SWN018 Theories and Frameworks for Social Work Practice

Unit Outline: Semester 1 2025, 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 as a group or individually and communicate any prevailing assumptions you have that victim blames 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 two 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. 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 2 is eligible for 48hr automatic extensions.

Assessment

Overview

There are two assessment pieces for this unit: 1) Discussion Forum: Group Collaboration and Individual Discussion Leadership, where you pre-plan and collaborate as a group to present and lead a discussion on a critical social work theory topic to peers in your tutorial; 2) Critical Intervention Report, where you choose one of a selection of case studies and show how you will conduct critical social work analysis and practice response. This second 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: Discussion Forum: Group Collaboration and Individual Leadership

Starting week 3, you will identify a week to co-lead a discussion forum (30% individual component) on on a critical social work theory topic (your individually selected aspect of theoretical ideas, perspectives and/or practice frameworks topic area). Prior to the discussion forum, you will  collaborate and pre-plan (10% group component) with 2 other peers to co-lead the tutorial discussion and ensure there is no crossover of ideas/theoretical approaches.

In this task, each of you will explain/define one key concept each of your selected area and give an example of its application to a social or practice issue. Pre-planning between leader peers will ensure there is no duplication of topics and ideas. The presentation panel discussion should conclude with the posing of three meaningful questions (one per discussant) to the wider group about the concepts and their relevance today to generate wider insight and feedback.

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, which must be drawn from the unit learning materials with a focus on praxis. Use of any theoretical perspectives not covered in these materials or lectures, must be cleared by the Unit Coordinator before undertaking the assessment.

You must show how the theories or frameworks you employ in your understanding of the clients/ community's problems differs from traditional individualistic explanations (e.g. inadvertent victim-blaming) of client problems by locating them in their social context for practice. 

The authentic role is social work practitioner. The audience are social work students, practitioners, service users and service providers. The purpose is to show your ability to do critical social work consistent with social justice values and what difference this makes to outcomes for service users. The product is an intervention plan. 

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

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.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, 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: Discussion Forum: Group Collaboration and Individual Leadership
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: Discussion Forum: Group Collaboration and Individual Leadership