Syllabus
Master of Social Work
SSWO 504 – Action Research for Social Work Practice (Summer B 2022)
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:
- 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
- Engage in culturally-informed relationship building, being respectful of the complexity and diversity of contexts and circumstances. EPAS Competencies 3 & 6
- Utilize theories of human behavior, social systems and social inclusion when offering interventions with people and their environments. EPAS Competency 8
- 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
- Balance the roles of helpers, activists, and advocates through collaboration with communities to build healthy and sustainable resources. EPAS Competencies 2, 5, & 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
- Practice person-centered and collaborative community partnerships across diverse settings. EPAS Competency 6
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Acknowledgement of Academic Engagement | 10 points | 1% |
| 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 | 290 points | 29% |
| 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:
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 22 – Jun 28
Week 2: Jun 29 – Jul 5
Week 3: Jul 6 – Jul 12
Week 4: Jul 13 – Jul 19
Week 5: Jul 20 – Jul 26
Week 6: Jul 27 – Aug 2
Week 7: Aug 3 – Aug 9
Week 8: Aug 10 – Aug 14 (short week)
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
Assignment Overview:
- Review Future Course Assignments in syllabus and course
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.
Discussion
- 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
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
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 Blackboard/Brightspace.
- Social Work Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/social-work/
- Library Tutorial: Find an article
- Video Tutorials: https://library.une.edu/research-help/guides-tutorials/video-tutorials/
- 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.
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.
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
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.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and 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.