Online learning gives you the opportunity to acquire and develop a wealth of soft skills in addition to gaining the qualification you have chosen to study for.
Communication skills
Learning online requires you to use communication skills differently from classroom-based learning. You need to pay close attention to be able to pick up on more subtle clues and facial expressions when you are interacting with peers and tutors online. The pace of interaction is also different. Online communication via video platforms such as Zoom can encourage more patient and respectful communication, as the technology doesn’t work well when people interrupt or talk over one another. The more disciplined discussions necessitated by these platforms can help people be more inclusive, making it easier for everyone to contribute. When more reserved people get a chance to contribute via chat or by raising a hand, they get used to being given the space to comment or ask a question, and others get used to allow that space.
Developing these enhanced listening skills will serve you well in your work as a social worker. Sensitivity to how other people communicate and the awareness to allow space for others to make themselves heard will enhance your ability to understand how the people you work with are feeling, both colleagues and clients.
The Spalding Master of Social Work program is a flexible course that gives you a choice to earn your degree part-time over eight semesters (two years and eight months), or you can study full-time and complete the course in as little as one year and four months. This course is highly respected and has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). The program includes placements to give you real-world learning experiences, and one of the university’s placement coordinators will help to arrange this for you at a suitable setting and location to fit your learning goals.
Networking
One of the aspects that sometimes concern those considering studying for a degree online is that there will be limited opportunities for networking. This is certainly not the case, but networking is different when you are studying remotely. It is less organic, and you may need to be more proactive about meeting up virtually with your peers and tutors to make the most of the networking opportunities. One of the advantages is that you will have the chance to study alongside people from many different places, albeit virtually. When you are deciding which school to attend for your online master’s degree, look at how well online networking is supported, for example, through forums, organized online social events, etc.
Self-discipline and time management
Without the structure of classroom lessons and face-to-face contact with tutors, students need to take more responsibility for ensuring that they maintain regular attendance, keep on schedule with coursework, and hand in assignments on time. With online learning, students tend to have more independence in their learning and are responsible for organizing more of their work. They may use time management apps such as Todoist and Asana if they need help with managing an extensive task list.
Students need to develop good habits for time management. For many people studying for a master’s degree, there will be a need to juggle studying with work and other commitments. This calls for strong prioritization skills. Students will need to be able to differentiate important tasks from urgent tasks, which won’t always overlap, and know how to prioritize them. These prioritization skills will be invaluable for managing heavy caseloads in the social work sector and making sure that people are seen and issues addressed in an appropriate order.
Collaboration
Many online learning programs will encourage students to collaborate with their peers remotely on projects. Collaborating with others to carry out tasks or pursue a project offers the opportunity to develop a range of skills, including general teamwork, reaching consensus or other forms of agreement, potentially managing conflict, and accepting compromise where appropriate. These sorts of skills are highly transferable, as they can help in many jobs. In social work, you will often need to gain the buy-in of clients and other stakeholders, for example, to reach an agreement on a proposed care plan or when recommending new policies or procedures within a facility.
Resourcefulness and problem solving
Inevitably there will be times when online studying doesn’t go to plan. For example, you might find for a short period that the demands placed on you in your workplace are too much to allow you to keep on track with your studies. Or it could be that technology problems mean you can’t join an online event as planned. This is where you get a chance to develop your problem-solving skills, and you will be glad of these throughout your career whenever difficulties arise.
Perseverance
Studying on campus means you are surrounded by other people who are facing some of the same challenges you are. It can be easier to stay motivated when you see you are not alone in experiencing the more difficult phases of your studies. When you are studying online, you may find you have to draw more on your personal strengths to get through the tough times, such as when meeting a coursework deadline seems like an impossible challenge because of other commitments in your life. When you look back and remind yourself of the challenges you worked through, you will feel a real sense of achievement. Your perseverance and determination to succeed will stand you in good stead for the challenges you will face in the world of social work.
Taking charge
With more independent learning, you are in control of the direction you are taking with your studies. This ability to manage decisions in your studies easily translates into managerial skills you can apply in your social work career. This might be in terms of managing team members or managing other stakeholders.
When you choose to study for your master’s degree online, you can expect to gain many transferable skills you will be able to put to use throughout your social work career.
