“What Are They Banging On About?”: The Student Experience Of DRUMBEAT As A Field Education Groupwork Activity
Keywords:
Field education, Social work placements, DRUMBEAT, Rural, Service learningAbstract
Field education plays a significant role in social work education in Australia. Providing students with a valuable and enjoyable field education placement experience is inherently complex, with multiple players and competing demands. In 2016, the Broken Hill University Department of Rural Health (BHUDRH) introduced DRUMBEAT as a student-led groupwork activity for social work service learning placements in far west New South Wales, Australia. This paper outlines findings of a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and fieldnotes to understand the experiences of social work students facilitating DRUMBEAT and determine its value for continuation as a service-learning field education activity. Students’ lived experiences of facilitating DRUMBEAT were understood in three stages: training, organisation, and delivery of DRUMBEAT and two emergent themes: professional value and personal reward. Students readily identified DRUMBEAT as relevant to their learning journey and future practice. Challenges enabled them to develop a stronger professional identity. Students enjoyed DRUMBEAT and developed self-awareness and confidence through their experience. A valuable placement activity both nourishes students as people and challenges them professionally. The BHUDRH can confidently continue to incorporate DRUMBEAT in its service-learning placements as an experience that has relevance for social work practice while providing a valuable service within host organisations.
References
Ascenso, S., Perkins, R., Atkins, L., Fancourt, D., & Williamon, A. (2018). Promoting well-being through group drumming with mental health service users and their carers. International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being, 13(1), 1484219–1484215. https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2018.1484219
Australian Association of Social Workers. (2012). Australian social work education and accreditation standards (ASWEAS):Guideline 1.2: Guidance on field education programs. https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/3553
Australian Association of Social Workers. (2015). Australian social work education and accreditation standards (ASWEAS) 2012 V1.4. https://www.aasw.asn.au/document/item/3550
Berger, R. (2015). Now I see it, now I don’t: Researcher’s position and reflexivity in qualitative research. Qualitative Research: QR, 15
(2), 219–234. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468794112468475
Dewane, C. J. (2005). Use of self: A primer revisited. Clinical Social Work Journal, 34(4), 543–558. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1007/s10615-005-0021-5
Drolet, J., & McLennan, C. (2016). Wellness and relational self-care in social work field education. The International Journal of Health, Wellness, and Society, 6(4), 9–21. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.18848/2156-8960/CGP/v06i04/9-21
Evans, A. (2014). Trauma-informed care: How neuroscience influences practice. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315815572
Eyler, J. (2002). Reflection: Linking service and learning—Linking students and communities. Journal of Social Issues, 58(3), 517–534. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-4560.00274
Faulkner, S., Ivery, P., Wood, L., & Donovan, R. (2010). Holyoake’s DRUMBEAT program: Music as a tool for social learning and improved educational outcomes. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 39, 98–109. https://doi.org/ https://doi.org/10.1375/S1326011100000958
Faulkner, S., Wood, L., Ivery, P., & Donovan, R. (2012). It is not just music and rhythm . . . Evaluation of a drumming-based intervention to improve the social wellbeing of alienated youth. Children Australia, 37(1), 31–39. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1017/cha.2012.5
Flynn, C., & McDermott, F. (2016). Doing research in social work and social care. SAGE Publications.
Fook, J. (2002). Theorizing from practice: Towards an inclusive approach to social work research. Qualitative Social Work, 1(1), 79–95. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/147332500200100106
Gardner, F. (2001). Social work students and self-awareness: How does it happen? Reflective Practice, 2(1), 27–40. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/14623940120035505
Healy, K. (2005). Social work theories in context. Palgrave Macmillan.
Healy, K. (2018). The skilled communicator in social work: The art and science of communication in practice. Macmillan Science & Education.
Holyoake. (2020a). Building resilience through rhythm: An evidence-based social and emotional learning program that enables real change. https://holyoake.org.au/drumbeat/
Holyoake. (2020b). Facilitator training. https://holyoake.org.au/drumbeat/drumbeat-facilitators/facilitator-training/
Holyoake. (2020c). Life changing: Enabling positive change for individuals, families and communities. https://holyoake.org.au/
Humphrey, C. (2012). Dilemmas in doing insider researcher in professional education Qualitative Social Work, 12(5), 572–586. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1177/1473325012446006
Kelly, B. L. (2015). Using audio documentary to engage young people experiencing homelessness in strengths-based group work. Social Work with Groups, 38(1), 68–86. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2014.931665
Lee, M., & Fortune, A. E. (2013). Do we need more “Doing” activities or “Thinking” activities in the field practicum? Journal of Social Work Education, 49(4), 646–660. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2013.812851
Lewis, M. L., & King, D. M. (2019). Teaching self-care: The utilization of self-care in social work practicum to prevent compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 29(1), 96–106. https://doi.org/10.1080/10911359.2018.1482482
Lindsay, T., & Orton, S. (2014). Groupwork practice in social work (3rd ed.). Learning Matters.
Litvack, A., Mishna, F., & Bogo, M. (2010). Emotional reactions of students in field education: An exploratory study. Journal of Social Work Education, 46(2), 227–243. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2010.200900007
Martin, K., Wood, L., Tasker, J., & Colletsis, C. (2014). The impact of Holyoake’s DRUMBEAT program on prisoner wellbeing in Western Australian prisons. https://mk0holyoakejouu082t9.kinstacdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/DRUMBEAT-Final-Report_all-colour.pdf
Miller, J. J. (2020). Building competency in self-care for social work students: A course-based case study. Social Work Education, 39(2), 256–269. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2019.1620722
Moore, S. E., Bledsoe, L. K., Perry, A. R., & Robinson, M. A. (2011). Social work students and self care: A model assignment for teaching. Journal of Social Work Education, 47(3), 545–553. https://doi.org/10.5175/JSWE.2011.201000004
Padgett, D. K. (2012). Qualitative and mixed methods in public health. SAGE Publications.
Papouli, E. (2014). Field education in social work education: Implications for educators and instructors. Field Educator, 4(2), 1–16.
Shanti, C., Gerstenblatt, P., & Frisk, S. (2021). Putting the pieces together: critical service learning and social work education. Social Work Education, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2021.1924663
Trevithick, P. (2012). Social work skills and knowledge: A practice handbook (3rd ed.). Open University Press.
Tuckman, B. W. (1965). Developmental sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384–399. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1037/h0022100
Yap, A. F., Kwan, Y. H., & Ang, S. B. (2017). A systematic review on the effects of active participation in rhythm-centred music making on different aspects of health. European Journal of Integrative Medicine, 9, 44–49. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eujim.2016.11.011
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Copyright © Australian & New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Advances in Social Work & Welfare Education by Australian and New Zealand Social Work and Welfare Education and Research (ANZSWWER) is licensed under CC BY 4.0
