Overview
The final theory unit in the Bachelor of Social Work (Honours) course provides students with advanced knowledge of social work theory and its relevance to social work practice. This unit requires students to build upon social research methods learning and practice knowledge gained from Field Education 1 (SOWK13009) and Integrating Theory and Practice 1 (SOWK13010) to apply research knowledge and skills to address the needs and aspirations of individuals, groups and communities to achieve socially just outcomes. Students will demonstrate graduate ability to apply research knowledge and skills and use research to inform practice and to develop, execute and disseminate research informed by practice. Students are required to attend a compulsory residential school as per the dates in the Student Handbook for the year they intend to undertake Field Education 2 (SOWK14009). This unit is a co-requisite to SOWK14009 and is only available at the time the student undertakes field education unless prior approval has been granted by the School.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisites: SOWK13009, SOWK13010, SOWK14005, SOWK14006 Corequisite: SOWK14009 Fieldwork Education 2
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 2 - 2018
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).
Residential Schools
This unit has a Compulsory Residential School for distance mode students and the details are:
Click here to see your Residential School Timetable.
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 Student feedback via moodle
Students appreciated the clarity of resources and range of opportunities to participate in individual and group consultations on the selected review topic.
Continue to provide opportunities for individual and group consultation on literature review topic through Zoom sessions and at residential school.
- Evaluate your performance from feedback drawn from your involvement in professional learning contexts.
- Construct and critically evaluate a Professional Practice Framework (PPF) and demonstrate how that PPF is informed by social work theory, ethics and AASW practice standards.
- Demonstrate knowledge and proficiency utilising frameworks of critical analysis and reflective practice
- Apply research knowledge and skills to undertake research congruent with social work values and ethics
- Explore complex and sensitive social issues and problems to achieve socially just outcomes
- Present a clear and coherent exposition of knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences in both oral and written form.
The learning outcomes in this unit are linked to the attributes of Australian social work graduates based on the AASW Practice Standards (2013) and statements of expected outcomes of AASW-accredited social work courses.
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 1 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 60% | ||||||
| 3 - On-campus Activity - 0% | ||||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
| 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 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 40% | ||||||||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 60% | ||||||||||
| 3 - On-campus Activity - 0% | ||||||||||
Textbooks
Essential research methods for social work
4th edition (2016)
Authors: Rubin, A. & Babbie, E.
Cengage Learning
Boston MA Boston MA , USA
ISBN: 9781305101685
Binding: Paperback
Additional Textbook Information
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- Microphone and camera for use with Zoom
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
s.ledger@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Chapter
Set text readings and research ongoing throughout 16 weeks of placement
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
As per learning agreement activities
Development of topic
Please note the schedule for term will not align with your placement schedule due to length of placement. However we have scheduled your assessments to be finalised by week 14 of term which is effectively exam week. All students will have this due date regardless of their hours of placement.
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Schedules announced for Zoom rooms
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Schedule announced for webinars via moodle
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
All Assessments due
Literature review - Evidence Based Practice Due: Exam Week Friday (19 Oct 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Unit Coordinator - Shirley Ledger s.ledger@cqu.edu.au
1 Presentation and Written Assessment
Focus Statement
Evidence based practice with a social work lens facilitates the research practitioner identity. The social work professional identity is supported when research evidence is used to help answer practice questions. Applying evidence based practice to social work contexts can enhance the quality of decisions made about service provision, assists in the critical appraisal of client presentations and provides a framework for lifelong learning as a practitioner.
In order to receive feedback and assist you in the planning for Assessment 2 Literature Review, you are to author responses to the focus questions below in a 1500 – 1800 word discussion applying full scholarly conventions. Assessment 2 requires you to identify a practice question related to your field education placement or another area of interest and then review the pertinent social work and related research evidence to make recommendations about evidence based practice for that area of practice. The prompt questions will allow you to further develop structure and highlight the chosen studies for critique and evaluation. Students are welcome to use subheadings if desired. Please note these prompts will assist you in the completion of the final Literature Review. You will utilise and integrate feedback from your Unit Coordinator /Marker to inform your Literature Review assessment. A topic might be broad such as; evidence based social work interventions with people who have self-harming behaviours, examining the effectiveness of group work, investigating the contributing factors to homelessness among young people, evidence based therapeutic intervention in a specific context or a specific aspect of social work practice in your organisation. However it is not compulsory to choose a topic that is relevant to your particular organisation. Topics should be broad enough to provide breadth of literature and specific enough to identify how this knowledge contributes to social work practice approaches. The research topic should be formulated as a research question.
Your role
You are you, a final year social work student undertaking your field education placement in an agency or organisation providing social welfare or human services to a particular community.
You are required to focus on the research conducted to date for Assessment 2 Literature Review Evidence Based Practice and outline your responses to these prompt questions.
Focus Questions
1. The research question – State your research question. Make reference to how your topic question is a basis for a well-formulated question that is answerable and applicable to social work practice.
2. A statement of purpose and significance of the topic to social work practice in your chosen field or particular practice context. What was the practice issue or problem you are seeking to answer with your question? Why is this important to social work practice?
3. Describe and outline the main studies selected for your review. How have you been efficient in selecting suitable studies such as the use of systematic reviews, meta-analysis and existing literature reviews? What search engines and search terms have been applied to elicit the best evidence to answer the question?
4. A brief description of the relevant practice context. What are the pertinent ethical, legal and organisational contexts influencing the practice issue or problem being researched?
