Overview
This unit presents the most contemporary theories that inform change-oriented professional practice including the history of psycho-dynamic approaches to human behaviour, crisis intervention and task-centred theory, cognitive-behavioural theory, attachment theory, and humanism, existentialism, and spirituality. The focus of this unit is on the application of this knowledge to the micro system of professional and individual client and the critical analysis of social work interventions and their effectiveness. Students should be able to analyse social theories to social work referral contexts.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
SOWK11015 Professional Communication in Human Services. or SOWK11012 Introduction to Social Work A and SOWK11013 Introduction to Social Work B.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2018
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure – International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback – Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Students via moodle
Students appreciate regular Zoom sessions to discuss and clarify assessment tasks and theory explanation.
Continue to provide regular Zoom sessions related to assessment tasks and theory discussion.
- Compare and contrast the philosophical assumptions, ideologies and theoretical perspectives that have informed the profession of social work through time
- Analyse social theories and apply the theories to social work referral contexts
- Apply professional values and ethics to practice contexts
- Apply the philosophies, ideologies, and theories of social work to their emerging professional practice framework
- Analyse their performance from feedback drawn from their involvement in professional learning contexts
This unit addresses components of Practice Standard Objectives (2003): 1,2,3 and 6
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
| 2 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 50% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
| Assessment Tasks | Graduate Attributes | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 50% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Modern Social Work Theory
Edition: 4th edn (2014)
Authors: Payne, M.
Palgrave Macmillan
Basingstoke Basingstoke , UK
Binding: Paperback
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Computer with microphone and headphones
- Windows Media Player or Quicktime
- Free Zoom download
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.ledger@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Orientation to the course.
- Ensure that you have read the course profile thoroughly.
- Check every drop down box in the course profile.
- Check you have Windows Media Player or Quicktime loaded to your computer. Contact servicedesk@cqu.edu.au for assistance.
- View the all audio-visual streams loaded to the Moodle site at the 'Streams' section.
- Open every link at the course Moodle as additional important information is sometimes hidden.
- Review Assessment Tasks and post your first questions for clarification or learning.
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Flexible learning
This course is based on the philosophy of Community-Focussed Learning or problem-based learning. This course does not have a weekly study schedule as this is not the way professional learning occurs in the 'real world'.
This course is designed on the principles of flexible learning meaning you have choices about where you start and finish your learning.
The course comprises five modules that can be explored in any order:
-Psychodynamic Theory;
-Cognitive-Behavioural Theory;
-Crisis Intervention theory;
-Attachment theory; and
-Humanism, Existentialism, and Spirituality
Removing Weeks 1 & 12 from your study schedule, this means that while the amount of time you devote to each module may vary; a fortnight of readings and study could be devoted to each.
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This unit has a compulsory residential school to meet AASW requirements. Please see the on-line handbook for dates and location.
1 Written Assessment
Purpose
This assessment task will assist you to step out the beginning phase of a client assessment with a focus on theory integration.
Role and Context
You are a social work student who has been placed in a human service organisation for your first placement. You can choose the referral you are most interested in and the related human service agency from a range of referrals that will be provided to you at Moodle. Your social work supervisor has advised that it is your responsibility to be prepared for weekly individual or group supervision sessions. Supervision provides an opportunity for professional discussion about your development of social work theory and the skills that will be needed to explore clients' lives informed by those theories. Using the client referral information provided in Moodle, you will submit a detailed written analysis of how two (2) theories presented in this unit may help explain the life circumstances of the client you choose as preparation for a supervision session with your field educator prior to your first appointment.
An Appendix is to be included which will include a series of notes that contain your initial ideas/hunches/hypotheses demonstrating your beginning process of assessment. This may also include any post online Zoom session reflections or thoughts. The format for the Appendix can be of your choosing. This may include visual aides, thought clouds, tables, notes and diagrams etc.
Task Description
- You will select (1) of the case studies provided in Moodle giving details about a client's life to focus your theoretical analysis.
- Online Zoom group sessions will be held online in week 3/4 of term to discuss your thoughts, impressions, responses and beginning hunches related to the case study informed by your readings of the theories. This session will mirror a group supervision session and it is advisable to participate in at least one session in order to incorporate feedback into your final submission. You will not be graded on the Zoom session.
- Select any (2) theories presented in the course and discuss how your assessment and your understanding of the client's life circumstances have been informed by these theories. The purpose of this is to show how these theories might assist you to plan for the first appointment? The following are some prompts to assist you however you are strongly encouraged to add your own original ideas or the outcomes of individual research, discussion and reflection.
The (2) selected theories should assist you to discuss:
- ideas/hunches/hypotheses informed by at least two theories about what might be occurring for the client based on the referral information provided
- hypotheses or thoughts/hunches about some of the topics that may arise in your first face-to-face contact
- thoughts about the most important skills that may be needed to incorporate theoretical ideas/hunches/hypotheses into the session
- client behaviours that may arise which those theories may help predict.
You may use headings to organise your ideas and present client information.
NB: Do not invest effort trying to ‘match’ the ‘right theory’ with a client referral. Every theory presented in the course has the capacity to guide your ideas, hypotheses, explanations or predictions about every client referral presented. The one exception is crisis. Wherever this is assessed to be occurring, to ensure the safety of clients and others, theories and frameworks for crisis intervention are a non-negotiable starting point. Logistics: Referral information about several clients will be loaded to the Moodle site for this course under the heading ‘Referral information’ on the first day of term. You will have a number of referral scenarios to choose from.
