Focus Statement:

The learning agreement is the cornerstone 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 AASW 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 is an important preventative measure maximising your successful completion.

Student Role:

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. You will need to consult with all members of your field education team; including your field educator and/or task supervisor, and Field Education Liaison Officer (FELO), you do not require the signature of the field education coordinator. It’s essential that all person/s perspectives are included and approved in the final agreement. Learning agreements must be signed, by all members of the field education team.

Products/Performance: The Field Education Package – Part A and Part B

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. There are two major components/parts of this document;

Part A - Placement Structure - Field Education Package; this template is designed to assist the student to develop and apply a clear and thorough understanding of the placement structure. Including key agency information, role of the social worker in the agency, the service delivery models of the organisation; and in relation to their placement monitoring, support and supervision; the specific responsibilities and roles of each member of the  field education team, including the student, Field Education Liaison Officer, Field Educator (supervisor), and (if relevant) task supervisor and external supervisor. In addition the preparation for the field that has been undertaken by the student.

     Part B – Learning plan and agreement – Field Education Package; this template outlines six (6) key learning areas. The student must create a              goal for each area including;

• identifying the learning objective of the goal,
• creating an action plan
• implement methods of evaluation
• And clearly link these to the AASW Practice Standards and AASW Student Social Work Graduate Attributes.

Several key documents must be synthesised into the Learning Agreement including the:

• AASW Practice Standards
• AASW Code of Ethics,
• Organisational Codes of conduct,
• CQUniversity’ s Student Charter and Student Misconduct policy,
• Any other relevant occupational health and safety policies relating to the placement setting.

PLEASE NOTE: the learning agreement should not be regarded as an agreement confined to you and your host organisation. Rather this document is your ongoing agreement with CQUniversity, and ensures that the AASW Graduate Attributes have been met by the completion of Field Education 2.

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

• The learning agreement must be undertaken in collaboration with your field educator.  Once the document is approved by the FELO, Field Educator and student at the "Learning Plan Meeting" there should be no major changes to the document from that point forward.  
• 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 supervision session with your Field Educator or External Field Educator.
• The learning plan and 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.

Submission:

• You will need the learning agreement signed by; supervisor/s (external and internal - if this is the case) at the Learning Plan Meeting in order to submit to moodle.
• You will need to coordinate with the FELO and Field Educator (supervisor), and/off Task Supervisor (onsite supervisor – if applicable) a Learning Plan meeting to have Part A and Part B approved. All members of the field education team must approve the learning plan before submitting this to moodle.
• The Field Education Package – Part A and Part B must be submitted to moodle using Microsoft Word Document and a PDF of the signage sheet.

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 using the supplied SUPERVISION RECORD AND ACTION PLAN TEMPLATE: SEE TEMPLATE PROVIDED ON MOODLE.

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.

1. Student uses key social work attributes working with people
2. Supervision record is succinct and clearly identifies student thought processes
3. Student demonstrates both reflective and reflexive practice
4. Student identifies feedback including strengths and limitations to be further developed with an appropriate action plan

Students can access the GRADING RUBRIC/MARKING SHEET on moodle.  

Focus statement

Reflective tools are utilised within this unit to provide you and your Field Education Coordinator with a process and evidence of your capacity to integrate theory to practice and demonstrate the attainment of practice standards and social work practice suitable to meet the eligibility criteria as set out by the Australian Association of Social Workers and the Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) graduate learning outcomes.

Student Role

You are to demonstrate creativity and professional presentation of all required elements. You will be required to submit fortnightly reflective postings in a forum and weekly supervision feedback, reflection and action planning. You are encouraged to maintain a personal reflective journal during your placement however, this will not be submitted and should form part of your own reflective practice writing.

Product: ONLINE REFLECTIVE POSTINGS (Fortnightly & Final Summary)

You will make online postings in Moodle each fortnight, making professional links from theory to practice, discussing your learning and providing support to your peers. Please ensure that confidentiality of any participants and/or organisations are upheld. Your final summary will be undertaken in your final week of placement and will reflect on your overall learning.

The student has engaged with their peers in online written forums on a fortnightly basis. In order to meet this assessment criteria:

1. Student has demonstrated clear and appropriate application of theory informed critical reflection in order to gain a greater level of self awareness, and explored and/or created reflexive practice.
2. The final summary evidences the consistency and quality of the reflective writing and reflexive practice established.
3. Student has provided very good examples of their learning in the field that includes a demonstration of their reflective and reflexive practice, both in the fortnightly forum and in the final summary. This will be evidenced by the consistency and quality of the Final Learning Summary.

Students can access the GRADING RUBRIC/MARKING SHEET on Moodle.

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 ZOOM, depending on the availability of the organisations. You will receive a visit from Field Education Liaison Officer (FELO) 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. 

