Learning Agreement

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 balance of practice standards from field education 1 will need 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.

NB: The learning agreement should not be an regarded as an agreement confined to you and your host organisation. The learning agreement as below, contains standards of practice that are related to your ongoing agreement with CQ University.

Learning agreements must be signed and uploaded to moodle.

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 CQU BSW Field Education Manual 2017)
2. Articulation of initial learning needs on entry of field education 2, (summary of assessments reached on placement readiness process) (see CQU BSW Field Education Manual 2017)
3. Evidence of discussion about the role of social work 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 supervision (inclusive of any external supervision / liaison arrangements)
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 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

PLEASE NOTE: Students are required to manage an ongoing record of learning and supervision that will be attached to the final assessment of log of hours.

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.

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 - PDF VERSION
• The learning Agreement must be submitted to moodle using A WORD DOCUMENT
• Therefore, two submissions; one in PDF with signature and one in WORD so that feedback can be given.

The Grading Rubic can be accessed via moodle.

Reflective Practice - Online Reflective Postings

Focus statement

Reflective tools are utilised within this unit to provide you and your Field Education Coordinators 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.

Your 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.

ONLINE 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.

Grading rubric is available at: Grading Rubric - Assessment 2

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 a pivotal to your progress in Field Education 2. It provides 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 convey concerns about the progress of the learning experience in order to provide you with the opportunity to make necessary changes required for successful completion.

Your Role:

• You are responsible for regular moodle contact in order to receive announcements related to the coordination of mid field education visits
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

You will be responsible for taking notes during the mid placement review.

Product/Performance You as the student will be responsible to submit your the mid placement review report (this 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 Mid Placement 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.

• During 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.
• Students and field educators will be asked for their verbal evaluation of the following four issues;
• 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.
• A verbal account on the progress of the Learning Agreement and discussion about any changes needed.
• 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.
• Insights into the students learning style; how does this compare and contrast with the field educators learning style and how have they managed this

PLEASE NOTE: STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING NOTES DURING THE MID PLACEMENT REVIEWING MEETING, AND AUTHORING THE MID PLACEMENT REVIEW. This document must be submitted in moodle using Microsoft Word Document. Outcome of Mid Placement Review The mid placement review is graded as a Pass or Fail. Students will continue placements with a successful mid placement review evaluation. This outcome is inclusive of minor amendments or adjustments to the learning goals or tasks.

Should a mid placement review result in a fail grade, several actions will be discussed. These include:

Action 1:

An action plan is developed to provide focus to address particular learning goals, tasks or issues . A clear and reasonable time-frame should form part of this action. The Unit Coordinator will lead this process in conjunction with relevant liaison / supervising staff. 2. The action plan will specify a review date to determine whether the goals have been achieved during the time-frame identified. A recommendation for continuation or termination will be made following the review. The grade will be finalised as either a Pass or Fail at this time. The Unit Coordinator will liaise with all parties in the event of a termination decision.

Action 2:

After consultation with all parties, it may be determined that it is unreasonable to continue the placement or that the learning needs / placement issues are unable to be addressed or resolved in the remaining period of the placement. A decision to terminate the placement can be made by Unit Coordinator / placement organisation at this time. A post termination meeting is offered with the student to discuss the termination decision.

PRACTICE FRAMEWORK (Due last week of placement)

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.

The final product is to be completed by the last week your placement. This written summary should outline the key elements of the PPF and identify and explain the relevant theories, methods, values, skills and practice contexts comprising your PPF. 

Supervision Action and Feedback Plan

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.

Log of Hours (560 hours)

Focus statement

You are required to keep an accurate log of the hours that you spend in formal field education activities. You must complete 560 hours.

Your role

Complete log of hours entered into *SONIA and approved by INTERNAL/ONSITE supervisor in SONIA.

Product/performance

The Field education Log begins on your first day.

These activities/events constitute as placement hours:

• It records the hours you spend in the agency,
• meeting attendance (agency/placement associated),
• training in relation to the organisation directed by your supervisor to attend
• contacting or networking with external agencies where directed by your supervisor
• compulsory/mandatory training relating to the organisation (e.g. Queensland Health pre-placement mandatory training)
• and the time it takes you to travel to and participate in the contact review meeting and any supervision sessions.

These activities do not constitute as placement hours:

• Any activities beyond the Learning Agreement will be deemed personal and will not be considered to be a component of Field education 2.
• Travel to and from work
• travel to and from personal appointments attended during placement hours
• personal appointments attended during placement hours
• sick days/leave days
• Assessments relating to this unit undertaken in out of office hours.

The log can be called on at any time by the University. Ensure you have reviewed the Field Education Manual to confirm hours of work appropriate to your placement

PLEASE NOTE: Students must not accrue toil while on placement and should not log more than 40 hours per week max due to health and safety requirements. Should there be an extraordinary requirement for over time, this must be approved by the Unit Coordinator.

You must complete 560 hours - this is recorded as a ‘pass’ or ‘fail’.

*SONIA is a database, instructions regarding use will be on the moodle site and sent out by the school administration officer.

Field Education Log of Hours is submitted in full with no significant departures from reasonable working hours in accordance with the Field Education Manual and assessment outline.

End of Placement Report by Supervisor/s

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. It is your responsibility to ensure that your supervisor has a copy for completion - a copy can be found on the unit moodle site.
• 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 unit 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.

Meets the requirements of the AASW Practice Standards 2013.

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.
• SOWK14009 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 SOWK14009.
• 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 template on the moodle site.