DIASPORAModel:Teachingthe AfrocentricPerspectivetoSocialWork Students
Ivis ReneeKinga
Background: TheAfrocentricperspectiveembodiestheessenceofthoughtforsocial workerstobeculturallycompetent.TheAfrocentricPerspectiveprovidesboththe knowledgeandpracticebehaviorsforworkingwithintheAfricanAmericancommunity. Objectives: Thisarticlemovestheparadigminsocialworkeducationtoward incorporatingtheAfrocentricPerspectiveasarecognizedcoretheoreticalframework forsocialworkpractice. Methods: ThisarticlediscussestheintegrationoftheAfrocentricperspectiveintocorecoursesatthebaccalaureateandgraduatelevels.Discussionofknowledgegaps,application,andintegrationoftheperspectiveinsocialwork educationandpracticearepresented. Findings: Amodel(DIASPORA:AnAfrocentricPerspectiveforSocialWorkStudents)providesassignmentsandactivitiesfor teachingculturalcompetency,criticalthinking,andself-awarenessskillstosocial workstudents.Inaddition,theauthorprovidessamplestudentlearningoutcomes andcourseobjectives. Conclusions: Afrocentricsocialworkprovidesanalternative perspectiveonthedeliveryofsocialservicestoAfricanAmericanfamilies.Thisalternativeperspectiveseekstodecolonizethestandardmethodologyadheredtowhich addressesthesocialoppressiontowardstheAfricanAmericancommunity.Tomove theparadigmforward,thisauthorbelievesthatasocialworkcurriculumdesign teamsforteachingtheAfrocentricperspectiveshouldincorporateconceptsofdecolonizing,inquiry,Sankofapractices,politicalimplications,oppressions,oppositions, andopportunitiesfocusthatallowsstudentstoreconstructsocialissuesthrough acquiringeffectiveknowledge.Assuch,theDIASPORAModelmayserveasan exampleforbothBSWandMSWprogramsforteachingtheAfrocentricPerspective principles,concepts,andapplication.
Keywords: critical thinking;socialworkcurriculum;Afrocentricity;culturalcompetency;self-awareness “Hewholearns,teaches.” ∼Ethiopianproverb∼
Social justiceideologyisacornerstonevalueofthesocialworkprofession(Manning,Cornelius,&Okundaye,2004); however,itremainsaphilosophicalfoundationforsocialworkcompetencieswithlittleresearchassociatedwiththe
aWhitneyM.YoungJr.SchoolofSocialWork,ClarkAtlantaUniversity
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AfricanAmericancommunity(Holosko,Briggs,&Miller,2018).Thepursuitsfor socialjusticewithintheAfricanAmericancommunitynecessitatetheinclusionof anAfrocentricPerspective(AP)paradigm(Graham,1999)withinboth,Bachelorof SocialWork(BSW)andMasterofSocialWork(MSW)curricula(Bowles,Hopps,& Clayton,2016;Graham,1999;Holoskoetal.,2018).Bowlesetal.discussHistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversities’(HBCU)contributiontothesocialworkprofession;andits“impactonthesocialworkcurricula,includingstrengths[perspective], andself-help,empowerment,andsocialjusticeperspectives...includinganinclusivelearningenvironment” (p.112).TheauthorssuggestthatAfricanAmericans duringthe1920s“wereneedfulbutnotbeneficiariesofthesocialworkprofession’s thoughts,commitment,discourse,orservices”(p.118).Hence,theAfrocentricperspectiveintroductiontoacademiaoccurredduringthetimewhenAfricanAmerican scholars(i.e.,W.E.D.Dubois)soughtimprovementintheeconomicandhumanistic conditionsoftheAfricanAmericancommunity,inthe1920s;andlaterbecamethe signaturepedagogyfortheAtlantaUniversityinthe1960s.
Subsequently,adualityfocusexistsforteachingtheAfrocentricperspectiveto socialworkstudents.ThefirstpriorityistogroundthesocialworkstudentinAfrocentricthinking,whichrequiresthestudentstoexaminetheirownconsciousness. ThesecondpriorityistofocusinstructionontheempowermentoftheAfrican Americanandotherdiversecommunities.Theseprioritiesmustbeevidentinsocial workcurriculumplanning,development,andimplementationthatseektoinclude theAfrocentricperspectiveasaframeworkforteaching,socialscienceresearch, andsocialworkpractice.TheAfrocentricperspectiveprovidesthefieldofsocial workwithaconceptualmodeltoteachculturalcompetencymethods,developcriticalthinking,andself-awarenessskillsthroughoutthebaccalaureateandgraduate programs.Therefore,teachingtheAfrocentricperspectivetosocialworkstudents requiresschoolsofsocialworkcurriculumdesignteamstoincorporatecriticalthinking(Gibbons&Gray,2004),actionlearning(Soffe,Marquardt,&Hale,2011), experientiallearning(Wehbi,2011),andinnovation(Faria&Perry-Burney,2002) intoplanningstudent-centeredactivitiesandassignments.
Curriculum developmentandimplementationpracticesarecentraltoensuring thatthestandardcompetenciesoutcomessetforthbytheCouncilonSocialWork Education(CSWE)inthe2015EducationalPolicyandAccreditationStandards (EPAS),guidecurriculumdesignteamstoimplementcoursesthatprepareculturallycompetentsocialworkers.Yet,AfricanAmericancollegestudentsexperience aninherentdisconnectfromtheirculturalheritagethathinderstheircapabilitiesto usecriticalthinkingskillsinclassroomdiscussionsdesignedtoconnectsocialwork values,beliefs,andself-awarenessandculturalawarenessconcepts(Harvey,2018). AfricanAmericanstudentsneedanAfrican-centeredframeworktoassistwithdevelopingcriticalthinkingskills(Dyson&Brice,2016).