Week 5 Friday (6 Apr 2018) 11:59 pm AEST
All submission must occur at Moodle. If technical troubles are experienced you are required to email a copy of the submission to the unit co-ordinator demonstrating no saves post submission time and date and then resolve the submission of the assessment in consultation with TASAC immediately.
Week 8 Monday (30 Apr 2018)
Post two business weeks of submission
Assessment criteria
- Use of theoretical concepts informing hypotheses, interpretations, and predictions about the issues faced by an individual client (10 marks)
- Use of examples that demonstrate the application of theoretical concepts from two theories that inform the planning of the session with an individual client (10 marks)
- Use of examples informed by theoretical concepts from two theories that may help predict client issues, topics of discussion, or client behaviours during initial contact with an individual client (10 marks)
- Adherence to instructions and teaching input provided through discussion at Moodle for the duration of the term (10 marks)
- Accuracy of spelling, grammar, proof reading and professional presentation (5 marks)
- Breadth and quality of material evident in final reference list (5 marks)
- Compare and contrast the philosophical assumptions, ideologies and theoretical perspectives that have informed the profession of social work through time
- Analyse social theories and apply the theories to social work referral contexts
- Apply professional values and ethics to practice contexts
- Apply the philosophies, ideologies, and theories of social work to their emerging professional practice framework
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Presentation and Written Assessment
Focus: How might some theories assist understanding issues faced by mandatory clients and professional responses of engagement and rapport building?
Role: Imagine you are a graduate social worker employed in an organisation of your choice where a multidisciplinary team is the platform of your service delivery.
Context: Through the year, different professionals volunteer to present a topic on professional practice referred to as ‘in-service sessions’ geared toward the professional development of teams. You have identified emerging difficulties that other workers have been speaking about in relation to clients who are mandated (required by legislation and court orders/scheduling) to make contact for professional service.
You are free to choose a service required to receive mandated clients meaning you will need to identify, research, and understand the jurisdiction and roles of organisations in an actual community of your choice that have the authority for directing people to attend. The following examples of legislation containing mandatory orders will direct you to some of these human service organisations. You are free to choose others.
Queensland legislation can be located at http://www.qld.gov.au. You can select legislation relevant to your state of residence however please reference correctly.
-The Mental Health Act (See among others S17 (a-c) and SS499-501
-The Child Protection Act 1999 (See among others S61(A) and S98 (1) & (2))
-The Juvenile Justice Act 1992 (See among others SS175-182)
Australian legislation can be located at http://www.comlaw.gov.au/
-The Aged Care Act 1997
If you have other legislative contexts of mandated practice you would like to explore please consult with the unit co-ordinator before proceeding.
You have heard conversations in the staff room about clients’ attitudes and behaviours, patterns of delegating those referrals to some professionals and not others, the wastage of public funds due to client drop out rates and breaches of orders, and overt verbal attacks from clients on staff members in public areas of the organisation such as the waiting room.
You have been asked by your team leader, who is a social worker, to deliver an in-service session providing a social work perspective on the topic of engaging with mandated clients. You have been briefed to provide two aspects to this presentation:
1. Adopt at least one (1) theoretical position to help explain, predict, and respond to client behaviours from the following choices:
· humanism, existentialism and spirituality
· cognitive-behavioural theory
· pychodynamic theory
2. Link the ideas contained in these theories to practical strategies for professional engagement with mandated clients.
3. Based on the location of the service created by at least one Act suggested above (you choose relevant to your State e.g. youth justice, child protection, mental health) one section must be devoted to practice issues associated with local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and the largest English as a second language cultural population in that statistical area (see Community Profiles at the ABS).
Product/performance: Your outcome will include:
1. A sequence of Powerpoint slides (500 words max i.e. key words and concepts. The Powerpoint slides are excluded from final word count).
2. Accompanying commentary/notes which would be used as reference material for speaking (no more than 2000 words official word count). The notes can either be located in the 'notes' section of the PPT slides OR submitted separately as a word document titled 'Speakers Notes and Commentary'. The speaker notes / commentary should be written in full sentences using appropriate scholarly conventions. A series of 'dot points' is not sufficient.
3. E-copies of handouts copy you believe necessary. These will not be included in the word count.
4. Reference list to be distributed to attendees (accurate application of Author Date referencing style)
Week 12 Friday (1 June 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Review/Exam Week Friday (8 June 2018)
Two business weeks post submission.
Assessment criteria
- Application of theoretical concepts informing hypotheses, explanations and predictions about contact with mandated clients
- Use of examples that demonstrate the application of theoretical concepts to engagement and rapport building with an individual client
- Ability to apply and adjust theoretical concepts for cross-cultural competence with Indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse people
- Adherence to instructions and teaching input provided through discussion at Moodle for the duration of the term
- Accuracy of spelling, grammar, proofing and professional presentation
- Adherence to author-date referencing system
- Breadth and quality of material evident in final reference list
- Analyse social theories and apply the theories to social work referral contexts
- Apply professional values and ethics to practice contexts
- Apply the philosophies, ideologies, and theories of social work to their emerging professional practice framework
- Analyse their performance from feedback drawn from their involvement in professional learning contexts
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
