FIELD EDUCATION SEMINAR II

SOCIAL WORK 4442

SW 4442 001 CRN 23433 (1 credit hour)
Professor Althea M. Grant
Office Hours: by arrangement
Email: ad9444@wayne.edu
Office number: 313-577-9886 Cell number: 313-706-0876
MISSION STATEMENT WAYNE STATE UNIVERSITY
Wayne States mission is to create and advance knowledge, prepare a diverse student body to
thrive, and positively impact local and global communities.
MISSION STATEMENT WSU SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK
As a school within an urban research university, the mission of the Wayne State University
School of Social Work is to transmit, develop, critically examine, and apply knowledge to
advance social work practice and social welfare policy in order to promote social, cultural and
economic justice for the betterment of poor vulnerable, and oppressed individuals, families,
groups, communities, organization and society, by:

preparing ethical and competent social work generalists, advanced practitioners and
scholars at the B.S.W., M.S.W., and Ph.D. levels, respectively with learning and primarily
emphasizes urban settings;
conducting research, primarily relevant to urban populations; and
providing innovative leadership and service to the urban community and the profession.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Understanding the learning experience through critical reflection on field and course work.
Social Work 4442 Field Education Seminar II is a one credit hour seminar held concurrently with
SW 4998 Field Practice II (5 credits) during the winter semester. Students MUST be enrolled in
SW 4998 Field Practice II in order to earn credit for this course. Social Work 4442 BSW Field
Education Seminar II continues to facilitate students understanding of the learning experience
through critical reflection on field and courses. The course helps students reflect on their field
experiences and to draw from their course content, all of which help define them as social work

professionals.
COURSE COMPETENCIES AND PRACTICE BEHAVIORS FOR THIS COURSE
COMPETENCIES
2.1.1 Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly
Practice Behaviors:

Advocate for the client access to the services of social work; practice Personal reflection and
self-correction to assure continual professional development; attend to professional roles and
boundaries; demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance and communication;
engage in Career long learning; use supervision and consultation
2.1.2 Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice
Practice Behaviors:
Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide
practice; make ethical decisions by applying standards of the NASW Code of Ethics;
tolerate ambiguity in resolving conflicts; apply concepts of ethical reasoning to arrive at
principled decisions
2.1.3 Apply Critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments
Practice Behaviors:
Distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research based
knowledge, and practice wisdom; analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention and
evaluation; demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with
individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues
2.1.4 Engage diversity and difference in practice
Practice Behaviors:
Gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal bias and values in working
with diverse groups; recognize and communicate the importance of difference in shaping life
experiences
2.1.5 Advance human rights and social and economic justice
Practice Behaviors:
Advocate for human rights and social justice; Engage in practice that advance social and
economic justice
2.1.6 Engage in research- informed practice and practice informed research
Practice Behaviors:
Use research evidence to inform practice; Use practice to inform scientific inquiry
2.1.7 Apply Knowledge of human Behavior and the social environment
Practice Behaviors:
Utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the process of assessment, intervention and evaluation;
Critique and apply knowledge to understand person and environment

2.1.8 Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver
effective social work services.
Practice Behaviors:
Analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being; Collaborate with
colleagues and clients for effective policy action
2.1.9 Respond to contexts that shape practice
Practice Behaviors:
Continuously discover, appraise, and attend to changing locales, populations, scientific and
technological developments, and emerging societal trends to provide relevant services; provide
leadership in promoting sustainable changes in service delivery and practice to improve the
quality of social service
2.1.10 Engage, assess, intervene and evaluate with individuals, families, groups,
organizations and communities
Practice Behaviors:
(a)
Engagement:
Substantively and affectively prepare for action with individuals, families, groups,
organizations and communities; use empathy and other interpersonal skills; develop a
mutually agreed-on focus of work and desired outcomes
(b) Assessment
Collect, organize, and interpret client data; assess client strengths and limitation develop
mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives; select appropriate intervention
strategies
(c) Intervention
Initiate actions to achieve organizational goals; implement prevention interventions that
enhance client capacities; help clients resolve problems; negotiate, mediate, and advocate for
clients; facilitate transitions and endings
(d) Evaluation
Critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions
11 Analyze the impact of the urban context on a range of client systems, including practice
implications
Practice Behaviors:
Examine the distinct characteristics of the urban context and apply the analysis to social work
practice.

