About the TFEL Project
Our Goal
The goal of the project is to integrate research and practice in the preparation of the next generation of social workers by developing partnered research training initiatives, both within academia and across the public and not-for-profit sectors, that enhance student research practice knowledge and applied skill development.
Our Objectives
The partnership has five objectives:
1. To transform social work field education by bridging the gap between research and practice through joint training initiatives, projects and other forms of multi-stakeholder engagement and integration;
2. To strengthen the recognition of the importance of social work practice research by building knowledge and skills among students, postdoctoral fellows, and current and future practitioners;
3. To train and mentor students and postdoctoral fellows through new partnered research training initiatives that build the research capacity of current and future social work scholars, practitioners and policymakers;
4. To support the development of sustainable models of field education through engaging students and postdoctoral fellows in research on promising practices in social work field education across Canada; and
5. To engage students and postdoctoral fellows in partnered knowledge mobilization and the multi-directional exchange of knowledge in Canada and internationally on promising practices for sustainable field education and practice research.
Our Approach
Project Overview
An overview of the TFEL project and the three streams of activities are captured in a digital story put together by student research assistants Nozipho Moyo and Jayden Wickman.
Our Books
Transforming the Field Education Landscape: Student Handbook on Field Education
Read here: https://press.ucalgary.ca/books/9781773855585/
Field education has long been an integral and valuable component of the social work curriculum for students. Field is the place where students integrate their classroom learnings about core social work theories, principles, values, and ethical behaviors into practice. It is recognized as the signature pedagogy of social work education. Transforming the Field Education Landscape: Student Handbook on Field Education is designed to accompany social work students in their field education journey as they move towards becoming practitioners.
Suggested Citation:
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Transforming Social Work Field Education: New Insights from Practice Research and Scholarship
Read here: https://press.ucalgary.ca/books/9781773854397/
This TFEL open-access book encourages the adoption of research and scholarship into the practice of social work, especially field education. It offers current theoretical concepts and perspectives that shape social work field education and provides case studies of practice research grounded in the experiences of diverse communities and countries. Highlighting cutting-edge research and scholarship, each chapter addresses critical issues in social work practice and their implications for field education.
Suggested citation:
TFEL Publications
Read Here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10437797.2025.2466639
Suggested Citation:
Iriye, A. K., Drolet, J. L., Kaushik, V., Charles, G., McConnell, S., & Walsh, C. A. (2025). Canadian Social Work Student Perspectives on the State of Field Education: Insights From Virtual Dialog Circles. Journal of Social Work Education, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/10437797.2025.2466639
Transforming field education in social work: A special issue on field education
Read Here: https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/tsw.v2i1.79822
Suggested Citation:
Drolet, J.L. (2024). Transforming field education in social work: A special issue on field education. Transformative Social Work, 2(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/tsw.v2i1.79822
Social work practicum students experiences, challenges, and aspirations during the COVID-19 pandemic
Read Here: https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/tsw.v2i1.77862
Suggested Citation:
Drolet, J.L, Salim, S., Choudhury, M., Nicholas, D., McKee, E., Walsh, C., Charles, G. (2024). Social work practicum students experiences, challenges, and aspirations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Transformative Social Work 2(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/tsw.v2i1.77862
Integrating practice research into social work field education in Canada
Read Here: https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2022.2147259
Suggested Citation:
McConnell, S.M., Noble, M., Hanley, J., Finley-Roy, V., & Drolet, J. (2023). Integrating practice research into social work field education in Canada. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 43(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2022.2147259
Read Here:https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/tsw.v1i1.78309
Suggested citation:
Drolet, J.L. & Nicholas, D.B. (2023). Welcome to the first issue of Transformative Social Work: A special issue on the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Transformative Social Work, 1(1), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/tsw.v1i1.78309
A social work roundtable examining impacts and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic
Read Here: https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/tsw.v1i1.78299
Suggested citation:
Nicholas, D.B., Allison, K., Drolet, J.L., Mantaluk, A., Spicer, K., & Wu, H. (2023). A social work roundtable examining impacts and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Transformative Social Work, 1(1), 1-16. https://doi.org/10.55016/ojs/tsw.v1i1.78299
Transforming field education: Voices of field educators in Canada
