Social Work Field Practicum in the Time of Social Distancing: A Case of Bangladesh

Abstract

Field practicum is an integral part of social work education. Social work students are typically placed with social service organisations to put into practice what they have learned in the classroom and to acquire new skills in the practice setting. However, the COVID-19 pandemic limited face-to-face communications, which affected on-site internships. The purpose of this article is to examine the difficulties in conducting social work field practicum during the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. Based on the in-depth interviews with purposively selected three social work academics, five field practicum students, and three field placement agency supervisors, this article identified the challenges of conducting field practicum during the pandemic. The implications of analysis include creation of a regulatory body and the development and adoption of innovative strategies by social work educators and schools.

Keywords

COVID-19 field practicum pandemic social work education online teaching

Introduction

Social work is a unique profession all over the world. The role of professional social workers has become increasingly important in addressing complex social issues resulting from industrialisation and urbanisation. Social work places a strong emphasis on improving individual and social well-being by addressing issues of psychosocial functioning and promoting a just society (Suppes & Wells, 2013). Social work education aims to produce professional social workers enriched with social work knowledge, skills and competencies. The field practicum, a cornerstone of social work education, is where students are placed with social service organisations or in a community setting under the supervision of a professional social worker to develop their practice skills. It allows students to understand the connection between theory and practice and implement their theoretical learning in the practice settings (Cleak & Wilson, 2013; Sarbu & Unwin, 2021). Therefore, field practicum remains the core of social work education, and its importance cannot be overstated.

The world experienced a deadly pandemic at the end of 2019 that isolated human beings and took millions of lives over a short period. COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan and later transmitted around the world (Hossain et al., 2021). People across the globe experienced a ‘new normal’ way of life after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic in March 2020 (Sarbu & Unwin, 2021). The rapid spread of the virus threatened social cohesion, employment, education, public health, and human well-being. The ‘social distancing’ approach was considered safe as there were no medicines to cure the patients infected with the deadly virus. The WHO stated that early detection, isolation and treatment of those infected could prevent the transmission of COVID-19 (Islam et al., 2020). Nations around the world then enacted preventive measures, including lockdowns, travel bans, the closure of educational institutions and remote offices, and social distancing. Therefore, educational institutions had to switch to virtual teaching methods.

COVID-19 has had a significant impact on social work education, especially on field placement (Mishra et al., 2022; Ray & Shklarski, 2021; Rossi & Maci, 2021; Szczygiel & Emery-Fertitta, 2021). Social work programmes encounter challenges when planning field placements for their students because it necessitates direct communication between service providers and recipients. Furthermore, due to government restrictions, lockdowns and mandated social distancing, social service agencies all over the world have struggled to continue services, resulting in many on-site placements being suspended or discontinued (Jefferies et al., 2021; Mclaughlin et al., 2020; Rossi & Maci, 2021; Szczygiel & Emery-Fertitta, 2021). While the pandemic was going on, some placement agencies that offer essential services continued their activities. However, the students were not allowed to continue the internship because they were not expected to provide essential services, such as healthcare. Additionally, many students dropped out of their internships because they prioritised personal safety (Mirick & Davis, 2021). Consequently, field placement had to be revised taking into account the reality of the ‘new normal’ life.

Social work programmes around the world have implemented various strategies, including temporarily suspending in-person placements, reducing placement hours, re-assigning tasks, relocating placements, emphasising group projects and research placements, introducing e-placements and advocacy-based placements, and approving student-initiated action learning projects (Mantulak et al., 2021; Mclaughlin et al., 2020; Mirick & Davis, 2021; Morris et al., 2020; Ray & Shklarski, 2021; Sarbu & Unwin, 2021; Szczygiel & Emery-Fertitta, 2021; Walton et al., 2021; Zuchowski et al., 2021a, 2021b) for completing the field practicum. This article aims to understand the process of social work field placement and its challenges during the pandemic in Bangladesh.

