Syllabus

Master of Social Work

Social Work Practice with Groups – SSW 571 Spring 2016

Credits - 3

Description

This course builds on and deepens students’ foundation level practice knowledge by teaching the conceptual base, professional values, ethics and practice skills of social group work. Emphasizing social work with groups as integrative practice, this course encompasses the continuum from therapy groups to task oriented groups. Course content highlights the health promoting, empowerment and relational aspects of social group work and its potential for mutual aid, community building and social justice. The use of groups to achieve individual and social change goals are emphasized. Group dynamics and development will be assessed, with attention to agency, community, cultural and societal contexts. This course emphasizes ethical group work practice and evidence based group approaches. Group work with diverse populations and the use of groups with client populations experiencing the structural and personal impacts of inequity and cultural oppression is a unifying course theme.

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

This course aims:

1. To foster student awareness of the health promoting, empowerment and social justice potential of social work practice with groups.
2. To familiarize students with the theoretical underpinnings of contemporary group work practice which emphasize and support member resiliency and mutuality within group relationships.
3. To increase student development of critical thinking and practice knowledge in relation to a range of group approaches including therapy groups, mutual aid groups, activity groups, social action groups, interdisciplinary health teams and administrative groups.
4. To deepen student understanding of the role of leadership and facilitation within the context of group practice.
5. To increase student awareness of ethical dilemmas in practice with groups.
6. To develop students’ ability to observe and reflect on their roles and the roles of other group members as they impact on group dynamics.
7. To deepen student understanding and reflexive practice in regard to group process, culture, organizational and broader social context and to help students to incorporate these in their group assessments and facilitation of groups that span the continuum from groups emphasizing personal and interpersonal change to groups focused on social action and societal change.
8. To expand and deepen student knowledge of models of the stages of group development and the worker’s role in promoting the healthy functioning, growth of the group and social change.
9. To build student skills in facilitating healthy group processes, promoting mutual aid and mediating relationships between the individual in the group and the group as a whole.
10. To enable students to apply group facilitation skills to practice with members of populations characterized by cultural oppression resulting from societal inequities and to prepare them for work with groups characterized by diverse membership.

EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will:

1. Demonstrate an appreciation of the health promoting, empowerment and social justice potential of social work with groups.
2. Discuss theoretical underpinnings and practice applications of contemporary group approaches which emphasize member resiliency and promote mutuality.
3. Demonstrate critical thinking and practice knowledge in relation to group approaches that span the group work continuum, from groups emphasizing personal and interpersonal change to groups focused on social action and societal change.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of the role of leadership and facilitation within the context of group practice.
5. Demonstrate ethical decision making in their practice with groups.
6. Reflect on experiences and roles within a group as they impact on group dynamics.
7. Understand and engage in reflexive practice in regard to group process, culture, organizational and broader social context and incorporate these in their group assessments and facilitation of groups across the group practice continuum.
8. Demonstrate knowledge of stage models of group development and the worker’s role in promoting healthy group functioning, growth, and social change.
9. Demonstrate skill in facilitating healthy group process, promoting mutual aid and mediating relationships between the individual in the group and the group as a whole.
10. Apply group facilitation skills to practice with members of populations characterized by cultural oppression and to prepare them for work with groups characterized by diverse membership.

EPAS Standards

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

6.1. Students will demonstrate the ability to identify, evaluate, and implement research and practice strategies for effective task and clinical groups.

6.2. Students will demonstrate leadership skills to design, development and implement research and technological advances to enhance social work practice in a group context.

Competency 7: Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

7.1.  Students will collect and organize data, and apply critical thinking to interpret information from clients and constituencies;

7.2. Students will apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of assessment data from clients and constituencies;

7.3. Students will develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on the critical assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients and constituencies in a group context; and

7.4. Students will select appropriate group intervention strategies based on the assessment, research knowledge, and values and preferences of clients and constituencies.

Competency 8: Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

8.1. Students will critically choose and implement interventions to achieve group practice goals and enhance capacities of clients and constituencies;

8.2. Students will apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in group interventions with clients and constituencies;

8.3. Students use inter-professional collaboration as appropriate to achieve beneficial practice outcomes;

8.4. Students negotiate, mediate, and advocate with and on behalf of diverse clients and constituencies; and

8.5. Students will facilitate effective transitions and endings in groups that advance mutually agreed-on goals.

Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

9.1. Students will disseminate knowledge for improving service delivery of clinical and task groups.

9.2. Students will demonstrate leadership in the application of advanced differential assessment, interventions, and evaluations to respond to the changing needs of group members.

Assignments

A variety of learning activities are designed to 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:

Description: This course provides you with several different types of materials to enhance your understanding and knowledge of group work. There are lectures, websites, a film, case studies, podcasts of interviews with macro practitioners, reading assignments, and of course, discussion forums. The course also involves students in small tasks groups where they will have an opportunity to practice and reflect upon skills learned in this course.

Discussions:

Description: The discussion forums required in SSW 571 spring from the content you will cover in this course 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. There are also specific recurring forums that occur weekly and solely for the discussion by your group regarding the two project assignments.

Grading and Feedback Method: Grading and feedback methods are listed with each specific discussion assignment. Please refer to the Learning Modules and Discussion Boards for more information.

Writing Assignments, Projects, and Assessments:

Description: SSW 571 involves experiential learning by requiring that key assignments be a collective effort. During the eight week course, you and group members will develop a manual that could be used by facilitators who work with specific populations. This course also requires a weekly posting to a student portfolio containing Journal Article Reviews and Reflective Journals.

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
Participation	320 points (40 points * 8 weeks)	32%
Task Group Project	360 points	36%
Portfolio (both the Reflective Journals and Journal Article Review contributions)	320 points (40 points * 8 weeks)	32%
Total	1,000 points	32%

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