WIHIWI

HIHIHHINHIH

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125
489 .

«_ bf Foreign Students Enrolled in Alnerican
.smSchoolscflTSocialXVork wdfli'fheiriper-
, Inception of the Education Actually {ccoivcd
._ By
Iliclkje IBrU{nIu1n Shtnlennan

June 1961

 

 

   

I H c143

A COMPARISON OF THE ORIGINAL OBJECTIVES OF FOREIGN
STUDENTS ENROLLED IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL
WORK WITH THEIR PERCEPTION OF THE
EDUCATION ACTUALLY RECEIVED

BY

Hielkje Brugman Sheneman

A PROJECT REPORT

Submitted to the School of Social Work
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK

June 1961

[V )2 xi .‘
Approved: (1////€/.” Z 1‘ .” )1 .; , _-: (W-

ChaTman. Research Committee I

 
    
 

 
 

irector of

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author is sincerely grateful to Dr. Myrtle Reul
for her continued interest and willing guidance throughout
this study. She is indebted to Dr. Bernard Ross under
whose direction the study was initiated. The counsel of
Mr. Manfred Lilliefors and Mr. Arnold Gurin as research
advisors and Mr. Carl Martin, Jr. is also deeply
appreciated.

The author further wishes to express her gratitude
to her husband. Dr. Jack M. Sheneman for his encourage-
ment and faith in the completion of this work.

*‘i4***#*****

ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER Page
I. INTRODUCTION 0 O C 0 C O O O O I I O O O O O O O O 1

II. CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS WHO
RESPONDED TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE . . . .

UI

Age 0 O O O O 0 O I I l O O O O O C O O 0 O O O O O
HomeCountrieB ssseeeeeeessseose
Positions Held Prior to American Education . .
Previous Social Work Experience . . . . . . . .
Knowledge of English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Preflou. Educationes s s e s s s s s s o s e s

HOOQO‘O‘

e
H H

III. FOREIGN STUDENTS' ORIGINAL OBJECTIVES
AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THESE ARE
MET BY AMERICAN SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL
WORK. 0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O 12

Factors Influencing and Deciding Study Abroad . 12
Interest in Special Fields of Social Work . . . . l7
Casework Training as Original Objective . . . . 17
Group Work Training as Original Objective . . . 19
Community Organization as Original Objective . 20
Generic Social Work as Original Objective . . . Zl
Supervision and Teaching as Original Objective. 21
The Development of Social Policy as Original

ObjeCtiV. e s s s e e s e e e e s s e e e e e e 22
Other Interests Not Specified in the Question-
nairo e s s s e e e s s e s e s s s e s s s e s o 22

surrlmary O O O O Q C O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 23
IV. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF AMERI-
CAN SOCIAL WORK EDUCATION FOR
FOREIGNSTUDENTS.............. 25
v0 SUMMARY 0 O O O O O O O O O 0 O O O O O O O C O O O 29
BIBLIOGRAPHY O O O C O O O O O O O O O I O O O O O O O O O O 32
APPENDIX 0 I O O O O C O ‘0 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O I O O O 33

iii

 

LIST OF TABLES

TABLE Page
1. Age of Students at Date of Survey, February 1958. . 6
II. Countries Represented . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
III. Positions Held by Students in Home Countries. . . . 8
IV. Responsibilities of Students in Previous Positions . 9
V. Knowledge of English Upon Entry to the United

States......................... 10
VI. Factors Selected by Students as Influencing Their
Decision to Study in America. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
VII. Factors Selected by Students as Determining the
Choice of Study of American Social Work . . . . . . 15
VIII. Special Interests of Students at Time of Enrollment
18

in American Schools of Social Work . . . . . . . . .

iv

 

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this research report is to survey the American
social work education received by some foreign students as they
perceived it. compared with their original objectives for studying
social work in the United States.

Many persons come to the United States each year to be trained
in the general methods and philosophy of Merican social work. Many
of these students, prior to coming to the United States. have been
social workers in their home countries and have practiced for .varying
lengths of time. Some have been supervisors in agencies and as such
have been concerned with the immediate details of relating welfare
programs to client needs. Others have been government officials
working to raise the standards of social welfare in their home countries.
All of them come to learn from the philosOphy and practice of social
welfare in the United States.

The great majority of these students are coming to the American

 

schools of social work for a specific purpose, mainly to learn about
the methods and skills of social casework as they are uniquely used in
the United States. These students desire to compare these with the
existing methods and philosophy in their homelands and to apply them
where found useful to social welfare practice of their own countries.

There is an appropriate concern among social work educators regarding

the value and applicability of American social work in terms of
philosophy and program in foreign countries. I

The uniqueness of American social work education for the
EuroPean student is related by several writers. Among these writers,
Dr. Jan F. de Jongh. Director of the School of Social Work in
Amsterdam, emphasises the importance of casework. He writes in

Social Casework, "That American social work is a far more mature

 

profession than social work anywhere else is largely due to casework. "’

What Dr. de Jongh sees is the contrast between the European
social worker's interest in broad social security measures and the
American social worker’s concern for individualised services
contributing to greater personal adjustment. There is a difference
between the European and American social worker in the extent to
which they seek to understand the emotional component in every need.
Dr. de Jongh feels that "European social work as a whole has over-
looked the needs of personal adjustment. even in a system of complete
social security. "’

The EuroPean student who comes to this country to study social
work fields. philosophy and methods. arrives with a certain set of

expectations which have been acquired by one means or another through

 

experiences in his home country. Some students expected to learn

more about human behavior and how to deal with the emotional

 

‘Hilda Arndt it g1. . A Study of Field Instruction for International
Students (New York: Council on Social Work Education, 1957), pp. 6-7.

