Syllabus
Master of Social Work
SSWO 504 Action Research for Social Work Practice (Summer 2021)
Credits - 3
Description
This course will build upon the knowledge, methods, and skills provided in the foundation research course. Students will continue to learn how to critically assess research from ethical, multicultural, and social inclusion perspectives particularly in the context of practice-based research and program evaluation. Students will explore the role action research can play in their future roles as social work practitioners. The content of this course heavily integrates other elements of the MSW curriculum.
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:
- Demonstrates ethical and professional behavior.
- Advance human rights and social, racial, economic, and environmental justice.
- Engage in anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion (ADEI) in practice.
- Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice.
- Engage in policy practice.
- Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
- Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Distinguish between program goals and objectives, how to develop goals, and formulate measurable objectives.
- Identify the importance of both disseminating findings and translating these into action steps.
- Analyze the impact of evaluation outcomes on the future of social work services.
Assignments
The following assignments will be graded:
Discussions: Initial posts to discussion forums (both group and individual) are due by the close of Sunday and responses to others in the forums are due by the close of Tuesday (except in Week 8 or where otherwise indicated). Some discussions may involve video submissions.
Written and Video Assignments:
- Week 4 Systematic Review Assignment
- Week 5 Case Study Assignment
- Week 7 Final Case Paper
- Week 8 Video Reflection
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 Value |
|---|---|---|
| Discussion Questions | 40 points x 6 = 240 points | 24% |
| Week 4 Systematic Review | 260 points | 26% |
| Week 5 Case Study | 200 points | 20% |
| Week 7 Final Case 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 |
Schedule
Course Dates: Wednesday, June 23 – Sunday, August 15
Course weeks run from 12:00 AM ET on Wednesday through 11:59 PM ET on Tuesday, with the exception of Week 8, which ends on Sunday at 11:59 PM ET. Unless otherwise specified, all discussion comments and assignments are due the last day of the week. Initial responses to discussion prompts are due by the end of Sunday unless otherwise noted.
Week 1: Jun 23 – Jun 29
Week 2: Jun 30 – Jul 6
Week 3: Jul 7 – Jul 13
Week 4: Jul 14 – Jul 20
Week 5: Jul 21 – Jul 27
Week 6: Jul 28 – Aug 3
Week 7: Aug 4 – Aug 10
Week 8: Aug 11 – Aug 15
Week 1: Welcome to Our Class, or The Importance of Evaluation in Social Work Practice
Readings and Multimedia:
- McDavid, Chapter 1 & 2
- Patton, Chapters 1 & 2
- LibGuides: Literature review: The what, why and how-to guide: How to pick a topic
- GradCoach. (Dec 5, 2019). How to choose a research topic for a dissertation or thesis (7-step method + examples).
- Better Evaluation. Utilization-focused evaluation
Discussions
- Student Introductions
- Week 1 Discussion
Assignments
- Review Course Assignments
Week 2: Building Your Research Portfolio
Readings and Multimedia
- McDavid, Chapters 3 & 4
- Patton, Chapters 3 & 4
- Governors State University. Division of Digital Learning and Media Design (Producer). (2015). Research & program evaluation: Evidence-based practice.
- (2103, Nov 13). What is program evaluation?: A brief introduction.
Discussions
- Week 2 Discussion
Assignment Reminder:
- Week 4 Systematic Review
Week 3: The Ethics of Program Evaluation
Readings
- McDavid, Chapter 5
- Patton, Chapters 6 & 7
- NASW Code of Ethics: English
Discussions
- Week 3 Discussion
Assignment Reminder:
- Week 4 Systematic Review
Week 4: Systematic Reviews and the Mid-point in Our Class
Readings and Multimedia
- McDavid, Chapters 6 & 7
- Patton, Chapters 7 & 8
- Cochrane (Producer). (2016, January 27). What are systematic reviews?
- Patwari, R. (2014, Jun 1). Intro to Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses.
Discussion
- No discussion
Assignment
- Submit Week 4 Systematic Review Assignment
Week 5: Case Statement and Your Assessment of the Presented Materials
Readings and Multimedia
- McDavid, Chapters 8 & 9
- Patton, Chapter 9 & 10
- Scaling Retail (Producer). (2016, Apr 18). How to evaluate proposals like a pro in HD. [Video/DVD]
- Rennigner, L. (2020, Feb 10). The secret to giving great feedback | The Way We Work, a TED series.
Discussions
- Week 5 Reflection
Assignments
- Week 5 Case Study
Week 6: Cultural Humility and Its Impact on Research
Readings and Multimedia
- Lecture for research class (2018, Mar 18). Culturally Competent Research.
- McDavid, Chapter 10
- Patton, Chapters 11 & 12
- Dere, J. (2015, Apr 20). Challenges and rewards of a culturally-informed approach to mental health | Jessica Dere | TEDxUTSC.
Discussions
- Week 6 Discussion
Assignment Reminder
- Week 7 Final Case due next week
Week 7: Case Study Methods and Methodology
Readings and Multimedia
- McDavid, Chapter 11
- Patton, Chapters 13 & 14
- Review: Scaling Retail (Producer). (2016, Apr 18). How to evaluate proposals like a pro in HD.
Discussions
- No discussion
Assignments
- Week 7 Final Case Paper due
Week 8: Reflection and Your Role as a Researcher in the Future
Readings and Multimedia
- McDavid, Chapter 12
- Patton, Chapter 15
- Scheyett, A. (2015, Apr 10). Social workers as super-heroes | Anna Scheyett | TEDxColumbiaSC.
- Review: Rennigner, L. (2020, Feb 10). The secret to giving great feedback | The Way We Work, a TED series
Discussions
- Week 8 Video Reflection (Initial post due Friday, responses due Sunday)
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:
- Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Brightspace.
- Social Work Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/social-work/
- Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Accommodations
Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.
Online Peer Support
Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.
ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.
Career Ready Program
The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!
The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.
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/
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.
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.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Attendance Policy
8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.