| Effective Term: | 2025/02 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Integrative Social Work Practice |
| Unit ID: | MSWPG7205 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | (At least 90 credit points from MSWPG 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 unit 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 | | | | |  | |
|
| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Critically examine integrative practice and its role in social work practice; |
|
| K2. | Appraise and evaluate how uncertainty and complexity impact on individuals, families and communities in diverse social work contexts; |
|
| 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; |
|
| K4. | Develop research awareness as part of developing expertise in evaluating evidence for developing appropriate social work interventions; |
|
| 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; |
|
| K6. | Critically reflect on your emerging professional identity as a critical practitioner working within an integrative practice framework in the human services context. |
|
| Skills: |
| S1. | Use an integrative practice model to assess appropriate social work interventions in practice in a range of contexts; |
|
| 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; |
|
| S3. | Apply critical thought and judgement in identifying and solving problems with intellectual independence |
|
| 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; |
|
| S5. | Develop skills to evaluate evidence and make explicit the judgements and evidence-informing decisions and actions in oral and/or written form. |
|
| 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; |
|
| A2. | Develop skills to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong professional earning as a social work practitioner and; |
|
| A3. | Develop critical awareness of how to manage and work with uncertainty and complexity and broader neo-liberal discourses that influence social work practice. |
|
| Unit Content: |
Topics may include: 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. |
| 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.
|
| FED TASK and descriptor | Development and acquisition of FEDTASKS in the Unit | | Level | FEDTASK 1
Interpersonal | Students at this level will demonstrate an advanced ability in a range of contexts to effectively communicate, interact and work with others both individually and in groups. Students will be required to display high level skills in-person and/or online in: • Using and demonstrating a high level of verbal and non-verbal communication • Demonstrating a mastery of listening for meaning and influencing via active listening • Demonstrating and showing empathy for others • High order skills in negotiating and conflict resolution skills\\ • Demonstrating mastery of working respectfully in cross-cultural and diverse teams. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 2
Leadership | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery in professional skills and behaviours in leading others. • Creating and sustaining a collegial environment • Demonstrating a high level of self -awareness and the ability to self-reflect and justify decisions • Inspiring and initiating opportunities to lead others • Making informed professional decisions • Demonstrating initiative in new professional situations. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity | Students at this level will demonstrate high level skills in working in complexity and ambiguity using the imagination to create new ideas. Students will be required to display skills in: • Reflecting critically to generate and consider complex ideas and concepts at an abstract level • Analysing complex and abstract ideas, concepts and information • Communicate alternative perspectives to justify complex ideas • Demonstrate a mastery of challenging conventional thinking to clarify complex concepts • Forming creative solutions in problem solving to new situations for further learning. | 1 - Yes | FEDTASK 4
Digital Literacy | Students at this level will demonstrate the ability to work competently across a wide range of tools, platforms and applications to achieve a range of tasks. Students will be required to display skills in: • Mastering, exploring, evaluating, managing, curating, organising and sharing digital information professionally • Collating, managing complex data, accessing and using digital data securely • Receiving and responding professionally to messages in a range of professional digital media • Contributing competently and professionally to digital teams and working groups • Participating at a high level in digital learning opportunities. | 2 - No | FEDTASK 5
sustainable and Ethical Mindset | Students at this level will demonstrate a mastery of considering and assessing the consequences and impact of ideas and actions in enacting professional ethical and sustainable decisions. Students will be required to display skills in: • Demonstrate informed judgment making that considers the impact of devising complex solutions in ambiguous global economic environmental and societal contexts • Professionally committing to the promulgation of social responsibility • Demonstrate the ability to evaluate ethical, socially responsible and/or sustainable challenges and generating and articulating responses • Communicating lifelong, life-wide and life-deep learning to be open to the diverse professional others • Generating, leading and implementing required actions to foster sustainability in their professional and personal life | 1 - Yes |
|
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K1, K6, S2, S3, S4, A2, A3 | Critical learning exercises will explore key concepts covered in the unit using a range of written and/or oral activities. | Learning Portfolio | 25-35% | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K6, S4, 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 | 25-25% | | 3. | K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, S5, A1, A2, 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 | 35-45% |
|