Want To Make Social Work More Accessible? Online Programs Open Up Higher Education for All

by Andrew Safyer, PhD, LCSW

     Demand for social work is rapidly growing—and there’s a critical need for a more diverse workforce prepared to enter the field.

     Those of us in higher education understand our crucial role in training the next generation of skilled social workers. But the question on the minds of many education professionals, myself included, is: how can schools expand access to social work education and ensure students from all backgrounds receive a high quality education?

     It’s become increasingly clear that schools need robust, well-designed online programs to meet rising demand—and to support students throughout their academic journey. In fact, accessible online programs are vital to foster a diverse, inclusive workforce for our profession. The 2018 Survey of Social Work Graduates shows that online Master of Social Work (MSW) students are more racially diverse, older, and more likely to be working and raising families than their in-person counterparts. These lived experiences are in dire need throughout the field. 

     Schools without online programs are missing out on this important segment of students. But they aren’t the only ones who have work to do. It’s not enough to simply offer online programs. True accessibility requires having the right strategy, technology solutions, and support systems in place to ensure student success.

The Evolution of Virtual Learning

     During my time in higher education, I’ve seen the progression of online learning programs from their inception. And thinking back to the early days, I remember widespread skepticism about the concept of online education.

     Administrators feared online programs would cannibalize in-person programs. Faculty were hesitant about implementing new technology, slow to learn digital tools, and nervous about adding more work to their plates.

     The common misconception was that an online social work program couldn’t work, particularly in terms of connecting with students and preparing them to forge relationships with their clients. At Adelphi University, where I previously served as dean of the School of Social Work, we set out to disprove that notion. With the school in need of an enrollment boost—and a growing market of working professionals in need of flexible learning programs—we created a successful online MSW program before the pandemic made online learning a necessity.

     At that time, online programs were largely digital copies of their classroom-based predecessors. However, these early programs paved the way for more advanced classroom technology and sophisticated course offerings. More importantly, they proved that online social work programs are not only viable, but also valuable.

     The pandemic opened up online learning to the masses, building greater comfort and familiarity with online learning platforms, and increasing demand for online courses. Yet, the rapid transition to remote learning also heightened expectations for high quality virtual instruction and exposed significant room for improvement.

     Despite recent progress, only half of professors agree that online learning is an “effective method of teaching.” And only 37% of students say they are “probably” or “definitely” confident about the quality of online courses. That has to change.

     Online programs, often seen as an emergency stop-gap measure, are now a core component of an institution’s academic offerings, providing an opportunity to go beyond simply replicating traditional classroom-based courses. Instead, online programs should incorporate a variety of multimedia and interactive elements to keep students engaged and motivated.

     For instance, faculty can conduct synchronous online lectures by facilitating discussion boards where students can ask and answer questions in real time or host breakout rooms that foster personal interactions. Likewise, a professor can allow students to complete readings and watch a recorded lecture in advance, and then schedule time to talk with students one-on-one or in small groups. Rather than students zoning out in long, static Zoom lectures, students can role-play scenarios, dig deeper into case studies, and participate in engaging discussions with their peers and instructors online.

     The bottom line is that online programs can be just as effective as in-person learning if schools build courses with intentional design, continual improvements, and high quality instruction.

How To Make Online Social Work Programs Work Better

     The benefits of online learning are readily apparent. It offers:

• flexibility for students balancing school, work, and family life.
• the ability for prospective students to choose programs across the country without the constraints of geography, including building quality field placements in their region.
• opportunities to break down barriers and empower diverse students from marginalized backgrounds to further their education.

     To realize these benefits, social work programs need to provide engaging, meaningful online environments. Interested in opening up new doors for social work students?  Consider the following three steps to build online social work programs that better serve today’s students.

1. Set clear program goals.

     Like any academic program, creating an online social work program starts by crafting a strong curriculum and identifying the overarching goals.

     What are the program’s learning outcomes? What are the core competencies students should attain? What courses are necessary to achieve those outcomes, and how do they fit into the larger program? In particular, consider how social work is evolving and what skills will be in demand in the years ahead. For example, as telehealth becomes more widespread, you may consider incorporating virtual care skills into your curriculum’s learning objectives.

     With clear goals in place, you can develop a robust strategy for your academic program and then measure how each part of the program is performing with consistent, objective metrics. That should include regular feedback from faculty and students about the online learning experience so programs can improve to meet both of their needs.

2. Work closely with instructional design.

     Your faculty are experts in the subjects they teach, research, and study. However, they likely don’t have the technical expertise to build and manage the infrastructure necessary for remote learning (nor should they be expected to). That’s where instructional designers can help.

     Instructional designers are experts in creating engaging and effective online learning experiences—ensuring course content is well-organized, easy to follow, and accessible to meet the needs of a diverse range of students. That can include online courses that incorporate video lectures, interactive simulations, or social learning activities that enhance traditional didactic learning.

     By working with instructional design experts, faculty can focus on what they do best while others provide the necessary technical infrastructure and support. If your institution doesn’t have the right technology in place to support online programs, consider bringing in third-party partners to build and support online programs without having to start from scratch. 

3. Create a community of learners.

     Without a physical classroom or in-person interactions, it can be challenging for online students to feel connected with their peers and instructors. However, better technology platforms—and creative approaches to online instruction—have opened up new opportunities for students to connect with each other and build a sense of community. Whether it’s online discussion forums, virtual study groups, or group assignments, creating space for students to interact with each other fosters a sense of belonging and promotes collaboration.

     In addition, you should work to connect students with the broader institution. Just because students aren’t on campus doesn’t mean they lack access to academic support services and writing tutors, career and professional development, and other resources to support their academic journey—all of which can and should be accessible to online students. Building a supportive community happens both in and out of the online classroom.

     Online social work learning continues to evolve, but in just a few short years we’ve seen online programs rapidly expand, improve and mature. Today’s schools can build on recent progress as programs continue to evolve and innovate for the future.

     High quality online programs not only benefit students and schools, but they are also beneficial to the entire social work profession as social workers from a broader array of backgrounds emerge from their education prepared for what’s next. It’s an exciting time for social work education. I’m looking forward to seeing what lies ahead.

Andrew Safyer, PhD, LCSW, is the academic dean, Institute for Clinical Social Work, and advisory council member for AllCampus.