The Field Instructor as Group Worker: Managing Trust and Competition in Group Supervision

The purpose of this study was to further understanding of group supervision in field education. The goal was to illuminate factors that students identified as important for a group climate that facilitated learning. A qualitative interview methodology was used to explore the experiences of 18 MSW students who received group supervision as the primary method of field instruction. Numerous factors influence students' ability to participate in group learning, such as their previous experiences with each other, level of competence, and skill as a group member. The respondents also described specific behaviors of the field instructor as group supervisor that they valued.