SELF STUDY REPORT FOR REAFFIRMATION OF THE DEFIANCE COLLEGE BACCALAUREATE SOCIAL WORK PROGRAM

Transcription

1 SELF STUY REPORT FOR REAFFIRATION OF THE EFIANCE COLLEGE BACCALAUREATE SOCIAL WORK PROGRA for T H E C O U N C I L O N S O C I A L W O R K E U C A T I O N PREPARE BY EFIANCE COLLEGE SOCIAL WORK PROGRA FACULTY AUGUST 1 ST, 2011 Author Jeffrey S. Weaner, SW Professor of Social Work irector, Social Work Program Contributors Alesia Yakos-Brown, SW Field Coordinator Assistant Professor of Social Work Rebecca Wiersma, Ph.., SW, LSW Assistant Professor of Social Work efiance, Ohio 43512

2 Preface This self-study document is the sixth review since the Social Work Program at efiance College received initial accreditation in 1978 which was retroactive to The document reflects the Program as it is presently operating through August 1, The self-study document is the product of the efiance College Social Work faculty, in consultation with its Advisory Board, field instructors, students, division facility and administrators. The Social Work faculty wish to express their deep appreciation to these individuals for their support of the reaffirmation process and their contribution to refining and improving the Program. Recognition is also extended to Cindy Knight, Faculty Secretary, for her many hours of dedicated work in preparing this document.

3 Table of Contents Accreditation Standards Preface 1. Program ission and Goals TAB Program ission and Goals Program Values Program Content 4 2. Explicit Curriculum TAB Curriculum Field Education Implicit Curriculum TAB iversity Student evelopment

4 Faculty Administrative Structure a b c a b c Resources

5 Assessment TAB APPENICES TAB 5 I. etailed curriculum chart of competencies, practice behaviors, knowledge, values and skills with assignments. II. Faculty Curriculum Vitas III. Jeffrey Weaner letters of appointment IV. Assessment Plan V. Assessment ata results VI. Alumni Survey

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7 AS1. Program ission and Goals B1.0.1 The program submits its mission statement and describes how it is consistent with the profession s purpose and values and the program s context ISSION STATEENT OF THE EFIANCE COLLEGE SOCIAL WORK PROGRA The efiance College Social Work Program strives to be a learning and nurturing community where the facets of students are developed through self-reflection, academics, experiential learning, and openness. Our aim is to develop professional generalist social workers who embody the values of our profession, while striving to understand the complexity of people and their circumstances, and are dedicated to strengthening the communities, groups, and individuals that comprise our diverse world. The program also strives to develop servant leaders who seek to enrich opportunities for the oppressed and are advocates for social justice. The mission of the Social Work Program at efiance College reflects the purposes of social work education as indicated in the CSWE Educational Policy, Section 1.1. The mission shares the purpose, to promote human and community well-being, as it states, to be a learning and nurturing community where the facets of the students are developed through self-reflection, academics, experiential learning, and openness. Our aim is to develop professional generalist social workers who embody the values of the profession. Further, the purpose of social work education includes the guidance by a person and environment construct, a global perspective, respect for human diversity, and knowledge based on scientific inquiry. The mission of the Social Work Program shares that end by striving to be a learning and nurturing community where the facets of the students are developed through self-reflection, academics, experiential learning, and openness. As well as our aim to develop social workers who embody the values of the profession, while striving to understand the complexity of people and their circumstances, who are dedicated to strengthening the communities, groups, and individuals that comprise our diverse world. The Program s mission also shares the purpose, social work s purpose is actualized through its quest for social and economic justice, the prevention of conditions that limit human rights, the elimination of poverty, and the enhancement of the quality of life for all persons. This is indicated by the mission s statement, The program also strives to develop servant leaders who seek to enrich opportunities for the oppressed and are advocates for social justice. 1

