SWN018 Theories and Frameworks for Social Work Practice

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Overview

This unit builds literacy of a range of theories, models and perspectives relevant to critical social work practice. Power, oppression and privilege are key concepts. An historical overview will be provided to contextualise contemporary social work practices. For example, from the Charitable Organisation Society we have inherited case work, from the Settlement Movement we have incorporated neighbourhood work and community work, and from the Fabians, we considered how to use social policy to address major social problems such as poverty, unemployment and homelessness. With the emergence of alternative and critical influences, such as Marxism, feminism and ant-racism from the 1960s, increasing importance was given to environmental factors influencing the life chances of individuals. From these competing perspectives we must be able to coherently articulate our preferred perspectives with explicit reference to social justice and the AASW Code of Ethics.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

1. Articulate key themes, concepts and practice principles relevant to the conceptualisation and practice of critical social work
2. Critically reflect on the self and any prevailing assumptions you have that victims blame people for the social problems they experience
3. Apply critical social work and related ideas to real world, complex, client based scenarios

Content

Learning Approaches

This unit engages you in discussions of the structural causes of longstanding social problems such as colonisation, poverty, worker exploitation, gender discrimination and a host of other issues common to social work practice.  Adult learning principles will be in play and space will be given to explore competing views and perspectives. Lectures, tutorials and the reading program help to scaffold your understanding of critical theories, perspectives and frameworks for practice. You are expected to attend all classes, which will include information on, and support for, the three assessment pieces for the unit. Required tutorials for convening student presentations and related peer discussion will also be scheduled.  Critical and transformative pedagogies will be employed using a combination of problem-based learning, critical analysis of social issues and case scenarios to facilitate the integration of theory and practice across all realms of social work.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives: Indigenous social work perspectives (theory and practice ideas) are taught in this unit. 

Embedded support for learning: Student Success staff assist the delivery of this unit to offer support to both individuals and groups, including through Studiosity. Weekly postings of the Student Success offerings are made through the unit's online learning platform.  Unit staff make referrals to the QUT Counselling Services when necessary. The Library Liaison person is on hand to assist with the sourcing of learning materials. 

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

1. Group presentation: tutors will assess and provide the mark but peer and self feedback will also be expected in the tutorials, directly after the presentations have occurred. 

2. Online quiz: students will be offered the opportunity to first practice through a voluntary, ungraded practice quiz.

3. Critical intervention report: Students will have the opportunity to discuss their critical intervention reports in the tutorials and get feedback from their tutors and each other. The tutors will then mark the papers and provide written feedback on the final product. 

Assessment 3 is eligible for 48hr automatic extensions.

Assessment

Overview

There are three assessment pieces for this unit: 1) group presentation, where you present on a critical social work theory topic to peers in your tutorial; 2) Online quiz, which assesses your breadth of understanding of key social work theory concepts, such as power, control, privilege, oppression, stigma, alliance building, power-sharing; and 3) Critical Intervention Report, where you choose one of a selection of case studies and show how you will conduct critical social work practice in action. This third assessment is authentic and relates to  real world social problems you are likely to experience when you graduate. 

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Group Presentation

Starting week 3 students will form groups of 3 and present selected aspects of the theoretical ideas, perspectives and/or practice frameworks to their peers in the tutorials. 

Assessment: Online quiz

The online quiz will test your breadth of understanding of key theoretical concepts relevant to a selection of critical social work perspectives, such as: 

• Indigenous SW
• Green SW
• Structural SW
• Marxist SW
• Feminist SW
• Anti-Oppressive Practice (AOP)
• Human rights based SW
• Post-modern SW

Assessment: Critical Intervention Report

A choice of real world scenarios will be offered to you from which you are to choose one to analyse the core social problems being experienced and subsequent intervention ideas. This analysis will be conducted with one or two compatible critical perspectives and praxis as the focus.  

You must reflect on your use of self and discuss/analyse any prior assumptions you may have had that even inadvertently victim blame people subjected to social problems. 

The authentic role is social work practitioner. The audience are social work students, practitioners and clients. The purpose is to show your ability to do critical social work. The product is an intervention plan. 

This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.

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

Other

Prescribed readings will be through QUT readings

Risk Assessment Statement

Exploring the causes of major social problems such as poverty, homelessness, violence and so on can be confronting and disturbing. Critically interrogating one's own inclinations to victim blame can also be uncomfortable if not confronting. Students need to be aware that this may occur; support is available through QUT Counselling and Student Support services. Should students find any aspect of this unit distressing they are encouraged to discuss this with the Unit Coordinator as soon as possible.

Course Learning Outcomes

SW81 Master of Social Work - Qualifying

1. Critically evaluate and apply critical social work theories, knowledge and skills that reflect the professional standards of the discipline and identify with the values and ethics that guide professional practice, including the recognition of diversity, human rights and promotion of social equality and justice.
   Relates to: Group Presentation, Online quiz
2. Formulate strategies for engaging in critical thinking, decision making, critically reflective and culturally safe practice to create innovative and contextually responsive interventions that work towards emancipatory change.
   Relates to: Group Presentation, Online quiz
3. Apply digital capabilities while accessing and evaluating relevant bodies of knowledge that guide collaborative, intra- and inter-professional practice with diverse populations (individual, groups, communities) to promote and advancing socially just outcomes.
   Relates to: Online quiz
4. Communicate respectfully and work effectively with diverse groups, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, LGBTINBQ+, refugee, disabled and older populations, their families, carers, interprofessional teams and community leaders, to ensure safe and coordinated support for their interests and rights.
   Relates to: Online quiz
5. Practise professional integrity, and effective written, oral and digital communication to analyse and convey complex information and build productive relationships across diverse stakeholders to promote ethical social work practice.
   Relates to: Online quiz