'J an F. de Jongh, "A EurOpean View of American Social Work, "

’Ibid. , p. 152.

 

problems of clients in a social work setting. Many of them expected
a university set up as the European with much freedom of choice in
the study program and a less rigid time schedule.

This study was interested in whether or not the expectations
established by the students prior to enrollment in the American school
of social work were met by the social work education received in this
country.

Since there does exist a contrast in social work practice and
even social welfare goals between some European countries and the
United States, as Dr. de Jongh has pointed out in his article
"A European View of American Social Work, " this writer was concerned
with how these foreign social work students would evaluate their satise
factions with the training they received. In handling the measurement
of how satisfied these foreign social work students {were with their
American training, the quei :ionnaire used in this study sought only a
dichotomous answer, yes or no, on the question: "Does the American
Social Work School where you are presently studying meet with the
expectations you had before coming to the United States ? ”‘ Further in
the questionnaire the opportunity is provided to qualify these answers
by additional comment.

It was realized that a more accurate and searching assessment
of what satisfactions were felt might have been obtained by using a
direct interview method rather than the questionnaire, but there were
not enough foreign students in social work available to make an inter-
viewing approach feasible.

The questionnaire used for this study had fifteen questions
dealing with factual data about the sample group. Further seven

 

‘See page 38, question 25.

 

questions were designed to understand what expectations they had
prior to enrollment and by what means they derived these expectations,
seven other questions were asked to obtain the reactions to their
training experience. A copy of the questionnaire may be seen on

page 35.’

In c‘teveIOping the questionnaire a trial use of it was performed
by having two foreign students in social work complete the question-
naire. Although the results did not alter the general outline of the
questionnaire, some rewarding of the questions was suggested by this
experience. In designing the questionnaire the writer followed sug-
gestions laid down by McMillen in his Statistical Methodg.

 

Although the literature of social work education and of foreign
student education is extensive. little specific information regarding
the education of foreign students in American schools of social work
is available. The Bibliogrrphy lists publications which have direct
significance to this study.‘

In summary, foreign students come to their American training
in social work with a set of expectations against which to test their
new experience. To what extent these expectations are realistic and
are met by the American schools of social work is a question raised by
this research project. We recognize it is possible that even with the
student whose expectations are not met and frustrations develop, he
may, by his capacity for making adjustments, develop new expectations

and new satisfactions therefrom.

 

'See Appendix.
‘See page 32.

CHAPTER II

CHARACTERISTICS OF STUDENTS WHO RESPONDED
TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE

To obtain needed information a letter with a questionnaire'was
sent to foreign students of several schools of social work in the
United States. These schools were:

Michigan State University

Wayne State University

University of Michigan

New York School of Social Work

University of Chicago

Western Reserve University
A follow-up letter was sent to those students who failed to respond to
the original request.3

In order to make the sample as homogeneous as possible the
students were chosen from European countries. At this time there is
little or no exchange of students from the Central and Eastern European
countries, including Russia. Greece was excluded for the reason that
its culture is less homogeneous with the rest of the European cultures as
represented in the sample.

Questionnaires were sent to 31 students of whom 21 replied.

Two of these questionnaires were not filled out since these students

felt the questionnaire did not apply to them. One of them had become

 

‘Pages 34-38.
1Page 39.

 

an American citizen, while the other student, an American citizen,
mistakenly had been on the list of foreign students. Thus a total of
19 questionnaires were used in this study. Wayne State University
did not have a foreign student enrolled from the European area at the
time of the study. Michigan State University had one student as did
the University of Michigan.

Age

The age of the students in the sample ranged from twenty- six to

forty-dive .

Table I--Age of Students: at Date of Survey, February 1958

 

 

 

Age in years Number of students
TOta-l s e e s 19

26 - 30 3

31 .. 35 9

36 - 4O 3

41 - 45 4

 

Of the nineteen students five were married. One spouse of
these married students lived in the home country. None of the students
reported having any children. One student reported a relative

dependent upon him.

Home Countries

The students in this sample represented nine European countries.

Seventeen of these students planned to return to their home country.

 

One student planned to stay in the United States for reason of having
married an American citizen. One student was unable to make a
statement regarding his future plans due to upset in the political situation
of his home country. Of these students seventeen came to study social
work in the United States. One student had come to the United States
originally on a trip for reasons other than study and a second student
entered the country as a political refugee. The great majority of
students in the sample planned to use their acquired social work training

in their home countries.

Table II-- Countries Represented

 

 

Home Country of Students Number of Students
Total . . . . 19
Denmark 1
England 3
France 4
Hungary 1
Italy 2
Netherlands 4
Scotland 1
Sweden 2
Switzerland 1

 

Because there are too few students belonging to separate
countries of origin, it is not statistically useful to break down their
responses according to the countries from which they come. In ana-
lysing the foreign students' responses to the questionnaire it has been
necessary to treat them as a single group without regard to national

sub-groups.

 

Positions Held Prior to American Education

All but two of the students in the sample held positions in social
work in their home countries. The seventeen with prior social work
experience had positions in such fields as child welfare, medical social

work, social work education. family casework and group work. See
Table III.

