Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSW 695 – Capstone II

Credits - 3

Description

The purpose of the Capstone project is to give you an opportunity to actively engage in the social world and produce new knowledge in an area of practice that excites you. In Research I, you explored methods of inquiry relevant to your area of practice, created a map of existing knowledge in that area, identified the goals of your project, and investigated the relationship of those goals to your vision of socially–just practice. In Capstone I, you finalized your project design and carried out your project. You will now analyze, write, and present your findings in Capstone II.

Capstone projects can include the design and evaluation of interventions at the client, agency and community level; the discovery of practice-relevant knowledge of the social world; analysis of public discourse on an important social issue; and the analysis of policies past and present. Each project should address social work’s core values of human dignity, social justice, individual and cultural diversity, and self-determination.

Prerequisites

SSW695 requires successful completion of SSW595.

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 will give you an opportunity to/will help you:

1. Investigate the relationship between empirical inquiry and socially-just practice.
2. Deepen your understanding of your area of interest.
3. Internalize the necessity of, and professional responsibility for, continuous learning, openness to new knowledge, and new ways of knowing.
4. Learn the mechanics for conducting data analysis relevant to your capstone project
5. Learn the mechanics for writing a scholarly article and paper for presentation.

Learning Outcomes

Through class participation and class assignments, you will demonstrate your ability to:

1. Describe lessons learned from your project and their relevance for social work policy and practice.
2. Describe your conception of socially-just practice and its relationship to empirical inquiry.
3. Conduct data analysis relevant to your Capstone project
4. Produce scholarship for publication and presentation.

Assignments

Assignment #1 – Phone consultation (5%)

You will need to schedule at a minimum two phone meetings with your instructor. These calls can be conference calls where other students are dialing in, or individual phone meetings. With your instructor’s permission you can substitute one of these required phone calls with an email exchange. You will be provided with a scheduling tool in the corresponding module.

Assignment #2 – Results (15%)

Due: End of Week 5

You will complete data analysis by the end of Week 4, and submit a draft Results section by the end of Week 5.

Assignment #3 – Final Research Report (25%)

You will submit your Final Research Report (15-20 pages, double-spaced) by the end of Week 7. Your final report will include the introduction and methods section you completed in SSW503 or Intro to Capstone and Capstone I (with appropriate revisions made), your results that you completed in Week 5, and a discussion section. Your paper should use the following headings and cover the following topics:

Abstract

• Main purpose
• Description of sample
• Design
• Main findings/conclusion

Introduction

• Literature review
• Justification for project
• Purpose, questions, hypotheses (if appropriate)

Method

• Justification of paradigm and method
• Design
• Sample

Results

• Analysis performed
• Results of analysis

Discussion

• Key findings
• How the findings add to existing knowledge
• Implications for social policy
• Implications for social work practice
• Alternative interpretations of your data
• Study limitations
• Future research/action needed

Assignment #4 – Video Presentation (20%)

You will create a 10-15 minute video presentation to share with your small group members. Your video should include visuals such as PowerPoint slides or handouts. If you opt to use PowerPoint, you should aim for no more than 8-12 slides. Your presentation MUST be shared with your class by early Week 8. There are no extensions given your peers will provide feedback on your presentation during Week 8.

Different options exist to create your video presentation. For example, some people may opt to use QuickTime or Screencast-o-matic to record a video, upload it to YouTube then post the link in the discussion forum; or you may choose to record your presentation in PowerPoint or Keynote software.

Here are directions for recording then uploading your video to Youtube and sharing it from there.

Assignment #5 – Discussions (10%)

Due: Due dates are specified within the Modules.

Assignment #6 – Journals (25%)

Due dates are specified below.

Please note that we do not list specific page limits for the journal entries. You instead are encouraged to think about how to comprehensively respond, while writing succinctly and cohesively. Your entries must be organized and specific to the prompt questions.

Week 1: Reflecting on your previous Capstone work

Provide an overview the purpose or intent of your Capstone project, and specifics regarding the data you collected in Capstone I. For example, if you are conducting interviews please specify the number of interviews conducted, the average length of the interviews, and whether the interviews were audio-taped and transcribed. Identify any questions or concerns for your instructor and email your instructor the work you have completed to date (introduction, literature review and methods sections).

Due by the end of Week 1.

Week 4: Reflecting on your analysis

Provide an update regarding your analysis, including a summary of your key findings so far. Identify any questions or concerns you are struggling with. This is an opportunity to seek feedback on your results section before finalizing your final report.

Due by the end of Week 4.

Week 6: Dissemination and practice implications

Assuming you had the opportunity to collect sufficient data on your capstone (i.e., you reached saturation), how would you disseminate your findings? Why have you chosen this means of dissemination? What ethical considerations exist specific to your dissemination vision? How did you determine the best means of dissemination? What practice implications might your findings and/or dissemination strategies have if you were to expand upon your capstone project?

Due by the end of Week 6.

Week 8: Future visioning and reflections on the research process

There are two parts to this journal entry. First, if you had endless time and money, where would you go next with your project and why? How could building upon your research help inform or prompt potentially transformative change? Secondly, reflect on why you think social work students should (or should not) be required to learn how to critique and conduct research, and how you see integrating research into your ongoing social work practice.

Due by the end of Week 8.

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 Grade
Participation in the required discussion forums	100 points (25 pts each)	10%
Phone Conference (2 calls)	50 points	5%
Journals	250 points (62.5 points * 4 entries)	25%
Draft Results	150 points	15%
Final Results Report	250 points	25%
Video Presentation	200 points	20%
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