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Mary Katherine (Rodwell) O’Connor

Mary Katherine (Rodwell) O’Connor

Professor
Phone: (804) 828-0688
E-mail: mkoconno@vcu.edu

Bringing art into social work

“I think that people who come to social work from art, literature or humanities backgrounds have a different set of problem-solving skills that add a creative dimension to their work. I have found that some of the most creative social workers are those who come to social work at the master’s level. This does not mean that those with a B.S.W. are also not good master’s students and practitioners. I believe the art and science of social work practice comes alive when one has some level of artistic training or exposure to the humanities.

“I was trained as an artist in my undergraduate program and, even though I am not a practicing artist, I think my creative instincts are still being challenged by what I do in the classroom, the research I engage in and the service I provide. Creative problem-solving continues to be necessary and doing this work has the same feeling for me as when I was producing art.

“It was while I was taking research classes in my doctoral program that I really saw how artful research is. It is similar to the kind of art I did — silk screen printing. There were layers and structures and rigor that produced a complex picture, just like a well designed piece of research.”

Education

  • Ph.D. – University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan.
  • M.S.W. – University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan.
  • B.S. – Immaculate Heart College, Hollywood, Calif.

Research interests

  • Historical research on human services
  • Child welfare and family violence practice issues including public child welfare practice
  • Services to street children
  • Organization assessment and management
  • Qualitative research method development

Courses taught

  • Ph.D. Philosophical Bases of Social Work Knowledge Building
  • Ph.D./M.S.W. Constructivist Inquiry
  • Policy, Community and Organizational Practice II
  • Social Work and Social Justice
  • Concentration Social Policy: Children and Families
  • Social Work Practice in Organizing for Social Change

Selected publications

Books

  • O’Connor, M.K., & Netting, F.E. (2009). Organization practice: A guide to understanding human services. (2nd Ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

  • Netting, F.E., O’Connor, M.K., Fauri, D. (2008). Comparative approaches to program planning. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

  • Fauri, D., Netting, F.E., & O’Connor, M.K. (2005). Social work macro practice workbook: Exercises and activities for policy, community, organization interventions. Pacific Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole.

Articles

  • Netting, F.E., O’Connor, M.K., & Fauri, D. (in press). A missing tradition: Women managing charitable organizations in Richmond, Virginia 1805-1905, Social Service Review.

  • O’Connor, M.K., Netting, F.E., & Fabelo, H.E. (2009). A multidimensional agency survey. Administration in Social Work, 33(1), 81-104.

  • O’Connor, M.K., & Netting, F.E. (2008). Teaching policy analysis as research: consideration and extension of options. Journal of social Work Education, 44(3)1159-172.

  • Netting, F.E., & O’Connor, M.K. (2008). Recognizing the need for evidence-based macro practices in organizational and community settings. In M. Roberts-DeGennaro (Ed.), Paradigm of Evidence-Based Macro Practice [Special issue]. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 44(3-4), 473-496.

  • O’Connor, M.K., Netting, F.E. (2008). Faith-based evaluation: Acceptable to whom, for what? Evaluation and Program Planning, 31(4), 347-355.

  • O’Connor, M.K. & Netting, F.E. (Fall 2008). Teaching policy analysis as research: Consideration and extension of options. Journal of Social Work Education, 44(3), 1-14.

  • O’Connor, M.K., Netting, F.E., & Thomas, M.L. (2008). Grounded theory: Managing the challenge for those facing IRB oversight. Qualitative Inquiry, 14(1), 28-45.

  • Netting, F.E., O’Connor, M.K., & Fauri, D. (2007) Planning transformative programs: Challenges for advocates in translating change processes into effectiveness measures. Administration in Social Work, 31(4), 59-81.

Professional affiliations

  • National Council of Returned Peace Corps Volunteers
  • Virginia Partners for the Americas