| Effective Term: | 2025/02 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Integrative Social Work Practice |
| Unit ID: | BSWUG4005 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (At least 90 credit points from BSWUG subject-area at any level) |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | Nil |
| ASCED: | 090501 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
The unit draws together theories and practice frameworks that are covered in the degree and will prepare students to begin their professional journey as an entry-level social work practitioner. Using an integrative practice model, students will examine and analyse what it means to develop a professional identity as a social worker who is required to take into account social context, client needs and capacities and professional knowledge, theory, skills and values. The course examines complexity and uncertainty in social work, and the current dominant trends influencing human services environments, such as neo-liberalism and managerialism and their impact on social work practice. Students will also consider the implications of what it is to be a critical practitioner in the development of their professional identity. Using case studies from diverse fields of practice students will examine and explore the social, political and ethical dimensions of their professional self and implications for practice as they prepare to enter the field. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:Yes |
| Where supplementary assessment is available a student must have failed overall in the Unit but gained a final mark of 45 per cent or above, has completed all major assessment tasks (including all sub-components where a task has multiple parts) as specified in the Unit Description and is not eligible for any other form of supplementary assessment |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | | | | | | | Advanced | | |  | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Critically examine integrative practice and its role in social work practice; |
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| K2. | Appraise and evaluate how uncertainty and complexity impact on individuals, families and communities in diverse social work contexts; |
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| K3. | Critically appraise the impact of neo-liberalism management practises on general social work practice and how social workers balance the complex tasks of working with and/or in managerial roles; |
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| K4. | Develop research awareness as part of developing expertise in evaluating evidence for developing appropriate social work interventions; |
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| K5. | Propose solutions to real world case scenarios in social work practice by integrating social/professional context, client’s needs, service delivery and service provision and professional values and; |
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| K6. | Critically reflect on your emerging professional identity as a critical practitioner working within an integrative practice framework in the human services context. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Use an integrative practice model to assess appropriate social work interventions in practice in a range of contexts; |
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| S2. | Develop critical awareness of professional purpose taking account of context, clients and service users’ needs and capacities, and professional knowledge, theory, skills and values; |
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| S3. | Apply critical thought and judgement in identifying and solving problems with intellectual independence |
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| S4. | Recognise the impact of working with uncertainty and complexity and engaging in critical reflection as part of continuing development of professional social work identity and; |
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| S5. | Develop skills to evaluate evidence and make explicit the judgements and evidence-informing decisions and actions in oral and/or written form. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Develop skills to apply knowledge to practice by taking into consideration social context, client’s needs and capacities, service provision and delivery and professional values; |
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| A2. | Develop skills to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong professional earning as a social work practitioner and; |
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| A3. | Develop critical awareness of how to manage and work with uncertainty and complexity and broader neo-liberal discourses that influence social work practice. |
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| Unit Content: |
Setting the scene for integrative practice - What does an Integrative practice Model look like?
- Setting the scene for integrative practice:
a). Complexity and Uncertainty in work with clients (social context) b). Neoliberalism: working in management and/or with management c). working with evidence as a practitioner - What are the components of a critical practitioner and critical decision-making tool?
The Social Worker in the human services system - Supervision and being supervised
- Managing change in social work
- Role of research in practice
- Working within government departments, devolved responsibility, legal and statutory contexts
- Ongoing professional development
Applying Case Studies to Integrative Practice Framework - Understanding uncertainty and complexity through case studies
- Case studies may include complex practice scenarios in the contexts of contracted programs, government departments, social work at the managerial level, small community-based programs and/or large international not-for-profit organisations.
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| Graduate Attributes: |
| Federation University recognises that students require key transferable employability skills to prepare them for their future workplace and society. FEDTASKS (Transferable Attributes Skills and Knowledge) provide a targeted focus on five key transferable Attributes, Skills, and Knowledge that are be embedded within curriculum, developed gradually towards successful measures and interlinked with cross-discipline and Co-operative Learning opportunities. One or more FEDTASK, transferable Attributes, Skills or Knowledge must be evident in the specified learning outcomes and assessment for each FedUni Unit, and all must be directly assessed in each Course.
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| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students will demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate, inter-act and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display skills in-person and/or online in: • Using effective verbal and non-verbal communication • Listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Showing empathy for others • Negotiating and demonstrating conflict resolution skills • Working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students will demonstrate the ability to apply professional skills and behaviours in leading others. Students will be required to display skills in: • Creating a collegial environment • Showing self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect • Inspiring and convincing others • Making informed decisions • Displaying initiative | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students will demonstrate an ability to work in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically • Evaluating ideas, concepts and information • Considering alternative perspectives to refine ideas • Challenging conventional thinking to clarify concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students will demonstrate the ability to work fluently across a range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Finding, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information • Collating, managing, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding to messages in a range of digital media • Contributing actively to digital teams and working groups • Participating in and benefiting from digital learning opportunities. | N/A - Not Applicable | FEDTASK 5
Sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students will demonstrate the ability to consider and assess the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Making informed judgments that consider the impact of devising solutions in global economic environmental and societal contexts • Committing to social responsibility as a professional and a citizen • Evaluating ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Embracing lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to diverse others • Implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life. | Level 2 - Student demonstrates some independence within provided guidelines |
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| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K6, S2, S3, S4, A3 | Critical learning exercises will explore key concepts covered in the course using a range of written and/or oral activities. | Learning Portfolio | 20-40% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K6, S2, S3, S4, A1, A2, A3 | Critically reflect on your developing professional identity as an emerging practitioner with consideration to your lived experiences and your learning through the social work program. | Critical Reflection Essay | 20-40% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, A1, A3 | Analyse a case study by applying a critical decision-making tool to present an integrated, coherent and analytical approach to practice. | Case Study Analysis | 30-50% |
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