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 - 2019
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
Additional Textbook Information
Copies are available for purchase at the CQUni Bookshop here: http://bookshop.cqu.edu.au (search on the Unit code)
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Windows Media Player or Quicktime
- Free Zoom download
- Quality cameras and headsets
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
d.dewarren@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Orientation to the course.
- Ensure that you have read the course profile thoroughly and completely.
- 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 the Zoom streams loaded to Moodle site in the 'Getting started' drop down.
- Open every link at Moodle as additional important information is often hidden.
- Review the Assessment Tasks in this Unit Profile and post your first questions for clarification or learning.
- Prepare all your questions and post them to the 'Clarification' discussion forum, attend or watch the recording of the meet, greet and Q&A via Zoom (more background at the 'News' link in Moodle (download at www.zoom.us).
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
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Professional and Flexible learning
This unit is based on the philosophy of Community-Focussed Learning or problem-based learning which is explained more fully at Moodle.
This course does not have a weekly study schedule as this is not the way professional learning occurs in the 'real world' when confronted with new and often complex situations that require a social work response.
Instead, this unit comprises several modules that can be engaged in any order but note below the connections of modules to the assessment tasks.
The modules presented in this unit include:
-Reimagining social work from an Aborigional theoretical perspective (Assessment task # 1) ;
-Frameworks, models, and practice (Assessment task # 1);
-Reflective and reflexive practice (Assessment task # 1 & Assessment task # 2)
-Onion-peeling theories (Assessment task # 2)
-Faulty-engine theories (Assessment task # 2)
NB There is an assessment criterion for both assessment tasks that require you to demonstrate your capacity to undertake relevant, independent research for high quality resources to complement those provided to you at Moodle. Therefore you are encouraged throughout term to devote one week to engaging with the material required and every alternate week with your searches for additional knowledge and the class discussion scheduled at Zoom.
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Events and Submissions/Topic
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Zoom session scheduled and recorded: Indigenous knowledge, theory, models, frameworks, and reflective/reflexive practice
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Zoom session scheduled and recorded
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Zoom session scheduled and recorded: Onion peeling theories
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Zoom session scheduled and recorded: Faulty-engine theories
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Zoom session scheduled and recorded: Final check in
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- If you are a student articulating from a VET/TAFE qualification directly into this unit you are strongly advised to complete the on-line Orientation Program (links via Student Portal) prior to the start of term.
- If this is your first year of study at CQUniversity you are eligible to receive one-on-one academic support for your writing and analysis through the Academic Learning Centre (links via Moodle and Student Portal).
- If, based on feedback from previous units, you believe you have a case to present for additional academic support beyond Year 1 of study, please contact the Academic Learning Centre to locate their referral form.
1 Presentation and Written Assessment
Focus: A written academic discussion. Please see the resources uploaded at Moodle and the Academic Learning Centre for the characteristics of academic discussion.
Role: Year 2 social work student
Context: Globally, there are many different ways of knowing about the natural and social world around us, and many different knowledges about the same. This assessment task requires you to learn specifically about how Western theory influences contemporary social work practice.
Topic: Discuss your understanding of the ‘five lenses’ of social work presented in Connolly and Harms (2015, pp.14-24) and the purpose of theory for professional practice. In this discussion integrate your understanding of the differences between a ‘theory’, ‘framework’, and ‘model’. Discuss the main criticisms of theories used for contemporary social work practice. This discussion must include your interpretations of the shortcomings of Western theories when working with people from linguistically and culturally diverse backgrounds; especially Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Product/performance: A formal academic essay of 2000 words. The submission must include a cover page, abstract, table of contents, and reference list. The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. It excludes the cover page, abstract, contents page and reference list. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.Your cover sheet must include your name, student number, and word count. You are permitted to submit with a 10% variation above or below 2000 words.
Week 7 Monday (29 Apr 2019) 12:00 am AEST
Week 9 Friday (17 May 2019)
Two business weeks post submission.
Assessment criteria: The submission will be graded according to the following standards. Each are evaluated separately but the submission is graded as a whole.The full assessment rubric is available at Moodle.
- Use of teaching resources informing the discussion
- Synthesis of new knowledge with discussion
- Adherence to ongoing discussion and clarification presented at Moodle and in Zoom
- Clarity of writing style and logic in the turning points of discussion
- Spelling grammar, formatting and proofing
- Quality of independent research and resources used
- 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
2 Written Assessment
Focus: Use two (2) theories presented in this unit to help hypothesise, explain, predict, and plan for a first point of face to face contact with a client you have selected from the range of referrals provided at Moodle.
Purpose: This assessment task will assist you to step out the beginning phase of a client assessment with a focus on the integration of theory.
Role and Context: Imagine you are a social work student in a human service organisation for your first placement. Your Learning Agreement and social work Field Educator has advised that it is your responsibility to be prepared for weekly supervision sessions. Supervision provides an opportunity for professional discussion about your development of social work theory and your responses to clients, as a student, informed by those theories.
Performance/Product: You will select one (1) of the case studies provided in Moodle giving details about a client's life to focus your theoretical analysis.
You will submit a written briefing detailing how two (2) theories presented in this unit may help explain the life circumstances of the client and prepare for a first point of face to face contact. This document is intended to form the basis for discussion in supervision.
Suggestions:
Show how the two (2) theories help with:
· your ideas/hunches/hypotheses/possible explanations/predictions about what might be occurring for the client based on the referral information provided;
· possible client discussion and behaviours that may arise which those theories may help predict;and
· a plan for the first point of face to face contact including thoughts about the most important skills that may be needed.
You may use headings to organise your ideas and present client information. You may use dot points in some parts but do not overuse. There is no right or wrong way to structure or organise this briefing documentation. How you choose to organise your ideas is as important in this submission as the content you submit.
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, and plans 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.
Online discussion forums and Zoom sessions will be held to discuss your developing impressions, thoughts, and beginning hunches related to the case study informed by your readings of the theories. If you are unable to attend these sessions they will be recorded.
Wordage: The submission must include a cover page, briefing, and reference list. The word count is considered from the first word of the briefing to its last word. It excludes the cover page and reference list. It includes in-text references and direct quotations.Your cover sheet must include your name, student number, and word count. You are permitted to submit with a 10% variation above or below 1500 words.
Week 12 Friday (7 June 2019) 12:00 am AEST
Post two business weeks of submission
Assessment criteria: The submission will be graded according to the following standards. Each are evaluated separately but the submission is graded as a whole.The full assessment rubric is available at Moodle.
-
Application of theoretical concepts informing hypotheses, explanations,and predictions about initial contact with an individual client
- Use of examples that demonstrate the application of theoretical concepts to initial contact with an individual client
- Adherence to instructions and teaching input
- Accuracy of spelling, grammar, proofing, and professional presentation
- Breadth and quality of material evident in reference list
- 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
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?
