MSW students go to burn camp: exploring social work values through service‐learning

Abstract

Service‐learning is an experiential learning approach that offers promise in facilitating students' personal growth and professional value development while providing service to the community. In a course that implemented this approach, 21 MSW students participated as volunteers in a seven‐day camp for burn‐injured children. This study explores the impact of this experience on the students' learning through the analysis of journals, transcripts of focus groups, and written course evaluations. Data were classified according to two broad categories of learning: learning about the personal self and learning about the professional self. The findings indicate application and integration of learning that reflect social work core values such as social justice, the importance of human relationships, integrity, and service. These findings suggest that this educational approach may be an effective strategy in facilitating a deeper understanding of key areas of the social work profession for students.