Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 2 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Social work and human service practitioners are often faced with presenting issues which display a high level of complexity. For example, in direct practice it is common for individual difficulties to include multiple dimensions which may be categorised as relating to mental health, homelessness, disability, family conflict, unlawful behaviour, poverty, income support, and or drug/ alcohol usage. It has become increasingly recognised that direct practice should be more client focused or 'holistic', with workers having the ability to be able to effectively deal with multiple issues, rather than provide a narrow response to a single issue. This presents a challenge to social workers and human service practitioners, particularly in the context of policy and program 'silos' which tend to promote a narrow focus. Therefore this unit is offered towards the end of the course in order to broaden the analytical and practice framework for human service and social work professionals.

Aims

This unit aims to equip students with the capacity to identify and explore the complexity of social work and human services practice. Students will explore the implications of this complexity for their own frameworks for practice.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. identify and inter-relate a range of sources of complexity in contemporary human service practice contexts (GVS1 - 1.8; GVS3 - 3.1);


2. identify potential strategies for responding to individuals and target groups with high and complex needs (GVS1 - 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.8);


3. critically evaluate the sociocultural context of human service practice relevant to clients with complex needs (GVS3 - 3.1, 3.5; GVS4 - 4.1);
   
4. articulate frameworks for human service practice which appreciate complexity (GVS1 - 1.2, 1.4, 1.8, 1.9; GVS2 - 2.6; GVS4 - 4.6); and


5. demonstrate high level written and verbal communication skills relevant to complex areas of human services practice (GVS2 - 2.3, 2.5. 2.6).

AASW Education and Accreditation Standards: 2.6; 3; 3.4; 4.1.1; 4.1.2; 4.1.3; 4.1.5; 4.2.1; 4.2.2
AASW Practice Standards for Social Workers: 1.1; 1.3; 1.5; 1.9; 3.2; 4.8
AIWCW Competencies: 1.2, 1.3, 1.6, 2.3, 2.4, 3.5, 4.1, 4.4, 6.2, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4

Content

The unit will explore various sources of complexity in client needs and at the client-environment interface including the following:

• Common inter-relationships between presenting client issues such as mental health/ substance use/ homelessness/ income


• Identification of the social work and human services role within multidisciplinary areas of complex practice


• Frameworks and approaches to inter-professional and inter-agency collaboration


• Development of skills to articulate and respond to complexity in practice.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit is designed to dovetail with student placement learning and as such will be delivered via an initial one day workshop including PBL group meetings. Follow-up communication and analysis will be undertaken via various on-line Blackboard processes. Having explored an initial hypothetical scenario, students will then draw from their placement or other relevant experience and investigations, to construct a further practice scenario exemplifying the themes of complexity which they will analyse and present in an end of semester viva voce.

Assessment

The unit consists of two assessment pieces, a portfolio of PBL work and viva voce outlining the student's practice approach to complexity in relation to a scenario developed by them.Formative feedback useful for the second assessment exercise will be provided to the submitted PBL. Student interaction around key issues related to complexity will utilise various virtual strategies via Blackboard and involve progressive feedback and input from unit staff.

Assessment name: PBL Portfolio
Description: PBL activities undertaken throughout the semester will be included in a portfolio demonstrating engagement, collaboration, understanding and competency in relation to complexity in social work and human services practice.
Relates to objectives: 1-5
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid-Semester

Assessment name: Viva voce
Description: Viva voce analysing practice complexity in a student developed scenario. This viva voce (oral presentation) will provide students with the opportunity to describe their approach to practice in response to a practice area of high complexity.
Relates to objectives: 1-5
Weight: 50%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: End-Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

No textbook required. Suggested readings will be advised.

Risk assessment statement

There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 15-Nov-2012