Field Practicum in Social Work Education: An Overview

Field practicum is an essential component of social work education (Tippa & Mane, 2020; Wang & Chui, 2016; Yeung et al., 1998). It enables students to engage with experienced social workers in a professional setting and familiarise themselves with social service organisations (Schneck, 1995). Students can align themselves with the standards a professional social worker should adhere to and acquire the unique skills needed for professional practice (Hemy et al., 2016; Mantulak et al., 2021; Rossi & Maci, 2021; Wenger, 2000). Mantulak et al. (2021) pointed out that many skills needed to become a professional social worker could not only be developed in classroom settings. Students must be placed in practice settings to acquire these skills through interaction with service recipients, professional social workers, and the larger community. Therefore, the field practicum is considered the ‘signature pedagogy’ of social work education (Nguyen et al., 2020).

Social work students complete the field practicum under the supervision of a qualified social worker. The traditional agency-based model entails appropriate social service organisations where students can put their theoretical knowledge into practice. However, the rapid expansion of social work education, the lack of adequate social service agencies, inadequate on-site supervisors and the absence of regulatory authority made it difficult for social work schools across the globe to organise field placement (Liu et al., 2021; Nguyen et al., 2020). Moreover, many social service agencies are not equipped with professional social workers. In Australia, for example, on-site supervision is provided by a task supervisor within the agency and external supervision is provided by a qualified field educator. This type of placement usually takes place in an agency, and, in most cases, task supervisors are not social work graduates. The external supervisor, a professional social worker, ensures reflective learning, direct practice and assessment of the students (Cleak et al., 2022). Social work schools in China also had difficulties organising on-site internships due to a lack of professional social workers in social service agencies (Liu et al., 2021). The field placement in Indonesia was also significantly affected due to the lack of professional social workers to supervise the students (Fahrudin & Yusuf, 2020).

Morris et al. (2020) pointed out that the effectiveness of social work field practicum is contingent upon two primary factors: (a) social service agencies are available and agree to allow students to work in their programmes and supervise them towards their learning process, and (b) the experience must align with the training goals of professional social work. However, social work schools found it challenging to locate placement agencies due to the growing number of students enrolled. In addition, accreditation bodies for professional social workers in many countries, for example in the USA, mandate that students must be guided by qualified social workers (CSWE, 2020). Therefore, social work schools in different countries have developed alternative field placement models to meet the growing demand and uphold the standard of field education (Cleak & Zuchowski, 2019). Thus, conventional face-to-face field placement in the social service agency setting has been replaced by alternative field practicum models in recent decades (Cleak & Zuchowski, 2019).

Field Practicum in the Era of Social Distancing

The COVID-19 pandemic had a catastrophic impact on the global education system. Students were sent back to their homes as educational institutions were closed to comply with social distancing measures. Many educational institutions have switched to the virtual teaching method, apprehending the long-term effects of the pandemic (Shklarski & Ray, 2021). However, many institutions have switched to virtual teaching without preparation or logistic support. Hodges et al. (2020) found that the rapid transition to online teaching was chaotic for some institutions despite the availability of technical support. Teachers had to teach virtually on short notice without any training in online teaching and without previous experience (Shklarski & Ray, 2021; Strielkowski, 2020).

Responding to the lockdown of the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak, social work schools were forced to find alternative placement models as on-site field education opportunities became difficult due to the realities of a ‘new normal’ life (Zuchowski et al., 2021a). Accreditation agencies for social work education have revised their regulations regarding field practice requirements during the pandemic (AASW, 2020; Canadian Association for Social Work Education, 2020; CSWE, 2020). For example, in the United States, CSWE (2020) published a new guide for field placement in social work education on 25 March 2020, responding to the impact of COVID-19 on teaching, work and other aspects of human life. The new policy approved the remote and hybrid teaching method and reduced the required placement hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Australian Accreditation Body of Professional Social Workers, AASW, also agreed to reduce the placement hours by 20%, provided that students meet learning outcomes (Zuchowski et al., 2021a). Students were permitted to complete their internship remotely in the event of an agency closure, provided that qualified agency supervisors or external social work supervision were ensured (Zuchowski et al., 2021a).