8 The mission of the Social Work Program is also consistent with the structure of social work education as it prepares baccalaureate students for generalist professional practice. The efiance College Social Work Program develops generalist practitioners through a curriculum that integrates: the strengths perspective, systems theory, ecological perspective, values and ethics, understanding and working effectively with diversity, populations-at-risk, social and economic justice, human behavior and the social environment, social welfare policy and services, social work practice, research, field education, and client empowerment. (Kirst-Ashman& Hull, Jr., 2009, p. 32). Our program embraces the new International definition of social work and its concomitant values, adopted by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and endorsed by the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) (ubois & iley, 2011, p.2): The social work profession promotes social change, problem solving in human relationships and the empowerment and liberation of people to enhance well-being. Utilizing theories of human behavior and social systems, social work intervenes at the point where people interact with their environments. Principles of human rights and social justice are fundamental to social work. (IFSW, 2004, efinition section, 1) The program, accredited since 1976, has evolved over the decades with the development and refinement of what it means to be a Baccalaureate Social Work practitioner. As changes in expectations of practice have emerged and been institutionalized through the Council on Social Work Education s educational policy statements, so has the program grown in its educational mission to provide a professional education grounded in the values and ethics of the profession. The program views the NASW Code of Ethics as the touchstone and anchor of social work profession. Those ethics together with the values of the dignity of people, professional competence, and the empowerment of people, social justice, human rights, and service to others are the foundation of the efiance program. The context of this program is one of historical, institutional and regional fit. Social Work at efiance College formally begins in 1967 with the transfer of the Schauffler College Endowment for Social Work and Christian Education from Oberlin College to efiance. The original Schauffler College of Religious and Social Work, founded in 1886, was located in Cleveland Ohio and prepared students for lives of service in both Christian Education and later Social Work focusing its efforts on new Slavic immigrant populations at the turn of the twentieth century. Schauffler College was given the right to grant degrees in religious education and social work between the years of 1930 and In 1943, the college was recognized by the American Association of Schools of Social Work and became a charter member of the 2

9 National Council on Social Work Education. This legacy of service to others is an important part of our programs context and underscores the college s commitment to the social work program and to all its underlying values. efiance College also has a commitment to service to others dating back into the 1920 s. A plaque on our campus grounds, the site of an early residence hall, reads In hopes that young men may go forward from its walls prepared for worthy service. In the mid nineteen nineties, efiance College became a nationally recognized leader in service learning by designating it as an integral part of the college s mission and embedding service into its curriculum. The ission Statement of efiance College rests upon four pillars To Know, To Understand, To Lead, and To Serve. All programs are continually challenged to meet the charges stated in those pillars. TO KNOW We believe that the liberal arts form a broad basis for all learning. We affirm that academic excellence demands a committed search for truth, competency in research and other problem solving methods, the ability to synthesize knowledge from many sources, and a capacity for self-directed learning. TO UNERSTAN We provide opportunities for students to perceive and make connections between the intellectual realm and the world. We strive to develop awareness of and sensitivity to global interdependence and diverse cultures. TO LEA We are committed to the betterment of the community, the nation, and the world through the development of leadership skills and abilities. We create opportunities for students to initiate and facilitate beneficial action in and out of the classroom and encourage self-reflection on the role of the dedicated leader. TO SERVE We encourage our students to be of service to their fellow students, their chosen fields of study, their communities and the world. We provide opportunities for students to transform society through civic engagement along with application of their knowledge and understanding to service. Our emphasis on the development of the individual through knowledge, self-reflection, engagement and service to others through the profession of social work streams directly from and embraces the mission of the college. At the turn of the millennium, efiance stepped up its service commitment to what was called extreme engagement of its academic programs with the Northwestern Ohio area. The Social Work faculty and students have always played a significant role in this form of social action. Our institutional context has 3

10 also extended beyond the regional to the international through the caster School for Advancing Humanity at efiance College. Our social work faculty and many of our students have regularly partnered with the Cambodian Women s Crisis Center since Faculty and students address needs expressed by the CWCC and providing trainings and other projects to the victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and rape on an annual basis. Our geographic area and rural demographic composition offer both opportunities and challenges. The surrounding six counties, in which the program has its largest proportion of field placements, are overwhelmingly rural (the largest city is efiance with a population of approximately 16,400 people), white (92%) with an average of 8% minority populations (the largest group being persons who identify a Hispanic heritage) and an average poverty rate of 9.6%. We are, however, within fifty miles of two cities with populations in excess of 150,000 people. ost of the area s social service agencies are county or multi-county and place a wide variety of demands upon their professional staff. Our problem-solving, strengths based approach which emphasizes both a logical sequence of steps as well as creativity and flexibility fits well with our agencies orientation to client outcomes and view of practice. B1.0.2 The program identifies its goals and demonstrates how they are derived from the program s mission PROGRA GOALS: 1. To prepare students for immediate entry into employment through the development of the Council on Social Work Education defined competencies for Baccalaureate practice. 2. To prepare the student for licensure as a baccalaureate social worker (L.S.W) in the State of Ohio. 3. To prepare the student for graduate school education in social work by giving them a solid foundation in the five component parts of generalist social work practice: social research, social welfare policy and delivery, human behavior and social environment, social work practice skills, and field practicum in addition to curriculum content in values, ethics, diversity, social and economic justice and populations-at-risk. 4. To promote life-long learning and professional growth for students and area social work practitioners. The goals of the Social Work Program derive from its mission and relate to the purposes of social work education. The preparation of students for immediate employment in the social work field at the beginning practice level is appropriate to the baccalaureate level social work curriculum. Competent 4

