Advancing Democratic Social Work Classrooms: Aligning Adjunct Pedagogy and Student Learning through Rigorous Inquiry

Background: Social work education prepares practitioners to advance social justice and strengthen democratic participation. Social work classrooms must model engagement, dignity and equity through inclusive and equitable pedagogical practices. Within the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), rigorously examining instructional practices is essential to improving professional education and student preparedness.

Adjunct faculty comprise a substantial portion of the instructional workforce in large social work programs, bringing significant practice expertise that enriches curricula. Despite their central role, adjunct instructors receive limited preparation in pedagogy, adult learning theory, or inclusive teaching practices. This gap between instructional responsibility and pedagogical preparation raises questions about consistency, student engagement, and equitable learning environments.

Although SoTL research has emphasized the alignment of teaching practices with student learning needs, relatively little empirical research examines how adjunct instructors in social work teach and how students experience those approaches. Addressing this gap is critical to understanding whether and how commonly used teaching practices support student-centered learning. The objectives of this study were to: (1) identify the instructional methods adjunct faculty report using most frequently; (2) assess how students perceive the effectiveness and inclusivity of those methods; and (3) evaluate the alignment between faculty practices and student learning needs.

Methods: This study employed a convergent mixed-methods design at a large urban school of social work in the Northeastern United States. Participants included adjunct faculty (n=24), undergraduate and graduate social work students (n=112), and academic leaders (n=28), recruited through purposive sampling. Quantitative data were collected through online surveys assessing frequency of instructional methods, student perceptions of teaching effectiveness, and available pedagogical supports. Descriptive analyses and mixed-effects ordered logistic regression models were used. Adjusted predicted probabilities were estimated to quantify the likelihood that instructional methods would be rated in the highest categories (“Very often” or “Very effective”).

Qualitative data was collected through semi-structured focus groups and open-ended survey responses. Rapid qualitative analysis identified themes related to instructional effectiveness, inclusivity, and pedagogical training needs. Triangulation across stakeholder groups and across quantitative and qualitative findings was used, strengthening the credibility and interpretive depth of the findings.

Results: Adjunct faculty reported frequent reliance on instructor-led teaching methods, including lectures and guided discussions, as well as practices such as communicating objectives and using learning management systems. Overall, student-driven instructional methods were used less consistently though students reported greater engagement and perceived learning effectiveness in courses incorporating case studies, interactive exercises, facilitated discussion, and feedback-oriented practices. A misalignment was found: widely used instructor-led methods were less likely to be rated highly effective, whereas less frequently used interactive methods (simulations, role-playing, applied case studies) were perceived as highly effective. Stakeholders also identified gaps in culturally responsive pedagogy and equitable classroom participation.

Conclusions: Across groups, participants reported that adjunct faculty receive insufficient pedagogical preparation. Implications include developing structured, evidence-informed pedagogical training for adjunct faculty, strengthening institutional supports for teaching development, and encouraging accrediting bodies to prioritize adjunct faculty preparation. Continued SoTL research should examine how faculty development initiatives influence student engagement, learning outcomes, and educational equity.