Social Work and Simulations - Teaching Practice, Research, Policy, and Social Injustices

Social Work and Simulations describes how simulated learning experiences can be a powerful modality for social work education. Based on a variety of realistic situations and guided by the creation of a safe learning environment, students actively engage in and observe simulations followed by group reflections and discussions. The simulations are a powerful and immersive learning experience for students and teachers alike. They fill an important gap in social work education as they provide students with realistic learning experiences about the more human elements of practice without real-life consequences before beginning work in the field.

List of contents

• FOREWORD by Benjamin J. Lough


• PREFACE by Kevin Tan


• Section 1: Introduction


• CHAPTER 1: Teaching Social Justice from a Social Work Perspective by Kevin Tan, Jeanna Campbell, Liliane Windsor


• CHAPTER 2: Looking to the Past to Inform Future Simulations: A Brief History of Simulations in Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign by Terry Ostler, Kevin Tan, Chi-Fang Wu


• Section 2: Simulations in Practice


• CHAPTER 3: The Power of Live Simulations in Learning: How to Intervene in a Mental Health Crisis by Monica Cherry, Mary Maurer, Sandra Kopels, Terry Ostler


• CHAPTER 4: Adapting Simulations to Different Settings: Learning from Experience by Kevin Tan, Terry Ostler


• Working with People Who Are Disabled: Tuyen Bui and Grace Mishler


• Working with People Who Are Grieving: Flavia Andrade, Anissa Chitwanga, Kang Sun


• Working with People Who Are in Schools: Kevin Tan, Jeanna Campbell, Brenda Lindsey


• Preparing Librarians to Work with People and Their Mental Health: Yali Feng


• Section 3: Simulations in Research


• CHAPTER 5: Promoting Critical Conversations about SMART Goals in Clinical simulations: Issues and Challenges by Vanessa L. Parker, Wan-Jung Hsieh, Allison A. Carrington


• CHAPTER 6: Using Simulations in Teaching Program Evaluation to MSW Students by Tuyen Bui


• Section 4: Simulations in Policy


• CHAPTER 7: Bringing Macro Social Work Education into the Future through Simulations by Melissa Iverson, Tiffany Laursen


• CHAPTER 8: The Role of Simulations in Teaching Policy by Chi-Fang Wu, Tiffany Laursen


• Section 5: The Promise and Future of Simulations


• CHAPTER 9: Using Online Simulations in the Social Work Classroom by Valerie Cintrón, Kang Sun


• CHAPTER 10: Simulations in Teaching Interprofessional Collaboration to Address Social Determinants of Health by Janet M. Liechty, Sharva Hampton-Campbell


• CHAPTER 11: Trauma-Informed Response and Social Justice through Simulations with Police by Tiffany Laursen, Jenna Mahoney, Anissa Chitwanga


• CHAPTER 12: Involving Doctoral Students in Teaching Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion through Simulations by Nicole Cantoni, Wan-Jung Hsieh, Allison A. Carrington, Chi-Fang Wu, Kevin Tan, Terry Ostler, Kyle Bennett


• CHAPTER 13: Future Directions: A Call to Action, a Call for Reflection by Kevin Tan, Terry Ostler, Chi-Fang Wu


• APPENDIX A: Simulation Cases


• APPENDIX B: Crisis Assessment Cheat Sheet


• APPENDIX C: Advancing the Elimination of Fees and Fines in Juvenile Court


• APPENDIX D: Guidelines For Actors

About the author

Kevin Tan is Associate Dean for Engagement, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He is notably recognized for his contributions to school social work practice and community engagement initiatives with the 2021 Gary Lee Shaffer Award and the 2023 University of Illinois distinguished faculty award. He earned his PhD from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration, a Masters in Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis Brown School of Social Work, and a Bachelors in Social Work (Honors) from the National University of Singapore.

Chi-Fang Wu is Professor and PhD Program Director at the School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As a poverty researcher, she has devoted her career to scholarship assessing the effectiveness of public benefits programs that promote economic advancement among women and improve the well-being of low-income families. She received the Tony Halter Excellence in Teaching Award, the Excellence in Mentoring and Advising, and the University Excellence in Graduate Student Mentoring Award. Dr Wureceived her master's degree in social work from NationalTaiwan University and her PhD in social work from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Social Work.

Terry Ostler received her BA (Summa Cum Laude), MA, and PhD degrees at the University of California Berkeley. She worked for two years as a postdoctoral scholar at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Education in Berlin. A developmental and clinical psychologist by training, she served on the faculty of psychiatry at the University of Illinois Chicago before teaching in the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has published on parent-child attachment bonds and on parenting in individuals with severe mental illness. She is happily retired.

Product details

• Authors: Kevin (Associate Dean for Engagement Tan
• Assisted by: Terry Ostler (Editor), Kevin Tan (Editor), Tan Kevin (Editor), Chi-Fang Wu (Editor)
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 20.04.2025
• EAN: 9780197770467
• ISBN: 978-0-19-777046-7
• No. of pages: 320
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > General, dictionaries; SOCIAL SCIENCE / Research, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Social Work, Social welfare & social services, Social welfare and social services, Social research & statistics, Social research and statistics