Course Syllabus

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MSW 520: Social Work Practice I

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Instructor Information

Wanda and Eli for EAP Report.jpg

Name: Wanda Whittlesey-Jerome

Email Preference: Canvas Inbox (wkjerome@nmsu.edu)

Virtual Office Hours: Mondays and Wednesdays 12:00 pm - 6:00 pm or by appointment via Skype or Zoom

Teaching Philosophy: I believe in creating an encouraging and supportive learning environment where students discover, learn, and thrive.

Course Name: Social Work Practice I

Semester Identified: Fall 2016

Log into Canvas at http://Learn.nmsu.edu using your NMSU username and password

Course Description

Social Work Practice I is the first of two social work generalist practice courses in the foundation year and will focus on practice with individual and family client systems. This course presents the generalist practice of social work from a cultural competence perspective. It focuses on professional social work practice skill development through engagement, assessment, and treatment planning, and identifies areas of strength and risk, and the application of selected social work practice theories and interventions to practice within a framework of social work values and ethics.

Course Delivery Method

This is an online course. There will be synchronous and asynchronous events. The course is organized by modules with an emphasis on activity-based assignments including video-taped role-plays and feedback. I expect students to be able to access, navigate, and successfully complete the course. I will return Canvas Inbox correspondence within a 24-hour period and grade class assignments within seven (7) days.

Course Goals

Upon completing this course you will be able to:

  1. Increase generalist social work “Helping Process” knowledge and skills, emphasizing ethical practice with diverse client systems.
  2. Apply knowledge and skills to engagement, assessment and planning for intervention and evaluation with diverse client systems.
  3. Critically assess social work and related practice theories and employ evidence-based methods during role-play interviews.
  4. Demonstrate professional growth by both giving and receiving appropriate reflective feedback.

Click here to see the alignment between the Course Goals, Course Objectives, and Core Competencies for this course: MSW 520 Blended Goals Objectives Competencies in Alignment

Required Textbooks and Materials

Dolgoff, R., Harrington, D., & Loewenberg, F.M. (2011).  Ethical decisions for social work practice (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Hepworth, D.H., Rooney, R.H., Dewberry Rooney, G., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2013). Direct social work practice: Theory and skills (9th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.

Walsh, J. (2013).  Theories for direct social work practice (3rd ed.). Belmont CA: Cengage Learning.

All other required materials will either be provided for you within the course on Canvas or be available through links embedded in the course.

Communication

I will send urgent and regular communication to all students using the Announcements tool in Canvas. It is a requirement in this class that you set your account profile New Announcements in Notifications to Right Away to ensure that you receive any announcements.  (Go to Profile>Notifications, find New Announcements and set to Right Away).

I will grade your assignments and post your earned points/grades within seven (7) days from the due date and time as indicated for the course.

Announcements

I will use Announcements to send time sensitive information to the entire class. Because you can set your own notification preferences in Canvas, you will need to make sure you receive announcements daily.  You are required to set your notifications for New Announcements to be Right Away.

Virtual Office Hours (MST)

I will offer virtual office hours via Skype from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm Mondays and Wednesdays for remote students. My Skype ID is: “shewholovesanimals” and I am also available by Zoom.

Email

There is one global email box in Canvas and this email space is called Inbox. Email in Canvas is displayed in a similar format as Facebook. Conversations are the major form of communication in this course. Once you log into Canvas, select Inbox located at the top of your Canvas window to view the email area.  Use the Canvas system for all correspondence for this course. Canvas Inbox is not the same as your NMSU email. I will respond to correspondence in Canvas within 24 hours.

Phone Number

I am available during daytime hours at 505-610-6808 (my cell phone) or wkjerome@nmsu.edu (my NMSU email) only in the case of an emergency. Otherwise, my response time to your correspondence will be within 24 hours through Canvas.

Prerequisites/Co-requisites

The prerequisite/co-requisite for this course is MSW 510 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment. The field practicum co-requisite for this course is MSW 551. This course is restricted to MSW students.

Online Preparation

I expect that you should spend a minimum of three (3) hours up to six (6) hours per week on this course. I also expect you to assess your readiness to take an online course. To see the university’s expectations of students who register to take online courses and examples of self-assessments, visit the Distance Education website. 

Required Technical Skills

Taking an online course requires a number of technical skills as well as other soft skills. However, at a minimum you will need to meet certain technology responsibilities to complete work for this course. If you have questions about technical requirements for the course, please contact me immediately.

To begin in this course, you must:

  1. Read this syllabus carefully and contact me immediately if you have any questions. You are responsible for the content and assignments in this syllabus.
  2. Be able to obtain access to an internet connection, preferably broadband, and a working computer for the duration of this course.
  3. Be Proficient with Microsoft© Office applications.
  4. Be able to conduct research searches on the Internet; see the Library Guide libguide for this course, the NMSU Library and Research Help for Students
  5. Find resources on the Internet; see  Internet Tutorial (Links to an external site).
  6. Be able to send and receive emails and email attachments in and out of class.
  7. Know how to change your Canvas Notification settings.
  8. Know how to read email in Canvas.
  9. Maintain backup copies of all work you create for this course.

