Introduction to Social Work Syllabus for 2017-2018
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Instructor Information

Office Hours

Collective: 4-4-24 530-630 pm and 4-25-24 530-630 pm.  Schedule additional sessions as needed.  

Course Information

COVID-19 Protocols

Recording Policy

Disability Statement

If you have a disability (learning, mental, physical) that affects your ability to participate effectively and have access to any program or service at Amarillo College please contact Disability Services at (806) 345-5639 . Our offices are located in the Student Service Center office 112. More information may be found at www.actx.edu/disability.
Disability Services facilitates access to all programs and services according to the ADA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, as well as other federal and state laws.

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Amarillo College is committed to providing equal access to all programs and services, including all working, learning, and service environments that affect equal access for persons with disabilities. This commitment to provide equal access and opportunity for persons with disabilities is in compliance with federal and state law. Amarillo College also strives to provide Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) that are accessible to all authorized users.

If you find you are unable to access material in an accessible format please contact the Disability Services Office at (806) 345-5639 . This office will work in conjunction with other campus resources to address and accommodate your issue in a timely manner.

Statement for Mental Health and Advocacy & Resource Center:

As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5900. The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/ . Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website is https://www.actx.edu/arc

Amarillo College Tutoring for Success Policy:

Administrative Drop Policy

Students who do not attend class on or prior to the census date will be administratively dropped. Effective Fall, 2016

Student Withdrawal Procedures

Students who wish to withdraw from a course must complete all steps indicated on the Academic Withdrawal Request form by the course withdrawal deadline.

NOTE: Students who are attending Texas institutions of higher education, for the first time fall 2007 and later, may not withdraw from more than six courses during their academic career. This withdrawal limitation does not include dual credit or developmental classes (Senate Bill 1231 Rule 4.10.) For more information on Drop and Withdrawal Policies, please visit the Registrar's Office Web site.

Privacy Statement

The Amarillo College Privacy Policy is found at https://www.actx.edu/-amarillo-college-privacy-notice , and applies to all Amarillo College students.  If you have questions about this privacy statement or you believe that your personal information has been released without your consent, send email to humanresources@actx.edu .

Course

SOCW-2361-001 Introduction to Social Work

Prerequisites

Course Description

Development of the philosophy and practice of social work in the United States; survey of the fields and techniques of social work; attention given to requirements for graduate training and social work.

Student ResourcesStudent Resources Website

Department Expectations

Occupational License Disclaimer

Notice to Students enrolled in an educational program for preparation of issuance of certain occupational licenses:

Students enrolled in an educational program in preparation for obtaining certain occupational licenses are potentially ineligible for such license if the student has been convicted of an offense. For further information, please contact your advisor, the Legal Clinic, or the faculty member in charge of the educational program that you seek to enroll in. The further information you will receive will include notification to you of your right to request a criminal history evaluation letter from the licensing authority in order to clarify your particular situation.

Hours

(3 sem hrs; 3 lec)

Class Type

Online Course

Syllabus Information

Textbooks

Required text:  Kirst-Ashman, Karen K. (2017).  Introduction to Social Work & Social Welfare Critical Thinking Perspectives (5th edition).  Boston, MA:  Cengage Learning.

Required autobiography: 

Walls, Jeanette (2005).  The Glass Castle.  New York, NY:  Scribner. 

OR

Moore, Wes. (2010). The Other Wes Moore. New York, NY:  Speigel & Grau Trade Paperback Edition. 

Supplies

Paper, pens, pencils.  Students also need access to a reliable computer with internet, a computer printer and paper.

Student Performance

Upon completion of this course the student will be able to:

  • Discuss the development of social welfare in the U.S.
  • Discuss the development of social work as a recognized profession.
  • Appreciate the broad range of professional responsibilities and skills that social workers utilize in their daily interactions with clients.
  • Demonstrate familiarity with National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics and how it guides decision-making.
  • Identify multiple social and economic factors that influence or affect the behavior of individuals, groups, and communities.
  • Understand that human behavior is influenced by biological, social, and psychological factors.
  • Understand the process for becoming a professional social worker.
  • Understand and appreciate the concept of generalist practice as it applies to social workers at the bachelor’s level.
  • Demonstrate an increased understanding of the issues relating to working with diverse populations.
  • Recognize and evaluate his or her value system as related to providing social work services to diverse populations.
  • Recognize the global context of social work practice.
  • Demonstrate written and verbal communication skills that reflect the student’s ability to comprehend material.
  • Demonstrate the ability to utilize critical thinking skills.

