Focus Statement

The learning agreement is the cornerstone of some of the most important learning relationships you will ever encounter in your professional career; shaping the educational relationships with field educators who offer to guide your learning journey into the human services sector. This document provides a framework for determining whether the practice standards, competencies and student attributes have been accomplished during Field Education 1. It is imperative that you achieve the deadlines stated in this submission as the Learning Agreement clarifies and articulates roles, goals objectives tasks and strategies, methods of evaluation that will drive your field education experience. Consolidating these agreements by the due dates (stated above) an important preventative measure maximising your successful completion.

Several key documents must be synthesised into the Learning Agreement including the Practice Standards for the Australian Association of Social Workers, the AASW Code of Ethics, organisational Codes of conduct, CQUniversity's Student Charter, Student Misconduct policy, It policies and occupational health and safety policies.

The practice standards negotiated for learning in field education 1 in conjunction with those demonstrated in University coursework will determine the balance of practice standards to be completed in field education 2. In consultation with your field educator you will need to determine which additional practice standards such as those for Indigenous practice, child wellbeing, mental health and cultural sensitivity are also relevant.

Your Roles

You will need to take a proactive approach to drafting your learning agreement in the first week of field education in collaboration with your field educator. In some instances you will be with on site and off site field educators and you will need to coordinate liaison so that all perspectives are included and approved in the final agreement. Learning agreements must be signed, by both external supervisor and internal/task supervisors (if this if your placement arrangement) or by your supervisor (if you have the one internal supervisor) and uploaded to moodle.

PLEASE NOTE:. the learning agreement should not be an regarded as an agreement confined to you and your host organisation, The Learning Agreement as you will see below contains standards of practice that are related to your ongoing agreement with CQUniversity.

Products/Performance

Your learning agreement is a unique plan that articulates your journey towards professional entry. The document will need to demonstrate the conceptualisation and organisation of your learning needs, learning agendas, and methods for demonstrating competency.

Use the following checklist in conjunction with the assessment criteria grid to scaffold your submission. All learning agreements need to include:

1. A detailed cover sheet including student identification on all subsequent pages; page numbered; street address of the organisation; contact details of field educator assigned; contact details of operational supervisors if applicable (see field education manual 2015)
2. Articulation of initial learning needs on entry of field education (summary of assessments reached on placement readiness process) (see CQU Social Work Field Education Manual 2016).
3. Evidence of discussion about the role of social work or welfare students in the team and/or organisation in the general sense.
4. Articulation of learning goals for field education.
5. Articulation of learning objectives for field education.
6. Articulation of social work or welfare roles to be learned.
7. A list of tasks and skills to be undertaken and learned.
8. The methods of evaluating goals, objectives, roles, tasks and skills.
9. The methods of recording standards or competencies achieved.
10. Personal development goals (strengths and weaknesses).
11. The time, place and frequency of the field education sessions (aka supervision).
12. The roles and responsibilities of the student, the field educator and the organisational supervisor for the field education sessions.
13. Processes for addressing difficulties, tensions and conflicts in the field education relationship, other members of staff and University staff (see CQU Social Work Field Education Manual 2016).
14. A record of student provisions (desk, phone, internet access etc)
15. Agency working arrangements such as start and finish times, dress code, confirmation that the code of conduct or similar documents have been noted, confirmation that the student charter of CQ University have been noted.
16. Signatures of field educator/s - MUST BE SIGNED BEFORE UPLOADING TO MOODLE

Managing changes/revisions to your learning plan during the placement:

• The learning agreement is not a living document, it should reflect the goals to be achieved and must be done in collaboration with your field educator.
• Any significant revision of the Learning Agreement that departs from the original document should be communicated to the Field Education Coordinator within (3) working days.
• You are encouraged to use your learning agreement at each scheduled field education session with your supervisor.
• The learning agreement and supervision record is reviewed at the field education visit, and any changes required can be made at this time, in agreement with both the field educator, University liaison person and the Field Education Coordinator.

Further Action to be taken by student:

• You will be required to provide the field education liaison person with a copy of your learning agreement either prior to your mid placement review or on the day of your review.

Submission:

• You will need the learning agreement signed by; supervisor/s (external and internal - if this is the case) for submitting to moodle.
• The learning Agreement must be submitted to moodle using Microsoft Word Document.

Focus statement

As a student on your first field education experience, you will have an opportunity to further develop your skills and knowledge in reflective and reflexive practice and how to utilise supervision effectively. Student supervision undertaken during your placement is one of the important professional spaces where this in-depth reflection occurs. Feedback is also a vital part of the reflection cycle where your supervisor will provide guidance, support and identify and evaluate your practice in order to assist you to incorporate this into your activities during placement. It is therefore important to develop the techniques and skills involved to successfully record, integrate, apply and reflect on this process.

Student role

You are required to complete a written supervision recording after each weekly supervision session with your relevant social work supervisor.