Moreover,theAfrocentricperspectiveservesasaconduitfordevelopingskills andknowledgethatenhanceculturalcompetence(Manningetal.,2004).ThisarticlediscussestheintegrationoftheAfrocentricperspectiveintocorecoursesatthe BSWandMSWlevels.Thevisioninthisarticlemovestheparadigminsocialwork educationtowardincorporatingtheAfrocentricperspectiveasarecognizedcoretheoreticalframeworkforsocialworkpracticebeyondthediscussionofitsorigin,concepts,validity,andmisunderstandings.Theauthorprovidesareviewoftheliterature specifictotheAfrocentricperspectiveandsocialworkpractice.Additionally,anew model(DIASPORA:AnAfrocentricPerspectiveforSocialWorkStudents)provides
aframeworkforteachingculturalcompetency,criticalthinking,andself-awareness skillstoBSWandMSWstudents.Lastly,theauthorprovidesexamplesofstudent learningoutcomes,courseobjectives,activities,andassignmentsthatalignwiththe model.
AFROCENTRICSOCIALWORKCURRICULUMDESIGN
Social workeducationliteraturepurportsthreeprinciplecurriculumdesignprocesses:datacollectionandanalysis,monitoringandprogramquality,andincorporatinglearningorganizationconcepts(Packard,2004)forskilldevelopment.Skill developmentfocusesonthedatacollectionandanalysisprinciples,benchmarking,andbestpracticesanalysis“totrackstudentspatternsandcharacteristicsof studentsadmittedandtheirperformanceinclassesandfieldtotheirfinalexamor thesisresults,andideallytotheirperformanceatworkaftergraduation”(Packard, 2004,p.16).ImplementationofthesethreedesignprinciplesconveysacommitmenttoensuringstudentsobtaincriticalthinkingskillsforbuildingAfrocentric socialworkknowledge.However,thedevelopmentandimplementationofaunique teachingmodelforteachingcriticalthinkingtosocialworkstudentsofAfrican descentrequiremergingofideologieswithintheAfrocentricparadigmaswellasstudentengagementactivitiesthatofferpedagogicaltechniques:knowledgeassessment, knowledgebuilding,knowledgetransfer,andknowledgeevaluation.
The Afrocentricperspectiveintroductiontoacademiaoccurredduringthetime whenscholarssoughtimprovementintheeconomicandhumanisticconditionsofthe AfricanAmericancommunity;andlaterbecamethesignaturepedagogyforAtlanta Universityinthe1960s(Bowlesetal.,2016).ItisimportanttodistinguishthisteachingmodelaspedagogyreferencefortheAfrocentricPerspectiveasdevelopedand taughtatClarkAtlantaUniversity,WhitneyM.Young,Jr.SchoolofSocialWork. Thismodelseekstoprovidestudentswithaframeworktoacquireandunderstand theAfrocentricPerspectiveanditsuseintheapplicationtosocialworkpractice, specificallytowardsocialjustice,andculturalcompetencywithintheAfricanAmericancommunity.
Over thepast18yearsAfrocentricscholars,inbothBlackstudiesandsocialwork education,collectivelyconceptualizedaframeworkforteachingtheAfrocentricperspective(Dyson&Brice,2016;Graham,1999;Mazama,2007;Schiele,1996,1997). Historically,theAfrocentricperspectiveinsocialworkhasseveralmilestonesthat canbegroupedintothreephases.ThefirstphasephrasedhereasthePlanningand Developmentphase beginswithLloydYaburaandscholarsinthe1970swhofound theneedtoestablishavoiceinacademiathatfocusedontheAfricanAmericancommunity’s“...strengthsandself-help,empowermentandsocialjusticeperspectives, religiousorientation,andorganizationandstructure,includinganinclusivelearning environment”(Bowlesetal.,2016,p.121).Thesecondphase:KnowledgeCreation andMangementincludeframing,defining,anddescribingtheAfrocentricperspectivewithinthesocialworkprofession.ThisphaseisevidentinworksbyGraham (1999),Mazama(2007),Schiele(1996)andothers.
Afrocentric socialworkis“amethodofsocialworkpracticebasedontraditional Africanphilosophicalassumptionsthatareusedtoexplainandtosolvehumanand societalproblems”(Schiele,1997,p.804).Afrocentricsocialworkgivesvoicetothe culturalvalues,philosophies,experiences,andinterpretationsofBlackcommunities
regardingthecausesandresolutionsofsocialproblems(Graham,2005,p.71).Additionally,Schiele(1997)definedAfrocentricsocialwork,discussedAfrocentricsocial workassumptions,anddelineatedAfrocentricsocialworkstrategies.Furthermore, Schiele(1996)detailedtheobjectivesandassumptionsoftheAfrocentricperspective;anddemonstratedtheapplicationoftheAfrocentricperspectivetosocialwork practice.Graham(1999)outlinedandintegratedtheAfrican-centeredworldviewfor thesocialworkprofession.Graham(1999)articulatesthatAsante’s Afrocentricity: TheTheoryofSocialChange isanantecedentforAfrocentricsocialwork.Afrocentricityisinaccordwiththesocialworkprofession’smissiontopromotehumanitarianvaluesandempoweroppressedcommunities.Afrocentricityisatheoretical frameworkofacollectivethoughtorworldviewintheanalysisofsocialresearch. Dei(1994)exhortedAfrocentricitytobe“abouttheinvestigationandunderstandingofphenomenafromaperspectivegroundedinAfrican-centeredvalues”(p.4). Likesocialworkpracticecompetencies,Afrocentricityseeks“toeradicateeffectsof culturaloppressionandadvanceAfricanAmericansasaculturalgroup...tobring theworldmoreinlinewithvaluesandbehaviorsthataffirmhumanjusticeandcompassion”(p.3).
