Abstract

There is a growing body of evidence that supports the use of critical reflection in social work education to develop self-awareness, support the practice of cultural humility, and manage the influence of power, privilege, and values in professional practice. Within the context of disaster responses, social workers play vital roles in engaging, assessing, and intervening with communities. However, disasters may exacerbate existing inequalities, and disaster responses may fail to recognize a community’s shared knowledge, expertise, values, and agency. This qualitative study examined the reflections of nine graduate social work students from a public university in the Midwest region of the US, following a service learning course focused on disaster relief work in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The course linked critical reflection and service activities in the Caño Martín Peña communities located in the center of San Juan. Service activities included debris removal, cleanup, and painting of a community building that served as a hub for communication and distribution of food, water, medicine, and supplies. Students also engaged in dialogue, daily group debriefings, and journaling. Following completion of the course, students wrote articles critically reflecting on their assumptions, experiences, and learning processes. A qualitative analysis of students’ activities revealed four themes in student learning: (1) cognitive processes, (2) affective processes, (3) demonstration of cultural humility, and (4) professional identity development. Findings support the use of critical reflection as a valuable pedagogical tool to teach students how to practice reflexivity and prepare for the complexities of professional practice.