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA:
It is expected that students effectively utilize field instruction by:
a. identifying own learning needs, areas of difficulty, and feelings of discomfort
b. continuing to take responsibility to prepare and plan for supervision
c. continuing to accept, integrate, and apply guidance and feedback received from field
instructor
d. continually re-evaluating the development of practice skills in light of field and
classroom instruction

GRADING AND ASSIGNMENTS

Assignment
Module 1 Discussion Board
rubric
Module 2 Reflections blog
rubric
Module 3 Group ethics
activity rubric
Module 4 Blog rubric
Module 5 Article discussion
rubric
Module 6 Community blog
rubric
Module 7 Self assessment
blog rubric
Evaluation of Practice paper
rubric
TOTAL

Percenta
ge
10%

Related Course
Competency
Competency #1

10%

Competencies #1, #3,

#10
Competencies #1, #2,
#3, #10
Competency #1, #3,
#7, #10
Competencies #3, #4,
#7, #10
Competencies #10,
#11
Competencies #1, #3,
#10
Competency #1, #3,
#10, #11

10%
10%
10%
10%
10%
30%
100%

GRADING POLICY:
Students may pass the course with a grade of D but must maintain a C average during the junior
and senior year. (See Undergraduate Bulletin, Wayne State University
http://www.bulletins.wayne.edu/ubk-output/index.html)
GRADE DISTRIBUTION:
100-95 A

94.9-90 A-

89.9-87 B+

86.9-83 B

82.9-80 B-

79.9-77 C+

79.9-77 C+

76.9-73 C

72.9-70 C-

69.9-67 D+

66.9-63 D

62.9-60 D-

ORGANIZATION OF THE COURSE

This is the second of two field seminar courses for BSW students. It is a one credit hour course
composed of lecture and discussion with seven online modules. The course meets bimonthly.
The first module begins Wednesday, January 13 and the last module ends Wednesday, April 13,
2015. Like the first seminar, the focus of the course is to continue to help students integrate their
coursework learning with their experiential learning in the field practicum. The students are
required to participate in discussion about field placement and the integration of coursework and
fieldwork. Through lecture discussions, case presentations, and discussion blogs, students learn
about professional social work practice with an emphasis on critical thinking, self-awareness,
ethics and values, and culturally responsive practice with an emphasis on human rights and
social justice.

The sessions are organized around the following areas:

Responsibility and ethics in Social Work

Relationships and boundaries
Group dynamic exercises
Observation, encouraging, paraphrasing, and summarizing skills
Conversation versus interview
Reflecting feelings and integrating skills
Confrontation
Understanding of community
Social Work in urban settings versus rural settings

ROLE OF THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR

Two or more absences will result in a student being asked to withdraw from the course and may
impact student standing in the BSW program. Students are expected to attend all online class
modules. Students are expected to be prepared at class time for discussions based on assigned
readings as class participation enhances the learning experience. Assignments must be received
by the identified day. For further details about the role of a student, see the Universitys
Statement of Obligations of Faculty and to the Instructional Process in the Wayne State
University Graduate Bulletin. http://www.bulletins.wayne.edu/gbk-output/index.html
The instructor will closely monitor all postings, offer additional questions to guide discussions
and help maintain focus if the class has difficulty focusing on the topics. All assignments must
be completed on Blackboard and not submitted by email to the instructor.
The instructor will respond to student questions that are not related to the assignments by email.
The grade points will be posted in the Grade Center within a reasonable time period after the
deadline of each assignment.
At the end of module four, the instructor will email each student a personal feedback on their
progress in the seminar.
Members of the class, including the instructor, will request confidentiality of others as not to
repeat or share personal, professional, or assignment related issues discussed or disclosed in
class.
POLICIES FOR THIS COURSE
Assignments must be received by the identified deadline dates in the Course Calendar that is
located in the course menu on the Blackboard home page. To complete all assignments and the
required responding posts, the online modules of this course will require adherence to the periods
specified in the Course Calendar.