Table m-oPositions Held by Students in Home Countries

 

Number of
Field of Social Wo.:k Positions Held Students
Tatal s e e 19
Social Work Education Dean of School of Social Work
2 Directors of Fieldwork 3
Child Welfare Director Children's Home
Juvenile Court worker
Area Office director
Child placement agency
Psychiatric social worker 5
Medical Social Work Director of Social Service Dept.
of a hospital
3 Medical Social workers
2 Workers with physical and
mentally handicapped 6
Family Case Work Family case worker I
Group Work Director Settlement House
Group worker Z
Other Attorney
Teacher 2

 

Seven students, a minority, considered that they had a specific

position waiting for them on return to the home country. Of these seven,

 

two had previous experience in social work education, one was adminis-
trator of a children's institution, and the remaining four were pracc
titioners with responsibilities in supervising other workers. In spite

of the fact that this sample was probably considering its American
training in the light of its applicability to specific job requirements in
the positions waiting for them, the majority felt their expectations were

satisfied. This is discussed more fully on page 23.

Previous Social Work Experience

The students studying American social work have held different
responsibilities within the social work profession in their home countries.
Many of them were holding administrative, supervisory or teaching jobs,
while others worked on a practice level.

In the sample group these various responsibilities overlap with
one respondent, for example, doing supervision, teaching and practice.
More than half of the students were involved in supervision or in
practice. Table IV shows the nature of these responsibilities as they
are distributed among the students in the sample.

Table lV-oResponsibilities of Students in Previous Positions

 

 

Responsibilities Number of Students
Administration 8
Practitioner s 13
Supervision 10

Teaching 4

 

10

Knowledge of English

When the Arndt study‘ was made the schools of social work were
asked to rank in order of importance those qualifications which they
believed would prepare the student most adequately for their study in
American schools. Proficiency in English was rated first by thirteen
schools out of the thirty in the study. The necessity of spending time
and energy for deveIOping a proficiency in a new language is a serious
handicap to a student already facing problems of adjusting to a new
culture and of studying in schools having unfamiliar methods and
philos0phy of education.

The information in Table V below, reported in response to ques-
tion thirteen of the questionnaire, indicates that more than half of the
students in the sample felt they had an excellent or good knowledge of
writing, speaking, and reading English. The remainder, therefore,
must have had an important language handicap in studying in the

American schools.

Table V~~Knowledge of English Upon Entry to the United States

 

Fields Total Excellent Good Fair Poor
Writing 19 6 6 4 3
Speaking 19 7 4 7 l
Reading 19 7 7 3 Z

 

A good working knowledge of English, however, will not guarantee
that the foreign student will understand the exact meanings of words

 

‘Hilda Arndt et al. . A Study of Field Instruction for International
Students (New York: Council on Social Work Education, 1957), pp. 6-7.

ll

and terms. For example, a student in social work who had little
knowledge of American government and history thought that federal
and state governments were the same bodies, the terms used inter-
changeably, because of her literal translation of the word "state" in
her native language. This caused some considerable confusion to this
student and one of her teachers until the basis for the problem was

discovered.

Previous Education

Fifteen of the students had previous education in social work in
their home countries. Among these students one had received a
doctorate in economics as well as a social work diploma. Three students
reported previous education in social studies. Others had received
their education in sociology and psychology, political science, education,
and one had received a degree of doctor of law. In the Arndt study it
was shown that the schools of social work placed importance on previous
social work education and experience in ranking significant factors for
adequate preparation for foreign social work students. A large percent-
age of the students in the sample-ofifteen of the nineteen students-"had
received previous social work education in the home country. Seventeen
of the nineteen students (see Table In). also a considerable number, had
previous social work experience in their home countries. Fifteen of
the nineteen students reported that they had no previous education in
Merica. Four students had received American education prior to their
enrollments in the schools of social work. The lengths of their prior

American education varied from six months to two years.

CHAPTER III

FOREIGN STUDENTS' ORIGINAL OBJECTIVES AND
THE EXTENT TO WHICH THESE ARE MET BY
AMERICAN SCHOOLS OF SOCIAL WORK

Factors Influencing and Deciding Study Abroad

Influences upon a person's behavior may come from many sources.
What decision a person makes, however, is dependent upon the influ-
ences which he selects to react to; in other words, what influence or
reason seems most important in explaining his decision.

Question 16 of the questionnaire presents some of the common
sources from which an influence upon the student might emerge. Insofar
as they may shape expectancy, these sources of influence differ in their
completeness. For example, meeting and working with an American
social worker or a friend who has been trained in American schools
should provide an experience developing a more complex expectation of
American social work education than merely the availability of a
scholarship or the urgings of a government official.

In replying to question 16 the students were asked to check those
factors which they thought influenced their study abroad. They were
asked to add other factors if they felt there were any others which had
special meaning for them. The number of factors listed by the students
ranged from two to five, with an average of 3.1. A breakdown of replies

to question 16 is presented in Table VI .

12

 

13

Table VI--Factors Selected by Students as Influencing Their Decision
to Study in America

 

 

Influencing Factors Number of Students
TOtal e e s e If}
Reading about American social work 14

Meeting American social workers in
home country
Previous training in America
Scholarships available
Government and other officials
Own choice 1
Wish to learn American casework
Social work further deveIOped than in
home country
Other“

hoes-4004

WW

 

*This item includes: own efforts supported by employer; field con-
nected with law; and meeting Dutch social workers trained in the
United States.

The answers to question 16 indicated that the majority, fourteen
students in all, had learned about American social work from reading.
Several indicated, however, that additional factors also contributed to
their decision. It is expected that reading presents some problems in
shaping expectations which are entirely realistic. One writer cites the
narrow scape of professional social work literature that is available
abroad. "It is largely professional teaching material which the European
reads; there are no good general books on the actual practice of social

work in the United States and Canada. "‘ It happens that only six of the

 

‘Marjorie J. Smith, and Eileen L. Younghusband, "Exporting
Casework to EurOpe, " Proceedings of the Council on Social Work
Education (1953), p. 87. T"

 

 

14

foreign students who derived their concept of social work in this
manner, reading among other sources, felt that their expectations had
been met.