Social work schools in many countries, therefore, adopted remote learning and relaxed field practice regulations, such as reducing placement hours requirements (Mclaughlin et al., 2020), lowering their course expectations (Mirick & Davis, 2021), encouraging student-initiated action learning projects (Morris et al., 2020) and advocacy-based placement (Mclaughlin et al., 2020). For example, social work programmes in the USA switched to a virtual teaching method during the COVID-19 pandemic, prioritising teachers, students and support staff’s health and safety (Jun et al., 2021). Many schools in the USA, Canada, Italy, the United Kingdom and Australia approved online practices and remote field practicum for social work students (Leitch et al., 2021; Mantulak et al., 2021; Rossi & Maci, 2021; Sarbu & Unwin, 2021; Zuchowski et al., 2021b). Nevertheless, the online field practicum was arranged only for a limited number of students since only a few agencies shifted to the virtual service delivery system and accommodated social work students to their service delivery by telephone or video conferencing (Mirick & Davis, 2021). It was impossible to accommodate most of the students in the virtual field placement since most social service agencies did not offer online services.

James Cook University of Australia hosted e-placements as part of the Community Connector Project (CCP) to support students completing their studies where face-to-face placement was not possible (Zuchowski et al., 2021b). King’s University College School of Social Work in Canada approved the Remote Learning Model when the Canadian government declared a state of emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (Mantulak et al., 2021). Students were asked to develop a Remote Learning Plan with the support of field instructors to meet graduation requirements. They were able to develop their practice skills through virtual interaction between field instructors, service agencies, and service users. Social work schools in the United Kingdom introduced non-traditional field placement in educational institutions, police stations and local neighbourhoods where professional social workers are unavailable (Raineri & Sala, 2019). Over time, non-traditional internships have proven effective in meeting students’ learning skills requirements for professional social work (Landi et al., 2022b; Raineri & Sala, 2019).

In Italy, at the beginning of the pandemic, social work schools stopped or suspended on-site internships, although they switched to virtual teaching in higher education institutions (Rossi & Maci, 2021). However, they chose remote placement, apprehending the uncertainty of a return to the ‘normal’. Nevertheless, finding qualified field instructors was a challenge as most of them either worked from home, lost their jobs due to the agency closure, or the agency was not interested in hosting the interns. Social work schools also organised ‘virtual placement’ for those who could not find professional social workers to provide on-site or remote placement. In the virtual field placement, a senior social worker organised online workshops, simulated hypothetical problems and asked students to develop professional interventions (Rossi & Maci, 2021). In addition, the Catholic University of Milan and Brescia have introduced the unconventional practice placement (UPP), which enables students to develop innovative social interventions in collaboration with social service professionals, service users, caregivers, and community people and to implement them in community settings (Landi et al., 2022a). The UPP model allows a high degree of autonomy in designing the intervention and, therefore, offers students the opportunity to develop their creativity and discretion (Raineri & Sala, 2019).

The online field practicum has been criticised for its lack of efficacy in developing professional competencies among students, the unavailability of agencies offering virtual services and the preparation of students, faculty and schools. For example, an Indian study (Mishra et al., 2022) highlighted that students were unable to practice social work methods in virtual field placement due to government-imposed social distancing. However, the virtual internship was welcomed by many students as it offered them the opportunity to complete their studies, gain technical skills and adapt to a new way of training. Based on an online survey of 13 social work students, Sarbu and Unwin (2021) reported that some students appreciated the virtual field placement by mentioning that it allowed them to learn new skills, while others felt disadvantaged because it deprived them of direct interaction with the service providers and recipients. Ray and Shklarski (2021) surveyed MSW students in the USA to understand their views on the abrupt shift to virtual teaching methods due to the impact of COVID-19. The study found that students were initially shocked and stressed as they adjusted to the new teaching system. Most of them managed to get used to the virtual teaching over time. The study called for greater support from institutions in terms of content delivery and student engagement in teaching. Nevertheless, adapting to online teaching methods is difficult for faculty and students (Walton et al., 2021).