Students Rights and Responsibilities

Student Rights and Responsibilities

Log in using the AC Connect Portal

In order to receive your AC Connect Email, you must log in through AC Connect at https://acconnect.actx.edu .

If you are an active staff or faculty member according to Human Resources, use "Exchange". All other students, use "AC Connect (Google) Email".

Expected Student Behavior

  • Interaction and discussion are encouraged; learning is greatly facilitated by the active participation of all class members.
  •  An atmosphere of mutual respect is expected as well as punctuality and attentiveness
  • YOU are responsible for your learning in this class. It is important that you check in weekly and complete every assignment.  
  • I expect you all to attend class online, participate in class assignments, discussions and exams, be prepared for class exams, and respect everyone else who is the class. Each student is expected to engage in academic honesty and refrain from cheating and/or plagiarism. This means that although this class is online you should be doing your own work. I whole heartedly expect you to use your notes and books on all assignments and exams, you just may not use your friend or classmates. All students are expected to be tolerant and respectful of other students’ responses within class. There will be zero tolerance for any type of harassment!! I want this to be an environment everyone can learn and feels safe!!

Scholastic Honesty

It is the responsibility of students and instructors to help maintain scholastic integrity by refusing to participate in or tolerate scholastic dishonesty.  This listing is not exclusive of any other acts that may reasonably be said to constitute scholastic dishonesty:  acquiring or providing information for any assigned work or examination from any unauthorized source, informing others of the content of any examination prior to the time the exam is given in subsequent sections of the course, plagiarism (copying from a source without documenting and crediting the source), submission of a paper that is substantially the same for two courses or written by someone else.

Grading Criteria

Grading Criteria, Exams, and Makeup Policy:

Assessment of student progress will be based on various assignments that are designed to demonstrate the student’s critical thinking skills as well as the ability to apply knowledge learned in the classroom.

Exams (300 points)

There will be two examinations during the semester.  Material for exams will be drawn from the required text, powerpoints, and videos. Each exam is worth 150 points, and all will count in your average. There is no opportunity to drop an exam score.   Exams will be online, in blackboard, and will be open for at least 3 days. There will only be extreme circumstances that make up exams should be needed.  MAKEUP EXAMS MUST BE SCHEDULED WITH ME PRIOR TO EXAM DATE, AND FOR A VALID REASON (this is at my discretion). DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE DAY OF THE EXAM TO SPEAK WITH ME. 

Assignments:  (350 points)

Assignments should be typed using APA (American Psychological Association) formatting.  Please visit the Writers Corner for assistance.   The Writers Corner is located in Ordway Hall.  Assignments should be 12 point font, double-spaced, with 1” margins.  APA includes the use of a cover sheet and reference sheet.  Please see www.apastyle.org, or www.purdueowl.com for more information.  This is the style writing you will be expected to use in the remainder of your social work career, get used to it now.  It will be difficult to incorporate into every assignment, but do your best.  The minimum number of required pages should be full pages.   For example, if the paper is to be three to four pages, it should be a minimum of three full pages.  I highly recommend that you use spell check and grammar check on your computer.  The library and Writer's Corner are excellent resources to you, use them.  

All assignments will be submitted via blackboard.  There will be  drop boxes for all assignments.  

All assignments should be completed as the syllabus details. 

Self Assessment (100 points)

Complete a self-assessment looking at dominate characteristics, power, privilege, or oppression and the role they have played in your life.  I want you to be introspective and look back at your life and how you either had AN ADVANTAGE, or DISADVANTAGE based on the isms we covered in CHAPTER 3. You will focus ON FOUR different aspects that include:  AGE, CLASS, CULTURE, SEX, GENDER, ABILITY (OR disABILITY), RACE, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, POLITICAL IDEOLOGY, ETC.  Please refer to highlights 3.2 and 4.2 to assist with this. As helping professionals, it is our obligation to be in tune with how our personal biases effect our work with people.  This is the first of MANY assignments you will have as professional helpers on self assessment.  As life long learners, you will be required to do this throughout your career to ensure you meet client needs, professional roles, and keep personal values.  

Use APA style.  Refer to https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/ for assistance in APA style.  EVERY assignment will be able to use cover page, abstract, body. If you use other resources, quotes, or research, it will be included in the works cited page. 

  YOU MUST CHOOSE TRAITS FROM THIS LIST. Use the article by Michael Spencer as a guide in how to approach this assignment.  