While these students indicated they had received information
through reading they also had obtained information from other sources
along with it. An example of this would be meeting of Amsrican social
workers. It was the theoretical view of the writer that the more
personal experience of meeting American social workers in the home
country would provide a more realistic background for shaping the
foreign student's expectations. However, this was not proven to be
particularly the case in the sample studied. On question 16 of the
questionnaire seven students indicated "meeting" an American social
worker as an influence, but subsequently in their answers to question 25
which asks if expectations regarding American training have been met,
only two in this group felt that their expectations had been met.

In various other fields there is the general idea that the govern-
ment is an active promoter of the study abroad by their nationals.

The responses on this questionnaire did not indicate much government
influence upon students coming to the United States for social work
training. The one respondent who did check "government or other
officials" as an influence also felt it important to check "own choice. "
The discussion below, however, does note a high incidence of national
interest relating to the interest in professional advancement by this
group of students.

Question 17 of the questionnaire approaches the subject of what
directs the foreign social work student to American social work training
in another way. While there are certain factors influencing the
decision of the student in America, there are other factors that help
the student make the actual decision. The students were asked to check

from among four possible factors those which they felt were of a

 

15

determining nature to their decision. They were asked to add others
which they felt had special meaning to them. For example, the one
student who felt he needed American training to hold his position also
checked "Better equipped to serve the country."

The number of factors listed by the respondents to this question
ranged from one to four, with an average of Z. l. A summary of the

replies to question 17 is presented in Table VII.

Table VII-«Factors Selected by Students as Determining the Choice of
Study of American Social Work

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Determining Factors Number of Students

 

Total. . . . 19

To hold present job

Better position in social work

Status in home country

Better equipped to serve the country i
To do a better job

Interest in experience of living abroad

Other"I

Orww-bNmo-o

 

*Under this item the following remarks were: "To develop case work
training, " "To improve practice as caseworker, " "High standards of
American social work, " "To find out how much can be applied of
American social work, " "To broaden outlook, " ”Cheaper financially"
(student had previously studied in U. S. A. ).

It is interesting to note that national interest is so highly reflected
in this set of replies to question 17 of the questionnaire. We may
suppose, considering that this group was enrolled in casework and
generic social work, that at this time a greater European interest was

develoPing in the casework approach as a method of giving help to people

16

over and above the impersonal systems of social security as seen in
the home country. We find two currents of parallel interest in the
group studied; one of these is the feeling that American training will
enable the social work practitioner to better serve his country, and
the other is the expectation that American social work training empha-
sises individualised services seeking to understand the emotional com.
ponent of every need.

Having raised again the distinctiveness of American social work
philosophy, we will briefly note the appeal which this holds for the
EurOpean student. Eleven students in the sample replied affirmatively
to the question if American social work practice appealed to them.
Three students reported having ambivalence as there were certain
aspects which did appeal to them and other aspects with which they did
not agree. One student answered negatively thus, "DisprOportion of
interest given to clients presenting personality problems, and reluctance
[of American social worker] to deal with realistic problems. "

The aspects of American social work which appealed to some
students included:

"the more scientific approach"

"emphasis on human growth and behavior”
"the person considered as a whole"

"more highly skilled social work techniques"

There was, as has already been noted, a minimum of negative
feeling about American social work practice. Some of the undesirable
aspects found by some of the students were that the American social
worker is often only a technician, that while excellent work is done with
individuals, welfare programs as such, are underdeveloped; that
professional social work is only an actuality in urban areas, and finally,
that the approach is "too Freudian. "

17

Interest in Special Fields of Social Work

Questions 18 and 22 of the questionnaire explored the interest
which the students in this sample expressed in various fields and
methods of practice. To learn if American social work education
actually met the original objectives of the students in this sample, they
are grouped according to their special fields of interest in the discussion.
Questions 18 and 22 were found to cover much the same material. The
responses to these questions were so similar in every case that it
seemed the best for the purpose of this study to use the terms "special
interests" and "original objectives, " as used in these questions of the
questionnaire interchangeably.

Question 22 provided five categories of special interests. The
special interests were listed as casework, group work, community
organization, generic social work, development of social policy, and
"other. " Since supervision and teaching appeared several times under
"other, " a category of this answer was created when the replies were
tabulated. A breakdown of the studied group among these fields of
interest is presented in Table VIII on page 18. It is possible for the
students to check more than one field of interest, but it was believed
that any further tabulation would not add clarity to the discussion which

{OIIOWSe
Casework Training as Original Objective

In the sample of this study it becomes clear that many of the stu-
dents came to the United States to study casework. Nine students
mentioned this as their only objective, while others had some interest
in casework as well. The total number expressing some or all of their

interest in this area number fifteen of the nineteen students. Their

18

Table VIII-"Special Interests of Students at Time of Enrollment in
American Schools of Social Work

 

Special Interests at Time

 

 

Of Enrollment Number of Students
Total. . . . 19
Case work 15
Group work 3
Community Organisation 3
Generic social work 8
Social policy 4
Supervision and Teaching* 5
Research 1
Other** 4
Total.T . . . 43

 

*
This category did not appear on the questionnaire but was entered
by five students.

*This item includes: psycho-dynamic approach; legal aspects of
social work; medical social work; and child guidance clinic work.

a}:

TThe total is greater than the number of students in the sample
since students were permitted to check more than one field of interest.

opinions indicated that casework is not offered in any of the EurOpean
schools.