Social Work Field Practicum Process in Bangladesh

Field practicum is an integral component of social work education in Bangladesh. Students are required to complete 60 working days of field practicum to fulfil the requirements for each bachelor’s and master’s degree. However, organising and arranging field education was a challenge for social work schools due to the absence of professional social workers in the social service agencies, lack of interest among students, and non-recognition of professional social workers in the country. It is noted that social work graduates in Bangladesh have been playing a significant role in implementing development programmes in government and non-government social services. However, it is yet to be recognised as a distinct profession, and, therefore, there is no social service organisation in which only social work graduates are eligible for employment (Jalil & Hussain, 2023).

Social work students in Bangladesh are placed with government or non-government social service agencies to complete the field practicum. Students are supposed to be guided by a professional social worker while practising in the field. However, in practice, the government and non-government social services agencies that accommodate students often do not have staff with degrees in social work. In most cases, the field supervisors come from other disciplines and have no knowledge of social work. Therefore, most social service officers who supervise social work students are unaware of their roles and responsibilities. They do not even know what responsibilities students should have. Therefore, the students’ work is not directly observed and monitored by the professional social worker. To overcome this limitation, social work schools assign another supervisor from the social work faculty to guide students in practical training on-site. However, the social work faculties can hardly manage time to supervise the interns properly because of their commitment to the university. Students can discuss any issue that arises during the field practicum with their academic supervisor and obtain appropriate feedback. The agency supervisor is primarily responsible for supporting the students during their practical work on-site. The academic and agency supervisors jointly evaluate the students’ performance. In addition to these ongoing challenges, it is not clear how the field practicum was conducted during the pandemic in Bangladesh and what difficulties were experienced by students and social work educators.

Objectives of the Study

The main objectives of this study were to:

Understand the nature of field practicum during the time of social distancing.

Explore the challenges social work schools and social work students encountered during that time.

Research Method

This article is based on a qualitative study. Interviews were conducted with 11 research participants. Three social work faculty, who had the experience of teaching and supervising field practicum students for more than 15 years; five social work students who were placed for a field practicum during the pandemic (two were female, three were male and two were in the bachelor’s and three were in the master’s degree programme); and three social service agency staff who were assigned to supervise the students and had more than 10 years of supervisory experience. Study participants were purposively selected taking into account the convenience of the researcher and the researched. The interviews were conducted using semi-structured interview guidelines. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated from Bengali to English. Both authors checked the transcripts against the recorded data to ensure trustworthiness. The data were analysed thematically. The predetermined and emerging themes were critically discussed and compared with existing literature.

The study strictly followed the ethical guidelines for research on human subjects. The researcher informed the participants about the details of the study. Participants were only recruited for the interview if they spontaneously signed the consent form. In addition, the privacy of the participants and confidentiality of the data were maintained.

Findings and Discussion

Challenges of Field Practicum During the Pandemic in Bangladesh

Bangladesh confirmed the first case of COVID-19 on 8 March 2020 (Islam et al., 2020). Subsequently, the Bangladesh government imposed a countrywide lockdown, the closure of public and private offices, and the shutdown of educational institutions to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Therefore, the organising, managing and administering the field practicum for social work schools in Bangladesh was a challenge after the government decided to impose countrywide social distancing measures.

The Pandemic Left Social Work Schools Confused

Since COVID-19 was a completely new experience, social work schools in Bangladesh were confused about how to continue the field practicum. The switch to the virtual teaching method was not initiated at the beginning of the lockdown. Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST) became the first university in Bangladesh to take the initiative for a virtual teaching method given the reality of the ‘new normal’ life due to COVID-19. Although many teachers, students and guardians did not initially welcome this step, everyone understood the reality and accepted the virtual teaching method over time. Social work schools also started virtual classes but suspended field placements until the government lifted the lockdown.

