SWB100 Orientation to Social Work and Human Services
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | SWB100 |
|---|---|
| Antirequisite(s): | HHB100 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | The Commonwealth supported place student contribution amount for this unit depends upon the course of study. Find out more |
| Pre-2021 CSP student contribution | The pre-2021 commonwealth supported place (CSP) contribution amount only applies to students enrolled in a course prior to 2021. To learn more, visit our Understanding your fees page. |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,024 |
| International unit fee | $4,224 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | SWB100 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Anti-requisite: | HHB100 |
| Coordinators: | Alyssa Venning | alyssa.venning@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Purposefully positioned at the beginning of your course, this unit scaffolds essential learning about the scope of social work or human services, the professional context, and the changing occupational patterns of and service delivery. It is important that you start to explore your own motivation for becoming a social work or human service practitioner and begin to develop your professional identity. This unit also considers it essential that you are provided with the foundation for developing a critical approach to practice, grounded in social justice and social change. The concepts of power, oppression, privilege, and positionality will be explored. An understanding of critical practice, cultural diversity and the construction of 'difference' is presented as fundamental to commencing your reflective learning journey that you will continue throughout the social work or human services course.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Critically analyse the nature and scope of social problems and the social work and human services sector and the social work and human services roles within it
- Reflect on and critique the role of values, ethics and practice standards in social work and human services
- Critique the history and changing contexts of social work and human services in Australia
- Reflect on and critique your own developing sense of professional identity and positionality and
- Select and apply academic skills and tools to different academic contexts.
Content
The unit will provide a foundational understanding of a range of social work and human services concepts and theories. The social and political forces that shape social issues and responses, including social work and human services responses will be explored. The unit will also engage you in critically thinking about your developing sense of professional identity and positionality; facilitating critical reflection on how your values and beliefs shape your practice that supports social justice.
Content will include:
- Foundational social work and human services knowledge and concepts including social justice, critical analysis and self-reflection.
- Values and ethics for social work and human services which support social justice.
- Global social forces and their impacts on shaping contemporary Australian contexts.
- The history of social work and its relevance for practice today, including interaction with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and diverse perspectives.
- An introduction to formal and informal theoretical frameworks / practice approaches.
- An introduction to fields of practice and working across difference, power, oppression and positionality.
Relates to learning outcomes
Learning outcomes link to:
AASW Education and Accreditation Standards: 3.1, 3.2, 4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.1.6
AASW Practice Standards (2013): 1.2, 2.2,3.1, 4.1 4.2, 4.3, 5.2, 5.4 , 6.1, 6.3
ACWA Practice Guidelines 1.1, 1.2,1.5, 2.7, 2.9, 5.1, 5.2, 5.6, 5.7, 6.2, 6.5, 6.6, 7.4, 7.6, 7.7, 8.3, 8.6, 8.9
Learning Approaches
The unit is taught in lecture and tutorial mode. The unit will be supported by a Canvas site. You will also be expected to keep a journal throughout the semester to document your learnings. This journal will be needed for Assessment task three.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment item one and two are formative and summative. General feedback will be provided to you via the unit homepage. Specific feedback will be provided to you via tutors. Assessment item three is summative. Feedback will be provided via tutors.
Assessment
Overview
The unit consists of three assessment items: Self Reflection (written critique) Group Presentation with summary and Reflective Journal. The first piece piece of assessment occurring in Week 4 will provide you with an indication of your initial level of academic functioning. The second is a group presentation examining a social issue. The final piece of assessment is a summary of key learnings relevant to your emerging professional identity and practice approach underpinned by social justice.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Self Reflection
Following the introduction to to a social issue and the Social Work and Human Services sector, this paper critically explores motivations for becoming a Social Work or Human Service practitioner. You are to identify an area of the Social Work or Human Services industry in which you would like to work and provide some critical analysis regarding why, drawing on what you have learned to date about the profession.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Group Presentation
The presentation will focus on an in-depth examination of a social issue in practice.
Group Presentation (25%)
The presentation with Power Point will critically examine the way the social issue is constructed and responded to in the context of social work and human services practice which supports social justice. The analysis of the issue will draw on the content discussed in the unit as well as further research.
Individual Submission (15%)
Each member of the group presenting will also be expected to submit a copy of the group Power Point, their personal speaking notes, and a reflection paper on the group process to Canvas. The individual short reflective piece summarising your own understanding of the social issue and critically reflecting on your own values and positionality in relation to this issue.
