Social Work and Human Services
Topic: self evaluation
Student Self-Evaluation Guidelines
Philosophy
All students are considered adult learners who share responsibility for their learning, progress, and self-assessment. The student’s own self-appraisal is consistent with the School’s philosophy encouraging self-determination, self-awareness, and motivation toward the highest possible level of development.
The evaluation process is expected to be a joint venture in which both the student and the Field Instructor participate.
Procedure
This guide has been developed to assist students in writing their Self-Evaluations due at the end of each semester. Using the student’s Learning Plan written at the beginning of the semester, the Field Education Comprehensive Skills Evaluation, feedback from your Field Instructor throughout the semester, and your Student Performance Agreement (if applicable), the student is required to write a comprehensive evaluation of his/her work for this semester.
Self evaluations will be in narrative form, should address core learning areas in the Skills Evaluation, be guided by the Learning Plan and field experience activities, typed, a minimum of 3-5 pages long, well thought-out and well written. This evaluation will be completed via IPT and a hard copy will be handed in on the last day of your field seminar class to your assigned Field Faculty instructor.
Please note that Student Self Evaluations are required to be at a minimum of a “B” level of proficiency.
The Self Evaluation should include the following information:
1. Title Page for your Self-Evaluation – Identifying Information
a. Your name:
b. Field Practicum Course # and Name:
Examples: SW 489 – Field Practicum Section # 3
c. Agency / Program Unit where you have been performing your Field Practicum
Student Self-Evaluation Guidelines
f. Name and title of Field Instructor and of Task Supervisor (if applicable):
g. Semester / Year covered by this Self-Evaluation (Fall or Spring):
2. Learning Activities
Briefly describe the types of learning activities and opportunities assigned to you this semester. Include all levels of practice activities, such as micro and mezzo, and describe the type of client(s) involved. Here are some examples:
• Examples of micro activities include crisis intervention with a teenager, in-depth, comprehensive psychosocial assessment of an adult client, or an investigative evaluation of a child abuse report, differential diagnosis.
• Examples of mezzo activities include conducting an anger management for latency-aged children, seeing a family for grief counseling, or offering a psycho-educational class for parents of children in the hospital.
Describe additional learning activities, such as seminars, conferences, or interdisciplinary team meetings. Indicate briefly the purpose and nature of these meetings. If you are in a specialized program, also describe activities that are of special relevance to that program.
3. Self-Evaluation based on the Field Practicum Core Areas and Objectives
Review your finalized Learning Plan from the beginning of the semester and the Direct Practice Field Education Comprehensive Skills Evaluation; specifically look at each of the Core Areas and Objectives.
Ask yourself the following questions, and include your thoughts in the Self-Evaluation:
• How would I assess or “rate” myself now, compared to the beginning of the semester/school year?
• What progress did I make? Did I accomplish what I hoped to accomplish?
• In what areas did I NOT make progress, and why not? What impeded my learning?
• What specific diverse client populations, ethnic groups, diagnoses, assessments, treatment plans, macro practice projects, high risk factors, am I experiencing difficulty with?
• What skills would I like to learn or develop further next semester or in my future as a social worker?
• What activities will help me learn or develop these skills?
4. Self-Evaluation based on your overall development and identity as a professional social worker
Consider your overall growth as a professional. What have you learned that takes you beyond your role as an individual, student, or employee, toward the role of independent professional?
Give examples of incidents or experiences that promoted the development of your professional identity. For example,
• What ethical or legal issues did you become aware of or face in a new way?
• How does the practicum experience relate to your classroom learning? Were you able to apply any specific classroom learning to your work in the agency?
• Were there any instances when your personal values or cultural beliefs were challenged, or clashed with clients, colleagues or supervisors in the Field Practicum?
Students who will be receiving a marginal evaluation (barely meeting the minimum competencies) from their Field Instructor should address the question of what is interfering with their learning, discuss their plan to correct the situation immediately or in the future if completing the spring self-evaluation, and consult with their Field Faculty.