Student Role and Responsibilities

1. You are responsible for regular moodle/email 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 to ensure you can complete Part C- Mid Placement Review – Field Education package.
6. You are responsible to complete and submit Part C – Mid placement review (this template is available on moodle). Please note it is NOT the responsibility or task of your supervisor or liaison person to complete any of this form.

Product/Performance

You as the student will be responsible to submit Part C – Mid Placement Review – Field Education Package. The template is designed for the student to collect and summarise the overall feedback from both the supervisor and the FELO as well as your own input. Please note 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 complement 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 placement 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 FELO will ask students and field educators or task supervisor (if applicable) and external field educator (if applicable) for their verbal evaluation of the following four issues;

1. A verbal account on the progress of the Learning Agreement and discussion about any changes needed. That includes learning highlights and challenges; the student will be encouraged to discuss how they have or are overcoming challenges.
2. 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.
3. 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:

1. Demonstrate evidence of developing student attributes (discussion of student values and beliefs) and how this integrates into social work practice.
2. Select and apply appropriate use of self and problem solving skills as a student social worker within an organisation.
3. Analysis and articulation of client's needs using social work theories and evaluation of intervention strategies.
4. Work within the AASW Code of Ethics, Practice Standards, and organisational policies and procedures.
5. Evaluate elements of an emerging professional practice framework.
6. Demonstrates achievement of learning goals to a satisfactory level.
7. Understands and applies self-care.
8. Demonstrates professional communication skills and accountability through supervision and the receipt of feedback.

Students must achieve a pass in at least 6 of the 8 criteria/outcomes to pass the mid placement review and continue placement

Focus Statement

This is the third of three (3:3) contacts your CQUniversity staff will maintain with you throughout your field education experience (1:3 and 2:3 are with the FELO). The main focus of Professional Practice Framework (PPF) Presentation is the development of verbal communication skills articulating your (emerging) personal framework for professional practice.

Your Role:

• Refer to the ZOOM meeting instructions on Moodle.
• Prepare a 5 min VERBAL presentation of your PPF including VISUAL material (e.g. powerpoint presentation, picture)

Performance/Product

You will be required to address:

1. A visual representation or metaphor of your Professional Practice Framework (PPF) and concise articulation of the key components in your framework is to be available for presentation at all times throughout your placement. Your PPF will continually develop and is part of your supervision agenda.
2. The final product is to be presented to your peers in allocated small groups. The presentation should outline a summary of the key elements of the PPF; identify and explain the relevant theories, methods, values, skills and practice contexts comprising your PPF, and reflexive practice ; what you need to develop further in Field Education 2 (i.e. identify strengths and areas of development).
3. Please note if the presentation extends past five (5) minutes, the remaining content will not be assessed.
4. Please note failure to attend the session without prior APPROVAL from the UC will result in a fail for this assessment.

The assessment visual material must be submitted to moodle.

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

1. Effective micro-skills used in teleconference mode.
2. Attends to all administrative tasks to ensure effective participation.
3. Communication is active, professional and ethical while also responsive to others’ participation.
4. Content of discussion topics are concise and informative.
5. Evidence of thorough preparation and ability to communicate social work knowledge verbally.
6. Student provides evidence of all components of well-developed PPF demonstrating graduate level understanding of social work practice.
7. PPF identifies core values, ethics and use of self consistent with social work standards of practice.

Students can access the GRADING RUBRIC/MARKING SHEET on moodle.

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 submit their copy on moodle assessment.

Important aspects of this assessment:

• The recommendation of your field educator is given significant weight and is incorporated as part of the overall assessment of your attainment of graduate attributes and practice standards. The University awards the final grade.
• Field Educators reserve the right to assess your performance according to the developments made since the mid placement review and overall placement performance.
• SOWK13009 report contains work to be completed and assessed by your field educator and the fieldwork coordinator. Passing grades must be obtained for all assessment items in order to be awarded the grade of PN (Pass non-graded) for SOWK13009.
• Your grade cannot be finalised until this report and all outstanding assessments are received.

For further information please refer to the Field Education End of Placement Report proforma on the moodle site and the requirements of the AASW Practice Standards 2013.

Focus Statement You are required to keep an accurate log of hours that you spend in formal education activities. Your Role and Responsibility

• Review the instructions for RECORDING HOURS on SONIA.
• Complete LOG OF HOURS ON SONIA on a WEEKLY BASIS.
• Support your Supervisor with university contacts (admin staff and Field Ed coordinator) should the supervisor have issues with accessing/using SONIA.

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).

Placement hours consist/do not consist of the below:

• Travel required in your placement can be counted however, travel to and from your placement are not recorded.
• The Professional Practice Framework (Assessment 5) 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 Unit 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 2016 for further details regarding hours of duty and any departures from normal hours or days of duty must be made known to the Unit 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 SOWK14009.