Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSW 004 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 from Modules 1 through 3 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, Field Instructor Form, Place of Employment Form (POE), and Block Placement Form in Module 4 will all be submitted via Blackboard.  The Clinical Affiliation Agreement (CAA) with the Cover Sheet will be the only item submitted via email.  Email instructions can be found in Module 4.

Materials

Recommended Reading:

Royse, D., Dhooper, S., & Lewis Rompf, E. (2012). Field Instruction: A Guide For Social Work Students (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

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), 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

Module One: Roles, Responsibilities and the Importance of Field Education 

Type of assignment

Assignment

Due date

Module 1 Exercise

Complete and upload into Blackboard

By end of module one

Frequently asked questions exercise

Respond to questions for

FAQ document

By end of module one

Managing the Anxiety of transitioning discussion board

Read, Post and Respond

By end of module one


Module Two: Finding the Best Fit with the Agency, Field Instructor, Setting, and 
Population

 

Parts A & B

Type of assignment

Assignment

Due date

2a: Learning styles discussion board

Complete assessments and post results with applicable thoughts

By end of module 2a

2a: Supervisory experiences discussion board

Respond to questions 1 and 2 in discussion board

By end of module 2a

2a: Field placement planning form Foundation Year

Complete and upload field placement planning form

By end of module 2a

2b: Agency preferences (written questioned assignment)

Complete and upload agency preferences assignment

By end of module 2b

2b: Resume

Write or revise resume and submit

By end of module 2b


Module Three: Interviewing and Preparing for field placement

Type of Assignment

Assignment

Due Date

Module 3 Exercise

Complete and upload into Blackboard

By end of module three

Research; phone, internet

Contact state licensing board

By end of module three

Web cam discussion board  Set up and test web cam  By end of module three
 Schedule meeting  Set virtual appointment with Field Planner  By end of module three
 Preparing for the Interview discussion board  Post and respond in discussion board  By end of module three


Module 4: Field Planning: Submitting Final Forms and Final Tasks Following 
Successful Completion of this Orientation

Type of Assignment

Assignment

Due Date

Complete form

Field Placement proposal and agreement form

Prior to scheduled final approval meeting

Complete form

Field Instructor form with his/her resume

Prior to scheduled final approval meeting

Complete form

Clinical Affiliation Agreement with cover. Email this assignment to sswcontracts@une.edu

Prior to scheduled final approval meeting

Complete form

Place of Employment (POE) *only if applicable

Prior to scheduled final approval meeting

Complete form

Block Placement *only if applicable

Prior to scheduled final approval meeting

Virtual Meeting

Schedule final virtual conference for final approval

 

HIPAA

Complete and Pass Required HIPAA training

will receive email from HIPPA compliance office indicating due date

Your final assignment for this course consists of 3 parts:

  1. secure a practicum site,
  2. complete necessary paperwork (see module 4) and
  3. schedule and attend your final meeting.

Once you have completed all stages to your final project you have completed this course. You are no longer responsible for any work in any other module.

Modules 5-13

These modules are designed to help keep you on track for successful entry into field placement.  These modules require you complete weekly assignments to provide updates on your process for securing placement. 

Type of Assignment

Assignment

Due Date

Journal

Status Update

Completed Weekly

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 exercise10 points
FAQ exercise10 points
Anxiety Discussion Board5 points
Learning Styles Discussion Board5 points
Supervision Discussion Board5 points
Planning Form10 points
Agency Preferences10 points
Resume 10 points
Exercise 310 points
State regulations10 points
Virtual Meeting Discussion Board5 points
Interview Discussion Board5 points
Virtual final appointment5 points
Field Placement Proposal and Agreement100 points
Field Instructor Form100 points
Place of Employment Form (if applicable)100 points
Block Placement Form (if applicable)100 points
Clinical Affiliation Agreement100 points
HIPPA Certificate100 points
Status Update #150 points
Status Update #250 points
Status Update #350 points
Status Update #450 points
Status Update #550 points
Status Update #650 points
Status Update #750 points
Status Update #850 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

Attendance Expectations:

All posts to the discussion boards should be completed by 11:59 p.m. E. S.T. 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.”

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 5-12 students will earn 50 points per week by completing required assignments. Non-participation in modules 5-12 will result in a discontinuation of the field planning process. Students will resume planning the following semester.

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Social Work page

UNE Libraries:

Information Technology Services (ITS)

ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673

Policies

Essential Academic and Technical Standards

Please review the essential academic and technical standards of the University of New England School Social Work (SSW): https://online.une.edu/social-work/academic-and-technical-standards-une-online-ssw/

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements

Confidentiality Statement

Student and faculty participation in this course will be governed by standards in the NASW Code of Ethics relating to confidentiality in sharing information from their placement sites and practice experiences. Students should be aware that personal information they choose to share in class, class assignments or conversations with faculty does not have the status of privileged information.