By Todd Franke and Robert Blagg, UCLA; and Sofya Bagdasaryan, California State University, Los Angeles
Social work has an established tradition of using experiential learning in the form of case studies, role plays often through one-way mirrors, and field internships, but simulation training is not as common as it is in other professions such as nursing, law enforcement or even medicine. Simulation training has only recently been introduced in public child welfare, but because it has been shown to be effective for other disciplines in facilitating the transfer of knowledge from training to the job, it is important that stakeholders in the PCW system understand how they can be utilized and evaluated.
While work in this area is being developed across the county, Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Service has been involved in this for several years. While the goal of these new worker training programs is to provide — at a minimum — a baseline knowledge that will allow new workers to perform the basic tasks of her/his new job, research has raised the question of whether the transfer of learning through training is effective, especially as it relates to job performance and retention in social work training at child welfare agencies.
In addition, there is a growing amount of evidence about what aspects of simulation training are salient for the transfer of learning to occur. Several issues need to be considered as an increasing number of counties and states embark on this new pedagogy. In advancing the appropriate use of simulations several facets need to be carefully considered including:
What instructional features are embedded within the simulation (i.e., event based approach to simulation training), and how can they be measured most appropriately?
Are scenarios carefully crafted so as to naturally incorporate clear cues expected to elicit the performance of complex tasks? This issue is key for ensuring appropriate opportunities for practice and points of assessment.
Do simulations include measurement opportunities (i.e., events, cues, or behaviors) that provide for accurate, reliable, and efficient measurement that can support identification of skill deficiencies?
Is practice guided (i.e., carefully developed scenarios with opportunities for timely and reliable feedback)? Without planned and reliable guidance, learners may not appropriately or completely practice the skills embedded within a scene.
Does the simulation environment meet training requirement? Specifically, the simulation environment need only be as realistic as is required to meet the requirements of the task or skill trainees are intended to practice.[1]
Are simulations designed/developed in collaboration between content experts, training experts, and evaluators? Without such reciprocal partnerships, simulation training may fall short in any one of the areas previously noted.
[1] Psychol 2001;52: 471–99. 5 Salas E, Bowers CA, Rhodenizer L. It is not how much you have but how you use it: Toward a rational use of simulation to support aviation training. Int J Aviat Psychol 1998;8: 197–208.