There were uncertainties. We could not imagine where we were heading. Our department could not plan what to do with the field practicum as there was no information about how long the social distancing measure would continue. (Academic Supervisor II)

We could not concentrate on fieldwork. We were pulled from the field shortly after we were introduced to the agency. But there were no alternatives … temporarily suspending the field practicum was a good decision. (Student I)

Even the social work schools seemed unsure how long we would stay in the field. We could not even plan what problems needed to be addressed. (Student III)

Students were permitted to resume their practicum following the relaxation of the lockdown as a result of the decline in COVID-19 cases. Social work schools, however, decided to shorten the placements by half in anticipation of continued social distancing measures. Unfortunately, the lockdown was re-imposed just 3 weeks later, forcing the social work department to remove students from in-person practice sites. The inconsistent decisions negatively impacted many students, making it difficult for them to carry out their on-site work.

We had to change our decisions many times. Finally, we decided to reduce the field practicum hours to allow students complete their studies. You know it was not an ordinary situation … we had to compromise. (Academic Supervisor I)

Social work programmes must be accredited by the relevant professional organisation in order for graduates to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills for professional practice. The accreditation body can review the curriculum and field placement requirements, taking into account the cultural context, professional requirements and global standards. During the pandemic, accreditation councils and professional associations in many countries such as Australia, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom have revised field education requirements (AASW, 2020; Canadian Association for Social Work Education, 2020; CSWE, 2020; Zuchowski et al., 2021a). Unfortunately, social work schools in Bangladesh could not make timely decisions due to a lack of professional/accreditation bodies. Establishing a professional association in Bangladesh could support social work programmes and enable them to make timely decisions on field placement requirements to align with global standards.

The Unwillingness of Social Work Schools to Innovate Alternative Field Practicum Model

Lockdown and social distancing measures during the COVID-19 pandemic limited physical presence in social service agencies and face-to-face interaction with service recipients. Many placement agencies were unwilling to accept students out of consideration for the safety of their employees and service recipients. Therefore, conducting field practicum in the agency setting was hindered. Social work schools in Bangladesh adhered to the traditional field placement models, which require students visit the agency in person and interact with agency staff and service recipients to practice what they have learned in the classroom. There was no alternative to continue the field practicum other than to withdraw students from the field.

We cannot put our students in danger. We should not ignore the government’s directives to maintain social distancing. How can they [students] interact with clients when face-to-face communication is prohibited? (Academic Supervisor III)

We have limited physical contact with outsiders to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. We must adhere to government instructions to ensure our safety. That is why we do not want them [students] to come every day to do their field practicum. (Agency Supervisor I)

COVID-19 was a global pandemic that affected human lives in almost every country. Social work schools in different countries have adopted alternative methods for field practicum to minimise the impact of the pandemic on social work education. For example, the Catholic University of Milan and Brescia introduced UPP (Landi et al., 2022a), the James Cook University of Australia hosted e-placements as part of the CCP (Zuchowski et al., 2021b) and King’s University College School of Social Work in Canada developed a Remote Learning Model (Mantulak et al., 2021) that allows students complete the required field practicum hours virtually. However, the unwillingness of Bangladeshi social work schools to develop alternative models of field placement remained a significant barrier to the effectiveness of field practicum. Despite concerns about the effectiveness of field education in social service agency settings in Bangladesh (Das, 2012), social work schools did not take initiative to develop alternative placement models. Therefore, virtual shifting of field placement was not welcomed by social work schools in Bangladesh.

We allow our students to conduct field practicum only in agency settings. This is what we have been practising in Bangladesh for more than half a century. A careful decision is required before accepting any other form of internship. (Academic Supervisor I)

We must take our social context into consideration. I am not sure whether other forms of field practicum will enrich students’ learning. (Academic Supervisor II)

The above-mentioned accounts indicated the confusion among social work faculty regarding the effectiveness of field practicum in lieu of conventional in-person field placements. Since students do not have physical interaction during distance or virtual internships, there is reason for their confusion as to whether these forms of placement will help develop the professional competencies required of social workers. Furthermore, several social work academics have highlighted the practical limitations of adopting alternative models of field practice in Bangladesh.

