Oh, SNAP! Poverty Simulations in Social Justice Classrooms: Active and Experiential Learning

Area of Science:

• Social Work Education
• Nutrition Assistance Programs
• Active Learning Methodologies

Background:

• Social work training requires developing empathy and understanding of client socioeconomic challenges.
• Traditional lectures may not fully prepare students for the complexities of client experiences.
• Simulations offer a powerful tool for experiential learning in social work.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Challenge in social work education.
• To assess the impact of the challenge on students' self-reflection, bias analysis, and empathy.
• To determine if this active learning approach enhances preparedness for social service delivery.

Main Methods:

• Students participated in a seven-day Supplementary Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Challenge.
• Participants adhered to a $4.50 daily food allowance and chronicled their observations.
• Active learning methodologies, including simulations, were employed and compared to traditional lectures.

Main Results:

• The SNAP Challenge significantly improved students' awareness of power dynamics and privilege.
• Participants demonstrated enhanced adaptive flexibility and empathy.
• The simulation fostered critical self-reflection on personal biases related to poverty and food insecurity.

Conclusions:

• The SNAP Challenge is an effective pedagogical tool for social work education.
• This novel approach successfully addresses the Council of Social Work's Core Competencies.
• The program trains future social workers to deliver services more effectively and empathically.