11 practice as a beginning social worker in the State of Ohio is further exemplified by licensure at the baccalaureate level. Our curriculum seeks to adequately prepare students for passing the LSW exam. The provision of the required knowledge, values and skills grounded in the history, philosophy and purposes of the profession is contained in the Program s curriculum builds on the liberal arts foundation and is based on the eight content areas for a foundational curriculum which leads to both successful practice and graduate school. Additionally, the Social Work Program at efiance College believes that on-going learning and professional growth are required for maintaining a level of competence in the profession and seeks to provide these opportunities to students and area social work practitioners. Our goals flow from the mission of the program in a very straight forward fashion. Baccalaureate practice is defined by the Council on Social Work Education by a set of competencies and practice behaviors. Our program s mission is to impart those skills, values, and knowledge in a manner consistent with our heritage of service and institutional purpose so that our graduates can become competent successful practitioners and possess the fundamental knowledge, values, and skills of the profession in order to succeed both in the field and in graduate study. 5

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13 AS B2.0. Curriculum B2.01 The program discusses how its mission and goals are consistent with generalist practice as defined in EP B2.2 The Council on Social Work Education provides guidance to all graduate and undergraduate social work programs through the development of professional standards of practice for baccalaureate level education to educate professionals who are competent practitioners. The council has defined ten competencies and forty-one practice behaviors for professional social work practice that must be addressed and mastery must be evidenced by students. Our program s mission contains the elements of Educational Policy B2.2 which defines Generalist Practice. The connection between our mission and goals of the program to the definition of Generalist Practice is very straightforward. Our mission and goals state that we train Baccalaureate Practitioners and Baccalaureate level practice is defined by the Council on Social Work Education as generalist practice elaborated through a set of competencies and practice behaviors. Our program s mission and goals are to impart those skills, values, and knowledge that construct these competencies in a manner consistent with our heritage of service and the liberal arts framework as stated in our institutional pillars To Know, To Understand, To Lead, and To Serve. The Educational Policy Statement B2.2- Generalist Practice defines the Baccalaureate generalist and their practice by stating: Generalist Practice is grounded in the liberal arts and the person and environment construct. This first phrase addresses the substantive foundation courses of study and liberal arts offerings which give students the basic concepts, information and perspective necessary to being an educated person prior to formal admission to the major. This is expressed in our mission statement when we state that : Our aim is to develop professional generalist social workers who embody the values of our profession, while striving to understand the complexity of people and their circumstances... The implication of the understanding the complexity of people and their circumstances is that the liberal arts provide a breadth of knowledge as well as critical thinking skills which become a significant part of understanding the complexities and nuances of culture, society, organizations, groups, and individuals. EP B2.2 further states in its definition that: To promote human and social well-being, generalist practitioners use a range of prevention and intervention methods in their practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. Our mission statement states that are dedicated to strengthening the communities, groups, and 7

14 individuals that comprise our diverse world. The generalist practitioner identifies with the social work profession and applies ethical principles and critical thinking in practice. Our mission statement says Our aim is to develop professional generalist social workers who embody the values of our profession, while striving to understand the complexity of people and their circumstances. The value component is direct and the critical thinking is implied in the second half of the statement and elaborated in our above statement regarding liberal arts. Generalist practitioners incorporate diversity in their practice and advocate for human rights and social and economic justice. Our mission addresses this by saying The program also strives to develop servant leaders who seek to enrich opportunities for the oppressed and are advocates for social justice. Program Goal number 3 also includes a further elaboration. And the final component of EP B2.2 concludes with the statement: They engage in research informed practice and are proactive in responding to the impact of context on professional practice. is implied in both the mission s reference to developing professional generalist social workers as well as the Program Goals numbers 1, 3 and 4. B2.0.2 Identifies its competencies consistent with EP d The efiance College Social Work Program after substantial discussion with its faculty and advisory board elected to adopt the CSWE s competencies as well as their practice behaviors verbatim. B2.0.3 Provides an operational definition for each of its competencies used in its curriculum design and its assessment EP 2.1 through d The program operationalized each of the ten competencies through the forty-one practice behaviors. This operationalization allows for an elaborating of the knowledge, values, and skills required for each of the practice behaviors to be demonstrated by students. The curriculum is designed to provide the requisite educational experiences in order to adequately scaffold the students to demonstrate the practice behaviors which CSWE has specified operationalizes the competencies. Below is each competency, and its operationalizing practice behavior is listed below EPA2.1.1 Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly advocate for client access to the services of social work; 8

