Innovation and Curriculum Infusion (cont)

Nancy R. Hooyman, PI,
Hartford Geriatric Enrichment
in Social Work Education Program,
GeroRich Program Coordinating Center

(206) 221-4278 OR
gerorich@u.washington.edu

GeroRich Resource Fair

Innovations to Recruit Students

BSW students are members of the GeroRich Planning Team at the University of Maine, which recognizes the importance of students serving as gerontological-oriented role models in the school community. Involving students in such leadership roles benefits both the student leaders and the faculty and staff working on curriculum infusion and transformation. Numerous other GeroRich Projects engage students through their advisory boards, thus ensuring that other advisory board members hear student perspectives on the curriculum.

Innovations for Community Partnerships

GeroRich Resource Fair

The GeroRich Project Director at Wright State University found a balance between community input and faculty decision-making on curriculum. Community practitioners were invited to work on "mini projects" to awaken or reinforce student interest in working with older adults and to provide effective, culturally relevant community-based services. Thirteen mini-grants were awarded to practitioners to develop teaching modules for foundation courses, including the practicum. Factors conducive to the project's success, which can be replicated by other BSW programs, include:

. Project staff consulted with the practitioner grantees in the module development.

. Mini-project products were presented for feedback from faculty, students, and other practitioners at two all-day conferences.

. Mini-projects have been translated into teaching modules for infusion into 14 sections of foundation courses.

. Practitioners continue to be involved as co-teachers of courses and guest lecturers, with faculty and practitioners learning from one another.

Practica/Field Innovations

The University of Southern Indiana is developing BSW intergenerational practica opportunities with a multi-service community organization that houses a child daycare, an after-school-care program, night care for children, a senior center, and an adult daycare. Although most of this program's students are interested in working with children, they are also learning about aging in such a community-based multigenerational setting. The university is partnering with the community organization to seek funding for placements, which will be channeled through the agency, not the university.