The University of Tennessee College of Social Work Ph.D. Program Fall Social Work 676 SOCIAL WORK PEDAGOGY IN ONLINE ENVIRONMENTS (1 credits)

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1 SWK 676 Fall 2015 The University of Tennessee College of Social Work Ph.D. Program Fall 2015 Social Work 676 SOCIAL WORK PEDAGOGY IN ONLINE ENVIRONMENTS (1 credits) Instructor: Kate M. Chaffin, LAPSW Time: M 3:35-4:25 EST Office: Nashville Location: 193 Polk Ave RM 280 Phone: Office Hrs: M 10-12a CST (11-1p EST) and by appointment kmcclern@utk.edu Skype: katemchaffin Ph.D. Program Mission The purpose of social work education at the doctoral level is to develop an understanding and appreciation of the scientific method so that graduates can improve and extend the knowledge base of social work practice, and inform social policy, through empirical research. Graduates of doctoral programs assume leadership roles in social work education, research, and practice. The Ph.D. program in social work provides training in social and behavioral science research methods and the opportunity for students to apply these methods to social problems and social work practice areas. Doctoral research is directed toward developing knowledge that can be used by social work educators, practitioners, administrators, and policy makers. Graduates of the Ph.D. program are prepared to contribute to the improvement of the design and implementation of social services and to develop and disseminate social work knowledge through research and teaching. Ph.D. Program Competencies Upon completion of the UT CSW Ph.D. program, students will be able to: 1. Demonstrate expert knowledge in a focused substantive area relevant to social work. 2. Conduct independent and original scientific research that advances knowledge in a substantive area. 3. Communicate scientific findings in an effective way to a range of audiences (from lay persons to other scientists). 4. Secure funding for a substantive research agenda. 5. Teach students the knowledge, skills, and values they need to be proficient social workers in a substantive area.

2 SWK Code of Conduct It is the student s responsibility to have read the College of Social Work Ethical Academic and Professional Conduct Code that is in the College of Social Work Ph.D. Student Handbook ( The Honor Statement An essential feature of the University of Tennessee is a commitment to maintaining an atmosphere of intellectual integrity and academic honesty. As a student of the university, I pledge that I will neither knowingly give nor receive any inappropriate assistance in academic work, thus affirming my own personal commitment to honor and integrity. University Civility Statement Civility is genuine respect and regard for others: politeness, consideration, tact, good manners, graciousness, cordiality, affability, amiability and courteousness. Civility enhances academic freedom and integrity, and is a prerequisite to the free exchange of ideas and knowledge in the learning community. Our community consists of students, faculty, staff, alumni, and campus visitors. Community members affect each other s well-being and have a shared interest in creating and sustaining an environment where all community members and their points of view are valued and respected. Affirming the value of each member of the university community, the campus asks that all its members adhere to the principles of civility and community adopted by the campus ( Disability Services If you need course adaptation or accommodations because of a documented disability or if you have emergency information to share, please contact the Office of Disability Services at This will ensure that you are properly registered for services. Dimensions of Diversity The College of Social Work and the University of Tennessee welcome and honor all people. In accordance with the U.S. Council on Social Work Education and the U.S. National Association of Social Workers, the College of Social Work defines the dimensions of diversity as the intersectionality of multiple factors, including age, class, color, culture, mental or physical disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, gender identity, immigration status, marital status, national origin, political ideology, race, religion, sex, and sexual orientation. The College values intellectual curiosity, pursuit of knowledge, and academic freedom and integrity. A person s diverse life experiences may include oppression, poverty, marginalization, and alienation as well as privilege, power, and acclaim. The College of Social Work promotes social justice and social change, and strives to end discrimination, oppression, poverty, and other forms of social injustice.