Read here: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27314841
Suggested citation:
Drolet, J., Tettman, L., Chand, T., Hameline, H., Kaushik, V., Khatiwada, K., Klassen, S., Chilanga, E., McConnell, S.M., McKee, E., Nicholas, D., Salim, S., Walsh, C.A., Choudhury, M. (2023). Transforming field education: Voices of field educators in Canada. Canadian Social Work Review, 40(2), 95-113. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27314841
Suggested citation:
Drolet, J., Chilanga, E., Fischer, L.J., Kaushik, V., Khatiwada, K., McConnell, S.M., McKee, E., Nicholas, D., Salim, S., Sussman, T., & Walsh, C. (2023). The most significant challenges in social work field education: Perceptions of field educators and students in Canada. Field Educator, 13(2), 1-23. https://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/22-312-The-Most-Significant-Challenges-1.pdf
New directions in social work field education: Promising, wise and innovative practices
Read Here: 10.1080/08841233.2023.2210326
Suggested Citation:
Kaushik, V., Klassen, S., Drolet, J., & Walsh, C. A. (2023). New directions in social work field education: Promising, wise and innovative practices. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 43(3), 324-341. DOI: 10.1080/08841233.2023.2210326
Impact of COVID-19 on social work field education: Perspectives of Canadian social work students
Read Here: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/14680173231162499
Suggested citation:
Au, C., L. Drolet, J., Kaushik, V., Charles, G., Franco, M., Henton, J., Hirning, M., McConnell, S., Nicholas, D., Nickerson, A., Ossais, J., Shenton, H., Sussman, T., Verdicchio, G., Walsh, C. A., & Wickman, J. (2023). Impact of COVID-19 on social work field education: Perspectives of Canadian social work students. Journal of Social Work, 0(0). https://doi-org.ezproxy.lib.ucalgary.ca/10.1177/14680173231162499
Canadian social work field education during a global pandemic: A comparison of student and field instructor perspectives
Read Here: https://websok.uis.no/index.php/JCSW/article/view/406
Suggested citation:
Ossais, J., Drolet, J., Alemi, M.I., Collins, T., Au, C., Bogo, M., Charles, G., Franco, M., Henton, J., Huang, L.X., Kaushik, V., McConnell, S., Nicholas, D., Shenton, H., Sussman, T., Walsh, C.A., & Wickman, J. (2021/2). Canadian social work field education during a global pandemic: A comparison of student and field instructor perspectives. Journal of Comparative Social Work, 16(2), 113-140. https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v16.i2.406
Transforming the Field Education Landscape: National survey on the state of field education in Canada
Read Here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02615479.2022.2056159
Suggested citation:
Walsh, J., Drolet, J.L., Alemi, M.I., Collins, T., Kaushik, V., McConnell, S.M., McKee, E., Mi, E., Sussman, T., & Walsh, C.A. (2022). Transforming the Field Education Landscape: National survey on the state of field education in Canada. Social Work Education: The International Journal. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2022.2056159
Read Here: https://doi.org/10.25071/073w7164
Suggested Citation:
Bogdan, E., Drolet, J., Gendron, M., Khatiwada, K., Lewin, B., & Windsor, E. (2022). Building new relationships and connections in emergency management: The role of social work practitioners and human service professionals in disaster recovery. Canadian Journal of Emergency Management, 2(2), 26-38. https://doi.org/10.25071/073w7164
The Shifting Landscape of International Social Work Field Education
Read here: https://www.macrothink.org/journal/index.php/ijsw/article/view/19129
Wasif Ali, Julie Drolet, Kamal Khatiwada, Emmanuel Chilanga, and Yassannah Mussah wrote this article based on a review of the literature to trace the shifting context of international practicum over the past two decades since 2010.
Suggested citation:
Ali, W., Drolet, J., Khatiwada, K., Chilanga, E., & Mussah, Y.M. (2022). The shifting landscape of international social work field education. International Journal of Social Work, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.5296/ijsw.v9i1
Beyond the Challenges: New Insights and Innovations in Field Education
Read here: https://www.worldscientific.com/doi/10.1142/S021924622100005X
Julie Drolet, Mohammed Idris Alemi, and Tara Collins discuss the challenges facing field education programs and provide an overview of the TFEL project, with a focus on how the partnership is addressing those concerns.
Suggested citation:
Drolet, J., Alemi, M.I., & Collins, T. (2021). Beyond the challenges: New insights and innovations in field education. The Hong Kong Journal of Social Work, 55(1/2), 39-52. https://doi.org/10.1142/S021924622100005X
The role of social work in advancing capacity in autism spectrum disorder in the Kingdom of Eswatini
Read Here: https://doi.org/10.25159/2708-9355/7610
Suggested Citation:
Kebede, W., Dlamini, C., Drolet, J., & Nicholas, D. (2021). The role of social work in advancing capacity in autism spectrum disorder in the Kingdom of Eswatini. South African Journal of Social Work and Social Development, 33(3), 19 pages. https://doi.org/10.25159/2708-9355/7610
Social Work Field Education in Canada: Learnings from Three National Studies
Dr. Julie Drolet (PhD) and Vibha Kaushik (PhD), co-wrote this article for the Fall 2021 Perspectives magazine on the numerous nation-wide research studies that TFEL has conducted, including the State of Social Work Field Education Survey, the Field Challenge Survey, and the Virtual Dialogue Circles project.
Suggested Citation (APA 7): Kaushik, V., Drolet, J. (2021). Social work field education in Canada: Learnings from three national studies. Perspectives, 12-13.