While it may be difficult to apply social casework as a method
in other countries, studies are in process to evaluate the extent and
nature of possible application. The International Training Pregram of
the Social Security Administration has gathered from trainees some of
what these trainees considered to be of value in their social work train-

ing. One of the trainees from the Netherlands wrote:

19

The greatest impression was the fact that casework and case-
work attitudes were accepted nearly everywhere. Casework
attitude and method is being more accepted in the Netherlands
and this is certainly due to the fact that so many of us had an
Opportunity to see casework in practice in the United States.
Besides . . . students can observe the democratic way in
which conferences are managed and the acceptance of the
other person with a different point of view.1

The students reporting in this study anticipated that they would
need to interpret some of the casework principles in their home countries
and that full acceptance would come slowly. Considerable adaptations
or readjustments to the home environment might well have to be made,
according to several students. Three students felt almost all of their
training would be applicable in their home countnies. These students
were not from the same country. It was interesting that fellow students
who came from their respective countries indicated a more cautious

feeling about the acceptability of social work in their home country.

Group Work Training as Original Objective

Three students indicated that group work was their original
objective. One student felt that the school had met with his expectations,
while the other two students found much of their training valuable but
felt the approach was too Freudian. Both students were from the same
country. They had been reading about American group work in their
home country previously and felt this influenced their decision to study

in America.

 

‘U. S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Social
Security Administration, Social Workers Abroad Assess Their Train-
.1333 in the United States, International Service. Washington, D.C. .
April, 1955.

 

 

 

20

Community Organization as Original Objective

None of the students replied that their original objective was to
study community organisation in this country. but three students
mentioned this as a special interest. This would seem to indicate again
that the European students are primarily interested in learning about
methods and skills of individualised services contributing to greater
personal adjustment. It is necessary for a social worker to understand
casework first before he can become professionally interested in a field
as community organisation and apply hinuelf in that field effectively.

Three students, however. mentioned community organization as
a special interest. Of these. three students. one came for a one year
program but remained a second year, during which he acquired an
interest in community organization. The second student's original ob-
jective was to receive training in group work and supervision. This
student also checked "community organisation. " The same student felt
that the philosOphy in the school of social work was too Freudian and
"not enough philosOphically thought through. "

The third of these students mentioning community organisation as
a special interest came originally to study social work research. This
person was disappointed upon finding that this research interest could
not be met in the school of social work where he was enrolled. He there-
fore became interested in community organization and subsequently felt
very satisfied with it.

This student was the only one of the sample group who indicated
that his original objective had changed since his decision to study in an
American school of social work.

Prior to the American training this respondent had received a

doctors degree in economics and a social work degree. iiis position

21

previous to enrollment was director of field work in a school of social
work. to which he intended to return after his American training. It
follows that this person with his experience in teaching social work and
his prior studies would be inclined to be interested in American social

work research methods.

Generic Social Work as Original Objective

Two students wrote that their original objective was to gain under-
standing in general social work as practiced in the United States without
concern for special fields of practice. These students came from dif- '
ferent countries and intended to take a one year program but remained
for two years. Both had earned degrees in social work in their home
countries. one having attended a one year training institute and the other
having attended a two year course at the University of Sorbonne. These
two students checked one of the reasons for their study in the United
States as "status in their home country" (see Table V11). Both students
held positions in child welfare. A total of eight students checked generic
social work as a special interest. Five of these individuals were satis-
fied with the training at their particular American schools while two
expressed both positive and negative points of view and one did not offer
his opinion.

Supervision and Teaching as Original Objective

As one of their original objectives supervision and/ or teaching
was mentioned by seven students. Of these, four felt their objectives
prior to enrollment had been met by the school, while three others made

some negative remarks along with mentioning positive impressions of

22

the American training received thus far. For these students super-
vision and teaching as such were not subjects offered in the curriculum
at their level in the graduate school; consequently, what criticism did
appear was focused on the special fields in which they were studying, of
which the teaching and supervision aspects were only incidental.

The DeveIOpment of Social Policy as Original Objective

No student listed an interest in American social policy as an
original objective for study in the United States. Again this may relate
to the fact that the reputation of American social work focuses on its
methods for providing individualized services rather than on unique
welfare programs. There was, however, an acquired interest in
American social policy reported by four students responding to question
22 of the questionnaire. This interest was indicated without additional
comment and was not related by the respondents to the question of

fulfilling their expectations.

Other Interests Not Specified in the Questionnaire

Of the respondents to this question there were five who listed other
special interests in studying social work in the United States. These
included an interest in the psycho-dynamic approach. interest in the legal
aspects of social work, interest in medical social work, interest in
child guidance and interest in research. One student felt the training
he received met with his expectations. This student was the one express-
ing his interest in the "psycho-dynamic" approach. The others did not
feel they received the training they expected. The student who was look-
ing for a study of the legal aspects of social work had previously

23

received a doctorate in law. He left his social work studies and shifted
to the field of pblitical science where he is now more satisfied.

One student came with the original objective of studying research
in social work. This person was not able to receive training in research
at his particular school. however, switching to community organization
satisfied him. He felt this specialization was well worth-while and

was not available in his home country.
Summary

The stated original objectives of the students in the sample concen-
trated on casework and generic social work with particular interest in
improvement of their casework skills and enlargement upon their psycho-
dynamic knowledge.

The question was asked: "Were the expectations of these students
met in their educational experience in the American social work schools '2"
As seen by the students. the answer of the majority is "yes. " Only one
student in the sample reported that he could not find any satisfactory
field of interest in social work and shifted entirely to another field of
study. It should be noted that this student had attained a professional
status in law before coming to the United States, he entered the country
as a political refugee and entered social work study because he could
not, at the time, practice his profession in the United States.