Afrocentric socialworkintroduceshumanisticprinciplesfoundintheliterature: (a)allhumanbeingshaveinherentrightsanddignity,(b)environmentalconditions thatsupporthumandevelopmentandgrowth,(c)communitywell-beingandsurvivalisparamount,(d)protectionforthemostvulnerable,and(e)individualcommitmenttopeacewithotherhumanbeings,withnatureandwiththeSpirit(Harvell, 2010).TheAfrocentricsocialworkeremploysfivemethodologiesinservicetothe oppressed.Specifically,accordingtoSchiele,Afrocentricsocialworkers(a)transformpeoplefromsuboptimaltooptimalthinking,(b)fightagainstpolitical,economic,andculturaloppression,(c)buildoncommunitystrengths,(d)establishan effectiveprofessionalrelationship,and(e)establishmutualitywithintheprofessional relationship.ThisprocessshiftsAfrocentricsocialworkfocusfrommaterialisticvaluestohumanisticvalues(Mungai,2015).TheobjectivesforAfrocentricsocialwork focusis“toexploretheefficacyofavarietyofstrategiesandinterventionsdesigned toamelioratethevarioussocialproblemsthatplaguemillionsofAfricanAmericans” (p.81).Additionally,Semmes(1981)identifiesanddiscussesanAfrocentricassumptionforthreebasicculturalrelationships:mantoman,mantotheenvironment,and mantoGod.Collectively,theseprinciplesmorphintotheconceptofspirituality. Afrocentristdefinespirituality“astheinvisibleuniversalsubstancethatconnectsall humanbeingstoeachotherandtothecreator(i.e.,God)”(Schiele,1997,p.805).
Mazama (2007)explainstheAfrocentricitycontoursanddefinitionsexplicit towardestablishingaparadigmforsocialscienceinquiry.Schiele(1996)furthered thediscussionofanAfrocentricParadigm.SchielelinkedAfrocentricitytosocial workpracticeandproposedthreeobjectivesoftheAfrocentricparadigm.Thefirst objective“seekstopromoteanalternativesocialscienceparadigmmorereflective oftheculturalandpoliticalrealityofAfricanAmericans”(p.286).Thisobjective requiresthesocialworkertopossessandexhibitculturallycompetentskills.Cultural competencyconceptsidentifiedintheAfrocentricperspectivebeginwith“centering.” ThesecondobjectivecompelstheAfrocentricscholar”todispelthenegativedistortionsaboutpeopleofAfricanancestrybylegalizinganddisseminatingaworldview thatgoesbackthousandsofyearsandthatexistsintheheartsandmindsofmany peopleofAfricandescent.”Thethirdobjectiveisto”promoteaworldviewthatwill
facilitatehumanandsocietaltransformationtowardspiritual,moral,andhumanisticends.”Afrocentricsocialworkprovidesanalternativeperspectiveonthedelivery ofsocialservicestoAfricanAmericanfamilies.
Hence,Afrocentricsocialworkprovidesanalternativeperspectiveinthedelivery ofsocialservicestoAfricanAmericanfamilies.Thisalternativeperspectiveseeksto decolonizethestandardmethodologyadheredto,whichaddressesthesocialoppressionoftheAfricanAmericancommunity.AccordingtoSmith(1999),decolonization deconstructssocialissuespresentedfromaEurocentricperspectivetoanindigenous peopleperspectivewhichdescribes,andinterpretsthepeoples’purposeandposits anindigenoustheory. OneaspectofdecolonizingsocialworkwithAfricanAmericanfamiliesrecognizesandincorporatesspiritualityintotheframeworkofservices (Graham,2005;Mazama,2007;Schiele,1997).
The thirdandcurrentphase:IntegrationandApplicationoffersmethodologies forteachingsocialworkstudents.ThroughitsheritageandlineagetoAtlantaUniversity,ClarkAtlantaUniversityWhitneyM.YoungSchoolofSocialWorkcontinuesthepursuitofsocialjusticethroughteachingsocialworkskillsandpractice techniquesusingtheAfrocentricperspective.Afrocentricsocialworkcoursesinclude socialresearch,criticalthinking,socialwelfarepolicy,andsocialworkpractice.
THEAFROCENTRICPERSPECTIVEANDCULTURALCOMPETENCE
Cultural competenceinsocialworkpracticecontinuestobecomplex,yetanessentialcorevalueforsocialworkstudentstoascertain.Historically,thediscussionon culturalcompetenceinthesocialworkliteratureframessocialworkpracticefroma Eurocentricperspectivewithassumptionsthatsocialworkersareculturallydifferent fromtheirclients(Block,Rossi,Allen,Alschuler,&Wilson,2016).Forexample,one studyonculturalcompetenceinaBSWprogramassumedthatdiversityintheUnited Statesislinkedto“anationofimmigrantsandnativepeoples”(p.643).Theauthors deducedthisassumptionfromracecategoriesinU.S.Censusdata.Thislogicimplies thataone-waydirectionalrelationshipexistswithinsocialwork-Eurocentrictoall othercultures.Incontrast,anAfrocentricviewholdsfasttotheideathatan“individualcannotbeunderstoodseparatefromotherpeople”(Schiele,1994,p.154). Thelatterviewprovidesaframeworktodevelopagenuinerelationshipgrounded inhumanisticvaluesforsocialworkstudentstoengageinculturalcompetency practices.