15 practice personal reflection and self- correction to assure continual professional development; attend to professional roles and boundaries; demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance and communication; engage in career-long learning; and; use supervision and consultation EPA2.1.2 Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice; make ethical decisions by applying standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and, as applicable, of the International Federation of Social Workers/ International Assn. of Schools of Social Work Ethics in Social Work Statement of Principles; tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical conflicts; and, apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions EPA2.1.3 Apply critical thinking to inform & communicate professional judgments distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including researchbased knowledge and practice wisdom; analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation; and, demonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities. EPA2.1.4 Engage diversity and difference in practice recognize the extent to which a culture s structures and values may oppress, marginalize, alienate, or create or enhance privilege and power; gain sufficient self-awareness to eliminate the influence of personal biases and values in working with diverse groups; recognize and communicate their understanding of the importance of difference in shaping life experiences; view themselves as learners and engage those with whom they work as informants. EPA2.1.5 Advance human rights and social and economic justice understand (sic: can identify and articulate ) the forms and mechanisms of oppression and discrimination; 9

16 advocate for human rights and social and economic justice; and engage in practices that advance social and economic justice. EPA2.1.6 Engage in research-informed practice and practice-informed research use practice experience to inform scientific inquiry; and use research evidence to inform practice. EPA2.1.7 Apply knowledge of human behavior and the social environment utilize conceptual frameworks to guide the processes of assessment, intervention, and evaluation; and critique and apply knowledge to understand person and environment. EPA2.1.8 Engage in policy practice to advance social and economic well-being and to deliver effective social work services analyze, formulate, and advocate for policies that advance social well-being; and collaborate with colleagues and clients for effective policy action. EPA2.1.9 Respond to contexts that shape practice continuously discover, appraise, and attend to changing locales, populations, scientific and technological developments, and emerging societal trends to provide relevant services; and provide leadership in promoting sustainable changes in service delivery and practice to improve the quality of social services. EPA a-d Engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities (a) Engagement substantively and affectively prepare for individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities; use empathy and other interpersonal skills; and develop a mutually agreed-on focus of work and desired outcomes (b) Assessment collect, organize, and interpret client data; assess client strengths and limitations; develop mutually agreed-on intervention goals and objectives; and 10

17 select appropriate intervention strategies (c) Intervention initiate actions to achieve organizational goals; implement prevention interventions that enhance client capacities; help clients resolve problems; negotiate, mediate, and advocate for clients; and facilitate transitions and endings (d) Evaluation critically analyze, monitor, and evaluate interventions. B2.0.4 Provides a rationale for its formal curriculum design demonstrating how it is used to develop a coherent and integrated curriculum for both classroom and field. In accordance with EP 2.0, the explicit curriculum constitutes the program s formal educational structure and includes the courses and the curriculum. Social Work education is grounded in the liberal arts, which provide the intellectual basis for the professional curriculum and inform its design. The explicit curriculum achieves the program s competencies through an intentional design that includes the foundation offered at the baccalaureate[level] The BSW curriculum prepares its graduates for generalist practice through mastery of the core competencies. The efiance College Social Work Program, initially accredited in 1976 and continuously thereafter, has employed a core curriculum design which has allowed us to evolve successfully to meet changes in CSWE standards by revising within courses and with few major revisions. The foundation curriculum is traditionally organized around five areas: Social Work Practice, Social Welfare and Social Policy, Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Social Research, and Field Education with Values and Ethics, iversity, and Populations-at- Risk and Social and Economic Justice content infused throughout. The foundation for the practice methodology is contained is the N.A.S.W Code of Ethics. These values place emphasis on enrichment through diversity, working for the enhancement of vulnerable populations and populations at risk, and working toward social and economic justice. Another element to the design is has been a constant is that it takes four years to develop the knowledge, values and skills in a student to transform them into a professional social worker. The Program s curriculum is further conceptualized as progressing through three distinct developmental phases. The first phase is primarily the substantive foundation courses of study and liberal arts offerings 11