In spite of the fact that the students generally evaluated their
American educational experience as conforming to expectations, their
replies indicate that adjustments by them were needed. Such adjust-
ments were not unlike American students themselves undergo in social
work education which places some emphasis on recognition of clients'

emotional needs plus self-awareness on the part of the social worker to

24

his own reactions to his clients' emotional needs. This self-awareness
with its applications of Freudian psychology upon self and client is
arrived at with some emotional difficulty. This problem may be com-
pounded in the case of the foreign student who is accustomed to think
of social work in relation to mechanisms of social security rather than
to the emotional component of human behavior.

It happens that while the students in the sample report that their
entpectations have been met in their American social work education,
they also, in many instances. add comments of a qualifying nature.

For instance, one student wrote, "too much of a Freudian approach. "
Another wrote, "Too exclusively Freudian, not philosophically thought
through. " Still another wrote. "Casework loses sight of the whole
community." A different sort of qualifying comment read, “Not enough
opportunity for free exchange and personal reading. " Remarks such as
these suggest that while eatpectations in the main have been met in the
view of the students, the philosophy of Am«ican social work and the
methods of teaching and practice have required modifications in the

attitudes of the foreign student.

 

CHAPTER IV

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF AMERICAN SOCIAL
WORK EDUCATION FOR FOREIGN STUDENTS

The selected suggestions offered in this chapter are those which
have been made by students in the sample who answered questions 24,
26 and 29 of the questionnaire.

Immediately one recognises that there are difficulties for the
foreign student who is learning in a language other than his native
tongue and in a culture which differs from that of his homeland. Most
of these difficulties would apply to the foreign student regardless of
what studies he intended to follow. but social work education presents
some difficulties for the foreign student which are unique.

One of these difficulties as experienced by the foreign student is
expressed as "too many class hours . . . not enough Opportunity to
browse. " There tends to be in schools of social work a rigid pattern of
required courses, against which some of the students react as did the
following student. "I feel very strongly that it is a waste of time and
money to take the basic courses. " Some of the students implied that
there was not a careful examination of what their previous training has
been, so that they would not have to repeat basic courses but have their
former study recognised.

Another (problem confronting the social work trainee in the
United States is his 931 consideration and evaluation of how receptive

the society in his home country will be to the application of casework

25

26

methods. 81): of the nineteen students in the sample felt that casework
would be met with question or reservation in their home countries.
Such a realisation undoubtedly affects the learning process. This being
the case, some of the students felt that American teachers of social
work should be better informed as to the welfare practices and philosophy
in foreign countries. As one student put it. "Social work and its train-
ing in home country should be higher estimated. " The statement of
this student has a defensive tone. When such defensiveness arises it is
detrimental to the learning process and has been stated that. "In general
the learning process across cultures increases in difficulty when there
exist defensive stereotypes between the nations. "' ,
The problem of applicability of American social work abroad is a
concern to educators and the foreign student. A prominent social work
educator, Cora Kasius. expressed this concern after her experience
as a Fulbright lecturer at the School of Social Work in Amuerdam.‘
Several of the respondents in this study suggested the use of
seminars to discuss the particular social service needs in their home
countries and to explore the applicability of American social work
methods to these problems. One student suggested the participation of
American students in such seminars "to make them interested in what
is done successfully in other ways in other countries. " Another wrote.
"There seems to be some trend toward government responsibility in
social welfare in America. so maybe America could learn something of

value from experiences in other types of social work. "

 

lJeanne Watson, and Ronald Lippitt. Learning Across Cultures,
A Study of Germans Visiting America. (Ann Arbor: University of
Michigan, 1955), pp. 48-49.

 

aCora Kasius, "Casework Developments in Europe, " Social
Casework, Vol. XXXII. No. 7 (1951). pp. 281-288.

 

27

A seminar of this type was successfully C‘fiduCtGd at Washington
University. St. Louis, Missouri. with students participating from
India. Israel and Egypt.’ Inter-university seminars of this type might
be another way of organising useful exchange of ideas.

According to Gordon Hamilton, social work cannot be isolated
from the democratic frame of reference and culture in which it
developed.‘ The truth of this was apparently evident to foreign observers
of Arnerican social work. Several students in this sample indicated a
great need for understanding at least the basic American cultural
patterns and philosophies. which they held as important to the satis-
factory study of social work in the United States. Along these lines they
made such suggestions as, "better orientation in American culture, "

"a chance to discuss American culture with others, " and "traveling
about America. " While understanding the American cultural scene may
enable the foreign student to understand more deeply his American
social work education, it will still be necessary for the foreign student
to face the work of relating his knowledge. skills and techniques to the
necessities and level of acceptance in his home country. Cora Kasius
has commented on this as follows: "Casework, if it is to develop
soundly in EurOpean cultures. must be related to the needs. attitudes,
feelings and cultural patterns of each country; it must be deveIOped in

its native soil. ”’

 

’Theses have been written by three students regarding the com.
munication process during the seminar and also on the applicability of
the seminar tapics to specific problems in certain cultures.

‘Gordon Hamilton, Theory and Practice of Social Work (New York:
Columbia University Press, 1953).

‘Kasius. 22. 535.. p. 287.