Cultural competencystandards,insocialworkeducation,aretotrainthesocial workpractitionertobevigilantoftheirpersonalbeliefsandvaluesintheirpursuit tohelpothers(Blocketal.,2016).Tobeculturallycompetentsocialworkers,one mustunderstandtheculturesofminorities.Researchshows“socialworkersoften confrontsituationstheydonotunderstand,ortheyhavedifficultyrelatingtoapersonorsituationbecausetheylackmemory,comparisons,orlifeexperiencewith theotherperson’sculture,language,oppressionorprivilege”(Hendricks,2003,p. 76).Blocketal.attestthat“[p]racticingwithculturalcompetencerequiresthatthe clinicianpossessanawarenessofhowhis/herowncultureandbiasescouldaffect hisorherworkwithclients(p.4).”Theauthorsexaminethebachelor-levelstudent’sculturalcompetencyskills.Furthermore,Blocketal.discussthecurriculum designformat,andexplorestudentdemographiccorrelationtoculturalcompetency
skillspre-andpost-courseinstructionasone-coursecontentdeliveryoracrossmultiplecourses.Theauthorsdefineculturalcompetence,asarticulatedinBarker(2003, p.104),asthe“possessionoftheknowledge,attitudes,understanding,selfawareness,andpracticeskillsthatenableaprofessionaltoserveclientsfromdiverse socio-ethnicbackgrounds”(p.644).Thisdefinitionblursorinterchangesthecontext ofaculturewithanethnicgroupandpresentsatheoreticalmisunderstandingwhen appliedtotheAfricanAmericancommunity.Forexample,ifethnicityisasocial constructthatchangesovertime(Williams&Husk,2016)with“elementssuchas thelanguage,beliefs,norms,behaviors,andinstitutionsthatmembersofagroup share”(Murryetal.,2004,p.83),theAfricanAmericancultureisnodifferentfrom WhiteAmericanculture.Incontrast, Schiele(1994,p.152)surmised“thatthereare distinctculturaldifferencesbetweenAfrican[continentalsandintheDiaspora]and Europeanpeoples.”
The Afrocentricperspectiveprovidessocialworkerswithaframeworkthataligns withtheNationalAssociationofSocialWork(NASW)codeofethicsandCouncil onSocialWorkEducation(CSWE)EducationalPolicyandAccreditationStandards (EPAS).TheNASWCodeofEthicsStandard1.05[CulturalAwarenessandSocial Diversity]framesservices-deliverymethodsforsocialworkerspracticingwithdiverse groupstoincludeAfricanAmericanindividuals,families,communities,andorganizations.Specifically,theCodeimploressocialworkersto
understand cultureanditsfunctioninhumanbehaviorandsociety,recognizingthe strengthsthatexistinallcultures...[and]haveaknowledgebaseoftheirclients’ culturesandbeabletodemonstratecompetenceintheprovisionofservicesthatare sensitivetoclients’culturesandtodifferencesamongpeopleandculturalgroups.
In socialworkacademics,themajorityoftheAfrocentricperspectiveliterature centersonitsorigin(Asante,1983),ideologiesandconcepts(Schiele,1997),validity (Winters,1994),necessity(Gilbert,Harvey,&Belgrave,2009),andmisunderstandings(Mazama,2007).AfricanAmericansocialsciencescholarsinhighereducation havetakentheinitiativetoincorporateAfrocentricityintoavarietyofcollege-level courses(Davis,Williams,&Akinyela,2010;Dyson&Brice,2016;Graham,1999; Manningetal.,2004;Mungai,2015;Schiele,1996).Afrocentristsscholarsfindan agreementthatamodificationtoincludeAfrocentricityanditsprecursorstothe socialworkcurriculumisappropriate(Graham,1999;Mazama,2007;Pellebon, 2007;Schiele,1997).
CRITICALTHINKINGINSOCIALWORKEDUCATION
Critical thinkingbeginswithcriticalthinkers.Somescholarssuggestthatcritical thinking“impliesmoreanalyticprocessingtoenableourassumptionstobeidentified togetherwiththecontinualquestioningof,reflectionuponandwillingnesstochange theseassumptions”(Irving&Williams,1995,p.112).Teachingcriticalthinking skillsbeginswiththeassumptionsthatallstudentscanbeacriticalthinkernomatter thecourseordiscipline.
Teaching criticalthinkingrequireseducatorstoassumethatstudentshaveidentifiablecriticalthinkingskillsandthatstudentswillbebetterthinkersfromthe process(Halpern,1999).Theseassumptionsprovideanevaluationframeworkto
guidebothteacherandstudenttoascertainthelevelofprogressfromanestablished baselinepresentedinHelpern’sFour-Partmodelofinstructionforcriticalthinking. Themodelconceptualizedteachingcriticalthinkingprocesswhichincludesinstructionfocusedonstudentskills,studentdisposition,structuretrainingofcorrelation problems,andmetacognitionmonitoring.Aconsensusinthesocialworkeducationliteratureexhortseducatorstodevelopessentialcriticalthinkingskills forsocialworkstudents’applicationacrossthecurriculum.Intwosocialwork educationstudiespublishedin TheJournalofSocialWorkEducation,Mumms andKersting(1997)andDysonandBrice(2016)exploreeffectiveteaching methodstointroduceanddevelopcriticalthinkingskillsforBSWandMSW studentsasapilotstudy.MummsandKerstingfocusedonMSWandBSW populationsandusedaone-shotpre/postmethodologytoexplorecriticalthinkingskills;whileDysonandBricefocusedonaBSWpopulationanduseda qualitativeapproachtocollectandinterpretdata.Bothstudiesprovidesample teachingstrategies,studentassignments,andclassactivities.MummsandKerstingusedatraditionallecture,assignedreadings,andin-classdiscussionstyle modalities.Incontrast,DysonandBrice(2016)usedahybridofteam-based learning,simulation,andclassdiscussionstrategies.MummsandKerstingprovided studentswithsmallgroupdiscussionstohelpdevelopcriticalthinkingbehaviors. Additionally,bothstudiesusedagame:“ReasoninginPractice”inMummsand Kerstingand“Monopoly”inDysonandBrice.Neitherstudyincludedaformal measurementtooltoassessstudents’criticalthinking.DysonandBrice(2016)providedaconceptualmodelforteachingcriticalthinkingtosocialworkstudents throughtheselectiveinclusionofcertainAfrocentricityandAfrican-centeredconceptionderivatives.Theauthorsofferthefield/disciplineateachingmodelthatincorporatesanAfrican-centeredapproachintoacriticalthinkingcourseforbachelorsocial workstudents.Theauthorsincludedkeyfundamentalconceptsinthedeliveryof thecoursecontent:Afrocentricity,Afrocentrism,andtheAfricanself-consciousness. TheseBlackRacialIdentity(BRI)statusprovideareactionresponsetoWhitecultural valuesandrelationalexperienceswithWhiteculture.PierreandMahalik(2005) examinedtheAfricanself-consciousnessandBlackracialidentityamongBlackmen. TheauthorsdiscussthegapintheliteratureonAfricanself-consciousness.The authorsusedtheframeworkforexaminingAfricanself-consciousnessthatoutlines withtheBRIcategories:Preencounter,Encounter,Immersion,andInternalization.
