We are excited to share that, starting with the Spring 2025 issue, Field Educator will be renamed Applied Learning in Social Work Education. This name change reflects our commitment to ensuring that our title aligns with social work’s dedication to equity, and avoids any unintended racist connotations. In retiring the name Field Educator, we are following the example of several schools of social work that have already transitioned their “field education” programs to “practicum education” programs. Among these institutions are the University of Southern California, New York University, Smith College, Morgan State University, and Simmons University. This change is also in line with the social work profession’s renewed commitment to critically examining and addressing its role in perpetuating discrimination and systemic racism (NASW, 2019). We look forward to continuing our work under this new title, with an ongoing focus on equity and inclusivity in social work education.
So how did we select Applied Learning in Social Work Education as our new name? It wasn’t easy! Editors and staff met over several months to consider what our name should convey. It was essential that the new name signal our continued focus on social work’s signature pedagogy, the experiential learning unique to social work. However, the word “practicum,” a Latin noun with an ancient derivation that is now commonly adopted by schools of social work as a substitute for “field,” did not capture the robust interactive nature of the scholarship associated with social work learning. “Applied learning” refers to the process of applying the theories, methods, and practices studied in the classroom to messy, complex, real world problems. Overall, the term more fully encompasses and describes the focus of our authors’ scholarship and of the journal’s purpose. Our purpose remains: advancing social work’s signature pedagogy through knowledge exchange and collaboration.
Starting with the Spring 2025 issue, all articles will be published and searchable in databases under Applied Learning in Social Work Education. In the coming months, look for more communications regarding our name change. We look forward to delivering the same high-quality scholarship and exchange of ideas in the new Applied Learning in Social Work Education.