5. Describe the relevant social work theories, knowledge, values and practices that underpin the practice issue or problem being addressed.
6. Outline the findings to date making direct links to your research question.
7. Your recommendations or assessment of the potential impact or relevance to your practice setting.
1500-1800 words
Week 9 Friday (14 Sept 2018) 12:00 am AEST
Submit via moodle
Week 11 Friday (28 Sept 2018)
Submissions will be returned to students within 2-3 weeks of submission
Marking Criteria
· Demonstrates understanding of evidence based practice and the formulation of an answerable research question.
· Demonstrates conceptualisation of a chosen practice issue or problem incorporating relevant sources of literature and knowledge
· Demonstrates breadth of research identifying suitable studies for review
· Context for practice is identified and outlined demonstrating an understanding of the ethical, legal and organisational influences
· Demonstrated ability to integrate relevant social work theory and literature to inform practice in the chosen field
· Demonstrates clarity of expression and adherence to scholarly conventions
- Demonstrate knowledge and proficiency utilising frameworks of critical analysis and reflective practice
- Apply research knowledge and skills to undertake research congruent with social work values and ethics
- Present a clear and coherent exposition of knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences in both oral and written form.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
2 Written Assessment
Focus Statement
Evidence based practice with a social work lens facilitates the research practitioner identity. The social work professional identity is supported when research evidence is used to help answer practice questions. Applying evidence based practice to social work contexts can enhance the quality of decisions made about service provision, assists in the critical appraisal of client presentations and provides a framework for lifelong learning as a practitioner.
Your role
You are you, a student in your 4th year social work field education placement at agency/service X. Select an area of social work practice that CAN be relevant to your work in the agency setting.
Product
You are to prepare a literature review within the word limit to provide an evidence based recommendation about a particular practice issue or problem in your field of practice. You will need to formulate an answerable question that will form the basis of your literature review for evidence based practice. Your question must be sufficient to support a search of existing research literature. Your review should rely on at least 4 critically evaluated sources of best evidence (systemic reviews, meta-analysis etc) to provide a research answer to the question. Your question may be related to assessment, prevention, models or strategies of community practice, intervention or therapeutic approaches. Your question may seek to ask about the best ways to reliably assess or measure a client problem, how best to describe service user needs, how best to prevent specific client or community problems, or how best to intervene or assist a client experiencing a particular problem. Your literature review must include the following:
· An answerable research question that has clearly identifiable variables that are appropriate for a small literature review
· Approximately 75% of the 4 critically evaluated studies must have a social work relevance or identify closely with social work practice. It is preferred to use Australian studies.
· Social work literature and theory must be integrated to and inform the critical analysis of the evidence based practice recommendations
· Your paper should have a clear introduction outlining the purpose of the literature review as it relates to evidence based practice
· Your paper should provide a detailed analysis of the practice issue or problem being addressed by the literature review making reference to relevant social work theory, literature and knowledge.
· Your paper should provide a detailed analysis of the practice context this practice issue or problem occurs in
· Your paper should outline the selected studies and the framework used to evaluate these studies for credibility and relevance.
· Your paper should provide a clear analysis of the findings of these studies and how this may inform an evidence base for recommendations
· Your paper should demonstrate integration of your critical appraisal of the evidence and applicability for practice.
· Your paper should incorporate social work values, AASW Practice Standards and make clear and concise recommendations to answer the practice question.
Exam Week Friday (19 Oct 2018) 11:45 pm AEST
Field placement is 560 hours or approximately 16 weeks. therefore regardless of your hours this assessment is due in week 14 which is exam week at CQU, I am aware the week here states week 13, this is due to nexus inflexibility
Submissions will be returned to students within 3 weeks of submission
· Demonstrates application of an evidence-based practice approach to the literature review
· Demonstrates critical analysis of relevant studies including making recommendations for relevant level of social work intervention
· Demonstrates integration of theory and social work knowledge to discuss a practice issue or problem
· Conceptualises and contextualises the practice issue or problem
· Evaluation and critical analysis informed by extensive social work literature
· Clarity of Expression/ Read ability and Referencing
- Construct and critically evaluate a Professional Practice Framework (PPF) and demonstrate how that PPF is informed by social work theory, ethics and AASW practice standards.
- Demonstrate knowledge and proficiency utilising frameworks of critical analysis and reflective practice
- Apply research knowledge and skills to undertake research congruent with social work values and ethics
- Explore complex and sensitive social issues and problems to achieve socially just outcomes
- Present a clear and coherent exposition of knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences in both oral and written form.
- Communication
- Problem Solving
- Critical Thinking
- Information Literacy
- Team Work
- Information Technology Competence
- Cross Cultural Competence
- Ethical practice
3 On-campus Activity
As part of this unit, students are required to attend a compulsory residential school. Students that have previously failed the course must attend again. Students that have previously attended (within the last 2 years) may be eligible to receive an exemption from attendance however this will only be approved at the discretion of the Unit Coordinator.
There is no grade allocated to this assessment, however failure to attend will impact on participation in field education 2.
Evidence of attendance at residential school or written approval of exemption from Unit Coordinator.
- Evaluate your performance from feedback drawn from your involvement in professional learning contexts.
- Construct and critically evaluate a Professional Practice Framework (PPF) and demonstrate how that PPF is informed by social work theory, ethics and AASW practice standards.
- Present a clear and coherent exposition of knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences in both oral and written form.
- Communication
- Team Work
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?
