisory committee; and a literature search. A bibliography is appended. (SW)