Course Outline
SWK704 Advanced Direct Practice 1
Course Coordinator:Athena Lathouras (tlathouras@usc.edu.au) School:School of Law and Society
2024Semester 1
UniSC Sunshine CoastUniSC Moreton Bay |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Please go to usc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
This course prepares students using critical-relational communication methods to build relationships with individuals, groups and in community settings. Students will identify and reflect on interpersonal skills, personal values and practices and how these align with MSWQ program values and social work values and ethics. Assessment for this course is pass/fail and students must pass all assessment items to pass the course. Professional communication skills to work purposefully and effectively across diverse contexts and settings is required for students to progress onto field placement.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – One hour weekly on- line workshop preparation tasks | 1hr | Week 1 | 11 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Weekly Workshops | 2hrs | Week 1 | 11 times |
Course Topics
Note: subject to change at the Course Coordinator’s discretion
A Critical-Relational Approach to Practice
Frameworks of Practice
Implicate Method
Giving and Receiving Appreciative and Constructive Feedback
Exploring Dialogue and “Bottom Up” Practice
Understanding Social Work Values and Principles
How Critical Thinking Helps to Develop Knowledge
Appropriate Beginning-Level Responses to Trauma/Emotional Distress
Understanding Postmodernist Underpinnings to Knowledge
Engaging in Dialogical Conversations
The Double Story Testimony Narrative Practice
Developing Skills for Culturally Safe Practice
Forming Participatory Development Groups from Scratch
Exploring How Increasing One’s Social Capital Leads to Better Mental Health
The Spiral Model of Community Education
The Elicitive Facilitation Approcah to Group Work
What level is this course?
700 Level (Specialised)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Mapping Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | Professional Standard Mapping * Australian Association of Social Workers | |
| 1 | Identify and reflect on personal values and practices and how these align with MSWQ program values. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker Ethical |
1, 1.1, 2.1, 6 |
| 2 | Identify and reflect on fundamental analytical and interpersonal skills at individual, team and community levels. |
Knowledgeable Empowered Ethical |
1.1, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 4, 4.2, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 6, 6.1, 6.3 |
| 3 | Demonstrate effective and purposeful professional communication and interpersonal skills across diverse contexts and settings. |
Knowledgeable Empowered Ethical |
2.2, 3.1, 4.2, 5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 6, 6.1, 7.2 |
| 4 | Identify, evaluate and respond effectively to challenging situations and work to de-escalate conflict. |
Creative and critical thinker Empowered Ethical |
1, 1.1, 1.2, 2, 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 4, 4.2, 5, 5.2, 5.4, 6, 6.1, 6.3 |
* Competencies by Professional Body
| CODE | COMPETENCY |
| Australian Association of Social Workers | |
| 1 | Values and ethics |
| 1.1 | Practise in accordance with the AASW Code of Ethics |
| 1.2 | Manage ethical dilemmas and issues arising in practice |
| 2 | Professionalism |
| 2.1 | Represent the social work profession with integrity and professionalism |
| 2.2 | Behave in a professional manner and be accountable for all actions and decisions |
| 3.1 | Work inclusively and respectfully with cultural difference and diversity |
| 4 | Knowledge for practice |
| 4.2 | Understand and articulate social work and other relevant theories and concepts |
| 5 | Applying knowledge to practice |
| 5.1 | Assess and analyse needs to inform practice |
| 5.2 | Work collaboratively |
| 5.3 | Use a range of social work methods and techniques appropriate to the area of practice |
| 5.4 | Apply critical and reflective thinking to practice |
| 6 | Communication and interpersonal skills |
| 6.1 | Communicate with a diverse range of people |
| 6.3 | Work with others in a team environment |
| 7.2 | Keep and maintain information in accordance with ethical principles and relevant legislation |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
Enrolled in any PGRD Program
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Limited Grading (PNP)
Details of early feedback on progress
Students will receive early feedback in class prior to first assessment piece submission.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Activity Participation | Individual | 12 tutorials |
Throughout teaching period (refer to Format) | In Class |
| All | 2 | Oral and Written Piece | Individual | 15 minutes 500 words |
Refer to Format | In Class |
| All | 3 | Oral | Individual | 15 minutes |
Refer to Format | In Class |
| All | 4 | Oral and Written Piece | Individual | 15 minutes 1000 words |
Week 12 | In Class |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Tutorial Attendance and Participation | |
| Goal: | AASW external accreditation requires mandatory attendance for skills based tutorials. Students must attend weekly tutorials and actively participate in all tutorial activities. |
| Product: | Activity Participation |
| Format: | Tutorial attendance will be recorded to meet external AASW accreditation requirements. Student participation and engagement in tutorial activities assessed based upon attendance and participation across 12 tutorials. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 2:Becoming a Social Worker - Your Emerging Framework of Practice Presentation | |
| Goal: | Draw on course readings and discussions to reflect on one's role as an emerging Social Worker. |
| Product: | Oral and Written Piece |
| Format: | Draw from Implicate Method theory (taught through course readings, on-line mini-lectures and class activities) and present to a small group of peers in class about your emerging framework of practice. Explore how this resonates with or diverges from the MSWQ program values and Social Work ethics and principles. Apply that framework to your aspirations for your upcoming field education practicum. Facilitate a dialogue and elicit feedback from your peers about what you presented. Take good notes or record the feedback on your phone so you can refer to it following the class. Reflect appreciatively and critically on feedback from your peers and your own critical reflection articulating your deepening self awareness about becoming a social worker. Record your analysis in your reflective journal (to be submitted on-line one week after the task is undertaken in class). You are not required to submit a power point presentation if you use one in your presentation. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 3:Becoming a Social Worker - Micro Method and Interpersonal Skills | |
| Goal: | To demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills through your capacity to engage in social work practice utilising specific skills and knowledge based on practice theory at the Micro level. |
