SOWK14009 - Fieldwork Education 2

General Information

Unit Synopsis

In this final fieldwork placement, you will immerse yourself in a professional practice environment, gaining a strong sense of competence and confidence in preparation for entering the social work profession. Field education aims to provide you with a robust and fulfilling learning experience, ensuring a collaborative endeavour between the university, you as a student, host organisations, and supervisors. The focus of activities will be on learning outcomes directly linked to the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Practice Standards. Field education is a distinctive pedagogy for social work education, enabling you to integrate classroom learning with professional practice, refine your ways of thinking, doing, and being, and develop your professional identity, integrity, and practice frameworks. Throughout the placement, you will be socialised into the profession by engaging in real practice contexts, creating a constructive and reciprocal learning space. A Field Education Manual will guide you through the placement process, providing a detailed framework and administrative arrangements, including attendance and assessment requirements, as well as roles and responsibilities of all parties. The manual outlines the inherent requirements and performance expectations based on the AASW Practice Standards and ASWEAS General and Profession-Specific Graduate Attributes. You are required to attend the compulsory residential school associated with the co-requisite unit, SOWK14010, and participate in designated call-back sessions.

Details

Level Undergraduate
Unit Level 4
Credit Points 18
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 4
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.375
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

Prerequisites: Students must have completed SOWK13009, SOWK14005, and SOWK14006 before enrolling in this unit.

Corequisite: SOWK14010 Integrating Theory and Practice II - This unit is designed to be taken concurrently with SOWK14009. A compulsory residential school is associated with SOWK14010, and students enrolled in SOWK14009 are required to attend this residential school.

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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 1 - 2023

Term 2 - 2023 Profile
Online

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).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 18-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 37.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 450 hours for the unit.

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task Weighting
1. Professional Practice Plans (learning plans) 0%
2. Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books 0%
3. Presentation 0%

This is a pass/fail (non-graded) unit. To pass the unit, you must pass all of the individual assessment tasks shown in the table above.

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 2 - 2021 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 4.6 (on a 5 point Likert scale), based on a 43.18% response rate.

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.

Source: Have your say
Feedback
Feedback Comments by students included: - There wasn't really any feedback on assessment, it felt a bit disjointed at times. - There was a lack of communication with questions posted to forums remaining unanswered for considerable amounts of time.
Recommendation
Current processes are being addressed to ensure regular feedback - for example - adjusting the point of feedback expectations from only submitted reflections to monthly review and feedback on reflective posts. Also the field education team will ensure improved time frames for replies to student queries.
Action Taken
This term we adjusted the assessment tasks to include more involvement of the Field Education Liasion Officers to read and give feedback to student reflections more regularly.
Source: Have your say
Feedback
Assessment - Comments by students include: - I have struggled with the amount of reflective practice required for this unit. I feel that it is an overload and has caused anxiety as I am tired and stressed trying to balance placement with study. - The amount of assessment tasks for this subject and 14010 was excessive whilst trying to complete 560hours of placement. This unit discusses the importance of self care, however, with the demands of the assessment tasks, working full time and managing a family left no time for self care. Additionally, it was challenging to emerge self into work placement when having so many assessment tasks to complete.
Recommendation
Whilst it is acknowledged that the assessment requirements are high, this is a core part of the placement learning experience. The field education team will endeavour to reduce the format of submission to be more scaffolded to reduce the amount of written submissions. For example- The final reflective post can be submitted for grading rather than completing an additional reflection.
Action Taken
We have reduced the number tasks this year to be more aligned with practical reflections. Moving forward we have reduced the number of assessments required which will allow more time to attend to core and important reflective tasks.
Source: Have your say
Feedback
Some positive Feedback included - - The freedom to learn in a real world environment. - Robyn was amazing throughout this unit and really made it understandable and enjoyable - The best aspects of this unit are the learning agreement and practice framework.
Recommendation
It is always encouraging to get positive feedback and to know that the students are having a positive learning experience.
Action Taken
We have been working hard to improve student satisfaction which is reflected in improved ratings and feedback. However, we continue to value both positive and constructively critical feedback.
Source: SUTE
Feedback
The best aspects of this unit were the Unit Coordinators, they were always approachable and easily contactable. Answers in the Q&A Forum were promptly replied to. The Coordinators were always easily contacted via email and phone as well. I was never left hanging in relation to my queries.
Recommendation
The field education team always endeavour to be responsive.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: SUTE
Feedback
Undertaking a co-requisite unit like SOWK14010 Integrating Theory and Practice 2 resulted in an adverse 'pressurised' experience, which only grew in intensity as placement progressed. The combination of both units severely restricted self-care capabilities and took away from truly being invested (grounded) in the field placement journey.
Recommendation
This very issue has been taken on board and changes have been made to reduce the amount of tasks required in field education to focus on the placement learning and self care. The integrating theories unit will remain as an integral part of the students learning however with these adjustments to SOWK14009 the pressure will ease.
Action Taken
Nil.
Source: SUTE
Feedback
A lot of the units had administrative mistakes like due dates and wrong unit profiles etc.
Recommendation
Whilst we endeavour to be as diligent as possible with forms dates etc., some things do get missed. We have worked diligently to address these concerns and correct any identified administrative errors.
Action Taken
Nil.
Unit learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate the integration of professional social work knowledge, skills, and values within the placement context, in alignment with the AASW Code of Ethics and AASW Practice Standards, and organisational context for practice, including adherence to legislative and policy frameworks.
  2. Critically reflect on your professional practice, incorporating self-care strategies, complex problem-solving skills, and cross-cultural competency.
  3. Conduct comprehensive assessments of clients' needs and design, implement, and evaluate appropriate intervention strategies using social work theoretical frameworks.
  4. Construct and justify a professional practice framework relevant to your social work practice and demonstrate its application in various contexts.

Section
Summary of Profession-specific Graduate Attributes (AASW)
1. Values and Ethics
Practice in accordance with the AASW Code of Ethics, manage ethical dilemmas, and promote human rights and social justice.
2. Professionalism
Represent the social work profession with integrity and professionalism, behave professionally, and be accountable for actions and decisions.
3. Culturally Responsive and Inclusive Practice
Work inclusively and respectfully with cultural differences, promote the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their cultures.
4. Knowledge for Practice
Understand systemic influences, social work theories and concepts, the role of research and evaluation, and articulate how knowledge informs practice.
5. Applying Knowledge to Practice
Assess and analyse needs, work collaboratively, use a range of social work methods and techniques, and apply critical and reflective thinking to practice.
6. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Communicate effectively with diverse individuals, clarify the nature of services offered, work in a team environment, and use information technology to communicate and provide services.
7. Information Recording and Sharing
Record and manage information appropriately, maintain information in accordance with ethical principles and relevant legislation.
8. Professional Development and Supervision
Participate actively in professional supervision, engage in continuing professional development, and contribute to the professional development of others.

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Professional Practice Plans (learning plans) • • •
2 - Learning logs / diaries / Journal / log books • • •
3 - Presentation •
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication • •
2 - Problem Solving • • •
3 - Critical Thinking •
5 - Team Work • • •
7 - Cross Cultural Competence • • •
8 - Ethical practice • • • •
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures •
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Graduate Attributes
• Introductory Level
• Intermediate Level
• Graduate Level
Assessment Tasks Graduate Attributes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10