 Hint:  Do not simply focus on autobiographical information.  The key is looking at your traits and how you have either been rewarded, oppressed, or a combination of both.   Your paper should be three to four pages, double-spaced.  This assignment is the first of self reflection and values analysis.  

Service Learning (150 points)

Part of learning to be a social worker is getting out in the community and volunteering. Each student is required to volunteer 4 hours during this semester at a social service agency (you are encouraged to do more than 4 hours, but this number is the required amount of time spent). The instructor can help the student connect with various agencies that match the student’s interest, there is a list in blackboard.  

During the volunteer work the student will keep a log of the volunteer time and the student must have someone at the agency sign off on the hours. handsonamarillo.com is a great resource.  This needs to be submitted via drop box.  (50 points)

Social responsibility is an ethical structure which suggests that an individual has an obligation to act for the benefit of society as a whole. Social responsibility is a duty every individual has to perform so as to maintain a balance between the community and the individuals who live in them. For this assignment you will be required to serve 4 hours of community service at an agency of your choosing. You will be responsible for gathering the required documentation to prove that you did serve your required hours at the specific location. After completing the service you will be required to turn in the documentation and reflect on your service learning in a short answer essay exam online.  When answering these questions you must answer in complete thoughts and complete sentences.  Each question will be worth a certain amount of points totaling 100 points for this assignment.  Here is a small list of some possible places you could chose to volunteer. Please check with your professor if you have an idea of a place you would like to volunteer to make sure it will be applicable to this assignment.

Snack pack for kids

High plains food bank

Faith City mission

Kid’s Café

City Church

Family Support Services

Make a Child Smile (Eveline Rivers) Christmas Project

Sunshine Cottage

Dove Creek Equine Rescue

Hope and Healing place

Visit HANDS ON AMARILLO website for more options

Glass Castles/Wes Moore integration of social work principles (100)

Write an  in depth review of The Glass Castle, or Wes Moore tying it in with topics discussed in the text and discussed in class.This should be application of social work knowledge gained during the semester from out text, lectures, movies and guests.  Apply your knowledge to specific information in Glass Castle/Wes Moore.  For example, you might find passages in the text book about poverty, child abuse/neglect, or about substance abuse and relate how the family fits this information or might be an exception to this information.  You may quote directly from the text or paraphrase information from the text in your own words.  In either case, make sure it is clearly stated in your paper that you are making reference to some information from the text or information presented in class.   The emphasis should be in making comparisons between The Glass Castle/The Other Wes Moore and topics from the text or other information from class.  DO NOT SIMPLY WRITE A REVIEW OF THIS BOOK. 

Use APA style in citing references.  In APA, you put the author and publication year at the end of a sentence where you have made a reference.  For example, if you wrote the following sentence, this is how you would cite it: Our text book points out that families have problems when role boundaries are unclear (Dubois and Miley 2014).  At the end of your paper, list your references on the reference page, following APA  style.  (Author Surname first, in alphabetical order. Title of book. Year published.)  You can find more information online about APA.  Make sure you have all pieces of APA,cover page, running heading,page numbers, reference page,and cited work in text.  

If you only write a summary of the book, you will fail this assignment.  You must make reference to topics learned in our text and/or in class back to The Glass Castle/ The Other Wes Moore.  Your paper should be five to six full pages, double-spaced.   100 points

Discussion Boards (350 points)

There will be  7 different discussion topics, each worth 50 points.  

  • you will be required to respond to different discussion topics on-line
  • the discussion will need to include relevant information discussed in powerponts, web links, YouTube videos and in your textbook
  • All discussions will be worth 50 points. There will be points possible for your initial response and points for your responses to your classmates.
  • You will be required to respond to 2 classmates’ posts. Your comments need to relevant responses that show that you have read and understood what your classmates have posted and their point of view. Nice job is not enough. Here is an example of a good response: That is a really great point of view, I really liked that way you related reinforcement to everyday life and I agree with your statement that money is really the number one incentive in the world.

IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE ALL ASSIGNMENTS YOU WILL FAIL THIS CLASS!

Example of how the grading system works:

Exams:  300 points 

Assignments:  350 points

Discussion Boards: 350 points

TOTAL:  1000 points

Grading is as follows:

a= 1000-900

b=899-800

c=799-700

d=699-600

f=599 and below

grades will be rounded up

 

How to make a good grade in this class:

*Attend class regularly and be punctual.

