Data Mining for Social Work Students: Teaching Practice-Based Research in Conjunction with a Field Work Placement

Although research studies are important for social work students, the students rarely like research classes or see their value. At the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, one group of BSW students was encouraged to carry out the required research in their field work setting, the Hadassah University Medical Center. Students used data mining, that is, the analysis of existing data, to answer their research questions. As a preliminary step, the instructor and interested social workers selected a number of projects that were important to the department. After consulting with the instructor, the hospital’s social work research coordinator and social workers in the hospital, the students selected 7 projects. By using data mining, students had access to the data relevant to their projects. Research tasks included coding and analyzing data and then interpreting findings. At the end of the course, they presented their findings in a clinical conference and prepared written reports for the seminar instructor and the social work department.