Evaluating the Impact of Simulation-Based Case Conferences on Social Work Students' Field Placement Performance

Authors

  • Vanessa Vinodhen

    Centre for Teaching and Learning Development, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore 569830, Singapore
  • Diana Wee

    School of Health and Social Science, Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore 569830, Singapore

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/jiep.v9i2.12445
Received: 14 October 2025 | Revised: 2 April 2026 | Accepted: 9 April 2026 | Published Online: 6 July 2026

Abstract

Simulation-based case conferences, developed collaboratively with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF), aim to increase students' competency in managing real-life internship case conferences. There is a significant gap in evidence-based approaches that effectively bridge theoretical knowledge with practical application in social work education, particularly in preparing students for complex multi-agency case conferences. Therefore, this study examines the effectiveness of this approach in preparing students for internship challenges and its influence on their confidence, decision-making abilities, and overall case conference performance. The research methodology incorporated three validated assessment tools: the Simulation Effectiveness Tool, Self-Efficacy in Clinical Skills Scale, and Social Work Skills Inventory. These were contextualised within Nanyang Polytechnic's (NYP) Social Work simulation framework to create comprehensive pre- and post-training surveys. The study involved Year 3 students from NYP's Diploma in Social Work programme. Qualitative analysis of learners' perceptions provided additional insights into the training's effectiveness during field placements. The findings revealed significant positive outcomes in students' preparedness for real-world case management, confirming simulation-based training's value in bridging theoretical and practical aspects of social work education. The research highlights simulation-based learning's effectiveness in developing practical skills, with the MSF partnership demonstrating the benefits of external agency collaboration in creating relevant training scenarios.

Keywords:

Social Work; Simulation Based Training; Placement; Professional Development; Clinical Competency

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How to Cite

Vinodhen, V., & Wee, D. (2026). Evaluating the Impact of Simulation-Based Case Conferences on Social Work Students’ Field Placement Performance. Journal of International Education and Practice, 9(2), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.30564/jiep.v9i2.12445

Issue

Vol. 9 , Iss. 2 (December 2026)

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ARTICLE

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Copyright © 2026 Vanessa Vinodhen, Diana Wee

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This is an open access article under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) License.