18 that give students the basic concepts, knowledge, and perspective necessary to being an educated person prior to formal admission to the major. This foundational coursework is our pre-professional sequence requirements (numbered below 300; 300 level and above are courses taken after formal admission to the social work program). These offerings include: Introduction to Social Work, Life in Society, Behavior Statistics, Social Problem, Cultural iversity, arriage in the Family, Interviewing and Interpersonal Communication. Additionally, students take Introduction to Psychology, Infancy and Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood, and Abnormal Psychology. The first two years are also when most students are grounded in the liberal arts. Students complete general education in communication, the arts and humanities, and science. Our general education curriculum coursework is organized around seven learning outcomes that are assessed at the course level. These outcomes are: 1. evelop effective communication skills, including the abilities to write and speak clearly and cogently 2. evelop the ability to think critically and utilize critical thinking skills when problem solving. 3. evelop the ability to formulate value judgments, well-reasoned, ethically informed, and that give due consideration to the beliefs and individuality of others. 4. evelop an understanding of quantitative reasoning and the scientific method as they relate to understanding the world. 5. evelop an appreciation of the importance of history, literature and the arts for understanding the diverse and complex world in which we live. 6. evelop an understanding of the structures of societies and appreciate the importance of global societal differences. 7. evelop an understanding of the role of the citizen in communities through practical application of service, research and leadership. At efiance, a course which meets a general education requirement must address and assess a college learning outcome. Students typically take follow the coursework identified in the Sample Plan for Social Work on page 29 of the Social Work Program Student Handbook in Volume 3. The second, or professional development phase (post-formal admission to the program), is comprised of social work courses which are taken primarily during the junior year and fall semester of the senior year. Students take three practice courses (SW 355, 356, 457), the research course (SW 301), the HBSE capstone (SW 379), policy (SW 476) and the 150 hour field experience (SW397). The intention is enable students to build upon and reinforce and integrate prior knowledge, values, and skills by providing focused opportunities in and outside of the classroom in preparation for students demonstrating mastery of the programs practice behaviors and competencies. 12

19 The sequencing of courses and assignments follows a progression of Bloom s Taxonomy, a classification scheme of intellectual behavior that identifies six levels within the cognitive domain, from the simple recall or recognition of facts through increasingly more complex and abstract mental levels. This framework provides the conceptual rationale for creating developmentally appropriate opportunities for students to identify, frame and analyze increasing complex questions as well as increasing integrate the knowledge, values, and skills of social work into a professional identity. The third phase is the synthesis and evaluation phase, the two highest level of Taxonomy, consisting of the senior field placement and senior seminar is taken the second semester of the senior year. The concurrent experiences provide students with an intentional linkage between the field and ethical application of social work knowledge, values, and skills, as well as, the assessment of students mastery of the eleven competencies which make up the core of the social work program and profession. B2.0.5 escribes and explains how its curriculum content (knowledge, values, and skills) implements the operational definition of each of its competencies. The detailed breakdown of our curriculum and the competencies and the practice behaviors and the knowledge, values, and skills that are taught in our classes is found in Appendix I of this volume. The syllabi of those classes are found in Volume 2, where the materials, assignment, and activities are identified. The discussion that follows highlights the information found in those appendices. Each competency is listed followed by the practice behavior highlights of the curriculum content. EP Identify as a professional social worker and conduct oneself accordingly. 1. Advocate for client access to the services of social work In the introductory course, SW 121, students learn the role of social welfare in contemporary U.S. society and its historical developments with emphasis on political, economic, and social influences. This overview helps students understand and evaluate society s current response to human need, paving the way for working with oppressed populations. The first two practice courses, SW 355 and SW 356, builds on the introductory social work foundation course to deepen and refine practice skills, knowledge, and values necessary for culturally competent generalist social work practice. Students learn about advocating for client access to the services of social work and to value social workers role in reducing barriers to resources for individuals that have historically been oppressed or marginalized. acro-practice, SW 457, examines causes advocacy, working on behalf of groups of people who lack the ability to advocate for themselves, and examining cause advocacy strategies and tactics to best serve vulnerable populations. Some of these strategies are put into action within 13