There is no online service in Bangladesh. That is why introducing a virtual field practice is not conceivable. (Academic Supervisor III)

We are busy with so many tasks at the university. We did not have time to explore the possibilities of an alternative field placement system. (Academic Supervisor I)

The unwillingness of social work schools in innovating alternative field placement models may be attributed to the potential challenges associated with new models. Since social work faculty are involved in multifarious tasks such as teaching, research, supervision of research students and engagement with administrative work, especially conducting examinations and preparing examination results, it is difficult to focus on developing a field practicum model. Therefore, they have adopted the traditional face-to-face field practicum in the agency setting, even in times of social distancing.

No Provision of Remote Services in Bangladesh

Despite shortening the length of fieldwork, many students could not meet the minimum requirements due to the unavailability of local placement agencies. Social services agencies in Bangladesh do not offer virtual services to their beneficiaries. Therefore, all government and non-government social services agencies have suspended their activities during the nationwide lockdown period. Since agencies could not run their programmes, students placed for field practicum had to stop working. They could not even continue their work virtually.

We could continue the internship if the agency offered some of its services online. However, they did not. So, we had to wait for the government’s decision about lifting the lockdown. (Student II)

The service recipients must physically contact us. We cannot provide services virtually. That is why we had to suspend our activities during the pandemic. (Agency Supervisor III)

The aforementioned narratives illustrated how the dearth of social service organisations offering remote services interfered with students’ field education. Furthermore, social welfare organisations did not allow students to visit their service recipients, even occasionally, out of concern for their personal safety and compliance with social distancing measures. Therefore, students encounter difficulties completing their field practicum during the pandemic.

How can we allow physical communication with our service recipients when the government has imposed a lockdown and forced us to stay at home? (Agency Supervisor II)

Superficial Supervisory Arrangements

The research highlighted the crucial role of the supervisory arrangement in accelerating students’ learning process during the internship. Students praised the constructive feedback from the supervisors, the presence of professional social workers in the agency, and the practice scope of social work values in acquiring professional skills. For example, Cleak and Zuchowski (2019) showed that the supervisor’s critical feedback and the connection between theory and practice contribute to the quality of students’ learning in the field practicum. However, supervisory practices have been disrupted during the pandemic in many social work schools around the world, particularly in Bangladesh.

I cannot even meet my academic supervisor. We were all worried … we did not know who was carrying the virus. Personal safety is a priority. (Student-II)

I did not know what I was going to do in the field. I have just visited the programmes implemented by the agency. If we could hold supervisory meetings, my understanding would be more precise. (Student IV)

The inadequate supervisory arrangements increased uncertainties among students regarding their field practicum. Academic supervisors were reluctant to visit placement agencies, mainly to comply with the social distancing measures and ensure personal safety.

I typically visit placement agencies every two weeks to keep my students on track. However, I could not visit the field this time because of the pandemic, and the government wanted us to stay at home … umm … yeah, students’ learning was significantly affected. (Academic Supervisor II)

Students’ Security was a Concern

The widespread pandemic spread fear among people around the world. Some students thought it would be better to cancel the field practicum because they feared the virus.

My mother called me several times … advised me not to go to the practice agency. Everyone is concerned about personal safety. (Student I)

My parents always told me to avoid face-to-face communication as the government has restricted it. I was not ready to complete my studies at the expense of my life. (Student III)

Many students reported that their parents were afraid of the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus and repeatedly asked them to go home instead of finding alternative ways to complete the internship. Mass fear of the deadly virus was also responsible for difficulties in field practicum during the pandemic.

Field Practicum did not Enhance Professional Learning

Globally, social work field practicum is a learning opportunity for future social workers that offer opportunities to examine theoretical knowledge in the field, interact with social workers in a professional setting and develop professional competencies (Cleak et al., 2022; Landi et al., 2022a; Mantulak et al., 2021; Schneck, 1995; Wenger, 2000). During the practicum, students perform professional tasks, maintain professional ethics and values and develop practice skills (Raineri & Sala, 2019). However, students could not further develop their professional learning due to limited access to the field, superficial supervision arrangements, and reduced working hours.

