Diversifying Voices: The Global Classroom in a Social Work Practice Course with LGBTQ+ Clients

Overview: Six clinicians from the UK, USA, and Mexico served as guest lecturers in the Canadian course: Social Work Practice with LGBTQIA Populations. Student evaluations and final assignments were thematically analyzed to determine the impact of the global classroom program. Results from thematic analysis are discussed along with tools for implementation.Proposal text:

Background: Transformative learning approaches are defined as those that challenged fixed assumptions and expectations to those that are more open to change (Mezirow, 2003). Transformative learning is an important approach for teaching social work practice, given its focus on promoting social change and its ability to elicit reflective discourse (Jones, 2009). Social work is operating in an increasingly global world, given the increased ease of international connections and comparisons facilitated through the use of technology (McFadden, et al., 2020). Responses to globalization are required in practice and social work education (Hong & Song, 2010). Especially in social work practice with specialized populations, such as LGBTQ+ populations (Nakamura & Logie, 2020), international perspectives are important in order for students to become increasingly competent and aware of LGBTQIA practice concerns and issues globally.
Context: Funding support was received from the global classroom initiative for a Summer 2021 online course: Social Work Practice with LGBTQIA Populations. This course focused on competent clinical and community practice with LGBTQIA individuals and groups across the lifespan. In the previous iteration, this course has been focused on practice only in Canada. As well, existing research partnerships between the course instructor and international researchers presented an opportunity to incorporate cultural expertise into this clinical course. With the support of the grant, two research co-chairs of non-Canadian regional networks- the United Kingdom and Mexico- connected the instructor to members of their practice networks who provided LGBTQ+ services in their respective countries. A total of six clinicians from the UK, USA, and Mexico served as guest lecturers and trainers during the Canadian summer course. The guest speakers focused on relevant cultural and human rights issues and approaches to effectively work with LGBTQIA populations in their regions, thereby providing a more global perspective for the course students.

Objectives: This initiative served the goal of teaching and conducting research across borders. As a result of this initiative, students learned about the cultural context of practice with LGBTQ+ populations in two countries as well as multiple regions within each country and learned practice models and theories that they can apply to their broader understanding of the work.

Methods: The global classroom initiative was evaluated through two mechanisms: a survey disseminated to students to evaluate their knowledge of cultural issues with regard to LGBTQ+ practice at the end of the course and through a modified classroom assignment (e.g. the reflection paper related to their own practice that incorporates cultural and practice issues addressed by the guest speakers). Student evaluations and final assignments were thematically analyzed to determine the impact of the global classroom program.

Results: Some of the relevant themes determined through thematic analysis of classroom evaluative materials included student appreciation for a strengths-based practice approaches, the diversity of perspectives provided by the different professionals, the importance of providing practice experience as opposed to theoretical knowledge, the appreciation of cultural differences and similarities, and the nuances of personal disclosures surrounding one’s own identities. Educational practice considerations to implement a global classroom will be shared.