3 SWK Course Description Best practices for online teaching. Unique characteristics of online teaching and empirically-supported strategies for developing online courses and managing online classroom environments. Course Competencies By the completion of this course, the students are expected to be able to demonstrate (through course activities, assignments, and/or exams): Identify methods (e.g., synchronous, asynchronous) and empiricallysupported best practices for online teaching Distinguish online teaching from face-to-face teaching as it pertains to classroom organization, course development, student needs, and learning styles. Design an online social work course including identifying important content, choosing readings/ textbooks, designing in-class and out-of-class learning activities, developing means of assessing learning, and writing a syllabus Understand and effectively manage an online classroom environment Required Readings Articles and other readings will be posted to the course s Blackboard site for you to download and read. More information about readings will be discussed in class. Blackboard and Announcements This course uses Blackboard for announcements, readings and grade recording. Any changes to the course (e.g., course schedule, assignments, due dates, etc.) will be announced at the BlackBoard site and ed to students. Students are responsible for checking BlackBoard and their regularly. Class Attendance and Participation Students are expected to attend all class meetings. If you must miss a class for a legitimate reason (i.e., illness, family or personal emergency, religious holiday), you should contact Professor Kate Chaffin as soon as possible to discuss your absence and any required make-up assignments. Students are expected to be prepared for all class meetings, which will be held via Zoom, and to read all assigned materials prior to class. Respectful and lively class discussion is expected and encouraged. Active participation and enthusiastic discussion are critical for this class to be successful and to maximize learning opportunities. Assignments The course grade will be based on the following: 1. Online Course Observation (40%) October 12 th Students will observe two online classes (chosen by Kate Chaffin) as a guest and

4 SWK then discuss the following in paper format to be uploaded to BB: Papers should be organized as follows and separated into class one and class two. What is your overall impression of this course? How does this course reflect your teaching philosophy? What do you see as strengths for this course What do you see as a limitation of this course? Using the literature from 676 as well as any outside sources that you find helpful please critically evaluate the best practices utilized in this course. Lastly, what would you do differently in this course based on the literature and what would you do similarly? Discuss your rational for this decision. 2. Module Development (60%) Part One (40%) Each student will develop one learning module in Blackboard based on his or her area of interest. Students will utilize what they believe to be the best practices for this content area. If a live lecture is not best for this module, what will you do to ensure knowledge gained, skill acquisition if needed, and also student engagement? Students will be assigned a week at the end of the semester to present their module to the instructors and their cohort via Zoom. Part Two (20%) Each student will be expected to thoughtfully and rationally critique each learning module in DB format. Discussion Board posts will start with the presenter opening a thread and answering the following: What was the rationale for the organization and structure of the learning module? How did you choose readings? How did you decide upon an assignment? How were learning styles addressed? How will you assess that competencies were met? Were mixed methods of delivering content utilized? Students will respond to the main thread with a thoughtful, helpful, and considerate critique.

5 SWK Grade Point Standard Description of standard range A Outstanding/Superior Exceptional performance, consistently exceeds expectations B Very Good Consistently meets, and occasionally exceeds, normal expectations B Good Consistently meets normal expectations C Average Unevenness grasping course content as evidenced by assignment performance; inconsistent in meeting normal expectations C Poor Lack of understanding of course content as evidenced by assignment performance; does not meet course expectations F 69 or below Very Poor Lack of attendance or incomplete or deeply deficient performance; does not meet course expectations Course Schedule Aug 24th: Aug 31st: Sept 7 th : Introductions, overview, and discussion (Face to Face) Social work education and the online environment Labor Day Sept. 14th: The Online Student: characteristics, learning styles and theories in the online learning environment Sept. 21st: Course planning and development (making a syllabus, writing competencies, selecting readings, creating assignments) Sept. 28th: Effective teaching methods and skills for the online environment Oct 5th: Oct 12 th : Online Teaching Methods: We are just at the tip of the iceberg and we are all learning as we go Online Course Evaluation Due (No Lecture)

6 SWK Oct 19: Oct: 26 Nov. 2: Nov. 9: Nov. 16: Nov. 23: Nov. 30: CSWE Denver Colorado Assessment of Student Learning Classroom management Online Etiquette for communication Faculty and student misbehavior Module Presentation Module Presentation Module Presentation Module Presentation and Wrap-Up