Specifically,PierreandMahalik(2005)addressedthatlackof“researchto datehas[not]examinedwhetherAfricanself-consciousnessactuallypredictspsychologicalwell-beingforBlacks(p.30).”Thestudyusedasurveymethodology, convenience-samplingproceduretodeterminepredictorsofBlackmen’spsychologicalwell-being.Participantsweremalesages18–25attwoHBCUs,onePWI,aninnercityYMCA,andanAfricanMethodistEpiscopalChurch.Participantscompleteda demographicform,andfour inventories:theAfricanSelf-ConsciousnessScale,the BlackRacialIdentityAttitudeScale-B,theCoopersmithSelf-EsteemInventory,the SymptomCheckList-90Revised.Thefindingsfromthisresearchdirectlyrelatedto AfricanAmericanmalestudentsinasocialworkprogramwhenintroducingselfawarenessconceptsandactivities.
Oftentimes thecurriculumdesignprocessforanAfrican-centeredcourseuses creativeadhocactivitiestobridgethetechnicalconcepts.DysonandBrice(2016) provideBSWstudentswithanAfrican-centeredframeworktoguidetheirservice deliverypracticeswhenworkingwithAfricanAmericanfamilies,withoutgrounding
theframeworkinthequintessentialideologyofthefieldofsocialworkconcepts.As mentionedearly,thisstudyfocusedontheteachingofcriticalthinkingtoBSWstudents.Theinstructorsinthiscourseprovidedstudentswithaseriesofassignments meanttoconnectcontentwithstudent’sreal-worldexperiences.Thestudy’simplicationsprovidedtheinspirationtowardscurriculumdevelopment andtheinform decision-makinginthedevelopmentoftheDIASPORAModelforTeachingtheAfrocentricPerspective.Additionally,theDIASPORAmodelincorporatesanexpanded frameworkoftheFiveStagesofLearningandTeachingculturalcompetenceinthe practiceofsocialworkasoutlinedin(Hendricks,2003).
Hendricks (2003)developedthemodelbylabelingandprovidingdescriptive actionstoReynolds’(1942)fivestagesofconsciousattention.HendricksconceptualizedReynolds’stagesasculturalawareness,culturalsensitivity,beginningcultural competence,relativemasteryofculturalcompetence,andteacher/learnerofcultural competence.Thisauthorfurthersthestagesbyconnectingmeasurablecriteriafor eachstagebyintegratingstudentactionsandexpectationsforeachleveloverlaid withBloom’sCognitiveTaxonomygroups.Thisnewframeworkisidealforteachingcriticalthinkingskillsforstudentstodevelopculturalcompetencyinsocialwork practice.Table1providesasummaryoftheframework.
DIASPORAMODELCONTENTANDACTIVITIES
The Afrocentricperspectiveinterconnectednessilluminatestheoverlappingfeatures oftheModelrelationshiptosocialworkpractice.Themodel’sframeworkprovidessocialworkeducatorswithasystematicapproachtoteachingtheAfrocentric perspective,socialjustice,andculturalcompetencytobaccalaureateandgraduate levelstudents.TheDIASPORAmodelframeworkisappropriateforbothsemester andquartercourseprograms.Ideally,contentdeliveryoccursthroughan8-module frameworkovera16-weekcourse.SocialworkfacultycanusetheDIASPORAmodel acrossavarietyofsocialworkcourses.