Product

This written record will succinctly (no more than 600 words) record the following details:

1. Date and time of supervision including length

2. Topics for discussion

3. Feedback / evaluation provided to you from your supervisor (strengths, limitations, areas to further develop, critique of social work practice etc)

4. Your reflection and analysis of the feedback provided to you

5. Agreed upon action plan to integrate feedback to your practice and activities and how this will be evaluated or re-visited

6. Any other aspects of supervision you found helpful or challenging

This assessment will be uploaded on a weekly basis and is submitted for viewing by the Field Education Coordinator. Feedback, where required will provided to you in the private forum area on moodle.

Focus Statement

This is the second of three contacts your CQ University staff will maintain with you throughout your field education experience. The main focus of this Contact Review Meeting is the development of verbal communication skills articulating your personal framework for professional practice. The discussion is also designed to check on your orientation to your organisation and the gaps to be addressed in relation to understanding the strengths and constraints of social work practice in your unique context.

Your Role

• Read the ZOOM Participant Instructions (Document can be found on moodle)
• Observe the moodle site for this course announcements about dates scheduled for your group meeting.
• Ensure that your location for the discussion in private and conductive to effective communication. Depending on your placement organisation, you may wish to consider being at home or at a University location. .
• Be available and prepared for the discussion at least 15 minutes prior to starting the conference
• Be prepared to participate, whilst being mindful that others will need opportunities to participate too

Performance/Product

You will be required to address:

1. Your beginning impression of your field educators framework for practice, this is your responsibility to be able to articulate this

2. The parts of your own personal framework and your organisations framework

3. How do you plan to integrate your personal framework into your practice.

4. Is the placement a good fit for your framework, explain why it is or why it is no, and provide an example of this.

Following this discussion you are required to:

5. Provide a reflective writing piece on your participation during the CONTACT REVIEW MEETING, including your strengths and limitations in regards to this assessment using the model of reflection presented at the residential school. This includes:

• Brief overview of 'what happened'
• How you felt during the event (group discussion)
• I believe (what values and beliefs were explored or raised during the session)
• I know (what strengths did you bring in terms of knowledge bases; ethics, practice frameworks, standards, agency information etc)
• What now (what action came out of this learning experience? e.g. what do you want to develop further in your own practice framework, or know about your supervisors, or what did a peer share that was a helpful strategy forward)

The assessment must be submitted to moodle using Microsoft Word Document You will receive feedback for your participation from your coordinator

.Students must pass four (4) out of the six (6) critiera to pass the assessment.

Focus Statement

This is the third contact you will have with academic staff or their representatives at the field placement review, that will take place about mid way through the placement. This usually involves a face to face meeting, although sometimes this can be through ISL, Teleconference or Skype, depending on the availability of the organisations. You will receive a visit from academic staff or a social worker in your local district contracted to represent the University. Whilst the University endeavours to make this review as close as possible to midway, this is not always possible, and it could occur earlier or later than mid way.

The field education review is pivotal to your progress in Field Education 1. Several sources of evaluation will contribute to the overall assessment of student progress. Supervision feedback, participation in organisational tasks and practice, contributions made to working with the field education team inclusive of the University, demonstration of social work knowledge and practice and emerging practice framework etc all contribute to this evaluation. The mid placement review provides additional opportunities to identify the practice standards, competencies and student attributes that have been attained. The visit also provides the opportunity for any person involved to discuss concerns about the progress of the learning experience in order to provide you with the opportunity to make necessary changes required for successful completion or where this is not achievable, to conclude the placement.

Your Role and Responsibilities

1. You are responsible for regular moodle contact in order to receive announcements related to the coordination of mid field education visits
2. Consult with the staff member visiting and provide the street address of the meeting, any special directions, parking arrangements, and any other relevant information that may impact on the scheduled visit.
3. Provide a copy of your learning agreement and supervisory record to the member of staff who will be facilitating your review either prior to the visit, or on the day.
4. Determine with your field educator whether the entire review will include all parties or whether they wish to speak with the academic member of staff prior to meeting with you.
5. You are able to take notes during the mid placement review.
6. You are responsible to complete and submit your mid placement report (this proforma is available on moodle).

Product/Performance

You as the student will be responsible to submit your the mid placement review report (this proforma is available on moodle). The report is a template and you will complete the overall feedback from both the supervisor and the liaison person as well as your own input, it must have a documented action plan attached to the review report if significant changes or departures from the original Learning Agreement. This should be submitted to moodle within 7 days of your review.

Focus of the Field Education Review

The Learning Agreement is the core document used to determine whether practice standards, competencies and student attributes have been accomplished. The supervision record will compliment this document to provide evidence and ongoing evaluation of your learning needs, practice competence and student role in the field.

At the outset of the mid field review your field educator will be asked to confirm if you are accomplishing the terms set out in the Learning Agreement at a pass or fail standard. This confirmation will determine the remaining process of the visit.

