Weighting: 20%

Length: Ecomap + 600 words (+/-10%)

Aim

The aim of this task is to demonstrate your understanding of the influence of social systems and ecological contexts on individuals.  You will develop an ecomap and a written analysis about it with a focus on you in your social environments.

Instructions

Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task:

(1)  Create an ecomap to visually represent the relationships between you and your social systems either in the present or at any particular period of your life.  Your social systems may include: your family, social networks, community resources and institutions (e.g. schools, workplaces, community and government organisations) as well as wider macrolevel influences.  Use symbols, lines, and other graphical elements to depict the nature and strength of these relationships.

(2)  Write a reflective analysis that discusses the findings from your ecomap development.  Analyse the strengths and the challenges presented in your ecomap.  These could include resources and gaps, both tangible (e.g. education) and intangible (e.g. emotional support).  Consider how these social systems may impact on your sense of inclusion, empowerment as well as disempowerment.  Consider whether and how you may impact the systems.

(3)  Critically reflect on the applicability of the critical theory’s proposition that the “personal is political” to your everyday life. 

(4)  Use relevant theoretical concepts to support your analysis.  As in this assessment you are sharing personal information, please share what you would be comfortable discussing in a professional setting.

Literature and references

In this assessment use at least 4 contemporary references (<10 years) to support your discussion. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles and textbooks. When sourcing information, consider the 5 elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. 

Requirements

·       Use a conventional and legible size 12 font, such as Times New Roman, with 2.0 line spacing and 2.54cm page margins (standard pre-set margin in Microsoft Word).

·       Include page numbers on the top right side of each page in a header.

·       Use formal academic language.

·       Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.

·       The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. The word count excludes the reference list but includes in-text references and direct quotations.

Resources

·       You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources (e.g. journal articles, books) to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important.

·       We recommend that you access your discipline specific library guide: the Social Work and Community Services Guide.

·       We recommend you use EndNote to manage your citations and reference list. More information on how to use EndNote is available at the CQUniversity Library website.

·       For information on academic communication please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources including information for students with English as a second language.

·       Submit a draft before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before making a final submission. Instructions are available here.

Generative AI

·       Generative AI (GenAI) refers to any artificial intelligence that can generate new content.  Gen-AI must not be used in any way for producing the assessment task which requires demonstration of human capacities/skills/knowledge.  

·       Please be aware that certain features in programs such as Grammarly and other writing aids incorporate Gen-AI capabilities that can rewrite sentences or entire paragraphs. The use of these features to generate or substantially alter content in your submission is not allowed.

Submission

Submit your assessment via the unit Moodle site in Microsoft Word format.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

·      Analyse social work practice through a theoretical and social work values lens

·      Analyse the social context and how it influences social workers’ understanding of individual issues or problems and how to initiate change

·       Visual representation of the ecomap depicting the person and social systems; and the nature and strength of these relationships (10%)

·       Presentation and Structure: Spelling, grammar and clarity of written communication, organisation of the material (10%)

·       Analysis of the ecomap and the relationships between the person and the social environment (30%)

·       Reflection of the proposition that the “personal is political” (20%)

·       Application of theoretical concepts (20%)

·       Use of references and APA referencing (10%)

·       Please refer to the marking rubric on the unit's Moodle site for more detail on how marks will be assigned

Weighting: 40%

Length: 1500 words +/- 10%

Aim

The aim of this assessment is for you to consider how theoretical approaches can be used as lenses to inform social work practice and service delivery.  You will examine two theories of change covered during weeks 2-6 that can include: systems, critical approach, feminisms, eco-practice, & anti-oppressive approach. You will apply the theories to a case study (please see the case study in the assessment tile in Moodle).  

Context

You are undertaking a field education placement in a human service organisation of your choice.  Your supervisor has asked you to choose two theoretical approaches and provide a written analysis of how they would inform your work with a client (please see the case study in the assessment tile in Moodle) and examine their strengths and limitations.  You are not required to engage in problem solving.  

Instructions

Please follow the steps below to complete your assessment task.  

·      Locate an organisational context that provides suitable support for this case study.

·      Choose two theories covered in weeks 2-6.  Briefly explain why you chose them and their appropriateness to the particular case study.  Discuss the theories’ key tenets, comparing and contrasting the approaches.

·      Apply the selected theories to the case study.   Examine how the theories would inform your understanding of the client’s circumstances, and how it could inform your social work practice. Consider how your use of theory may influence the client and initiate the process of change.

·      Evaluate the effectiveness of your chosen theoretical approach including its strengths and limitations in relation to the case study including the organisational context. Examine potential tensions between the theoretical approach and the case study including the organisational context.

Literature and references

In this assessment use at least eight contemporary references (<10 years) to support your discussion. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles and textbooks. When sourcing information, consider the 5 elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. 

Requirements

·       Use a conventional and legible size 12 font, such as Times New Roman, with 2.0 line spacing and 2.54cm page margins (standard pre-set margin in Microsoft Word).

·       Include page numbers on the top right side of each page in a header.

·       Use formal academic language.

·       Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.

·       The word count is considered from the first word of the introduction to the last word of the conclusion. The word count excludes the reference list but includes in-text references and direct quotations.

Resources

·       You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources (e.g. journal articles, books) to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important.

·       We recommend that you access your discipline specific library guide: the Social Work and Community Services Guide.

·       We recommend you use EndNote to manage your citations and reference list. More information on how to use EndNote is available at the CQUniversity Library website.

·       For information on academic communication please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources including information for students with English as a second language.

·       Submit a draft before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before making a final submission. Instructions are available here.