TABLE1.TeachingCriticalThinkingWithBloom’sTaxonomy Reynolds(1942) Hendricks(2003) TeachingCriticalThinkingWith Bloom’sTaxonomy
StageI Cultural Awareness Novice:Remembering/Tacit
Stage II CulturalSensitivity Intermediate:Knowledge/ Awareness
Stage III BeginningCultural Competence Advance:Application/Strategies
Stage IV RelativeMastery
Mastery:AnalysisandEvaluation/ Reflective
Stage V Teacher/Learner Scholarship:Creation
The AfrocentricliteraturedefinesAfricandiasporaas“themillionsofpeoplesof Africandescentlivinginvarioussocietieswhoareunitedbyapastbasedsignificantly butnotexclusivelyupon’racial’oppressionandthestrugglesagainstitandwho, despitetheculturalvariationsandpoliticalandotherdivisionsamongthem,share anemotionalbondwithoneanotherandwiththeirancestralcontinentandwho also,regardlessoftheirlocationfacebroadlysimilarproblemsinconstructingand realizingthemselves”(Palmer,2000,p.30).TheDIASPORAModelusestheword diaspora asanacronymtoprovidetheframeworkforstudentstoapplytheAfrocentricperspectivebasictenetsandconceptstosocialissues,andtoengageinthe culturallycompetentpracticeforworkingwithAfricanAmericanindividuals,families,organizations,andcommunities.Table2,theDIASPORAModel,demonstrates theconnectivesofthemodel’sconceptstoAfrocentricsocialworkandtheAfrocentricPerspective.Themodelisdesignedtoassiststudentsandscholarstoviewsocial issuesinaneight-stepssystematicthinkingandwritingprocesstoproducecomprehensiveknowledgefromanAfrocentricperspective.Eachstepprovidesinstructors withthelatitudetotailorspecificcoursecontentthroughthemodel’sframework. ThefirststepistodeconstructthesocialproblemfromaEurocentricworldviewtoa culturalrealityofthecommunitythatframessocialinteractionsandbehaviors.StudentsreceivetheDIASPORAModelchartindouble-sidedformat.Pageoneofthe chartoutlinesthemeaningoftheacronymsandthestandardsassociatedwitheach criticalthinkingstage,aspreviouslyoutlinedinTable1.PagetwooftheDIASPORA chartisareplicaofthefirstcolumnandanamendedsecondcolumn.Depending onthepurposeandoutcomeoftheassignment,column2isusedsostudentshave instructor-providedquestionstodevelopcriticalthinkingonthetopic.
Students buildsocialworkknowledgeandpracticethroughcriticalthinkingskills developmenttomergetheNASWcodeofethicsandtheAfrocentricperspective. ThisarticledemonstratestheuseoftheModelinoneintroductoryBSWcourse.This processoccursthroughknowledgebuilding,transfer,andapplicationassignments intwophases.ThephaseintroducesstudentstoeverydaysituationsintheAfrican Americancommunity.Forexample,theWhitneyM.Young,Jr.SchoolofSocial
TABLE2.DIASPORAModelforTeachingtheAfrocentricPerspective DDescribetheissue,deconstructionofthesocialproblem
I Investigatesocialrelationships
A Acknowledgeandassessculturalbeliefs,values,andspirituality
S Searchforsocialsystemsinformationandsocialinteractions
P Ponderpoliticalnuances,objectives,andpropaganda
O Offeropinionsonopportunitiesandoppressivedynamics
R Reconstructsocialdynamics,reconcileandrelayonreasoningandreality. Center thedialogintherealityofthesubject.
A ApplyAfrocentricity,affectiveknowledge,andadvocacy
WorkrequiresallstudentsenteringintotheBSWprogramtoenrollintheCUSW 202IntroductiontoHelpingProfessioncourseofferedintheirfirstSpringsemester andpriortotakinganyothersocialworkcourses.Thisintroductorycourseprovides studentswiththefoundationforworkinginthehelpingprofession,specifically,in thesocialworkprofession.Studentsmustdemonstrateanacceptableunderstanding ofandcompliancewiththeNASWcodeofethics.Todemonstratethisstep,abeginningassignmentincludesaclassdiscussionofacurrenteventpresentedinthenews asasocialproblemwithintheAfricanAmericancommunity.Theclassdiscussion shouldevoketheusualjudgmentsthatareculturalassumptionsabouttheindividualandcommunity.Withcarefulguidance,studentsshouldthenbemovedtoward understandingthesituationfromthepersonbeingjudged.PlanningforthisactivityobjectistomovestudentsfromStage1NovicetoStage2Intermediatecritical thinkingskillsoutlinedinTable1.Anexampleassignmentiscaseanalysisthrough onlinediscussionposts.StudentsweregivenseveralvideoclipstowatchfromtheTV series TheWire.Thefollowingstudent’spostindicatescriticalthinkingbeginningat Stage1IntermediateandprogressingtoStage3.
One ofthemostglaringissuesMikefacesisthatofpoverty.Povertycanbeexplained asthestateofbeingextremelypoorbutinthewest,muchlikeintherestoftheworld, povertyisthesymptomofamoreinsidioussysteminwhichpeoplearedefinedworth onthebasisoftheirabilitytoselltheirlaborandonthewayinwhichtheylookwhen tryingtodoso,i.e.skincolorandotherphysicalfactors.ForMikelivinginpoverty bringsaboutmanyissues,oneofwhichisexcessiveexposuretoviolenceandlackinginpropereducationaloutlets.InMike’scommunity,beingabletostandupfor yourselfandbeingabletoprovideforyourselfwhennooneelsecanissomething lookeduponfavorably.InthatwaymanyofthepeoplethatMikecomesintocontactwithselldrugsinordertomakeendsmeet.Thisisn’tlookeduponglamorously, butitisseenas,insomecases,astepabovebeggingorgoinghungry.Thesesame people,insociety,areoftenlookeddownupon,ignoringsociety’shandintheircreation.WhichbringsustotheAfrocentricPerspectivewhichtakesinaccountofboth theindividual’sresponsibilitytothemselvesandsociety’sneglectorlackthereofof thatindividualandthatcommunity.OnethingthatcoulddefinitelyimproveMike’s situationwouldbeaccesstoresources,educational,vocational,andonesthatmeet hisbasicphysicalneedswithouthimhavingtoscrapandscroungeorrelyona motherwhowouldsellthegroceries.Also,counselingandhelpfulresourcesforthat mother.Anotherthingthatwouldbeveryhelpfulcouldalsobecommunityclean-up initiativesandreconstructioneffortsinthatareasothatpeoplewhofindthemselves withouthomesareabletohelpbuildthecommunitybackupandsecurethemselves safeandcomfortingplacestoliveandcongregate.