The written submission is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Reflective Journal
Assuming the role of practitioner, you will undertake a reflective summary reflection on 3 key learnings (relevant to practice and social justice) throughout the semester. This summary is a critical reflection on your developing understanding and knowledge of issues of the social work and human services industry and of your emerging professional identity as a social work or human services practitioner. The product is a reflective journal that is hypothetically submitted to your practice supervisor in the work environment. The summary will include references to your journal entries.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Morley, C., Ablett, P., &. MacFarlane, S. (2019). Engaging with social work: A critical introduction (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Other
Students will have access to material on Canvas including a weekly current affairs watch.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no particular risks associated with this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.SW04 Bachelor of Social Work
- Critique and apply coherent theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values, and cultivate a commitment toward meeting diverse clients and community needs. [Knowledge, Practice, Values and Disposition]
Relates to: Reflective Journal - Construct and implement strategies for engaging in critical thinking and decision-making, utilising advanced research knowledge and skills to inform culturally safe practice, and promote social justice from diverse perspectives. [Practice, Knowledge, Values and Disposition]
Relates to: Self Reflection, Group Presentation - Access, evaluate, and utilise relevant social work information that informs and assists in intra- and inter-professional communication in a range of contexts, through effective oral, written and digital interactions. [Practice, Knowledge]
Relates to: Self Reflection - Design a plan of action for working within socially progressive, anti-oppressive, culturally safe and ethical practice, that embody an autonomous and collaborative evidence-based orientation to social work, integral to the standards of professional social work practice. [Values and Disposition, Practice]
Relates to: Group Presentation, Reflective Journal
SW05 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
- Critically evaluate theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values and, as a change facilitator, meet diverse client and community needs that promote social justice
Relates to: Self Reflection, Group Presentation - Develop advanced knowledge, skills and values, to inform culturally safe communication and effective intra- and inter-professional collaboration and with a wide range of audiences and contexts, including accessing, evaluating and utlising digital health information.
Relates to: Self Reflection, Group Presentation - Access, evaluate and utilise social work information to advocate for a socially just society and the promotion of human dignity and worth that reflect different social, political, cultural and historical circumstances, on the beliefs, values and aspirations of various groups, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations
Relates to: Reflective Journal
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal
| Unit code: | SWB100 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Anti-requisite: | HHB100 |
| Coordinators: | Jean Carruthers | jc.carruthers@qut.edu.au |
Overview
Purposefully positioned at the beginning of your course, this unit scaffolds essential learning about the scope of social work or human services, the professional context, and the changing occupational patterns of and service delivery. It is important that you start to explore your own motivation for becoming a social work or human service practitioner and begin to develop your professional identity. This unit also considers it essential that you are provided with the foundation for developing a critical approach to practice, grounded in social justice and social change. The concepts of power, oppression, privilege, and positionality will be explored. An understanding of critical practice, cultural diversity and the construction of 'difference' is presented as fundamental to commencing your reflective learning journey that you will continue throughout the social work or human services course.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Critically analyse the nature and scope of social problems and the social work and human services sector and the social work and human services roles within it
- Reflect on and critique the role of values, ethics and practice standards in social work and human services
- Critique the history and changing contexts of social work and human services in Australia
- Reflect on and critique your own developing sense of professional identity and positionality and
- Select and apply academic skills and tools to different academic contexts.
Content
The unit will provide a foundational understanding of a range of social work and human services concepts and theories. The social and political forces that shape social issues and responses, including social work and human services responses will be explored. The unit will also engage you in critically thinking about your developing sense of professional identity and positionality; facilitating critical reflection on how your values and beliefs shape your practice that supports social justice.
Content will include:
- Foundational social work and human services knowledge and concepts including social justice, critical analysis and self-reflection.
- Values and ethics for social work and human services which support social justice.
- Global social forces and their impacts on shaping contemporary Australian contexts.
- The history of social work and its relevance for practice today, including interaction with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives and diverse perspectives.
- An introduction to formal and informal theoretical frameworks / practice approaches.
- An introduction to fields of practice and working across difference, power, oppression and positionality.
