‘I’m Going to Need a Lot of Therapy for This Someday’: Finding Your ‘Grit’ in Graduate School During COVID

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Completing a social work graduate degree can be an exciting and a challenging time for students, but the addition of a global pandemic is likely impacting their educational experiences. Using a modified version of Photovoice, a photography-based research methodology, and reflection essays, this exploratory study sought to elevate the voices of graduate students’ ( N = 16) perspective on learning during COVID in an American university. Findings from the qualitative analyses of the photographs and their captions and the reflective essays suggested that many students realized their inner strength by persevering when life got very hard. Themes from these analyses were slightly more positive (i.e. support from others; developing coping strategies; improved graduate experience) than negative (i.e. loneliness; emotional; being sick). Students’ viewpoint on learning during COVID provides insight into how instructors can develop creative pedagogies and support students as they persist in their pursuit of a social work degree.

Original languageAmerican English
Pages (from-to)1313-1335
Number of pages23
JournalSocial Work Education
Volume41
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2022

Keywords

  • COVID
  • coping strategies
  • graduate education
  • resilience
  • strengths

EGS Disciplines

  • Social Work

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