Course Expectations

I expect students to participate actively in this course. I will do the same, and be available to you in Canvas throughout the semester. I expect you to have completed all assigned readings and to be prepared to participate in spontaneous activities and discussions. This is important because the majority of on-line time will be spent engaging in information-sharing, processing, and role-play activities related to course content. I will assist with your learning process by facilitating discussions and various learning experiences. You will be encouraged to enter into a student-faculty collaboration, or partnership, with me as you work on your assignments.

Netiquette

In this course, we will follow common courtesy online rules. For details, review information at this website: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/

First, what you can expect from me:

  • I will take all your questions, comments, and concerns seriously.
  • I will respond promptly to requests for help (see contact information, above)
  • I encourage each of you to be a learner in this course. I will not respond to every post of every required discussion.
  • I will communicate with you about your assignments within 10 days of your turning them in. If I am unable to do so, I will let you know when you can expect to receive my feedback.

 What I expect from myself and you:   

Politeness

  • Don't flame (personally attack) someone. It is possible to disagree with an idea without flaming the person espousing the idea.
  • Use emoticons and acronyms to convey your emotional intent in order to avoid misunderstandings or to simply type more quickly (especially helpful in live chats!). For example:
    • To indicate that you're smiling, use :) - a colon with right parenthesis
    • To indicate you're winking / or making a joke or kidding, use ;) - a semicolon with right parenthesis or JK (Just Kidding)
    • To signify you found something funny or amusing, use LOL (Laughing Out Loud).
    • See these links for other interesting emoticons and acronyms

Communication

  • Listen actively.
  • Think critically. Critical thinking, grounded in intellectual integrity, is expected. In other words, seek clarity of meaning and understanding. For example:
  • Question ideas, not people.
  • Attempt to see things from other perspectives.
  • Use supporting relevant information.
  • Attempt to recognize and assess implications of your ideas.
  • Think creatively. Creative thinking is encouraged.
  • Brainstorm possibilities.
  • Consider how to make the impossible possible (dream).
  • Communicate assertively. A person communicates assertively by not being afraid to speak his or her mind or trying to influence others, but doing so in a way that respects the personal boundaries of others (from Wikipedia entry on assertiveness).

Course Organization

You are expected to use the Modules in this course as a guide for your work. The Modules are in order, based on chapters in the main parts of the Hepworth et al. text and other required texts – Dolgoff et al., and Walsh. Go to Modules on the Course Navigation Pane (CNP) which is found on the left-hand side of the course Home Page. You can also go to Assignments, People, Discussions, etc. on the CNP. It is your main access to the entire course. Many interesting supplemental resources are found on the Web Links page.

Assignments Table

Assignments

Units

Points

Weight

Getting Ready Assignments

5

5

5%

Engagement, Assessment, Intervention, and Termination Role-Plays with Reflective Team Response          

4

12

12%

eview Lecture Series

9

9

9%

Discussions on Required Readings

8

16

16%

Review Course Slideshows

8

16

16%

Midterm Examination          

1

15

15%

Review Interviewing Skills Videos

8

8

8%

Field Agency Client Assessment & Intervention Plan

2

10

10%

Self-Assessment of Theoretical Eclectic Model of Practice

1

5

5%

Triad Peer Evaluation

1

3

3%

Wrap-Up Assignments

1

1

1%

TOTAL

52

100

100%

Grades

  • A+ = 98 – 100; A = 93 – 97; A- = 90 – 92
  • B+ = 87 – 89; B = 83 – 86;  B- = 80 – 82
  • C+ = 77 – 79; C = 73 – 76;  C- = 70 – 72
  • D+ = 67 – 69; D = 63 – 66;  D- = 60 – 62
  • F = 59 Points and Below

Grading Criteria

The following criteria are used to assign final grades. A work is exceptional work. It not only meets and exceeds all standards for the assignment, but there are very few, if any, errors. B work is better than average work. It meets all standards for the assignment with few errors. C work is average work. It adequately addresses all aspects of the assignment but contains more than a few errors. D work is below average work that is marginally acceptable. F work is failing work.

Assignments

  1. Student Triads, Role-Plays & Reflective Response - Engagement, Assessment, Goals, Contracting for Intervention, and Termination and Evaluation (the Helping Process)
  2. Hepworth et al., Dolgoff et al., Lucas, & Walsh Chapter Asynchronous (various times) Activities and Discussions
  3. Midterm Examination
  4. Field Agency Client System Written Assessment and Intervention Plan
  5. Self-Evaluation of Preferred Theoretical Perspective
  6. Triad Peer Evaluation

 Please go to the specific assignment (or unit module) within the course for more information and exact details on what is expected from you for each assignment.

Late Work

Late work (late postings or late submissions) will lose points at my discretion, especially in cases where your plans (family birthdays, weddings, etc.) interfere with your timely postings or cause your submissions to be late. For the timed exam, you will lose points if you do not complete the exam at the time required. In cases of emergency, you must correspond with me in Canvas as soon as possible. In cases where unforeseen emergencies require you to submit work late, I may ask you to add work to the required assignment in order to recoup possible points for the assignment.