We had to make compromises in the field practicum due to the imposition of social distancing measures. Social work schools around the world are also lowering their practice requirements. But … yes … students’ learning was somewhat affected. (Academic supervisor-I)

I do not think I learned anything from the field practice. What I did was just get to know the agency staff and their programmes and interacted with a few clients. I did not have time to apply my social work knowledge during the field practicum. (Student V)

The above narratives highlighted that the scope of professional training during the pandemic has been limited, and students were confused about their role in the practice setting. Students did not even have the opportunity to observe how professional social workers interact with service recipients and how they apply social work knowledge to real-world problems. Additionally, the reduction in internship hours impacts students’ learning experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Students were placed with us for 60 working days. However, suddenly, they were withdrawn due to the lockdown. They could not even work 15 days consecutively. It impacts their learning. (Agency Supervisor II)

Given the circumstances, the uniqueness of the social work field placements is not evident to the apprentice practitioners. In many cases, the internship during the pandemic did not improve students’ learning experiences. As a result, students were deprived of acquiring the professional skills required to be a qualified social worker.

Conclusion and Policy Implications

The primary purpose of the field practicum is to develop professional competencies necessary for a social worker. The face-to-face interaction with service recipients was considered essential to complete the field practicum effectively. However, social work schools worldwide have adopted alternative models of field pedagogy that address diverse needs and new social realities. During the pandemic, alternative models seemed useful in many countries when physical communication was limited for conducting field practicum in agency settings. Bangladeshi social work schools have not considered on-site community outreach or on-site outreach to a remote location as they tend towards the traditional agency-based model.

The difficulties in organising agency-based field practicums could be addressed by introducing alternative forms of field practicum adopted in many social work schools worldwide. Students could continue their field practicum in their respective communities if social work schools allow it. For example, it would be much easier to organise community awareness programmes even in the situation of social distancing. Students can also connect people in the community with social service agencies in their respective communities. Open field placement in a community setting is consistent with IFSW guidelines, which emphasise community empowerment as one of the focuses of social work education (IFSW, 2020). The introduction of a blended model would also help complete the field practicum. The blended method worked in many countries, particularly India, where students were able to complete the required field placement hours during the pandemic because they practised both on-site and virtually (Mishra et al., 2022). By using existing and available technology such as smartphones, the Internet, students, educators and agencies can continue some aspects of field education such as online or on-phone supervision sessions, and contacting and supporting individuals and families who have access to phones, and according to the new situation, they can also change the nature of the field practicum task that is relevant and meaningful for learning and helping others.

This study highlights the challenges of social work field education in Bangladesh in the era of social distancing. It is evident that social work schools in Bangladesh have been confused in making pragmatic decisions regarding field placements during the pandemic. Since transition to the virtual teaching method had to be done quickly, social work schools, academics and students were unprepared to adapt to the new normal life. Professional associations in many countries played an important role in formulating guidelines for conducting field practicum during the pandemic without compromising professional practice requirements. However, social work schools in Bangladesh remain uncertain about what to do with field placement during social distancing as there are no professional associations of social workers in the country who could develop a field practicum guideline.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made social work schools in Bangladesh aware of the need to develop alternative placement models to maintain social work education at global standards. Social work schools must be aware that adopting an alternative field placement model will not compromise the attainment of the core competencies required for professional social work practice. It will help prepare for many unexpected and uncertain situations caused by a natural disaster, a global pandemic and unforeseen incidents. Thus, it is important that social work schools and educators come together in workshops, seminars, and academic talks to reflect on their education and practice experiences during the pandemic and develop new plans and strategies to deal with such situations in the future. From such exercises, the article advocates for innovating an alternative field placement model taking into account the socio-economic and cultural characteristics of Bangladeshi society.

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iDs

Md Abdul Jalil

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