Assessing Recent Textbooks and Casebooks in Human Service Administration

Abstract: 

Little attention has been given to assessing texts currentlyavailable to students of social work administration. This article evaluatestwelve books in the field including descriptive findings related to audi-ence, structure, definitions, managerial practice, and knowledge acquisi-tion and skill development. The analysis utilizes an eleven-roleframeworkto assess the relationship between the contents of the books and an em-pirical description of managerial work in the human services. The articleconcludes with a set of interpretations related to the balance betweenknowledge and skills, the degree to which theory informs practice, theuse  of  empirical  findings  about  practice, and  the  nature  of  learningstrategies thatinclude case-based and problem-centered learning.

Author: 
Austin, M.J.
Kruzich, J.M.
Publication date: 
September 23, 2008
Publication type: 
Journal Article