20 the Night without a Home, a community awareness event. Advocacy is further emphasized in the social welfare and policy development course, SW 476. This course helps students understand what drives social welfare policy, how it impacts lives, and how social workers have shaped policies. The students gain hands-on experience via the social policy advocacy project, which requires analysis of a policy and presentation of findings to a community organization. These courses provide students with skills in assessing power differentials, problems situations, clients, and adversaries as well as advocacy strategies and tactics. Agency assignments within 397, Junior Field and 488, Senior Seminar, lead students to learn about the services of his/her perspective agency, role of the agency within the community network, and referral systems. As a result, students learn how to advocate for access to services for clients within the agency, as well as within the overall social services network. 2. Practice personal reflection and self-correction to assure continual professional development. Reflection and self-correction is emphasized in three social work courses, 278 (Interviewing and Interpersonal Communication), 355 (Practice I), and 356 (Practice II). In these courses students practice personal reflection and self-correction to assure continual professional development. In 278, this process is facilitated via a videotape project and in-class role plays in which students must examine and assess their own work. This work is complemented through reflection exercises and classroom discussions in 355. These exercises and discussions are designed to help students assess whether or not their personal values/beliefs are congruent with professional values/ethics. Finally, in 356 students honor their self-awareness by recognizing how it informs their lifelong professional development as it relates specifically to work with families and groups from diverse populations. Students practice self-reflection in SW 379, the HBSE capstone, in discussion and papers addressing what is like for them to ask for help, what it means to feel they are understood, the changing a behavior for four days, and then reflecting on the role of the client vis-a-vie the social worker. At the end of SW 379, students also write a paper in which they reflect on the theories covered thus far and write about how and why selected theories contribute to their understanding of people and which theories seem to have less credence. Within junior (397) and senior (488) field seminar, students practice personal reflection and self correction by processing actions taken within their placements within the seminar courses and with their agency field instructors. 3. Attend to professional roles and boundaries. In our introduction course, 121, students are introduced to the wide range of professional roles in generalist practice and the NASW code of ethics. Students learn to attend to professional roles and 14

21 boundaries through the use of role plays, reflection exercises, and quizzes and exams. In the Interviewing and Interpersonal Communication course, 278, students learn about and practice techniques useful in performing professional roles across the spectrum of social work practice via role plays and a video assignment. Students learn about the dynamics of a positive and professional relationship with clients; the relationship skills of acceptance, empathy, genuineness and authenticity, interest, warmth, trust, and respect. In Practice I, 355, and Practice II, 356, common ethical dilemmas are explored in practice. Students are asked to analyze different dilemmas and employ a model of ethical-decision making. Within Practice III, SW 457, students explore professional roles and boundaries surrounding skills for organizational and community change, as well as skills for advocacy with vulnerable populations. Students demonstrate appropriate roles and boundaries with hands on projects being the Pay it Forward Student-Led Philanthropy Grant and Night without a Home. Additionally students demonstrate professionalism with employing ethical, decision making models to manage ethical dilemmas within macro contexts. These courses also discuss issues related to boundaries and professional roles through in-class exercises that include case studies and role-plays. The entire field practicum at the junior (397) and senior (488) level assists students in attending to professional roles and boundaries. Social work roles and boundaries are discussed within seminar courses and with perspective field instructors within the agencies. One of the first boundaries addressed being the acknowledgement to clients that one is a student intern. 4. emonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and communication. Students learn to demonstrate professional demeanor in behavior, appearance, and communication in several of the courses. In the Introduction course, 121, students learn professional conduct appropriate to the profession and within the classroom and practice setting. The NASW code of ethics is also introduced. Professional demeanor is further developed in Interviewing, 278, Practice I, 355, Practice II, 356, Practice III, 457, and Policy, 476. In 278, students learn basic skills in communication and interviewing. The course covers communication, nonverbal communication, listening skills, and other factors that positively influence the interview. In SW 379, the seminar format along with student s presentations of theory, emphasize professional demeanor. Professional behavior, appearance, and communication are emphasized throughout Practice I, II, and III. These courses use a variety of role-plays, case studies, and hands-on experiential activities aimed at understanding professional duties and resolving ethical dilemmas. Within Practice III, 457, students demonstrate an integration of the code of ethics and appropriate professional conduct in their interactions with the community during Night without a Home and the Pay it Forward 15