The Liaison Person will ask students and field educators for their verbal evaluation of the following four issues;

1. An overview of the field education experience so far including learning highlights and challenges, the student will be encouraged to discuss how they have or are overcoming challenges.
2. A verbal account on the progress of the Learning Agreement and discussion about any changes needed.
3. Interpersonal skills, how does the student manage themselves in a team environment; discuss how they are developing in supervision and how do they utilise and respond to feedback. Give an example of feedback being taken; and how it made a difference.
4. Insights into the students learning style; how does this compare and contrast with the field educators learning style and how have they managed this.

This document must be submitted in moodle using Microsoft Word Document within seven (7) days following the Mid placement meeting.

Students must provide evidence through the assessment of the mid placement review that they are achieving to a satisfactory level the outcomes below:

Reflective practice skills: Part A and Part B

Part A:

You will be required to make fortnightly reflections into a private journal (either electronic or paper). This is NOT uploaded to moodle, however may be required for submission by email at the request of the Course Coordinator, and/or the liaison person. This allows the student to have a place to discuss the personal learning that will be occurring including the development of the use of self in practice.

Part B:

Finally, you will draw together the reflections and learning from the past 12 weeks and submit a final summative reflective of your experiences and learning on placement.

Part A: Reflective Journal

If you have successfully completed your introductory SOWK courses at CQU you are familiar with reflective practice in preparation for contemporary social work and welfare practice. The emphasis in this learning journal is your ongoing engagement with the practice standards of the AASW. You will keep a learning journal (either in a book or electronically) and this is not to be shared online however, it may be called upon by the Course Coordinator. The fortnightly reflections will assist you to write your final summary required for submission in week 12/13 of your placement.

Your demonstrated ability to apply and evaluate social work knowledge and theory in the field education process is the focus of the case study embedded in SOWK13010 Integrating Theory and Practice 1. This reflective practice will provide evidence that you can undertake the readings associated with this course and then apply the concepts that comprise those theories to the everyday world in SOWK13010.

This is not an academic assessment, therefore no referencing is required.

Part B: Final Summary

The students will make a final submission of no more than 600 words that will outline their experience of reflective writing; challenges, strengths and actions for the future. This will be graded as an academic paper and will require references. Students are expected to have a clear understanding of the purpose of reflective writing, and models of reflective writing. Students are encouraged to refer to the model of reflective writing they engaged with.

Focus Statement

The end of placement report is an evaluation and assessment of the student social worker's attainment and application of social work practice standards, ethics, integration of theory to practice and approach to supervision, feedback and learning.

Your role/responsibilities

• Students are responsible for respectfully reminding their supervisor two (2) weeks prior to the completion of their field education placement that the report is due seven (7) days (max) after a placement has been completed.
• Students should be proactive in terms of scheduling the final supervision around the report and ensuring the supervisor does have a copy of the template.
• Students are responsible for uploading this report to moodle (unless a supervisor requests to deliver the report directly to the unit coordinator)

Product/Performance

This report is completed by the supervising social worker (internal or external) and is the responsibility of the supervising social worker. A template of this report is available on the course moodle site and is provided to your supervisor at their commencement. The final report should be planned in advance of completion with most reports finalised in the last two weeks of placement. This allows time for the supervisor/s to discuss the evaluation report with the student prior to completion. Each relevant practice standard should have been completed and signed before submission.

Please Note

Grades cannot be completed until the final report has been received and graded. In regards to your final grade the end of placement report is carefully considered, however the Unit Coordinator is responsible for awarding the students final grade.

Students are strongly advised to keep a copy of their end of placement report; as it may be required by their field educator in the students final placement.

The Criteria for this assessment is provided to the Field Educators. The students do NOT complete this report, however,can submit their copy on moodle assessment.

Focus Statement

You are required to keep an accurate log of hours that you spend in formal education activities. This can include training provided by your organisation. Additionally, you will need to provide a record of your supervision with some brief dot points of supervision topics discussed.

Your Role and Responsibility

• Upload a supervisor signed electronic copy of the log of hours at the completion of your placement. It is recommended you upload via a zip file.

Product/Performance

The Field education Log begins on your first day. It records the hours you spend in the agency, hours you spend outside the agency undertaking tasks associated with your learning or any pre placement training / induction hours you have been required to participate in (eg. QLD Health induction).

Travel required in your placement can be counted however, travel to and from your placement are not recorded. The collaborate 'contact review meeting' is recorded in your log of hours and any travel time associated with this assessment task is also recorded and counted. Any activities beyond the Learning Agreement will be deemed personal and professional development and will not be considered to be a component of Field education 1. The log can be called on at any time by the University. Students must not accrue additional hours (work more than 8 hours per day) in their placement without the explicit consent of the Course Coordinator. In the event that a student is required to undertake additional hours in the placement for travel or due to a delay in a client related activity, the student is required to negotiate taking these hours off as soon as practicable to ensure appropriate self care and health and safety needs are met.

Students should refer to the Field Education Manual for further details regarding hours of duty and any departures from normal hours or days of duty must be made known to the Course Coordinator by email as soon as this becomes known.

The complete hours for the BSW (Hons) degree is 1000 hours, however we expect that you will complete 440 hours in this placement irrespective of full-time or part-time status.

The additional hours of 560 hours will be undertaken in SOWK 14009.