Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSWO 520 Block – Field Practicum/Integrated Seminar I (Summer 2021)

Credits - 4

Description

Field Practicum/Integrated Seminar I provides students with a supervised practice experience in a social service agency/organization. The practicum includes experiential learning in social work practice skills in a specialized setting. A weekly seminar provides students with an opportunity to discuss and reflect on professional social work issues from their practicum experience regarding assessment, specific interventions with client systems, and the application of practice theories. 

The United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, the World Health Organization Definition of Health and the International Federation of Social Works’ Policy Statement on Health will continue to be incorporated into discussions of how resource equity, social justice and universal health and healthcare across the lifespan impacts work with client systems. Students in block placement complete 400 hours in the agency/organization setting in one semester. Each student receives 1 to 1½ hours of weekly, individual field instruction from an MSW level social worker.

Students are expected to abide by the Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers in their practice with clients and agencies/ organizations. The seminar provides students with an opportunity to discuss and reflect on professional social work issues from their practicum experience regarding assessment, specific interventions with client systems and the application of practice theories at all levels of practice. Students use the seminar to monitor their own learning experience and their progress in attaining their professional goals with respect to people’s membership in groups and communities (urban, regional, and rural) distinguished by class, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, age, ability, and culture while honoring each person’s individuality.

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

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

• Demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and oral, written, and electronic communication.
• Apply understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in all levels of social work practice and engages clients, organizations and/or communities as experts in their own experience.
• Apply their understanding of social inclusion (social, economic, and environmental justice) to advocate for and engage in practices that advance social inclusion (social, economic, and environmental justice) through the identification and assessment of social policies that impact well-being service delivery and access to services.
• Apply self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.
• Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients, organizations, and/or communities.
• Collect, organizes, and applies critical thinking to interpret ongoing assessment information from clients, organizations, and/or communities.
• Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of ongoing assessment information, developing mutually agreed upon intervention goals with clients, organizations, and/or communities and can utilize client feedback or other evaluation methods to improve practice, policy and/or service delivery.
• Use inter-professional collaboration in the process of assessment, developing interventions and evaluating practice to achieve beneficial outcomes for clients, organizations and/or communities.
• Make ethical decisions by applying the standards of the Social Work Codes of Ethics, relevant laws and regulations, models for ethical decision-making, ethical conduct of research and use of technology, and additional codes of ethics as appropriate to context.

Accreditation Standards:

CSWE EPAS 2015 Competencies

• Competency 1 – Demonstrate Ethical and Professional Behavior
• Competency 2 – Engage Diversity and Difference in Practice
• Competency 3 – Advance Human Rights and Social, Economic, and Environmental Justice
• Competency 5 – Engage in Policy Practice
• Competency 6 – Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
• Competency 7 – Assess Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
• Competency 8 – Intervene with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities
• Competency 9 – Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities

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

There are required readings and recommended texts in this course. While there are not prescribed readings from these texts, you are encouraged to read and utilize the readings throughout the course. Your instructor may integrate and suggest additional readings throughout the modules. We recommend that you utilize the Bibliography extended readings. Additional readings in the modules will be introduced as the forms and supporting documents needed for completion. There are a few videos presented as learning material, but the majority of videos in this course are student created each week.

Discussions

Each week you will engage in weekly video check-­ins and discuss some of your peers’ field experiences. You will also post one self­-care tip that you are employing and discuss amongst your classmates. There are several optional discussion boards in this course that you may utilize to ask questions about a specific assignment. We recommend that you utilize the Bibliography extended readings to integrate into your discussions and assignments.

Writing Assignments, Projects, and Assessments

There are several assignments in this course, which are all tailored around strengthening your field internship and experiences. These assignments will be collaborative with your field instructor and seminar instructor for review, comment, and submission. These will be highlighted throughout the course along with several reminders and prompts to get started. All of your assignments (including all of your forms) must be submitted via the assignment link and not via email. Any assignments (including all of your forms) submitted through Mail or email will not be accepted. They must be through the assignment link. Grading and Feedback Method: Feedback will be provided within the assignment submission tool and in grading comments.

