SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY EDWARDSVILLE
Department of Social Work
SOCW315 002: SOCIAL WORK PRACTICE I
Spring 2000

Instructor: Dr. Venessa A. Brown
Office: PH 1229 (ext. 2450)
Office Hours Posted On Door
 
 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This is the beginning practice course in social work. It covers a generalist problem-solving approach to practice, with emphasis on working with individuals (micro). There is also a weekly video lab. In the lab we will work on interactional skills needed to implement the practice model presented in class.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Students will develop knowledge of the practice model presented in the course and the theoretical concepts that support it.
2. Students will gain knowledge of the competencies and practice roles for working with individuals.
3. Students will learn basic interventive approaches and how they are used.
4. Students will develop an understanding of how professional ethics interact with personal and societal values in practice.
5. Students will gain an awareness of one’s own personal and cultural values and how they influence perception and decision-making.
6. Students will develop an understanding of the ways in which human diversity affects the practitioner/client interaction.
7. Students will gain knowledge of the purposes, appropriate use, and effects of basic skills of active listening, empathy, concreteness, congruence, feedback and confrontation.
8. Students will demonstrate an ability to use basic interviewing and interactional skills appropriately.

COURSE EVALUATION

Examinations: There will be two exams. Each will cover readings and lectures and will be a mixture of objective and essay questions. (40%)

Case Analysis: A written case analysis paper will be issued to you throughout the semester. We will work on it section by section from engagement to termination. (20%)

Lab Tapes: There will be a midterm and final tape. (30%)

Class/Lab Attendance: Regular attendance is the responsibility of the student. However, some students have not accepted this responsibility. Therefore, attendance will be taken at the beginning of every class and each lab. (10%)

Note: you must make at least a ( C ) on the final tape to get a ( C ) or better for the course.

REQUIRED TEXTS

Hepworth, Dean H., Ronald H. Rooney and Jo Ann Larsen. Direct Social Work Practice: Theory and Skills. 5th edition, California: Brooks/Cole, 1997.

Lukas, Peggy. Where to Start and What to Ask. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1993.

Other Readings will be assigned.

COURSE OUTLINE

Week 1 January 10: Course Introduction/Review Syllabus/Ice Breakers
January 12: Values, Ethics and Practice
Readings: Hepworth et al., chapters 1, 2
Week 2 January 17: MLK Holiday - no class
January 19: No class
Week 3 January 24: Practice Cycle/Process of Change/Interpersonal Helping Skills
January 26: Ethical Dilemmas in Social Work Practice
Readings: Hepworth et al., chapter 3, 4
Give out Ethics Assignment
Week 4 February 7 & 9: Engagement: Relationship Development and Problem Definition;
How to start an interview
Readings: Hepworth et al., Chapter 5
Lukas, Chapter 1
NOTE: Video Lab starts this week
Give out Cases this week for Case Analysis 
Week 5 February 14: Skills of Engagement and Relationship Development
February 16: Verbal Following, Exploring and focusing Skills
Reading: Hepworth et al., chapters 6 and 7
February 16th : ETHICS PAPER DUE
Week 6 February 21: Defining working Problems - skills and strategies
Reading: Hepworth and Larson chapters 5 through 7
February 23: Special situations: anger, crisis, involuntary clients
Week 7 February 28: No class 
March 1: Cross-Cultural Issues in engagement. comparison of characteristics of different racial and cultural groups in society, and implications for practice.
Readings: Devore and Schlesinger, chapter 8 (Handout)
Kirst-Ashman and Hull, chapters 12 and 13 (Handout)
March 1st: Part One of Case Analysis Due: Engagement
Week 8 March 6: Midterm Exam
March 8: Overview of Assessment Issues, Processes and Strategies
Readings: Hepworth et al., chapters 8, 9, 10
Kirst-Ashman and Hull, pp. 159 -171 (handout)
Class Exercise: Mystery Game 
NOTE: Midterm tapes due in lab 
Week 9 Spring Break
Week 10 March 20: Assessment continue....Assessing for the Specifics: Domestic Violence, Mental Illness, Chemical Dependency and Sexual Abuse
Reading: Lukas, (the rest of the book)/ Handouts
March 22: Overview of Assessment Diagrams
Genograms
Eco-maps
Dsm IV
Week 11 March 27: Planning in Generalist Practice: Linking problems, assessment, goals and developing contracts
Reading: Kirst-Ashman and Hull, chapter 6
Hepworth et al., chapters 12 and 13
March 29: No Class
Week 12 April 3: Planning continue..../Models of Practice Evaluations
April 5: Part Two of Case Analysis Due: Assessment
Week 13  April 10: Overview of Interventive Approaches
April 12: Cognitive and Supportive Approaches
Readings: To be assigned
Week 14 April 17: Termination and Follow-up
Readings: Hepworth et al.,
April 19: Part Three of Case Analysis Due: Planning
Week 15 April 24: Reflection on Case Analysis
April 26: Lab groups meet to organize for final tape
April 26: Final Tapes Due in Lab
Week 16 Final Exam Week: Exam date to be announced
Syllabus subject to change/ Student will be notified of any changes to this contract

Dr. Venessa A. Brown