Relates to learning outcomes
Learning outcomes link to:
AASW Education and Accreditation Standards: 3.1, 3.2, 4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.4, 4.1.5, 4.1.6
AASW Practice Standards (2013): 1.2, 2.2,3.1, 4.1 4.2, 4.3, 5.2, 5.4 , 6.1, 6.3
ACWA Practice Guidelines 1.1, 1.2,1.5, 2.7, 2.9, 5.1, 5.2, 5.6, 5.7, 6.2, 6.5, 6.6, 7.4, 7.6, 7.7, 8.3, 8.6, 8.9
Learning Approaches
The unit is taught in lecture and tutorial mode. The unit will be supported by a Canvas site. You will also be expected to keep a journal throughout the semester to document your learnings. This journal will be needed for Assessment task three.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment item one and two are formative and summative. General feedback will be provided to you via the unit homepage. Specific feedback will be provided to you via tutors. Assessment item three is summative. Feedback will be provided via tutors.
Assessment
Overview
The unit consists of three assessment items: Self Reflection (written critique) Group Presentation with summary and Reflective Journal. The first piece piece of assessment occurring in Week 4 will provide you with an indication of your initial level of academic functioning. The second is a group presentation examining a social issue. The final piece of assessment is a summary of key learnings relevant to your emerging professional identity and practice approach underpinned by social justice.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Self Reflection
Following the introduction to to a social issue and the Social Work and Human Services sector, this paper critically explores motivations for becoming a Social Work or Human Service practitioner. You are to identify an area of the Social Work or Human Services industry in which you would like to work and provide some critical analysis regarding why, drawing on what you have learned to date about the profession.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Group Presentation
The presentation will focus on an in-depth examination of a social issue in practice.
Group Presentation (25%)
The presentation with Power Point will critically examine the way the social issue is constructed and responded to in the context of social work and human services practice which supports social justice. The analysis of the issue will draw on the content discussed in the unit as well as further research.
Individual Submission (15%)
Each member of the group presenting will also be expected to submit a copy of the group Power Point, their personal speaking notes, and a reflection paper on the group process to Canvas. The individual short reflective piece summarising your own understanding of the social issue and critically reflecting on your own values and positionality in relation to this issue.
The written submission is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Assessment: Reflective Journal
Assuming the role of practitioner, you will undertake a reflective summary reflection on 3 key learnings (relevant to practice and social justice) throughout the semester. This summary is a critical reflection on your developing understanding and knowledge of issues of the social work and human services industry and of your emerging professional identity as a social work or human services practitioner. The product is a reflective journal that is hypothetically submitted to your practice supervisor in the work environment. The summary will include references to your journal entries.
This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
Resource Materials
Prescribed text(s)
Morley, C., Ablett, P., &. MacFarlane, S. (2019). Engaging with social work: A critical introduction (2nd ed.). Melbourne: Cambridge University Press.
Other
Students will have access to material on Canvas including a weekly current affairs watch.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no particular risks associated with this unit.
Course Learning Outcomes
This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.SW04 Bachelor of Social Work
- Critique and apply coherent theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values, and cultivate a commitment toward meeting diverse clients and community needs. [Knowledge, Practice, Values and Disposition]
Relates to: Reflective Journal - Construct and implement strategies for engaging in critical thinking and decision-making, utilising advanced research knowledge and skills to inform culturally safe practice, and promote social justice from diverse perspectives. [Practice, Knowledge, Values and Disposition]
Relates to: Self Reflection, Group Presentation - Access, evaluate, and utilise relevant social work information that informs and assists in intra- and inter-professional communication in a range of contexts, through effective oral, written and digital interactions. [Practice, Knowledge]
Relates to: Self Reflection - Design a plan of action for working within socially progressive, anti-oppressive, culturally safe and ethical practice, that embody an autonomous and collaborative evidence-based orientation to social work, integral to the standards of professional social work practice. [Values and Disposition, Practice]
Relates to: Group Presentation, Reflective Journal
SW05 Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)
- Critically evaluate theoretical, practical and contextually relevant social work knowledge, skills and values and, as a change facilitator, meet diverse client and community needs that promote social justice
Relates to: Self Reflection, Group Presentation - Develop advanced knowledge, skills and values, to inform culturally safe communication and effective intra- and inter-professional collaboration and with a wide range of audiences and contexts, including accessing, evaluating and utlising digital health information.
Relates to: Self Reflection, Group Presentation - Access, evaluate and utilise social work information to advocate for a socially just society and the promotion of human dignity and worth that reflect different social, political, cultural and historical circumstances, on the beliefs, values and aspirations of various groups, including Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations
Relates to: Reflective Journal