| Product: | Oral |
| Format: | A range of practice scenarios at the micro level will be placed on Canvas. Choose one scenario and form a small peer group to assist you with this simulated practice activity in class. E.g. one person will be the subject of the simulation, you will demonstrate social work skills, and another peer will be an onlooker who provides moral support, as well as appreciative and constructive feedback. Draw from Micro Method theory and a range of micro-level processes (taught through course readings, on-line mini-lectures and class activities) and demonstrate skills that seek to: build a constructive and purposeful relationship, demonstrate active listening skills and empathy, and utilise effective questioning techniques to dig deeper into the person’s story. Once the simulation is concluded, facilitate a dialogue and elicit appreciative and critical feedback from your peers about your practice. It is suggested you record the simulation and peer feedback on your phone, so you have a good record to reflect upon following the class. |
| Criteria: |
|
| All - Assessment Task 4:Becoming a Social Worker - Mezzo Method and Working with Conflict | |
| Goal: | To demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills and your capacity to engage in social work practice utilising specific skills and knowledge based on practice theory at the Mezzo level. |
| Product: | Oral and Written Piece |
| Format: | Using the same scenario and peer group as for Task 3, you will demonstrate social work skills with the peers who will be the subject of the simulation as participants of the group meeting. At the conclusion, your peers will provide appreciative and critical feedback. Draw from Mezzo Method theory and a range of mezzo-level processes (taught through course readings, on-line mini-lectures and class activities) and demonstrate skills that seek to: build constructive and purposeful relationships, demonstrate active listening skills and empathy, elicit/name contentious or conflictual issues and utilise effective questioning techniques to dig deeper into the story and distil various perspectives. N.B. It is not expected that any conflict is resolved, but that issues are named, and people in the scenario feel heard or listened to. Once the simulation is concluded, facilitate a dialogue and elicit feedback from your peers about your practice. It is suggested you record the simulation and peer feedback on your phone, so you have a good record to reflect upon following the class. N.B. A tutor/field educator will assess this task in person to gauge your ability to demonstrate effective interpersonal, communication and group work skills in the simulation. 2. Reflect appreciatively and critically on your skills, and on feedback from your peers and articulate your deepening self awareness about becoming a social worker. Record your analysis in your reflective journal (to be submitted on-line one week after task is undertaken in class). |
| Criteria: |
|
Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
Specific requirements
Nil
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
This course will be graded as Pass in a Limited Grade Course (PU) or Fail in a Limited Grade Course (UF) as per clause 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of the Grades and Grade Point Average (GPA) - Institutional Operating Policy of UniSC. In a course eligible to use Limited Grades, all assessment items in that course are marked on a Pass/Fail basis and all assessment tasks are required to be passed for a student to successfully complete the course. Supplementary assessment is not available in courses using Limited Grades.
Assessment: Submission penalties
Late submission of assessment tasks may be penalised at the following maximum rate: - 5% (of the assessment task's identified value) per day for the first two days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - 10% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the third day - 20% (of the assessment task's identified value) for the fourth day and subsequent days up to and including seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. - A result of zero is awarded for an assessment task submitted after seven days from the date identified as the due date for the assessment task. Weekdays and weekends are included in the calculation of days late. To request an extension you must contact your course coordinator to negotiate an outcome.
SafeUniSC
UniSC is committed to a culture of respect and providing a safe and supportive environment for all members of our community. For immediate assistance on campus contact SafeUniSC by phone: 07 5430 1168 or using the SafeZone app. For general enquires contact the SafeUniSC team by phone 07 5456 3864 or email safe@usc.edu.au.
The SafeUniSC Specialist Service is a Student Wellbeing service that provides free and confidential support to students who may have experienced or observed behaviour that could cause fear, offence or trauma. To contact the service call 07 5430 1226 or email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au.
Study help
For help with course-specific advice, for example what information to include in your assessment, you should first contact your tutor, then your course coordinator, if needed.
If you require additional assistance, the Learning Advisers are trained professionals who are ready to help you develop a wide range of academic skills. Visit the Learning Advisers web page for more information, or contact Student Central for further assistance: +61 7 5430 2890 or studentcentral@usc.edu.au.
Wellbeing Services
Student Wellbeing provide free and confidential counselling on a wide range of personal, academic, social and psychological matters, to foster positive mental health and wellbeing for your academic success.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email studentwellbeing@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 1226.
AccessAbility Services
Ability Advisers ensure equal access to all aspects of university life. If your studies are affected by a disability, learning disorder mental health issue, injury or illness, or you are a primary carer for someone with a disability or who is considered frail and aged, AccessAbility Services can provide access to appropriate reasonable adjustments and practical advice about the support and facilities available to you throughout the University.
To book a confidential appointment go to Student Hub, email AccessAbility@usc.edu.au or call 07 5430 2890.
Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
-
In person:
- UniSC Sunshine Coast - Student Central, Ground Floor, Building C, 90 Sippy Downs Drive, Sippy Downs
- UniSC Moreton Bay - Service Centre, Ground Floor, Foundation Building, Gympie Road, Petrie
- UniSC SouthBank - Student Central, Building A4 (SW1), 52 Merivale Street, South Brisbane
- UniSC Gympie - Student Central, 71 Cartwright Road, Gympie
- UniSC Fraser Coast - Student Central, Student Central, Building A, 161 Old Maryborough Rd, Hervey Bay
- UniSC Caboolture - Student Central, Level 1 Building J, Cnr Manley and Tallon Street, Caboolture
- Tel:+61 7 5430 2890
- Email:studentcentral@usc.edu.au