Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSW 511 – Social Work Practice II

Credits - 3

Description

Social Work Practice (SSW 510 & SSW 511) is a two-semester foundation course. Social Work Practice II (SSW 511) builds on students’ understanding of generalist social work practice, beginning with the planned change process within larger systems and moving into integrative multilevel practice. The theoretical framework of this course is based on empowering and organizational change theories for practice, informed by the core social work values of self-determination, diversity, human dignity and social justice. Students are encouraged to critically examine knowledge and to develop skills for culturally attuned practice. Students are exposed to tenets of evidence-guided practice utilized within larger systems. Students learn and apply skills for change with and within organizations and communities including assessment and planned change strategies. Practice skill development on all systems levels values people’s strengths, supports and enhances individual and collective self-determination and influences social systems to promote human rights to health, equitable distribution of resources and social justice.

Prerequisites:

Students taking this class will have completed the SSW 501, SSW 502, and SSW 510 in the traditional track.

WCHP Core Values: Collaboration, Leadership, Critical Thinking

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

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Develop comprehensive multi-level strengths-based assessments of individuals, families, and communities within a framework of social work values and ethics that emphasize identification of barriers to social inclusion. (Assessed in Assignment 1, Incorporates EPAS 1, 2, and 7)
• Collaboratively create person-centered treatment plans and community action plans that foster client and community empowerment and achievement of defined goals and advocate actions to dismantle community and systemic barriers to social inclusion and overall human health and dignity. (Assessed in Assignment 2, Incorporates EPAS 1, 2, 3, 6, and 8)
• Monitor and document progress of individual and community change efforts through mutually established measurement and feedback processes informed by principles of evidence-guided and best practices in clinical and community change. (Assessed in Assignment 3, Incorporates EPAS 1, 2, 7, and 8)
• Facilitate trauma informed and culturally appropriate endings in clinical and community change relationships including summary documentation, evaluation, sustainability plans, and personal self-reflection of lessons learned and implications for growth and strengthening of future social work relationships and practice. (Assessed in Assignment 2 and Class Discussions, Incorporates EPAS 1, 2, 7, 8, and 9)

Assignments

Learning Activities

A variety of learning activities support the course objectives, facilitate different learning styles, and build a community of learners. Learning activities for each module include the following:

Readings and Multimedia: This course provides you with several different types of materials to enhance your understanding and knowledge of social work macro practice. There are lectures, websites, films, a case study, podcasts of interviews with macro practitioners, reading assignments, and of course, discussion forums. The course continues with the work encountered in Practice I (SSW 510), case studies in particular.

Discussions: The discussion forums required in SSW 511 spring from the content you will cover on communities and organizations from week to week. These forum posts should demonstrate the assimilation of the material covered during that particular week and from previous weeks or previous course, as well as demonstrate your critical thinking strategies, such as identifying assumptions, discussing multiple perspectives, raising and answering counterarguments, offering evidence, questioning evidence, drawing analogies, evaluating quality according to clear criteria, and exploring implications, causes, or consequences.

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS

Your performance will be evaluated on your work in 2 written assignments (60% of overall grade) and on your discussion forum contributions (40% of overall grade).

Assignment 1 (Due at the end of Week 4) – Comprehensive Multilevel Psychosocial Community Assessment and Treatment Plan of Case Study (Rhonda) including case formulation and overall goals for treatment and community advocacy efforts.

• You will write a narrative essay that discusses the treatment plan approach citing specific social work theories/paradigms that support decisions made and represented in the plan.
• The paper should include specific goals and action steps in SMART goal format, identify resources and barriers, and strategies to address them.

Assignment 2 (Due at the end of Week 7) – Closing Documentation and Reflection Paper to include:

• 3 progress notes; one early in Rhonda’s treatment, one mid-way through treatment, and one near end of treatment that describes efforts made to support Rhonda in ending treatment and sustaining desired goals (2-3 pages)
• A final clinical summary assessment and progress made toward identified goals as well as any unmet needs as well as Client’s evaluation of services provided. (2 pages)
• Student self-reflection essay ( up to 2-pages) on challenges and key learnings from working with Rhonda and her family and community over the course of 510 and 511.

Grading and Feedback Method: The major assignments of this course involve close collaboration by members of small groups. The instructor will be monitoring the contributions of every student in these assignments to determine if there is equal participation. The final grade for each student will reflect the level of individual effort as well as the quality of the finished products. The course facilitator will return assignments and other grading items (discussion boards, participation, etc.) to students within three days of the assignment due date. The course facilitator will provide weekly feedback about participation and performance no later than four days after the learning module closes. Feedback can be via email, within the assignment itself, or using the Feedback section in the Grade Center.

Due Dates: Due dates for all learning activities are provided in the Course Schedule.

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

Assignment	Point Value	Percentage of the Final Grade
Discussions	400 points (50 points x 8 weeks)	40%
Comprehensive Multilevel Psychosocial Community Assessment and Treatment Plan of Case Study	300 points	30%
Closing Documentation and Reflection Paper	300 points	30%
Total	1,000 points	100%

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