THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY Department of Applied Social Sciences

APSS 5776 Integrative Project

(2011/12)

Coordinator & Tutor: Dr. LAM Chiu-wan GH411; Tel: 3400 3692; sscwlam@polyu.edu.hk

Tutors: Dr. CHAN Fung-yi, Pauline GH343; Tel: 2766 5705; ssfychan@polyu.edu.hk Dr. CHEN Juan GH 305; Tel: 3400 3689; ssjuanc@polyu.edu.hk Dr. HO Kit-wan, Helen GH312; Tel: 2766 5708; sskwho@polyu.edu.hk Dr. LEUNG Chuen-suen, Zeno EF736; Tel: 2766 4855; zeno.leung@polyu.edu.hk Dr. LEUNG Chi-yuen EF729; Tel: 3400 3679; sscyl@polyu.edu.hk Dr. LIT Siu-wai GH339; Tel: 2766 7747; sslitswa@polyu.edu.hk Dr. NG Guat-tin HJ436; Tel: 2766 5736; ssngt@polyu.edu.hk Dr. TSUI Ming-sum HJ406; Tel.: 2766 5739; ssmstsui@polyu.edu.hk Mr. YEUNG Sik-chung EF737; Tel: 2766 5789; ssscyeu@polyu.edu.hk

Objective The Integrative Project provides an opportunity for students to conduct a practice-based research project for the goal of scholarship in practice. It is one of the most important learning activities in the MSW program and the students are expected to apply both theoretical and practical knowledge to explore what their own personal perspectives and approaches to professional practice are. Students are also expected to integrate a broad foundation of knowledge with the professional knowledge and skills of social work practice in the project.

Learning Outcomes The Integrative Project must reflect evidence of comprehensive knowledge in social work, and the ability of independent and original thinking. Students need to: 1. examine critically a topic of interest in social work that is related to the students practice; review the literature related to the chosen topic; integrate their classroom learning and the experiences in practice; demonstrate an ability to set the chosen topic in its wider context, to sustain arguments, and to argue for implications to policy or practice related to social work.

2. 3. 4.

Syllabus There will be briefing sessions and workshops for students. Students will also have group consultations and individual sessions from tutors on need basis. The whole project will be a practice-based review in social work that is aimed at integrating theories and practice, and to generate new theoretical and practice insights for improving social work practice. Students will be guided to make use of the knowledge that they have learnt from the academic subjects and fieldwork placements of the MSW program. Students are required to go through the following processes: 1. Identifying a topic of interest for study. It can be an area related to professional practice or to theoretical discussion on social work practice. 2. Constructing a conceptual framework and designing the research methodology for the study. 3. Conducting the literature review. 4. Data collection through fieldwork. 5. Analyzing the findings collected through the literature review and fieldwork. 6. Discussing the implications of your findings for social work. 7. Writing up the review paper.

Learning Activities and Hours Briefing sessions and workshops: Group consultation/individual guidance: 6 hours 20 hours

Briefing Sessions Date: 8 October 2011 (Saturday) or Time: 14:30 4:00 p.m. (BC311) Time: 7:00 8:30 p.m. (DE403) Date: 10 October 2011 (Monday)

Workshops To be scheduled in semester 2, 2010-11. The dates will be announced after consulting the students.

Assessment Review paper 100%

Submission of Assignment Student has to submit a research proposal to the mailbox: ssmswbox@polyu.edu.hk on or before 31 December 2011. It needs to include the topic of the project, objectives, introduction, background of the study, key issues and problems being addressed, research questions, research methodology and the time schedule (less than five pages). Those who fail to do so will NOT be encouraged to take the Integrative Project. The review paper should be not less than 8,000 words in English. It needs to have proper citations in the text and correctly formatted full references. It should be typed double spaced, with ample margins. Each paper should be accompanied by an abstract of maximum 200 words on a separate page. All pages should be numbered. Unless approved by the supervisor, student should follow the APA style (ref. The Basics of APA Style, http://www.apastyle.org/learn/tutorials/basics-tutorial.aspx) to format the review paper. The review paper has to be submitted to the supervisor, AND a soft copy has to be sent to the mailbox: ssmswbox@polyu.edu.hk on or before 22 April 2012 (Sunday). Late submission will not be accepted.

References Chu, W.C.K., & Tsui, M.S. (2008). The nature of practice wisdom in social work revisited. International Social Work, 51(1), 47-54. Denzin, N. K. and Lincoln, N. K. (eds.) (1994). Handbook of qualitative research. London: SAGE Publications. Galinsky, M., Turnbull, J., Meglin, D., & Wilner, M. (1993). Confronting the reality of collaborative practice research. Social Work, 38, 440-449. Grasso A. & Epstein I. (eds.) (1992). Research utilization in the social services: Innovations for practice and administration. New York: Haworth Press. Ho, Yuk-Ying & Yuen, Sun-pong (eds.) (2010) Reconstitution of social work: Towards a moral conception of social work practice. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Company. McCartt Hess, P. and Mullen, E, J. (eds.) (1995). Practitioner-researcher partnerships: Building knowledge from, in, and for practice. Washington: NASW Press. Reisch, M. Gambrill, E. and Oaks, T (1997). Social work in the 21st Century. California: Pine Forge Press. Schn, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner. New York: Basic Books. Scott, D. (1990). Practice wisdom: The neglected source of practice research. Social Work, 35, 564-568. Sherman, E., & Reid, W. (eds.) (1994). Qualitative research in social work. New York: Columbia University Press. Videka-Sherman, L., Reid, W.J. (eds.) (1990). Advances in clinical social work research. Silver Spring, MD: NASW Press. , (2005). : , (2000). (2005). :

Useful journals British Journal of Social Work ; Social Work; Australian Journal of Social Work; Social Work Education; International Social Work; Hong Kong Journal of Social Work