Course Title: Social Work Practice
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Social Work Practice
Credit Points: 12.00
Important Information:
Please note that this course may have compulsory in-person attendance requirements for some teaching activities.
To participate in any RMIT course in-person activities or assessment, you will need to comply with RMIT vaccination requirements which are applicable during the duration of the course. This RMIT requirement includes being vaccinated against COVID-19 or holding a valid medical exemption.
Please read this RMIT Enrolment Procedure as it has important information regarding COVID vaccination and your study at RMIT: https://policies.rmit.edu.au/document/view.php?id=209.
Please read the Student website for additional requirements of in-person attendance: https://www.rmit.edu.au/covid/coming-to-campus.
Please check your Canvas course shell closer to when the course starts to see if this course requires mandatory in-person attendance. The delivery method of the course might have to change quickly in response to changes in the local state/national directive regarding in-person course attendance.
Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
HWSS2091 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
330H Social Science & Planning |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 2 2006 |
HWSS2091 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
365H Global, Urban and Social Studies |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 2 2007, Sem 2 2010, Sem 2 2011, Sem 2 2012, Sem 2 2013, Sem 2 2014, Sem 2 2015, Sem 2 2016, Sem 2 2017, Sem 2 2018, Sem 2 2019, Sem 2 2020, Sem 2 2021, Sem 2 2022 |
Course Coordinator: Christina David
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 39925 3137
Course Coordinator Email: christina.david@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Location: B8. L10
Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
Required Prior Study
You should have satisfactorily completed the prerequisite course HWSS2090 History and Trends in Social Work before you commence this course.
Course Description
This course is designed to introduce you to the basic skills of social work practice. You will have the opportunity to develop confidence and skills in many basic social work tasks. You will gain an understanding of the micro-skills used in interviewing, and develop skills for engaging with others and to critically reflect on your own social work practice. You will be given an opportunity to learn and practice the skills needed to actively listen to what is being said, while being aware of and appreciating difference.
You will also be introduced to a theoretical framework for gathering information and engaging in practice that recognises social disadvantage, oppression and its manifestation in attitudes such as ‘blaming the victim’.
If you are enrolled in this course as a component of your Bachelor Honours Program, your overall mark will contribute to the calculation of the weighted average mark (WAM).
See the WAM information web page for more information.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- apply a body of interdisciplinary knowledge, values and skills in working with and for society’s most vulnerable and marginalised individuals, families, groups and communities
- critically analyse, synthesise and reflect on issues of social disadvantage, marginalisation and oppression in both local and international contexts, and proactively work to promote social justice and human rights
- communicate using diverse formats and strategies to stakeholders within and external to your discipline
- work with others in a range of roles and contexts, demonstrating cultural, environmental and social awareness while promoting respectful, ethical and reflective practice
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:- Apply the knowledge and practice skills to work with and for society’s most vulnerable and marginalised individuals, families, groups and communities
- Analyse issues of social disadvantage, oppression and marginalisation from a socio-political and economic framework recognising the impact of capitalism on social relations
- Promote social justice and human rights within a global and international perspective
- Understand the strengths and limits of the state’s policy, legislative and institutional arrangements on the context and practices for addressing social disadvantage
- Acquire relevant interdisciplinary knowledge required for practice
- Apply their knowledge and practice skills in a manner that confronts structural disadvantage arising from cultural and religious difference, patriarchy, racism, disability, age and discrimination of the basis of sexual preference.
- Promote ethical, respectful, accountable and transparent practice processes
Overview of Learning Activities
The learning activities in this course may involve working in small groups, contributing to large group discussion and role plays. There will be extensive use of role plays and experiential learning designed to encourage you to actively engage with the skills, clarify personal values and viewpoints and un-pack the issues presented. This is a practice skills course and you are expected to attend both the lectures and workshops in order to develop your practice skills.
Overview of Learning Resources
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems. A list of recommended learning resources will be provided by your lecturer, including books, journal articles and web resources. There will be digitised readings and forms available for each week on the blackboard and you may be required to use a set text. You will also be expected to seek further resources relevant to the focus of your own learning. The University Library has extensive resources for social work students. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.
Overview of Assessment
Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.
You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes. Assessments will include critical self reflective tasks and a recorded role play. Assessment Tasks Assessment Task 1a: Critical self reflective journal submission, 25%, CLO 1,3, 5 Assessment Task 1b: Critical self reflective journal submission 25%, CLO1, 3, 5 Assessment Task 2: Critical Reflection and Video Role Play, 50%, CLO1, 2, 3, 4,5, 6, 7 Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks. If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more. Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.