Students who are late in their postings will lose points for each assignment in accordance with
the Grading Rubrics associated with each assignment. The button for all Grading Rubrics in this
course is located in the course menu on the Blackboard home page. There is no extra credit for
assignments in this course. There is no opportunity to resubmit assignments after assignments are
graded. For a missed session at instructors discretion, (considered only in extreme cases life
events beyond ones control), student may be allowed an optional make-up assignment (i.e., a 3-5
page paper with minimum of 3 sources and using APA format focusing on topic covered on
session missed OR another assignment identified by the instructor). Students who elect this
option and successfully complete the makeup assignment will receive partial points (minus late
points indicated in the grading rubric) for missed session. Students who miss a second session
and who did a first make-up will not have an option for a second make-up these students would
lose all points for the second missed session. Students who miss more than two classes and do
no make-up work should drop the class.
Being a responsible student in a seminar entails regular class attendance and active class
participation with consideration for others. When students participate actively in class
discussions, learning is enhanced. To be able to participate actively and with relevance to the
course subject matter, it is important that you log into each class as soon as the assignment is
available. It is the students responsibility, whether present or absent, to keep abreast of
assignments and class discussion.
Academic honesty is expected therefore, all submitted work must be original. The presentation of
anothers words or ideas as ones own, without giving credit to the source with a properly noted
citation, is regarded as plagiarism. Any work that is submitted in this class found to contain
portions that are plagiarized will receive a ZERO.
COURSE LEARNING MODULES
Module
I

Content
Introduction and orientation to the course
Student introductions
Review of course syllabus
Discussion on field assignments: learning
plan, process recordings, evaluations

II

Personal reflections from field placement

Personal performance outcomes

#1. #3. #10

III

Responsibility and ethics in Social Work

Relationships and boundaries

#1, #2, #3, #10

IV

Observation, encouraging, paraphrasing, and

summarizing skills
Conversation versus interview

#1, #3, #7, #10

Competencies
#1

Reflecting feelings and integrating skills

Confrontation

#3, #4, #7, #10

VI

Understanding of community
Social Work in urban settings versus rural
settings

#10, #11

VII

Field Instructor Assessment of Student

Competencies (FIASC)
Licensing and professional development
Transition Employment, Graduate School

#1, #3, #10

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Evaluation of Practice Paper 30 points
a. The paper will be graded based on content covered, clarity, and grammar. It is
due Monday, March 7, 2016 by 11:59 pm. This is an evaluation of your practice,
building on the competencies and information gleaned from the first semester.
This report will continue to address performance outcomes related to the field
placement settings. A written report, minimum of 5 pages, must be submitted
using the outline below focusing on application, analysis and reflection when
considering practice at the field placement setting. The following content must be
addressed:
How do I evaluate my practice with client or group
or community systems? (Pick one system)
How do I know that what I do with client or group or
community systems has an impact? (Pick one
system)
What skills do I need in order for me to work in my
current field placement setting?
Are the population and field of practice a good fit for
me? Why or why not?
What can I do to improve my social work practice
with client, or group or community systems?
How have my experiences at this agency contributed
to my knowledge of ethical social work practice?
How has this placement helped me to understand the
values of the social work profession and how has it
assisted me in the development of ethics for social work
practice?

5 points
4 points
4points
4 points
4 points
4 points
5 points

WSU STUDENT RESOURCES

a. Students with disabilities
Student Disability Services (SDS) coordinates reasonable accommodations for students with
documented disabilities. The Office is located in 1600 David Adamany Undergraduate Library,
phone: 313-577-1851, voice: 313-577-3365 (TTD). If you feel that you may need an
accommodation based on the impact of a disability, please first meet with the Student Disability
Services to determine your eligibility for services and so that reasonable accommodations can be
identified for you. They will be provided to you in a letter that you will share with your
instructor(s) with whom you will work privately to discuss your specific needs.
b. Academic integrity and student code of conduct
http://www.doso.wayne.edu/assets/codeofconduct.pdf
c. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Wayne State:
http://www.caps.wayne.edu/
TEXTS AND REQUIRED MATERIAL
Required
(All students are able to download the manual from the Schools web site)
The Field Education Manual, 8th Edition (2015). Wayne State University School of Social Work.
Recommended
Birkenmaier, J. M., and Berg-Weger, M. (2011). Practicum Companion for Social Work:
Integrating Class and Fieldwork, the (3rd Edition) (Connecting Core Competencies). Allyn &
Bacon.
Sweitzer, H. & King, M. (2004). The Successful Internship: Transformation and Empowerment
in Experiential Learning. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
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of selected aspects of supervision. The Clinical Supervisor, 5(4), 31-42.
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Baum, N. (2011). Social work students' feelings and concerns about the ending of their fieldwork
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Bogo, M. (2010). Achieving competence in social work through field education. University of
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