28

Psychological involvement of oneself and the elaborations upon
relationship therapy seems to be difficult for foreign students even
more so than for American students. Since dealing with emotional
problems of individuals is less likely to be associated with social work
in Eur0pean countries these students are less likely to expect any
psychological involvement. Several students suggested that the prospec-
tive foreign student be given adequate advance knowledge of this aspect
of American social work education. One suggested that an orientation
program include what is necessary for "realistic anticipation and
orientation to psychological difficulties for social work students. "

In summarizing, the foreign students in the sample of this study
felt their broad and generalized expectations for their American social
work training were met, yet at the same tims they were hbpeful for a V
means of acquiring fuller and more useful knowledge of the schools
expectations. It seems that several foreign students did not feel they
had benefitted from existing orientation programs, either due to lack
of their attendance or to ineffectiveness of the program itself.

The questionnaire used in this study was not designed to make
any study regarding the relative effectiveness of orientation programs
existing at this tirne. In the Arndt study of field instruction for foreign
social work students a proposed orientation program of the Institute of
International Education is discussed.‘ The students reached in this
study do cite the need for a broadened and more carefully planned

orientation.

 

‘Arndt, 32. 2%.. pp. 9-14.

CHAPTER V
SUMMARY

To obtain information in regard to this study questionnaires were
mailed to foreign students enrolled in schools of social work at the tinie
of this study. The sample was too small, nineteen students, to be sub.
jected to statistical analysis of the data. Tabulation. content analysis,
and interpretation became the working Operations.

It was attempted in the questionnaire to obtain information in some
rather fine differentiations, such as with shades of meaning between the
influencing and deciding factors (questions 16 and 17) leading to Ameri-
can social work study; also differentiation was attempted between the
original objectives on enrollment and the special social work interests
of the students (questions 18 and 22). Through the experience of using
the questionnaire the writer is doubtful that this is a very good tool for
reaching such "shaded" information; rather in such instances the direct
interview might have been more productive.

On the crucial question, number 24 in the questionnaire. dealing
with whether or not the student's expectations have been met in his
American training, it seems it would have been better to provide a rating
scale of possible answers rather than the dichotomous "yes-no" reply.

By far the large majority of those responding to the questionnaire
planned to return to their home countries. They might have come for
American social work training for multiple personal reasons but most

felt that one of the deciding factors for their study was to become better

29

equipped to serve their country.

30

administrative responsibilities, while slightly over half of them were

involved in supervision and a few had held teaching positions. More than

two-thirds held positions involving practice. Over three quarters of

all the students had earned social work degrees or certificates in their

home countries.

From this group of students in the sample the follow-

ing was concluded:

I.

From the sample it appears that casework holds the greatest
interest for the foreign social work student. This was the

interest of the majority of students in the sample and a similar
majority felt that good casework training was not available in

their home countries.

The large majority of the sample felt that their expectations

were met by Amnican social work education.

Whatever personal reasons foreign social work students may
be serving through study in the United States, the majority in
the sample also rank very high the expectation that their
American training will better equip them to serve their home
countries. Foreign students see their social work studies in
explicit terms of "serving the country" as well as in terms of
"serving the client. "

While foreign students appear highly motivated to study case.
work with its orientation on problems of individual adjustment,
several feel this view is overdone in American training to the
neglect of problems in the total community.

Within the scope of this sample there seemed to be no effect
on whether or not expectations were met that could be related

to the foreign student‘s source of information about American

Nearly half of the respondents had held

31

social work. The students in this sample felt they had a
realistic idea of American social work whether they obtained
this information by reading. meeting Merican social workers,

or other sources.

6. Nearly all the students felt there ought to be a more adequate
and more carefully planned orientation to their study. Fulfill-
ment of recommendations made by the students regarding
specific orientation for expected psychological problems
encountered during social work training is considered to be of
great importance for helping them achieve their purposes.
Other areas for improvement in orientation programs are
increased information about American culture. political
institutions, philosOphy, communications, teaching methods

and student-professor relationships, according to the students

questioned by this study.

There is a special need to give attention to the learning experience of

foreign students in American schools of social work. These graduates
will have less Opportunity than their American counterparts to use a

professional association of practitioners as a means of correcting learn-

ing errors.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arndt, Hilda e_t al. A Study of Field Instruction for International
Students, Council on Soc a1 Work Education, New York, 1957.
De Jongh, Jan F. "A European View of American Social Work, "

Social Casework Vol. XXXI, No. 4, (1950).

De Jongh, Fan F. , "A European Experiment in Casework Teaching,"
Social Casework, Vol. XXXIV, No. 1, (1953).

Froehlich, Hans D. "Supervision of the Foreign Student,"Social
Casework, Vol. XXXIV, No. l, (1953).

 

Hamilton, Gordon. Theory and Practice of Social Work. New York:
Columbia University Press (2nd ed. , 1953). W

Kasius, Cora. “Casework Deve10pment in Europe, " Social Casework,
Vol. XXXII, No. 7, (1951).

Kasius, Cora. "Are Social Work Principles Emerging Internationally?"
Social Casework, Vol. XXXIV, No. 1, (1953).

 

Smith, Marjorie J., and Eileen L. Younghusband. Exporting Casework
to Europe, Proceedings of the Council on Social Work Education,

1953.

 

Social Workers Abroad Assess Their Training: U. S. Department of
Health, Education and Welfare, Social Security Administration,

International Service, Washington, D. C., 1955.

Watson, J eanne and Ronald Lippitt. Learning Across Cultures,
A Study of Germans VisitinLAmerica. Ann Arbor: University

of Michigan (1955).

Whelan, Alice S. "Social Work Principles Related to Work in Germany, "
Social Casework, Vol. XXXII, No. 7, (1951).

Younghusband. Eileen L. ”Basic Training for Casework: Its Place in
the School Curriculum in EurOpe, " Social Casework, Vol. XXXIV,

No. l, (1953).

