Curricular Considerations: The Process of Integrating Simulation-Based Learning Into a Social Work Communication and Interviewing Skills Course

Simulation-based learning (SBL) is used as an educational tool within health professions education disciplines, including medicine and nursing. More recently, SBL has been applied within social work education as a growing body of research, demonstrating its efficacy in teaching social work competencies. SBL provides students with safe and practical opportunities to apply their skills within highly realistic settings. The growing body of literature on SBL within social work education informed the development of a new Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) course focused on communication and interviewing skills at Wilfrid Laurier University. The purpose of this editorial is to provide an example of a collaborative process for integrating simulation as a pedagogy within course design. This collaborative process involved four stages: designing the course, preparing, and revising the simulations, facilitating the simulations, and evaluating student learning and experience. This editorial may assist instructors by providing a pedagogical framework for incorporating SBL into both new and existing curricula.