Weekly Self-Care

Each week, you will post at least one self-care technique you have used that week to care for yourself with a description of why you selected this technique and its benefit. 

Field Placement Proposal (Week 1)

While you were working with your field planner in SSW 002 (Orientation to Field and Field Planning), you completed a “field placement proposal and agreement form”. In order for your seminar instructor to become familiar with your internship site, responsibilities and obligations, you will need to re-submit this form. 

Statement of Understanding (Week 1)

The Statement of Understanding is a form you will sign, scan, and submit to your instructor.

Safety Contract (Week 2)

This document is an agreement between the Student, the School, and the Field Agency to ensure that Students have received a Safety Orientation and understand the Field Agency’s safety policies and procedures.

Field visit scheduled (by end of Week 2)

You are required to schedule a meeting with your Seminar Instructor, Field Instructor, On-Site Supervisor (if applicable) and yourself by Module 2. Field visits are expected to take place between weeks 3 through 6. This is a meeting which should include your Field Instructor, Seminar Instructor, and, if you have one, the On-Site Supervisor.

Learning Contract (Draft—Week 2) (Final—Week 4)

1st Process Recording (Week 5)

The process recording is an excellent tool to assist in evaluating your anxiety, gaining insight into skills and provides a format for you and your field instructor to have an open discussion regarding your learning. The School of Social Work requires Field Instructors and Students to utilize process recordings on a regular basis as a tool to refine student’s skills.

Field visit complete (by end of Week 6)

You are required to schedule a meeting with your Seminar Instructor, Field Instructor, On-Site Supervisor (if applicable) and yourself by Module 2. Field visits are expected to take place between weeks 3 through 6. This is a meeting which should include your Field Instructor, Seminar Instructor, and, if you have one, the On-Site Supervisor.

Safety Assignment (by the end of Week 7) 

For this assignment, you will select one video check-in from weeks 2-7 to focus your check in on the topic of safety at your field agency. Include a safety issue relevant to your site as well as your agency’s safety policy. Share items with the class about a safety discussion with your Field Instructor.

Final Evaluation submission (Week 7)

At the end of each semester, your Field Instructor will submit a Field Evaluation of your progress throughout the semester. As the semester comes to an end, we recommend (to your field instructor) that sufficient time is allocated in field instruction to allow for a thorough review of your work over the semester. There are different ways for you and the field instructor to complete the evaluation process; what is important is that it be an opportunity for both of you to discuss your strengths and areas for growth. You will use a Field Evaluation and Time Log form to facilitate this task.

Due Dates: Due dates for all learning activities are provided in the Course Schedule. Each assignment or discussion submitted late will earn half credit. If you do not complete the entire assignment you will only receive half the point value for that assignment. If you post to the discussion board after the week has ended, you will not earn any credit. All assignments must be submitted to pass the course. You must earn 80 of 100 points to pass the seminar/placement course.

Please note that the late policy is different for field seminars/practica and the academic course late policy does not apply.

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
Video Assignments (Weekly)	21 points (3 points x 7 weeks)	21%
Weekly response to all videos (Weekly)	14 points (2 points x 7 weeks)	14%
Introduce Yourself (Week 1)	3 points	3%
Field Placement Proposal (Week 1)	4 points	4%
Statement of Understanding (Week 1)	3 points	3%
Weekly Self-Care	16 points (2 points x 8 weeks)	16%
Safety Contract (Week 2)	4 points	4%
Field visit scheduled (by end of Week 2)	4 points	4%
Field visit complete (by end of Week 6)	5 points	5%
1st Process Recording (Week 5)	6 points	6%
Safety Assignment Video Assignment (by end of Week 7)	2 points	2%
Draft Learning Contract (Week 2)	4 points	4%
Final Learning Contract (Week 4)	6 points	6%
Final Evaluation submission (Week 7)	8 points	8%
Total	100 points	100%