SWEAP Updates!

Dear SWEAP Users:

We hope that everyone made it through assessment season in good shape, and safe on the other side. The SWEAP team just completed our annual summer work meeting at the University of Utah last week, and a lot was accomplished. We’d like to make sure our users and the social work education community are aware of some important developments:

1) WELCOMING DAN FREEDMAN TO SWEAP TEAM! We are proud to announce that Dan Freedman, Ph.D., M.S.W., L.C.S.W., of the University of South Carolina, College of Social Work, has joined the SWEAP team.

2) We are ready for EPAS 2015. Even though the Accreditation Standards have yet to be finalized by the CSWE Board, we have translated the new competencies so that we will have updated instruments ready for ordering before the start of the Fall 2015 semester.

3) New Prices. Since there was significant person-power used to update the instruments, we are increasing the cost of these new instruments. Online instruments based on 2015 EPAS will cost $0.65 each (a 15 cent increase). Paper instruments will cost $1.00 each (a 35 cent increase), reflecting the real cost of processing these instruments by hand. However, we are also reducing some fees: Programs can now order online Entrance Instruments for FREE, as long as you pay your program annual fee!! You heard that right, FREE!

4) SWEAP for Graduate Programs. Contrary to popular belief, ALL SWEAP instruments are appropriate for graduate program use, especially for foundation year assessment. This fall 4 graduate programs are piloting the Field Instrument for special analysis.

5) Customized Assessment. SWEAP is also able to customize our forms to include additional assessment questions tailored to a specific graduate, or undergraduate program’s needs. We cannot alter our own instruments, but we can add to online, or paper forms based on your needs. Contact a SWEAP team member for an estimate on the fee for customizing a particular instrument.

6) Seeking Questions for Curriculum Instrument: We are expanding the test bank on our Curriculum Instrument, especially in response to the new EPAS 2015. We are especially interested in questions related to Human Rights, Social, Economic and Environmental Justice. If you have multiple choice question ideas that you would be willing to donate to SWEAP, please let us know.

7) Additional resources. Check out our updated website. New resources are being added all the time. The SWEAP team now has an example of a learning plan/educational contract directly tied to our Field instrument. You can purchase this copyrighted document through our website. SWEAP is also developing an example assessment plan. The assessment plan will be available to all active SWEAP programs. We will also be uploading model letters to include with our Alumni and Employer surveys, along with tips on how to increase return rates.

8) More SWEAP Team Members Wanted. Do you find yourself day-dreaming of ways to ensure reliability and validity of your outcome assessment measures? Ok, that may be extreme. But, if you see the value of assessment, have ideas on how social work programs can raise the bar, and research/statistics is a strength of yours, we’d love to hear from you. Contact any SWEAP team member for more information.

9) Research Opportunity: Do you know of a doctoral student, or other student/colleague interested in research in social work education? We have tons of data waiting for analyses, and a fresh eye. Contact any SWEAP team member for more information.

As always, if you have any questions, or suggestions, don’t hesitate to reach out to any SWEAP team member.

Sincerely,
The SWEAP Team
Brian Christenson, brian.christenson@capella.edu
Tobi DeLong-Hamilton, tadelong-hamilton@lcsc.edu
Dorothy Farrel, dorothy.farrel@colostate.edu
Dan Freedman, Daniel.freedman@sc.edu
Ruth Gerritsen-McKane, ruth.gerritsen-mckane@socwk.utah.edu
Tameca Harris-Jackson tharrisjackson@tamuct.edu
Kathryn Krase, Kathryn.krase@liu.edu
Phil Ng, phillip_ng@urmc.rochester.edu
Patrick Panos, patrickpanos@gmail.com