Open Access Journals at IU Indianapolis
Not a member yet
23580 research outputs found
Sort by
Uniquely Biased: How ASWB Exams Violate Psychometric Best Practices
No full textAfter publication of the 2022 Pass Rate Analysis demonstrating that minoritized social workers pass at less than half the rate of white social workers, the Association of Social Work Board (ASWB) Examination Guidebook (ASWB, 2023a), revised its psychometric reporting of exam fairness from “statistically free from race and gender bias” (ASWB, 2022a, p. 3) to “differences in exam performance for…different demographic groups…is influenced by many factors external to the exam,” upstream of the examination in the workforce pipeline (ASWB, 2023a, p. 9). Focusing only on factors external to the exam ignores the possibility that the internal properties of the exam may be invalid, unreliable, and unfair. Race, class, culture, and other structural factors have not impacted ASWB exams the same over time, with ASWB’s 2022 Exam Pass Rate Analysis reporting 10-13% reductions in bachelor’s and master’s examination pass rates after introducing the 2018 exam blueprint. Using extensive references to ASWB’s public statements, this article will demonstrate how ASWB elided evidence of examination flaws and presented external factors as the only possible explanation for disparities in pass rates. Beginning with the policy paradox created by national organizational disagreement on the cause and next steps on exam score inequities, this article will demonstrate how bias is encoded in the language and theories underlying the examination, as well as review the extant empirical evidence on psychometrics addressing shortcomings in ASWB’s exam validation process, which converge to create a uniquely biased exam
Licensure: Client Protection or Practitioner Gatekeeping? Policy and Practice Recommendations for Social Work Education Programs
No full textThe profession of social work is dedicated to the health and well-being of clients, with an emphasis on social justice and advocacy for vulnerable and oppressed populations. As social work professionals, we must uphold the highest ethical and professional standards outlined in the National Association of Social Work (NASW) Code of Ethics. These standards must equally be held for the establishment of licensure for social workers. A 2021 analysis of Licensed Clinical Social Work (LCSW) pass rates noted significant test-taker pass rate disparities, particularly around race and ethnicity. Unfortunately, for Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) LCSW Candidates, their pass rates are significantly less than those of their white peers. This paper discusses the impact on community members when we have a professional shortage in behavioral health in both numbers of professionals and diversity in licensed clinical social workers. We highlight several strategies that social work programs can implement to mitigate some of the economic and societal barriers the future social work workforce faces, which could ultimately positively impact social work licensure pass rate outcomes and reduce disparities among licensing candidates. Further, this paper calls to action the ASWB to support improvements in licensing pass rates through implementing mentorship, financial support, and expanding language options for the exam to help increase equity in pass rates
The Baltimore Immigration Summit : A Model for Academic-Community Collaboration
No full textThe first Baltimore Immigration Summit grew from an idea Elizabeth Clifford had, to bring together academics, policymakers, service providers, activists, community and religious leaders, and others working with and for immigrants and refugees in Baltimore. In the twenty years since there have been 10 subsequent summits, and it has grown considerably in scope, size, and reputation, and co-authors Iwata, Rodriguez-Limon, Lonczak, and Valencia-Banks have joined her and others in planning the Summit. As leaders on immigration issues in the Baltimore City and Baltimore County governments, Rodriguez-Limon, Lonczak, and Valencia-Banks represent partners with Towson University in this endeavor. In this paper, we discuss the origin, evolution, and growth of the Baltimore Immigration Summit, and suggest that it is a model for how universities can collaborate with local governments and non-profits to bring people together for educational and networking purposes. In particular, we argue that the format of BIS resonates with the literature which urges us, the academics, who practice public sociology and civil engagement to play the role of “anchor institutions” (Harkavy and Hodges 2012); our role is not disseminating scholarly knowledge to ‘help’ community practitioners, but rather offering resources and continuance in the community as we collaborate with the state and the private sector to serve local communities (Gardinier, 2017). Thus, other scholars and universities can utilize the BIS as a model for effective civil engagement projects to bring about positive social change in their communities. We conclude with tips on how to do so
Reflections on a Master of Divinity (MDiv) Thesis: “Professional Muslim Chaplaincy: Defining a Role for Religious Authority and Leadership in the US Context”
No full textThis paper focuses on where Islamic chaplaincy is lacking and what needs to be improved, particularly when it comes to the religious and professional training of Muslim chaplains. In the US context, chaplains possess a certain level of religious training and authority as perceived by institutions and the general public. Supplemental education and standards through endorsement organizations, such as the Muslim Endorsement Council (MEC), and professional organizations, like the Association of Muslim Chaplains (AMC), help fill in gaps in training for Muslim chaplains and hold a standard of accountability. This support is especially needed, because while imams mostly function within the Muslim community in a mosque setting, where Islamic norms are general practice, Muslim chaplains navigate public and private institutions in the larger society, which sometimes require compromise in how chaplains navigate religious gray areas, such as pastoral touch with non-Muslims
Transformational Leadership and Performance in Sport for Development and Peace (SDP): Serial Mediation Through Shared Leadership and Engagement
No full textThis study examined how transformational leadership affects job performance among employees in Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) organizations by focusing on the serial mediating roles of shared leadership and job engagement. Survey data were collected from 105 non-executive SDP practitioners worldwide. Results showed that transformational leadership did not directly influence job performance. Instead, it indirectly enhanced performance by promoting shared leadership, which in turn increased employees’ job engagement and ultimately improved their perceived performance. The serial mediation pathway was significant, while individual mediation paths were not supported. These results provide empirical evidence for a process that has been theorized but rarely examined. The study contributes to leadership research by demonstrating that transformational and shared leadership jointly work to shape employee outcomes. It also highlights that leadership effectiveness in SDP organizations should be understood as a multi-layered process. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed for advancing leadership theory in sport management and offering actionable guidance for SDP organizations
An Examination of Health Information Professionals’ Discourse Surrounding Knowledge Synthesis: A Content Analysis
No full textIntroduction: Knowledge Synthesis (KS) is an umbrella term that encompasses a family of research methods that aim to draw insights from existing bodies of research literature through established processes of review and analysis. Providing support services for KS is part of many health libraries’ day-to-day business and has been for several years.
Methods: This article presents the results of a content analysis conducted to gain insight into our collective relationship with KS using journal articles and conference abstracts associated with the Canadian Health Libraries Association and the Medical Library Association. The study is framed in terms of three broad questions: What do health information professionals talk about when they discuss knowledge synthesis? How do they talk about it? And who is doing the talking? Descriptive codes and attribute codes were applied to the texts. Descriptive codes were grouped and regrouped to create sub-themes and overall themes in a bottom-up fashion.
Results: Three broad themes are evident in the texts: the Case for KS Work, Everyday Realities of KS, and Pushing Back. KS discourse in the venues examined is currently dominated by the voices of health information professionals working in academic libraries, though this was not always the case.
Commentary: I suggest that our collective relationship with KS work has been changing, and health information professionals are starting to become more comfortable with setting boundaries around KS work.I also suggest that an apparent shift in voice towards academic health information professionals and a general increase in the KS content included in these venues over time could be attributed to 1) the widespread adoption of evidence-based practice among our clientele, and 2) increased emphasis on research impact assessment