Syllabus

Master of Social Work

SSWO 582 Block Simulation – Practicum & Integrating Seminar IV

Credits - 4

Description

Practicum & Integrating Seminar III & IV is a two-term sequenced set of courses designed to complement student’s agency supervised advanced social work practice. Students complete their required hours of experiential learning in an approved social service organization setting in which they learn, practice, and receive feedback on their multi-level integrated clinical social work skills. The integrating seminar provides students with opportunities to practice ethical communication, critical thinking and case formulation as well as to discuss and reflect on professional social work practice issues that arise in their practicum experience. Through mixed learning methods, students have the opportunity to explore, connect, apply and discuss advanced practice theories and concepts learned in the classroom into the practicum setting. Students also have the opportunity to develop skills for self-reflection, self-awareness and reflexivity, and to broaden and deepen their understanding of social work’s inherent values such as honoring dignity and worth of each person, clients’ right to self-determination, social justice, equity and inclusion, honor and respect for diversity, and cultural humility in an integrated clinical social work setting. SSWO 580 provides a venue for students to deepen, broaden and further ground their experience of specialized social work practice and prepare to transition to professional social worker. Students are expected to abide by The Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp in their practice with clients and agencies/organizations.

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 completion of SSWO 580/582 students will be able to complete the learning objectives for Competencies 1-9 at the Advanced Year level.

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 & 5.
   1. Student applies understanding of the importance of diversity and difference in shaping life experiences in all levels of social work practice.
   2. Student applies their understanding of social inclusion (social, economic, and environmental justice) to advocate for human rights at the individual, agency and/or community levels.

2. Engage in culturally-informed relationship building respectful of the complexity and diversity of contexts and circumstances. EPAS Competency 2.
   1. Student engages clients, organizations and/or communities as experts of their own experiences.
   2. Applies self-awareness and self-regulation to manage the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse clients and constituencies.

3. Utilize theories of human behavior, social systems and social inclusion when offering interventions with people and their environments. EPAS Competencies 7, 8, & 9.
   1. Collects, organizes, and applies critical thinking to interpret ongoing assessment information from clients, organizations, and/or communities.
   2. Applies knowledge of human behavior and the social environment, person-in-environment, and other multidisciplinary theoretical frameworks in the analysis of ongoing assessment information with clients, organizations, and/or communities.
   3. Develops mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives based on the ongoing assessment of strengths, needs, and challenges within clients, organizations, and/or communities.
   4. Uses inter-professional collaboration in the process of assessment and developing interventions to achieve beneficial practice outcomes.

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.
   1. Makes ethical decisions by applying the standards of the NASW and IFSW Code 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.
   2. Demonstrates professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and oral, written, and electronic communication.
   3. Uses field instruction/supervision and consultation to guide professional judgment and behavior.

5. Balance the roles of helpers, activists, and advocates through collaboration with communities to build healthy and sustainable resources. EPAS Competencies 3, 5, & 6.
   1. Engages 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.
   2. Applies critical thinking to formulate and effectively advocate for policies that advance human rights and social inclusion (social, economic, and environmental justice).

6. Engage as critical consumers and producers of research and evaluation applied to clinical and community practices. EPAS Competencies EPAS Competencies 4, 8 & 9.
   1. Uses culturally informed practice and direct client feedback to inform and improve practice, policy and/or service delivery.
   2. Applies client, agency and community feedback to improve practice effectiveness at all levels of social work practice as appropriate to field placement site.

7. Practice person-centered and collaborative community partnerships across diverse settings. EPAS Competency 6.
   1. Uses empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients organizations, and/or communities.

Assignments

In order to pass your field placement, you must complete all activities in this course and score at least 800 out of 1000 points.

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:

Simulation

Each week you will be asked to join your instructor and classmates for a ‘live’ client simulation experience. This experience will require you to participate in a live zoom session each week at a designated time. During these sessions you will engage with a ‘client’ to work through a simulated clinical experience. This experience will challenge you to utilize skills such as: completing biopsychosocial assessments, writing progress notes, writing treatment plans, engaging in collateral contacts with the clients’ supports/family/service providers, engage in treatment modalities and finally work through the termination process. While engaged in this experience, you will further be challenged to incorporate research to guide your treatment and explore policy implications, social justice as well as ethical practice.

Each week’s live session will provide you with a guided opportunity to engage with a client and work collaboratively with your classmates to develop clinical skills, explore modalities, compare/contrast strategies and reflect on the experience. After each week’s live session you will be tasked with written assignments (similar to if you were working with a client in the office), areas of research to explore, discussion topics to engage in and/or viewing of additional videos to provide additional information.

Ethics Presentation

This assignment will provide you with an opportunity to explore a particular aspect of the NASW Code of Ethics or IFSW Code of Ethics that you want to learn more about and how it relates to your field placement or population with whom you are or have worked. This project will be broken into 3 graded assignments: the Ethics Presentation Outline Form, an Annotated Bibliography, and an Ethics Presentation consisting of a 20-30 minute recorded slideshow presentation discussing your Standard and how it relates to your field placement or the population with whom you are or have worked.

Readings and Multimedia

There are required readings and recommended texts in this course. Your instructor may integrate and suggest additional readings throughout the modules. Additional readings in the modules will be introduced as forms and supporting documents are needed for assignment completion. There are a few videos presented as learning material, but the majority of videos in this course are created by students each week.

Discussions

Each week you will engage in weekly video Video Assignments 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. You will also post a weekly reflection on your live session experience and respond to at least 2 of your peers. There are several optional discussion boards in this course that you may utilize to ask questions about a specific assignment. As part of your Video Assignment video, you will have the opportunity to discuss the mandated reporting requirements in your state.

Writing Assignments, Projects, and Assessments

There are several assignments in this course, which are all tailored to strengthening your simulated field experience. These assignments will be collaborative with your field 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 submitted through the Blackboard assignment link.

Grading and Feedback Method

Feedback will be provided within the assignment submission tool and in grading comments.

Due dates for all learning activities are provided in the Course Schedule. Each assignment or discussion submitted late will earn half credit. 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 800 of 1000 points to pass the seminar/placement course.

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