22 Student-Led Philanthropy projects. The students are responsible for completing individual professional conduct evaluations. Finally, in the policy course there is content related to professional interactions with community agencies, which culminates in both a formal in-class and community presentation. In all of the courses, students learn to integrate the code of ethics and appropriate professional conduct and they are expected to demonstrate this during interactions within the classroom as well as the practice settings. Field seminars (397 & 488) address professional conduct of student social workers, such as appropriate appearance conducive to client services, oral and written communication, and integration of the code of ethics in practice. The senior capstone assignment, being the senior case presentation, allows for student demonstration of appropriate professional demeanor. 5. Engage in career-long learning. The entire social work program models career-long learning by sponsoring workshops and conferences for community professionals. Social work faculty has membership within area organizations that collaborate to address training needs in the community. Student attendance at these venues is encouraged and connected to topics of interest in individual classes. Within junior (397) and senior (488) field students learn that lifelong growth and development is integral to the professional identity of a social worker. Students exhibit an ongoing attitude of responsibility for developing professional knowledge toward enhancement of services to client systems. As part of the field practicum, students within their agencies participate in professional development activities (workshops, conferences, training), organizations, and/or service learning 6. Use Supervision and consultation. In Practice I, 355, and Practice II, 356, students learn about the purpose and processes of supervision in the profession of social work through in-class discussions and case studies. Practice III, SW 457, explores using micro skills in the macro environment, including working under supervisors. acro Practice also explores ethical responsibilities associated with supervision and consultation within the organizational context. Field seminars (397 & 488) assist students in learning the purposes and processes of supervision in social work. Students come to realize the value of establishing and maintaining professional relationships within their perspective agencies. As a result, students demonstrate appropriate professional relationships with field instructors and colleagues within practice settings, including the appropriate use of supervision and consultation. 16

23 EP Apply social work ethical principles to guide professional practice. 1. Recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice. In SW 121, Introduction, and SW 355, Practice I, students articulate their personal values to determine whether they are congruent with professional values/ethics. In these courses students are asked to recognize and manage personal values in a way that allows professional values to guide practice. This includes content on competing obligations of the client, employee, profession, and third parties against the requirements of their own conscience. Students participate in a number of reflection and self-examination exercises. These activities are designed to help students understand how their personal values may influence their ability to effectively intervene. Students learn how to resolve these dilemmas in an ethical way that upholds the values of the profession, its ethical standards, and their legal obligations. Quizzes and exams on the readings and class discussions also cover a wide variety of professional issues and ethical concerns. Junior Field (397) allows students to begin to assess competing obligations in professional practice. Senior Seminar (488) facilitates discussion surrounding student recognition and management of personal values in a manner that results in professional values guiding practice. 2. ake ethical decisions by applying standards of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and, as applicable, of the International Federation of Social Workers/International Association of Schools of Social Work Ethics in Social Work, Statement of Principles. The NASW code of ethics and the Ohio Code of Conduct are reviewed throughout the social work curriculum at efiance, as these serve as standards for ethical social work practice. Specifically, in SW 121 (Introduction) students are introduced to both the NASW Code of Ethics and the Ohio Code of Conduct as specified by Ohio s CSWFT licensing board. Through class discussions, students explore how the NASW Code of Ethics and the Ohio Code of Conduct influence social work practice. Students demonstrate their knowledge of these codes through quizzes and examinations. In Practice I (355), Practice II (356), and Practice III (457) students gain experience applying ethical standards to resolve ethical dilemmas and issues through content, examinations, experiential activities, and self-assessments. Within field seminars (397 & 488) students address the commitment to NASW s professional values and ethical standards of practice. Within Senior Seminar (488) students analyze a range of practice situations and demonstrate ethical-decision making in generalist practice. 17

24 3. Tolerate ambiguity in resolving ethical dilemmas. In Practice I (355), Practice II (356), and Practice III (457), students learn how to identify ethical conflicts in practice as well as learn about strategies for resolving ethical conflicts. With class discussions and case studies, the issue of ambiguity in resolving ethical dilemmas is addressed. The instructor helps the students understand the necessity of tolerating ambiguity when confronting ethical issues. Likewise, field seminar courses (397& 488) address issues of ambiguity in resolving ethical dilemmas through discussions of actual cases from the field. 4. Apply strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions. The NASW code of ethics and the Ohio Code of Conduct are reviewed throughout the social work curriculum at efiance. However, in Practice I (355), Practice II (356), and Practice III (457) particular emphasis is placed on applying strategies of ethical reasoning to arrive at principled decisions. By using lectures, discussions, and readings, students learn about the specifics of the NASW Code of Ethics and the Ohio Code of Conduct. Students are tested on these readings to demonstrate a thorough knowledge of the core values and ethical standards that help guide decisions. Classroom exercises that analyze ethical dilemmas help students learn how to use a decision-making model for conceptualizing and addressing such ethical conflicts that may arise and how to arrive at principled decisions. Within Practice III, 457, students demonstrate with evaluation the application of decision-making models and ethical screens to address ethical dilemmas within the macro context. These same methods are then applied within the senior field, with Senior Seminar (488) facilitating analysis of commonly observed ethical dilemmas in practice. Seniors demonstrate application of ethical reasoning within their capstone case presentations. EP Apply critical thinking to inform and communicate professional judgments. 1. istinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research-based knowledge and practice wisdom. The Introduction course, 121, provides an overview of the social work profession in a wide range of service delivery systems. It also examines the role of social welfare in contemporary U.S. society; its historical developments with emphasis on political, economic, and social influences. Students integrate political, social, economic, and historical contextual information in a research paper that focuses on an individual or organization related to social work history. Quizzes and examinations test students knowledge and integration. In Interviewing, 278, Practice I, 355, and Practice II, 356 students learn how to distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge, including research-based knowledge and practice wisdom for application to practice situations as simulated in 18