The secondphaseincorporatestheDIASPORAmodelintoscholarship.Students writetwocriticalanalysispapers.Onepaperisbasedonthemovie LosingIsaiah. The secondpaperrequiresstudentstointegratetheirpersonalvalues,socialworkvalues, andtheAfrocentricperspective.Table3 AfrocentricPerspectiveandSocialWork PaperandTable 4CaseAnalysisPaperoutlinetheparametersfortheseassignments.
IMPLICATIONSANDRECOMMENDATIONS
The literatureoftenprovidesthehistoricalcontext,analysis,andimplicationfor teachingAfricanAmericancollegestudents,whichcentersonphilosophicalideologiesofcollectiveness,spirituality,andhumanisticvalues.Littleresearchinsocial workeducationfocusesoneffectiveteachingmethodsthatassiststudentsinusing
TABLE3.AfrocentricPerspectiveandSocialWorkPaper
UsetheAPastheguidingtheorytodiscussandintegratesocialworkvalues intoyourunderstandingofsocialworkpractice.Whatarethedefining elementsofsocialwork
Describe yourvaluebaseintermsofsocialworkvaluesandpurposeset forthbyNASW:
Integrity,Competence,Importanceofhumanrelationships,SocialJustice, Service, HumandignityandWorth,SocialJustice
Use theDIASPORAmodeltodiscussthefollowing:
Articulate andreflectonpersonalvalues,beliefs,andbiases
Discuss values,standards,andexpectations
Identify atleast3fivepersonalvalues/beliefs
Identify anddiscussasocialissuewithintheAfricanAmericancommunity
Provide statisticaldatatosupporttheinsertionofthesocialissue
Provide historicalcontextofthesocialissue
Discuss theworldviewofthesocialissue
Identify theconceptsofAP
Apply APtenantsandassumptionstosocialworkissues
Compare andcontrasttraditionalviewsofsocialworkpractice
criticalthinkingskillstounderstandthebasictenetsoftheAfrocentricity,Africancentered.TheAfrocentricliteraturelacksthetext,whichexplainsordiscussesstudentpreevaluationthatwouldassistinanalyzingthestudent’schangeinperspective orknowledgegrowthafterexposuretoAfrocentricconcepts.
Curriculum designteamsthatuseanAfrocentricsocialworkreferenceframework shouldbeginwithanunderstandingthattheAfrocentricperspectiveemployshumanisticvalues,whicharefundamentaltothedevelopmentofhealthyfamiliesandcommunities.Accordingly,Afrocentricsocialworkis“amethodofsocialworkpractice basedontraditionalAfricanphilosophicalassumptionsthatareusedtoexplainand tosolvehumanandsocietalproblems”(Schiele,1997,p.804).UseoftheAfrocentric perspectivewithinacurriculumdesignprocessfurthersthepremisetoeducatesocial workstudentsfirstbyknowingthemselves,understandingtheenvironmentinwhich theylive,andthenapplyingknowledgetohelpothersnavigatetheenvironmentto produceavibrantcommunity,anAfricanAmericancommunitystronginspirit.
Afrocentric scholarshaveadoptedandincorporatedAfrocentricityconceptsinto socialworkpracticeacademia.Genealogicalinvestigationstoestablishpersonalheritagesupportsself-awarenessinanexampleofanassignmenttoengagestudentsin Sankofaconceptsandelicitscriticalthinkingskillswhenexploringself-awareness andself-consciousness.OnesuchexampleistheuseofAdinkrasymbolsforstudents tocreateasenseofconnectiontothe“motherland”(Dyson&Brice,2016).
The AdinkrasymbolsexercisecanprovideaprofoundphilosophicalandsophisticatedexampleofhowstudentscanusetheAdinkrasymbolstoassisttheirclients withunderstandingthepurposeoftheservicestheyareproviding.Forinstance, Mungai(2015)explainstheAdinkrasymbol, Sankofa as“abirdlookingbackbut
TABLE4.CaseAnalysisPaper
AssignmentInstructions:Reviewthemovie LosingIsaiah andwritean analyticalpaper.UsetheNationalAssociationofSocialWorkValuesand CodeofEthicstoprovide/frameyourperspectiveofeightmaincharacters. Inyouranalysisprovidespecificreference/descriptionorquotesfromthe movie.Useoneoftheethicaldecision-makingmodelstoidentifyanddiscuss atleasttwoethicaldilemmas.NOTE:Maintainyourcritiquetothemovie contentandinteractions.Excludeyourcritiqueoftheactor’sperformance. Youranalysisshouldbeframedfromtwoperspectives:1.Youareasocial workerwithclients(Khalia,Isaiah,Charles,HannahandMargaret),and 2.Youareasocialworkwithcolleagues(Gussie,Lawyer,ProgramDirector andMargaret).
Paper sectionshouldfollowthefollowingformat.Usethefollowingheadings:
1. Character Analysis: Writeacharacteranalysisforeachcharacter
2. Social WorkValues: Identifyanddiscusssocialworkvaluesassociated witheachcharacter
3. Social WorkEthicalStandards: Identifyanddiscusssocialworkethical standardsimplicittoworkingwitheachcharacter.
4. Ethical Dilemmas: Identifyanddiscussanethicaldilemma
a. Identify atleastthreeseparateissuesinthemovietodiscussthepresenceofanethicaldilemmaorviolationofanethicalstandard.
b. Use theNASWCodeofEthicstodiscusseachissue
c. For eachethicaldilemmaorviolationspecifically,detail
• The sceneinthemoviecitingtheconflict.