Generative AI

·       Generative AI (GenAI) refers to any artificial intelligence that can generate new content.  Gen-AI must not be used in any way for producing the assessment task which requires demonstration of human capacities/skills/knowledge.  

·       Please be aware that certain features in programs such as Grammarly and other writing aids incorporate Gen-AI capabilities that can rewrite sentences or entire paragraphs. The use of these features to generate or substantially alter content in your submission is not allowed.

Submission

Submit your assessment via the unit Moodle site in Microsoft Word format only.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

·       Analyse how key philosophies inform the delivery of human services and the practice of social work.

·       Analyse social work practice through a theoretical and social work values lens.

·       Justify the importance of integrating a philosophy, ideology or theory into your emerging professional practice framework

·       Analyse the social context and how it influences social workers’ understanding of individual issues or problems and how to initiate change.

·       Presentation and structure of the submission (10%)

·       Examination of the chosen theories and their key tenets; the choice of the theories explained with consideration of their appropriateness to the particular case study (25%)

·       Exploration of the applicability of the theories to guide understanding of the client’s circumstances and inform social work practice with the client (30%)

·       Discussion of strengths and limitations of the chosen theories in the context of their applicability to the case study and the chosen organization (25%)

·       Use of references and APA referencing (10%)

·      Refer to the marking rubric on the unit’s Moodle site for more detail on how marks will be assigned.

Type: Written assessment

Weighting: 40%

Length: 1500 words +/- 10%

Task

The theories covered in this unit focus on empowerment and social change and consider the social organisation of society.  These theories can be applied beyond direct practice with clients to initiatives focused on promoting macro-level change.  The aim of this assessment is for you to analyse the role of social change campaigns in promoting social change and explore the potential contribution of social work, practice theory and professional values in supporting these macro interventions.

Instructions

You are required to do the following:

1.    Identify a current or past social change campaign.  ( Refer to the unit’s Moodle page for some examples or you may focus on another relevant campaign).  Briefly discuss what is the social issue and why is it a problem.  

2.    Deconstruct the social issue that the campaign targets.  Consider the mechanisms that reinforce its presence (e.g. existing power relations, presence of dominant discourses and how they shape or limit prevalent understanding of this issue).  You may also consider the alternative ways for conceptualising the presence of the social issue. 

3.    Explore how the campaign seeks to promote social change.  Examine strategies for challenging the presence of the social issue and reconstructing the problem (e.g. creating new conversations, modelling new practices, creating new structures and processes).  Consider how these strategies align with theoretical propositions covered in this unit that focus on creating change.

4.    Identify ways in which the campaign engages and mobilises broader community to be active participants.  In your discussion, consider how does the literature convey the role of individuals in being part of the change process.

5.    Discuss whether and how the campaign aligns with social work values.   

6.    Thinking about social work practice through the theoretical lens, discuss how social work profession can contribute to the social change process in the context of disrupting the status quo.

Literature and references

In this assessment use at least 8 contemporary references (<10 years) to support your discussion. You may also use seminal scholarly literature where relevant. Suitable references include peer-reviewed journal articles as well as textbooks and credible websites. When sourcing information, consider the 5 elements of a quality reference: currency, authority, relevance, objectivity, and coverage. Grey literature sourced from the internet must be from reputable websites such as from government, university, or peak national bodies: for example, the Australian College of Nursing or the Australian Association of Social Workers.

Requirements 

·       Use a conventional and legible size 12 font, such as Times New Roman or Arial, with 1.5 line spacing and 2.54cm page margins (standard pre-set margin in Microsoft Word).

·       Include page numbers on each page in a footer.

·       Use formal academic language.

·       Use the seventh edition American Psychological Association (APA) referencing style. The CQUniversity Academic Learning Centre has an online APA Referencing Style Guide.

·       The word count excludes the reference list but includes in-text references and direct quotations.

Resources

·       You can use unit provided materials and other credible sources (e.g. journal articles, books) to reference your argument. The quality and credibility of your sources are important.

·       We recommend that you access your discipline specific library guide: the Nursing and Midwifery Guide; Social Work and Community Services Guide.

·       We recommend you use EndNote to manage your citations and reference list. More information on how to use EndNote is available at the CQUniversity Library website.

·       For information on academic communication please go to the Academic Learning Centre Moodle site. The Academic Communication section has many helpful resources including information for students with English as a second language.

·       Submit a draft before the due date to review your Turnitin Similarity Score before making a final submission. Instructions are available here. 

Generative AI

·       Generative AI (GenAI) refers to any artificial intelligence that can generate new content.  Gen-AI must not be used in any way for producing the assessment task which requires demonstration of human capacities/skills/knowledge.  

·       Please be aware that certain features in programs such as Grammarly and other writing aids incorporate Gen-AI capabilities that can rewrite sentences or entire paragraphs. The use of these features to generate or substantially alter content in your submission is not allowed.

Submission

Submit your assessment via the unit Moodle site in Microsoft Word format only.

Learning Outcomes Assessed

·       Analyse how key philosophies inform the delivery of human services and the practice of social work.

·       Analyse social work practice through a theoretical and social work values lens.

·       Justify the importance of integrating a philosophy, ideology or theory into your emerging professional practice framework.

·       Presentation and structure of the submission - 10%

·       Analysis of the social issue - 20%

·       Exploration of how the campaign is seeking change and community engagement – 20%

·       Knowledge of appropriate theoretical concepts inform all aspects of the assignment question- 20%

·       Analysis of social work values and social work profession’s contribution - 20%

·       Use of references and APA referencing - 10%

·       Refer to the marking rubric on the Moodle site for more detail on how marks will be assigned