*Read the assignments.

*Find ways that help you learn through repetition, for example outlining the chapters and rereading your outline, highlighting text and going back over what you think is important, look up words or concepts you don’t understand, make index cards with information.

*Start the assignments ahead of time and follow the instructions carefully.  

*Turn in assignments on time.

*Complete all assignments. 

Attendance

Attendance:

 It is college, and it is summer. but you cannot skip. You will need to show up to pass the class. Attendance will be tracked by your viewing each chapter folder and completing required assignments.This class moves really quickly and if you do not stay active in it weekly, you will not keep up, check in every week and complete requirements.

 

Calendar

The Instructor reserves the right to change the syllabus/calendar if necessary.


Changes or modifications to the schedule or requirements may occur.  If so, you will be notified.

Tentative Calendar of Readings, Topics and Due Dates –

Week date topic assignments
Week 1 June 4-10 Welcome,syllabus Syllabus/Introductions June 5 by midnight, acknowledgement
    Chapter 1, 2 Discussion 1 due by June 7 by midnight, response due midnight June 9
Week 2 June 11-17 Chapter 3, 4 Discussion 2 due by June 14 midnight, response due by midnight 6-16
       
Week 3 June 18-24 Chapter 5, 6 Self Assessment due by midnight 6-20 (100 PTS)
      Discussion 3 due by June 21 midnight, response due by June 23 midnight
Week 4 June 25-July 1 Chapter 7-8 Discussion 4 due June 28 midnight, response due midnight June 30
     

Discussion 5 due by July 5 midnight, response due midnight July 7

 

Week 5 July 2-8 Chapter 9. 10  
      Exam 1 (chapters 1-8) Due by midnight  7-13 (open 7-10 through 7-13) (150 PTS)
Week 6 July 9-15 Chapter 11, 12 Discussion 6 due midnight 7-5, response due midnight 7-7
       
Week 7 July 16-22 Chapter 13, 14 Service Learning Due by midnight 7-20
     

Discussion 7 due 7-19 midnight, response due 7-21 midnight

Week 8 July 23-27 Chapters 15, 16  Exam 2(chapters 9-16) due midnight 7-25, open 7-22 thorugh7-25
     

Castle/Wes Moore due by midnight 7-23

 

Exams and assignments will be kept by the instructor.  You will need to maintain copies of your assignments, in case there is a question about your score. 

Grades   
Exam 1 _____/150
Exam 2 _____/150

Assignments 1 Self Assessment 

_____/100
Assignment 2  Service Learning  _____/150

Assignment 3 Glass Castle/Wes Moore (100)

_____/100
Discussion 1  _____/50
Discussion 2 _____/50
Discussion 3 _____/50
Discussion 4 _____/50
Discussion 5 _____/50
Discussion 6 _____/50
Discussion 7 _____/50
Total possible 1000 Total:  _____  /1000
   

 

Additional Information

Course Overview:

Introduction to Social Work is a survey course designed to allow the student to study and discuss the broad topic of social welfare and the role of professional social workers in different areas of community and human service.  Students will be introduced to various philosophies of social welfare in this country and to the development of social work as a profession.  The settings where professional social work is practiced will be explored and the student will see why the profession of social work requires an in-depth study of the arts and sciences.  Current issues in social work will be discussed as well as future challenges to the social work profession.  An understanding of diverse populations will be promoted and foundations for further study of generalist practice will be established.  Values and ethics relating to social work are emphasized.  The emerging global context of social work will be explored.

 

***************IMPORTANT INFORMATION******************

  1. If you are having problems understanding the content of the class, with writing skills, or have a disability that requires accommodation, I will be glad to meet with you and work on solutions.
  2. There is a point at which a student has to take responsibility for attendance and doing the work.

************************************************************************

Mental Health Services and the Advocacy & Resource Center:

 As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student’s ability to participate in daily activities. Amarillo College offers services to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. If you or someone you know are suffering from any of the aforementioned conditions, you can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus by calling the AC Counseling Center at 806-371-5191.  The AC Counseling Center website is https://www.actx.edu/counseling/.  Also, if you are in need of social services (affordable housing, utilities, transportation, food, clothing, childcare, medical/dental/vision, legal), please call the AC Advocacy & Resource Center at 806-371-5439. The AC Advocacy & Resource Center website iswww.actx.edu/arc

Syllabus Created on:

05/28/18 2:48 PM

Last Edited on:

05/28/18 4:29 PM