Innovation Postdoctoral Fellowships
Dr. Vibha Kaushik (PhD), TFEL Project Postdoc., received an innovative postdoctoral fellowship, for her work in translating her research results into a societal impact. Dr. Kaushik’s research expertise is in the area of settlement and integration of skilled immigrants. Her recent study is one of the few to focus solely on immigrants chosen under the Federal Skilled Workers Program. This research identifies specific challenges and opportunities for improving immigrant services and supports, as well as invites advocacy from social justice professionals for skilled immigrants
We’re Ready! Community Disaster Preparedness Workshop
An article on the We’re Ready! (WR) Community Disaster Preparedness workshop, led by TFEL Project Postdoc., Dr. Evalyna Bogdan (PhD), is featured in the October 2021 newsletter of the Psychosocial Disaster Network. We’re Ready! focuses on neighbourhood and community-level preparedness, rather than individual and household preparedness which has been the main focus in Canada. The WR! Plus design and research is part of the Transforming the Field Education Landscape (TFEL) Project, directed by Dr. Julie Drolet (PhD), which aims to identify field education models with sustained capacity, including those that address practicum shortages and interprofessional collaboration.
Suggested Citation (APA 7): Bogdan, E. (2021, October 15). We’re Ready! community disaster preparedness. Psychosocial Disaster Network (PDN). Newsletter (p.3).
TFEL Postdoctoral Scholar Prepares Students to Strengthen Society’s Resilience to Disasters
Read here: https://bit.ly/3Bi8rgt
Integrating Practice Research into Social Work Field Education
This article discusses how practice research can be integrated into social work field education by drawing upon a training module designed for this purpose by the Transforming the Field Education Landscape (TFEL) partnership. Implications and recommendations for practice research and field educators are provided.
Suggested Citation (APA 7): Traber, D. K., Collins, T., Drolet, J. L., Adamo, D. J., Franco, M., Laban, K. M., McConnell, S. M., Mi, E., St. George, S., Wulff, D. (2021). Integrating practice research into social work field education. The Field Educator 11(1), 1-12. https://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/article/integrating-practice-research-into-social-work-field-education/
A New Partnership: Transforming the Field Education Landscape
Read here: https://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/article/transforming-the-field-education-landscape/
This paper, by TFEL project director Julie Drolet, focuses on the intersections of research and practice in Canadian social work field education and outlines the goals of the TFEL project alongside the supporting literature.
Suggested Citation (APA 7): Drolet, J. (2020). A new partnership: Transforming the field education landscape. The Field Educator 10(1), 1-18. https://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/article/transforming-the-field-education-landscape/
Transforming field education during COVID-19
Read here: https://alswe.simmons.edu/article/transforming-field-education-during-covid-19/
Suggested Citation:
Drolet, J., Alemi, M.I., Bogo, M., Chilanga, E., Clark, N., Charles, G., Hanley, J., McConnell, S., McKee, E., St. George, S., Walsh, C., & Wulff, D. (2020). Transforming field education during COVID-19. Field Educator, 10.2.
A Conversation on a New Canadian Social Work Field Education and Research Collaboration Initiative
This publication is an interview between the Editor-in-Chief of the Field Educator, Kim Harriman, and TFEL project director Julie Drolet, who discusses the background of TFEL, its goals, and the need for it in response to the crisis facing field education.
Suggested Citation (APA 7): Drolet, J., & Harriman, K. (2020). A conversation on a new Canadian social work field education and research collaboration initiative. The Field Educator 10(1), 1-7. https://fieldeducator.simmons.edu/article/a-conversation-on-a-new-canadian-social-work-field-education-and-research-collaboration-initiative/
Read here: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26773472
Suggested Citation:
Ayala, J., Drolet, J., Fulton, A., Hewson, J., Letkemann, L., Baynton, M., Elliott, G., Judge-Stasiak, A., Blaug, C., Tetrault, A., & Schweizer, E. (2019). Restructuring social work field education in the 21st century in Canada: From crisis management to sustainability. Canadian Social Work Review, 35(2), 45-65.
Read here: https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2017.1397109
Suggested Citation:
Ayala, J., Drolet, J., Fulton, A., Hewson, J., Letkemann, L., Baynton, M., Elliott, G., Judge-Stasiak, A., Blaug, C., Tétreault, A.G., & Schweizer, E. (2018). Field education in crisis: Experiences and perceptions of field education coordinators and directors in Canada. Social Work Education: The International Journal, 37(3), 281-292.
Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students, practicum students, and postdoctoral scholars are involved in all aspects of TFEL.
Are you a student or postdoctoral scholar? Click here to learn more about how you can participate in the partnership project!
Acknowledgements
The TFEL partnership is supported in part by funding from a SSHRC Partnership Grant (Talent). The SSHRC talent program aims to support students and postdoctoral researchers in order to develop the next generation of researchers and leaders across society, both within academic and across the public, private and not-for-profit sectors.
The TFEL project would like to acknowledge Julie Drolet, Linda Kreitzer, and Don McSwiney for some of the photos featured on the website.
Logo
The robot logo was designed by Emily King, a 17 year-old high school student living in Edmonton, Alberta. The robot logo represents the transformative experience of students engaged in training and mentorship.
