<p>This qualitative study explored the problems of social work education through a neoliberal lens, drawing on in-depth interviews with social workers (<i>n</i> = 8), academics (<i>n</i> = 8), and students (<i>n</i> = 8), selected via purposive and criterion sampling. The following themes were identified through thematic analysis: the neoliberal expansion of social work education, neoliberal academic resources, online education in social work, and neoliberal field practice. In the first theme, participants emphasized the process of educational devaluation caused by high quotas and insufficient or out-of-field academics, particularly highlighting the failure to develop practical skills. The second theme discusses the inability to establish a local context for education conducted primarily due to the use of translated materials and the failure to apply theory to practice. The continuation of online education in social work with high enrollment numbers, as an indicator of the commercialization of higher education, was found to result in the loss of rights in both education and employment. The final theme addresses limited agency capacity amid rising student numbers, along with challenges in field training and supervision. The study’s main recommendations include employing academics formally trained in social work, reducing student quotas, and restructuring online education programs.</p>

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Problems of Social Work Education in Türkiye through a Neoliberal Lens: Perspectives of Social Workers, Academics, and Students

  • Güle İşler,
  • Meliha Funda Afyonoğlu

摘要

This qualitative study explored the problems of social work education through a neoliberal lens, drawing on in-depth interviews with social workers (n = 8), academics (n = 8), and students (n = 8), selected via purposive and criterion sampling. The following themes were identified through thematic analysis: the neoliberal expansion of social work education, neoliberal academic resources, online education in social work, and neoliberal field practice. In the first theme, participants emphasized the process of educational devaluation caused by high quotas and insufficient or out-of-field academics, particularly highlighting the failure to develop practical skills. The second theme discusses the inability to establish a local context for education conducted primarily due to the use of translated materials and the failure to apply theory to practice. The continuation of online education in social work with high enrollment numbers, as an indicator of the commercialization of higher education, was found to result in the loss of rights in both education and employment. The final theme addresses limited agency capacity amid rising student numbers, along with challenges in field training and supervision. The study’s main recommendations include employing academics formally trained in social work, reducing student quotas, and restructuring online education programs.