32

APPENDIX

Michigan State University
School of Social Work
East Lansing, Michigan

February 22, 1958

Dear fellow student,

As a second year foreign student in the School of Social Work of
Michigan State University, I would appreciate your assistance in
regard to my research project.

To help determine whether foreign students in social work feel the
American social work education actually meets the original purpose
of their professional training I have prepared the enclosed question-
naire. Although I realise that you probably have many questionnaires
and papers to fill out, I hope you will be kind enough to answer these
que stione as I believe it might, in some small way, be of help to
other foreign students who will follow us.

Please read through the questions before answering and return the
completed form in the stamped, self-addressed envelope, if possible,
before March 21, 1958.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely yours,

(Mrs .) Hielkje Sheneman

34

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
School of Social Work
East Lansing, Michigan

QUESTIONNAIRE
Your responses will be kept confidentially and will not in any manner he
revealed to your school, your country, or any other resources.

If additional space is needed, please write on the back or attach an extra
page.
i. What is your age?

 

2. Are you single or married? Single Married

 

a. If married, is your spouse in this country? In home country?

is your family in this country? In home country?
3. If you have children, how many?

 

a. If you have other family or relatives to take care of, how many?

4. What is your home country?

 

5. In what country (countries) were you brought up?

 

 

6. Do you plan to go back to your own country? Yes No If yes,
what type of job do you expect to have?

 

7. Is there a position waiting for you in your home country?

 

If so, do you want to have this position? Yes No If you answered

No, tell in limited words why not

 

 

8. Do you plan to stay in the United States ? Yes No If yes, why?

 

9. What training and/or degrees, beyond high school, did you obtain before

coming to the United States ?

 

 

 

 

Years of training and degree Field
a.
b.
c.

 

35

36

10. Before coming to the U. S. A. for training, what position did you hold,
if any?
Short description of job
Field of work
State if it was on a practice, supervisory, or administrative level

 

 

*

 

11. Were you engaged in any voluntary work related to social work?
In United States? Yes No If yes, describe

In home country? Yes No If yes, describe

 

 

12. If any, what Merican schooling did you have before you were enrolled in
the social work school?

 

13. When you came to the U. S.A. how was your knowledge of English?
a. In writing ? Excellent ____. Good ______ Fair Poor
b. In speaking ? Excellent ______ Good __ Fair______ Poor
c. In reading ? Excellent ______ Good ______Fair _____ Poor
14. Did you come to the U. S.A. to study social work? Yes No

 

 

 

If No, for what reason did you originally come to the U.S.A. ?

 

 

15. When did you decide to study social work?

 

16. What influenced you the most to study social work in the U. S. A. ? (you
may check more than one)
a. your reading about American social work

b. meeting Arnerican social worker( s) in your country

 

 

c. previous training in America

d. scholarships available

e. your government or other officials

 

 

 

f. your own choice

 

3. other

 

37

17. What factor(s) decided your studying social work in the U. S.A. ?
a. to hold your present job

 

b. better position in social work

 

c. status in home country

 

d. to be better equipped to serve your country

 

e. other
18. Please list the original objectives on enrolling in the school of social
work in the U. S. A. If it has changed, list the main changes also

 

 

19. Did social work, as practiced in the U. S. A. , appeal to you? Yes
No
If yes, why?

 

 

If not, why not ?
20. Did studying social work in the U. S.A. appeal to you? Yes No

 

If yes, why? *—

If no, why not?
21. Could you have the same training in your home country? Yes __ No __
22. When you entered the school of social work. did you have any special

 

interest, such as to learn specifically about:

a. case work

 

b. group work
c. community organisation

 

 

 

d. generic social work

e. the deve10pment of social policy

 

f. other
23. In your opinion what is the main philosophy of social work in the U.S.A. ?

 

 

 

24. To what extent do you find your American training valuable? Or not
valuable ?

 

25.

38

a. curriculum and professional content

 

b. type of teaching and student guidance

 

 

c. extent of application in your home country?

 

 

Does the Merican social work school where you are presently studying
meet with the expectations you had before coming to the U.S.A. ?

Yes No

If yes, in what aspects ?
If no, why not?

 

 

 

26. Do you have any suggestions for improvement of the social work program

27.

28.

29.

for foreign students in the following areas ?
a. choice of school
b. type of curriculum

c. length of training
d. screening and orientation of students before coming to the U. S. A. ?

 

 

 

e. other A m
Did you feel socially accepted by fellow students, professors, super-

visors and staff of agency in fieldwork, if you had any?
a. I felt accepted by
b. I felt tolerated by

 

 

c. I felt out of place by
Did you feel that any of the persons mentioned in question 27 understood

 

 

your problems, if any, as a foreign student? If so, who?

 

Are there any other comments or suggestions you, as a foreign student,
would care to make on any aspect of the studying social work in the

Us Se As 7 Wflt. balOWe

39

FOLLOW-UP LETTER

Michigan State University
School of Social Work
East Lansing, Michigan

April 22, 1958

Dear fellow student,

In February 1958 I sent you a questionnaire in regard to my research
report. Since through circumstances this questionnaire might have
been misplaced or you have not been able to complete the questions

I am forwarding you another.

Please be so kind to fill out these questions and return the completed
form in the stamped, self-addressed enveIOpe at your earliest con-
venience. If you have already done so please disregard this letter and
the enclosed questionnaire.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely yours,

(Mrs. ) Hielkje Sheneman

mwwaogwfigp_ ‘_ _ A"-

 

 

"Illllllllllll‘ll‘“