• Include detailsthatmayberelevanttoconflict
• Cite theNASWCodeofEthicsStandard(s)(notsocialworkvalues)
5. Applicable Laws: Additionally,includeanyapplicablelaw(s)anddiscuss itsrelevancetotheissue/conflict/resolution
6. Reflective writing: Discusspersonalinterpretationofethicaldilemma, includeself-awarenessconcepts,reactionorfeelingstoconceptslearn andhowwhatyoulearnwillimpactfutureinteractionwithclientsinthe future
goingforwardandmeansthatit[is]importanttoreflectonthepasttobuildaprosperousfuture.”DysonandBrice(2016)hypothesized“howcanindividualshelpothersmakedecisionswhentheylackknowledgeoftheirhistoricalself?”The Sankofa symbol,which“advocatesrevisitingthepasttofindwhatisforgotteninorderto buildastrongandresilientfuture,notingthatthepast,present,andfutureareall interconnected”(Mungai,2015,p.65)answersthepremiseofthisquestion.
Modern formsofthisexpressiondemonstratetheabilityofcommunitiesto assumeforthecareofchildren,especiallydisadvantagedchildren.Africancommunitypracticetraditionsareanearlyexampleofprovidingforthepoorandmisfortunate.Avoseh(2012)educatesreaderswiththeproclamation,“proverbsarethe intellectualsourceofencodinganddecodingacrossallstrataofhumanendeavor ...[that]involvescriticality,observation,andthetotalityofprocessedlifeexperiences”(2012,p.240).Theoften-quotedexpression,“ittakesavillage,”isanAfrican proverbthatemphasizescollectiveresponsibility(Graham,1999).
Social workeducatorscandesignagroup-learningactivitythatrandomlyassigns studentstogroups(i.e.,villages)andexplaintherationalefortherandomassignment.ExpandingonDysonandBrice’s(2016)classdiscussionactivityontheAfrican,
Family,andVillage,thisactivitybeginswiththestudents’randomassignmentto groupscalled“villages,”supportsstudent’scriticalthinkingdevelopmentasthey discussthevalueandmakeupofatraditionalvillage,andthestudentpremiseto understandtheimportanceoftheconnectivityconcept.Thisauthordiscernedthat therationalefortherandomassignmentisforstudentstothinkcriticallyaboutthe eventasachildisbornintoafamilyandtheritualsthereafterforbothamaleand afemale.Forexample,studentsshouldcriticallythinktoexploreanddiscuss:What arechildrentaughtatanearlyage?Whataretheexpectationsforayoungadult inthevillage,howdohumanbehaviorandsocialrolesdifferalongthestagesof life?Nextsocialworkinstructorsshouldfacilitateasmalldiscussiononthevalue ofandmakeupofatraditionalvillagewouldgivethereaderthepremisetounderstandtheimportanceofthisconcept.Theseobjectivesareinteractiveengagement opportunitiesforstudentstodevelopcriticalthinkingskills.Thisgroup-learning activitydemonstratestheAfricanideologythat“Iam,becauseweare,andsincewe are,thereforeIam”(Mbiti,1970,p.141).Theassignmenttoagroupcouldintroducethestudentstothefamilydynamics,beyondmembership.Thisclassassignment developscriticalthinkingskillsthroughcooperativelearningandgroupworkstrategies.Additionalobjectivesthatsupplementstudentlearninganddevelopmentofselfawarenessintroducesstudentstoindividualgenealogyandfamilytree,African(i.e., AncientKemet)historyrelatedtoAfricanculturalpractices,andtheAfricadiaspora (Table5).
CONCLUSION
The Afrocentricperspectiveemployshumanisticvalues,whicharefundamentalto thedevelopmentofhealthyfamiliesandcommunities.Thisalternativeperspective seekstodecolonizethestandardmethodologyadheredto,whichaddressesthesocial oppressionoftheAfricanAmericancommunity.Tomovetheparadigmforward, thisauthorbelievesthatcurriculumdesignforteachingsocialworkstudentsAfrocentricPerspectiveincorporatesconceptsofdecolonizing,inquiry,Sankofa,politicalimplications,oppressions,oppositions,andopportunitiesthatallowstudentsto
TABLE5.StudentLearningOutcomes
Studentslearntoanalysissocialissuesdatawithindiversecommunities
Students learnthemultiplelayersofoppressivepolicies,culturalpractices imposedupondisenfranchisedindividuals
Students learntocenterassessmentfromtheclient’sperspective
Students exploreAfricanSelf-consciousness,genealogy
Students learndiverseworldviewsonhumanbehaviorinthesocial Environment
PStudents learnthehistoricalpoliticalstructure
Students learntoexpressopinionsontheopportunitiesanditsrelationand dynamicswithoppressionandopposition
PStudents learntoframesocialissue
Students learntoapplyaffectiveknowledgeforadvocacy
reconstructsocialissuesthroughacquiringeffectiveknowledge.Assuch,theDIASPORAModelmayserveasanexampleforbothBSWandMSWcurriculumdesign teamstoincorporateAfrocentricperspectiveconceptsintoteachingstrategies. The premisefortheAfrocentricperspectiveDIASPORAmodelistoeducatesocial workstudentsfirstbyknowingwhotheyare;understandingtheenvironmentin whichtheylive;andthenapplyingthelearnedknowledgetohelpothersnavigate theirenvironmenttoproduceavibrantcommunity,anAfricanAmericancommunity stronginspirit.Afrocentricsocialworkfoundationalideasarededucedfromthe collectivescholarshipwritingsonAfrocentricity.
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Disclosure.Theauthorhasnorelevantfinancialinterestoraffiliationswithanycommercial interestsrelatedtothesubjectsdiscussedwithinthisarticle.
CorrespondenceregardingthisarticleshouldbedirectedtoIvisReneeKing,WhitneyM. YoungJr.SchoolofSocialWork,ClarkAtlantaUniversity.E-mail:iking@cau.edu