19 Sep Discussion 2: Ways of Knowing
SW Practice Research/ WK1
Discussion 2: Ways of Knowing
This course is ultimately about acquiring knowledge that can be applied to practice. As a social work professional, how do you know what you know? It can be difficult to pinpoint, particularly if you have years of experience in a given field. You might gather knowledge from a supervisor or a more seasoned colleague, from what has happened in the past, from intuition, or from logic, among other sources. All of these ways of knowing can inform the decisions and actions of a social work professional and feed into evidence-based practice (EBP). What EBP demands also, though, is “evidence,” meaning the documented findings of scientific research studies.
In this Discussion, you explore different ways of knowing and their relationship to EBP in social work.
Review the Learning Resources introducing the research process and evidence-based practice.
Consider the many ways of knowing and determine which way(s) you rely on most in your personal or professional life.
Describe two different ways of knowing. Which of these do you rely on and why? Provide an example. Then, describe the danger of professionals relying on just one way of knowing. What might be a consequence of this reliance?
References
Yegidis, B. L., Weinbach, R. W., & Myers, L. L. (2018). Research methods for social workers (8th ed.). Pearson.
Chapter 1: Toward Evidence-Based Practice (pp. 1–23)
National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Code of ethics. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Code-of-Ethics/Code-of-Ethics-English
National Association of Social Workers. (n.d.). Evidence-based practice. https://www.socialworkers.org/News/Research-Data/Social-Work-Policy-Research/Evidence-Based-Practice
Required Media
Walden University, LLC. (2021). Evidence-based practice in social work [Video]. Walden University Blackboard. https://class.waldenu
Transcript – Evidence-Based Practice in Social Work [PDF]
Optional Resource
Teater, B. (2017). Social work research and its relevance to practice: “The gap between research and practice continues to be wide”. Journal of Social Service Research, 43(5),