25 case-studies and role plays. The combination of lecture, discussions, case-studies, and role plays help students develop critical thinking skills and analytical abilities. Quizzes and examinations test students in such areas of values/ethics, cultural competence, various theories of social work practice, models of intervention, and paradigms for understanding human behavior. Students in the research class, SW 301, learn to critique research articles and then write both individual literature reviews and an integrative review for the design assignment. In the Policy course, 476, critical thinking is emphasized throughout the readings, instructions, and assignments. The purpose of this course is to help students understand what drives social welfare policy, how it impacts our lives, and how social workers can shape it. Special focus is given to social welfare policies and programs designed to promote social and economic justice. Critical understandings of classism, racism, ageism, sexism, and other pathologizing systems of thought are explored throughout this course. This course also presents strategies and tactics to influence the development and implementation of social welfare policies and programs. Students work on a group project in which they must analyze and evaluate the utility of a particular policy and present their findings to a community organization. Senior Seminar (488) finds students demonstrating critical thinking within several mini-paper assignments, including a policy analysis, community assessment, theory behind treatment rationale, and a research project. Additionally seniors distinguish, appraise, and integrate multiple sources of knowledge to communicate professional judgments within the case presentation. Overall the senior capstone course facilitates the employment of principles of logic, scientific inquiry, and reasoned discovery to advance wisdom and knowledge in the field. 2. Analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation. Students learn to analyze models of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation in Practice I, 355, Practice II, 356, Practice III (457) and the Policy course, 476. In Practice I, 355, students review the literature on an identified intervention method for a specific population and present a review of an article. Students must evaluate and discuss the benefits and disadvantages of this method for use as a practitioner. In this course, students also complete a comprehensive assessment on a case situation in which they apply aspects of the Generalist Practice odel. This assignment also includes an intervention plan. A final project in this course requires that students evaluate their own family history to look for trends and patterns in their family s overall functioning. These assignments help students look for trends and patterns, consider best practice methods for prevention and intervention, and to evaluate the outcomes. In Practice II, 356, and Policy, 476, the combination of lecture, discussion, and the analysis paper helps the students develop critical thinking skills, analytical ability and professional judgment. The policy analysis project has 19

26 students analyze the effectiveness of a specific policy. Within Practice III, 457, students demonstrate an understanding of planned change frameworks for preparing, implementing, and evaluating macro change in organizations and communities through case studies, exams, and handson projects (Night without a Home). In research, students learn to utilize their literature review to construct the theory chapter of their design. In the field students demonstrate the skill of analysis of assessment, prevention, intervention, and evaluation as beginning, generalist social work practitioners. In 488 Sr. Seminar students employ such skills within a community assessment, research project, and senior case presentation. 3. emonstrate effective oral and written communication in working with individuals, families, groups, organizations, communities, and colleagues. Students learn standards of oral and written communication in social work practice throughout the social work curriculum at efiance College. Students are first presented with appropriate and effective professional communication skills as tools of practice in the introductory course, 121. Student papers and presentations are evaluated based on the degree to which it demonstrates critical thinking and the ability to organize and transmit ideas in verbal or written form. The interviewing course, 278, emphasizes oral and written communication through role-plays, case studies, and written assignments. A videotape assignment requires that students demonstrate effective oral communication skills while demonstrating specific practice skills. In Practice I, 355, assignments that enhance oral and written communication skills are the research project, presentations, roleplays, and the assessment paper. Effective oral and written communication skills are further emphasized in Practice II, 356. Students complete a research paper, a family assessment paper, facilitate a group session, and participate in role plays. In Practice III, 457, students demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills within community projects, Night without a Home and Pay it Forward, including networking with social service organizations, conducting a community assessment, media relations and grant writing. In the policy course, 476, students analyze a specific policy and present their findings to a local community organization. This project helps further refine the students oral and written communication. Throughout all of these courses, classroom discussions are used to facilitate students use of effective oral communication skills. In 488, Sr. Seminar, students demonstrate effective oral and written communication by presenting the planned change process of working with a client system within their field placements within their senior case presentations. 20