Center Sponsors Major Conference on Practice-Research Partnerships
The Center for the Study of Social Work Practice convened
practitioners, administrators and researchers on March 3, 1993
for a one-day conference. The conference examined practice knowledge
and explored approaches to strengthening practitioner-researcher
partnerships. Participants examined paths that practitioners and
researchers might take to address the complex, challenging and
rapidly changing problems social workers confront.
Supported by gifts from the Virginia and Leonard Marx Foundation,
the Beatman Foundation, and David S. Lindau, the conference was
held at the Kellogg Conference Center at Columbia University There
were 175 attendees from 18 states. A subcommittee of the Center's
Development Council planned the conference and included Ms. Pauline
B. Falk, Dr. Bruce Grellong, Dr. Helen Rehr, Ms. Doris L. Rosenberg
and cochairs Dr. Peg Hess and Dr. Edward J. Mullen.
Keynote speaker Dr. Donald Schn identified the process of
professional reflection-in-action. Describing practitioners as
"generators of knowledge," Dr. Schn reported on
his ongoing study of eight successful social work programs in
Jerusalem which illustrated that "practitioners' reflective
inquiry was central to project effectiveness." Synopses of
speaker presentations begin on page 3.
After participants discussed Dr. SchnÌs presentation,
Ms. Susan Lukas reflected on a clinical example from her practice.
Her presentation provided an opportunity to explore the role of
the reflective process in identifying practice knowledge and building
knowledge in practice. Dr. Irwin Epstein discussed three practice-based
research strategies for promoting practitioner reflectiveness
individually, organizationally and professionally Dr. Epstein
applied each strategy to the clinical case Ms. Lukas presented.
Following intense discussion and interaction generated by morning
presentations, Dr. Claudia Coulton discussed her experience in
linking research to local community policy, planning and action
initiatives. Dr. Brenda McGowan and Dr. Schn commented on
Dr. Coulton's presentation. Four concurrent workshops examined
issues related to generating practice-relevant knowledge through
practitioner-researcher partnerships. Synopses of workshop papers
are presented on pages 5-7.
At the end of the day, attendees reconvened for an update by Dr.
Betsy Vourlekis on the Implementation Committee of the NIMH Task
Force on Social Work Research.
(l. to r.) Dr. Edward J. Mullen, Center Director; Frances L.
Beatman, Development Council member; David S. Lindau, Development
Council Chair; Dr. Alan B. Siskind, Executive Vice President,
JBFCS; Virginia W Marx, Development Council member; and Dean Ronald
A. Feldman, CUSS\U