Syllabus

SSWO 002 Orientation to Field Education and Field Planning

Credits - Not applicable

Description

Orientation to Field Education and Field Planning is an exciting interactive course designed to familiarize you with field education. The School believes that field education is the capstone of your learning experience and is invested in the success of your field placement. Through much support and interaction, these modules will guide you step by step in the field planning process. Stimulating readings, up-to-date videos and experiential exercises will enhance your ability to identify, interview, and select the best agency fit for you. We are excited to welcome you to this course!

Each module walks you through an important step in that process – building off of the prior module’s information and activities. As a UNE MSW student, our goal is to give you the tools (introduced in this orientation) to help you find the best agency for your educational goals and preferences. With each item introduced in this orientation, think about how you will apply this to finding the agency for your field experience. Although we hope you find this orientation exciting, we ask that you do not begin to contact agencies until after you have met with your field planner at the end of Module 3. This planning meeting will mark the beginning of your internship search and your introduction into Module 4.

One important element to highlight about this orientation is that while the course runs for four weeks, Module 4 is your field planning Module and will be your resource and repository for final forms until you begin placement. The forms you find in Module 4 will be the forms that you submit once you have found a placement. All the information in Orientation will serve as a resource, and this course itself will serve as a document repository for all of your paperwork required to complete in order to start field placement. It is highly recommended you save all of your work you submit for this course. You may need/want to refer back to something during the field planning process.

In the orientation, you are presented with several exercises designed to help you think about the field experience. You will also complete critical forms. All of your assignments for Modules one through three must be submitted via Blackboard and not via email. Any assignments submitted through mail, fax, or email will not be accepted. Your Field Proposal and Agreement form, and Field Instructor form in Module 4 will all be submitted via Blackboard. The Clinical Affiliation Agreement with the cover sheet will be the only item submitted via email. Email instructions can be found in Module 4.

After completion of Module 3 you will enter the Field Planning portion of this course. Field Planning requires weekly communication with your instructor by completing the assignments in corresponding Modules 5-14. It will be during this phase of the course that you will be supported in contacting organization and finalizing your field practicum.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

School of Social Work Program Outcomes:

Graduates of the UNE SSWO will demonstrate knowledge, skills, and leadership in the following:

1. Practice social inclusion to enable people, populations, and communities to fully participate in society, enhance human bonds in the context of cultural diversity and ensure improved quality of life and equitable resource distribution. EPAS Competencies 2 & 3
2. Engage in culturally-informed relationship building, being respectful of the complexity and diversity of contexts and circumstances. EPAS Competencies 3 & 6
3. Utilize theories of human behavior, social systems and social inclusion when offering interventions with people and their environments. EPAS Competency 8
4. Promote ethical reflection, critical consciousness and shared decision-making based in social work values and with consideration of the broader contexts of the world in which we live. EPAS Competency 1
5. Balance the roles of helpers, activists, and advocates through collaboration with communities to build healthy and sustainable resources. EPAS Competencies 2, 5, & 6
6. Engage as critical consumers and producers of research as it relates to assessment, intervention and evaluation of clinical and community practices. EPAS Competencies 4, 7, 8 & 9
7. Practice person-centered and collaborative community partnerships across diverse settings. EPAS Competency 6

Upon completion of this course (Modules 1-3) students will be able to:

1. Describe the role and importance of field education in the social work educational experience.
2. Utilize acquired skills and tools throughout the field planning process (Module 4).
3. Summarize the roles and responsibilities of all participants in field education.
4. Identify goals, expectations, preferences, and “the best fit” for the field placement experience.
5. Be prepared for the field placement interview process.

Upon completion of Field Planning (Module 4-14) students will have:

1. Successfully interviewed with at least two prospective field placement agencies
2. Selected an appropriate field placement agency.
3. Submitted all required field planning documentation for your chosen placement
4. Been approved for their field placement through a final virtual approval meeting

Assignments

Refer to the Course Schedule, below, for assignment information.

Grading Policy

The School of Social Work uses the following grading system for all courses with the exception of field education courses. Students are expected to maintain a “B” (3.0) average over the course of their study. Students with less than a GPA of 3.0 will be placed on academic probation. Students must have an overall GPA of 3.0 in order to receive their Master’s Degree.

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Module 1: Resume	100 points
Module 1: FAQ exercise	100 points
Module 2: Field Planning Form	100 points
Module 2: State Regulations	100 points
Module 2: Expectation Video	100 points
Module 4: Field Placement Proposal and Agreement	100 points
Module 4: Field Instructor Form	100 points
Module 5: Field Planning Terms Acknowledgment	100 points
Status Update Module 5	100 points
Status Update Module 6	100 points
Status Update Module 7	100 points
Status Update Module 8	100 points
Status Update Module 9	100 points
Status Update Module 10	100 points
Status Update Module 11	100 points
Status Update Module 12	100 points
Module 14: Field Placement Proposal and Agreement	100 points

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00

Grading and Late Policy:

In order to begin your field placement, you must complete all activities in this orientation, Modules 1-3, and score at least 80 out of 100 points. Points are earned for every assignment submitted and discussion forum in which you participate. Each assignment or discussion submitted late will earn up to half credit. No assignment or discussion will be accepted after the end of the course.

All assignments and discussions must be submitted in their respective modules (1-3). Points will be earned based upon timely submission of all assignments and postings. Late discussions will receive half credit. No assignment or discussion forum will be accepted after the end of the course. In order to pass this orientation course (Modules 1-3) and proceed with field planning (Module 4), you must earn a minimum 80 points out of a possible 100 points.

In Modules 5-14, students will earn 50 points per week by completing required assignments. Non-participation in modules 5-14 will result in a discontinuation of the field planning process. Students will resume planning the following semester.

Attendance Expectations:

All posts to the discussion boards should be completed by 11:59 p.m. EST of the last day of the module as indicated in the Course Schedule.

Any discussions that extend beyond that date and time will not be considered a part of the grade and/or assignment. Posts that no longer relate to the identified topic should be moved to one of the ongoing discussion boards such as “Ask Your Instructor,” “Hallway Discussions” or “Resources.”