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Field Directors' Development Institute

A Field Directors' Development Institute (FDDI) is 3 hours in length. Those selected for the 2015 APM will be held on Thursday, October 15.

  • An FDDI is a preconference workshop in which individuals with field education expertise share information for the purpose of enhancing knowledge and skills of field directors, as well as faculty involved in field education.
  • It focuses on topics in social work education with a broad appeal and merits a 3-hour allotment of time for the development of knowledge and skills.

Thursday, October 15, 2015
Morning Session from 9:00 am–12:00 pm

K. Using Decision Cases to Develop Critical Thinking in Field Instructors

This FDDI will introduce the use of decision cases—complex, ill-structured field placement scenarios—as a means to foster field instructors’ critical thinking skills. Through use of decision cases, field instructors will have the opportunity to solve dilemmas that may arise in areas such as supervision methods, authority, boundaries, learning goals, expectations, and assessment.

FDDI Teachers:
Terry Allen Wolfer, University of South Carolina
Melissa Reitmeier, University of South Carolina

Afternoon Session from 1:30 pm–4:30 pm

L. Using Simulation to Teach "Best Practices" to Field Instructors: An Online Resource

Social work field education research and literature identify “best practices” for field education. Field directors require resources to train field instructors to use this knowledge. This FDDI will provide an innovative online resource using simulated field education scenarios to teach these practices and address challenging field education issues.

FDDI Teachers:
Andrea Litvack, University of Toronto
Marion Bogo, University of Toronto
Ellen Katz, University of Toronto