Exam Proctoring

There are no proctored exams for this course.

 Incomplete Grades

A grade of "I" may only be assigned if you are unable to complete the course due to circumstances beyond your control that develop after the last day to withdraw from the course.

Class Withdrawals

It is your responsibility to know important dates such as the final day to withdraw from classes. You must officially withdraw from any class that you intend to drop.

Academic Integrity

Refer to the NMSU code of conduct regarding academic integrity and plagiarism.  You will find information on academic integrity at these sites:

Technology Requirements

Computer Hardware & Software

You will need the following to fully participant in this course:

  • Access to a Windows or Macintosh desktop computer or laptop with internet access, sound, and speakers
  • Canvas Learning Management System
  • Microsoft Office 2007 or higher
  • Adobe Reader (for reading PDF files)
  • Headsets with Microphone (Optional for Adobe Connect or Skype)
  • Skype (Optional)
  • Adobe Connect (Optional)
  • Learning Management System
  • Instructure Canvas
  • Canvas Instructions

Web Browsers

Use the following browsers in Canvas. Please remember to update the web browser you are using to access Canvas.  Internet Explorer is not recommended for use with Canvas at this time.

Also, Canvas does not fully support mobile devices; while there is a free Canvas mobile app available through iTunes store, a lot of functionality is unavailable when using a mobile phone.  When you take this course, it is assumed you have access to a computer or laptop for full access to functionality in this course.

Accessibility Support

It is the policy of the School of Social Work to accommodate students with disabilities, pursuant to federal and state law. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) covers issues relating to disability and accommodations. If a student has questions or needs an accommodation in the classroom (all medical information is treated confidentially), contact Trudy Luken, Director, at:

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) - Corbett Center, Rm. 244

Phone: (575) 646-6840 E-mail: sas@nmsu.edu

Website: http://sas.nmsu.edu/

NMSU policy prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, retaliation, serious medical condition, sex, sexual orientation, spousal affiliation and protected veterans status. Furthermore, Title IX prohibits sex discrimination to include sexual misconduct: sexual violence (sexual assault, rape), sexual harassment and retaliation.

For more information on discrimination issues, Title IX, Campus SaVE Act, NMSU Policy Chapter 3.25, NMSU's complaint process, or to file a complaint contact either Gerard Nevarez, Title IX Coordinator or Agustin Diaz, Title IX Deputy Coordinator, at:

Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) – O’Loughlin House, 1130 University Avenue

Phone: (575) 646-3635 E-mail: equity@nmsu.edu

Website: http://eeo.nmsu.edu/

You can also contact the  NMSU-Las Cruces accessibility services website or the DACC accessibility services website.

Please contact the SAS Coordinator for more details and if you have any questions at 575-646-6840.

For more information on success in graduate school with a disability, go to: Graduate Students with Disabilities (Links to external site.)

NMSU Resources

Other Resources

For more information on Classroom Accessibility, including online support, review: Classroom Accommodations.docx

Academic Learner Services Support

Helpful Resources

Support includes access to library services, readiness assessment, testing services, tutoring, writing center, math center, or online orientations.

Here is a link to a two-page document to help you with navigating our NMSU Library's wonderful databases for full-text articles: NMSU Library EBSCO SEARCH Guide

Student Support Services

This link will take you to information for available student services for f2f and online students. Included are university advising and registration, the counseling center, career services, the Graduate School, and financial aid:University Services for Students (Links to external sites.)

Technical Support

The ICT Customer Service Center is equipped to deal with all of your information technology (IT) and telecommunications needs at NMSU. The ICT Customer Service Center hours of operation are from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm Monday through Friday Mountain Time. Please feel free to contact them at 575-646-1840 or via e-mail at helpdesk@nmsu.edu.

You can also go to the Student Technology Help web page and Student Resources located at the Canvas web page for additional information on Canvas.

For learning on your own how to navigate and use Canvas:

These skills are also helpful:

    Here are links to the privacy policies for your external tools, including Youtube:

    Here also is a link to the privacy policies for Canvas:

    Accessibility of eLearning Tools

    Canvas Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)

    This Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, or VPAT, is a tool that administrators and decision-makers can use to evaluate Canvas' conformance with the accessibility standards under Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Act WCAG 2.0 AA Standards. WebAIM.org, a third party authority in web accessibility, has evaluated the Canvas Learning Management System (LMS) by Instructure and certifies it to be substantially conformant with Level A and Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0. A representative sample of system views was evaluated for accessibility. This sample included course pages, calendars, quizzes, and communication tools.

    Accessibility Statements or Voluntary Product Accessibility statements can be found at this link to the 508 compliance statement and product accessibility template for the online CANVAS tool: http://www.canvaslms.com/accessibility

    Course Schedule

    The Course Schedule is found on the Home Page. This detailed schedule will provide you with a snapshot of the entire semester, the course requirements,due dates, and other important information.

    Syllabus Modifications Statement

    I reserve the right to make changes to the syllabus on an as-needed basis, but I rarely do so. If changes are made, I will notify you as soon as possible regarding such change(s) in the Canvas course. Welcome to MSW 520!

     

    Course Summary:

    Date Details Due