UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT CHICAGO                          

JANE ADDAMS COLLEGE OF SOCIAL WORK

 

Fall, 2008

Mark Mattaini, DSW, ACSW

http://home.earthlink.net/~mattaini

Room 4541

(Revised)                                            mattaini@earthlink.net

 

SOCW 430: PRACTICE I: GENERALIST PRACTICE

WITH INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, AND GROUPS

 

PREREQUISITE: Admission to MSW Program

 

CREDITS: 3

 

DESCRIPTION

 

Practice I and II present generalist social work as a basic helping method used by social workers to assist individuals, groups, families, organizations, and communities to achieve personal and social change. Consistent with the College mission, Practice I is committed to educating professional social workers who can provide leadership in the development and implementation of policies and services on behalf of the poor, the oppressed, racial, ethnic and sexual minorities, and other at-risk urban populations.

 

Practice I provides an overview of generalist social work as a method and process covering fundamental concepts, values, principles, and skills with special attention to Individuals, Families, and Groups. The course is taught in an ecosystems, empowerment, and strengths framework that integrates culturally competent and ethno-conscious practice across systems in a community context. Practice labs provide opportunities for knowledge and skill application including case examples and content focusing on current issues in social work and social welfare.

 

TEXTS

 

Required:

 

Mattaini, M. A., & Lowery, C. T. (2007). Foundations of social work practice: A graduate text (4th ed.). Washington, DC: NASW Press.

 

Saleebey, D. (Ed.). (2009). The strengths perspective in social work practice (5th ed.). Boston: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

 

Ross, R. (2006). Returning to the teachings (2nd ed.). Toronto: Penguin Canada.

 

American Psychological Association, Publication Manual (5th ed.).

 

Recommended:

 

The current edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

 

Online and Electronic Reserve Readings:  Additional readings for the course are available in one of two ways. Some are available online through the library website, and others are available on electronic reserve (ERes). Please see attached instructions for how to access those readings. This course does not use the Blackboard system. Plan ahead on these readings; occasionally the online and ERes systems go down.

 

OBJECTIVES

 

Knowledge:

1. Comprehend the basic concepts and principles of the generalist social work method for collaborative assessment, planning, and intervention.

2. Understand the relationship between the generalist social work method and the professional value base of social work within an ethical framework.

3. Discern how the dynamics of power and oppression relate to social issues and the social work response.

4. Recognize how characteristics of age, culture, race, class and income level, religion or spirituality, disability, gender, and sexual orientation affect the helping process.

5. Achieve a beginning understanding of practice theories related to individuals, families, and groups.

6. Achieve a beginning understanding of evidence-based practice and various methods for assessing effectiveness.

 

Skills:

1. Develop beginning skills in the professional use of self and empathic sensitivity in the communication between workers and client systems.

2. Apply critical thinking skills within professional contexts, including synthesizing and applying appropriate theories and knowledge to practice interventions.

3. Apply an ecosystems and strengths-based perspective that demonstrates an understanding of the multiple contexts for individual, family, and group functioning.

4. Identify issues of oppression and strategies for pursuing social justice within agency and community settings.

5. Implement a collaborative, shared power approach to assessment, planning, and implementation focusing on strengths and resources consistent with social work values and ethics, and the College mission.

6. Develop an ability to operationalize the generalist intervention process for defining issues, engaging with client systems, collecting and assessing data, identifying a focus for work, contracting within a planned change process, implementing and evaluating an intervention, and termination and follow-up.

7. Use appropriate methods and technological advances to monitor and evaluate intervention outcomes at the individual, family, and group levels.

 

EVALUATION-BASIS FOR GRADING

 

All students will be held accountable for adhering to academic and non-academic standards of conduct as described in the JACSW Student Handbook, available on the College website. Additional copies can be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs.

 

1.  Class Participation (20% of grade). The course is heavily experiential, and therefore participation is required. Participation is defined as on-time attendance for complete class sessions, attentive non-verbal behavior; offering comments relevant to course discussions, and active participation in in-class laboratory exercises. Class sessions you do not attend will be graded 0.  Please treat colleagues with respect and maintain confidentiality regarding any personal information shared in class.  Clients should never be individually identifiable in written or oral discussions; in some cases you may need to change pertinent information or present some information only in general terms to maintain confidentiality (further discussion of this area will be included in our consideration of professional ethics).

 

2.  Monitoring Assignments due every class session beginning with the 2nd, and ending with the 12th (10% of grade). Weekly written monitoring assignments using the format presented during the first class session.  Late submissions are not accepted. (Form available on the online version of this syllabus on my website, as well as from the instructor.)

 

3. Interteaching Records (30% of grade).  A portion of each class session after the first will be spent in interteaching, a process in which student dyads will work together to answer specific questions applying the required readings for that week to practice situations. The answers developed will be submitted in written form and graded.  To participate in interteaching, students must have previously read the material; time in interteaching sessions cannot be spent skimming the required readings, but rather on developing answers to the questions distributed.  Everyone is absolutely expected to complete all assigned readings, and to come to every class session prepared.  Acceptable comments should reflect critical thinking. For example, the following excerpt is acceptably professional:

 

        ÒParts of Pamela Miller's critique of the contract model appear to be misguided. The contract model does not dictate a minimalist approach to social work. On the contrary, the contract protects the client by making the social worker accountable. In addition, the contract usually reflects a reciprocal understanding between worker and client of the client's problem.Ó

 

The following excerpt, by contrast, is not acceptably professional, either in content or grammatically:

 

        ÒPamela Millers' article is silly. In my exprience, and according to my therapist, contracts should always be used by social workers. The critiqe therefore is unfair.Ó

 

4.  Social Justice in Practice Paper (15% of grade). A 6-8 page (APA style) discussion of social justice issues as they play out in your field placement agency, due at the 8th class session. This paper should focus on what happens during practice, and events that occur in the agency and other immediate life settings for clients, not on larger policy issues (although certainly those can be noted). Some use of the social justice literature is required (typically about 3 outside readings in additional to course readingsÑso this will require some independent research), but this paper focuses particularly on observation of and reflections on specific events and transactions. May draw on multiple perspectives on justice (e.g., distributive justice, procedural justice, participatory justice, human rights, communal/group rights, oppression theory, and ecofeminist thought). Material on social justice in Chapter 2 of the Foundations text will give you a start on this.

 

5.  Final Paper (25% of the course grade). A 12-14 page paper (APA style), demonstrating a clear understanding of the practice process (engagement, envisioning, assessment, and intervention) within a shared power, generalist practice framework as applied to an actual person or family is due at the 13th class session. A suggested outline for this paper is attached. It is possible to complete this paper even if you are only seeing clients for one session. (Students working only with groups should contact the instructor well in advance to discuss how to approach this paper.)

 

Papers will be graded as follows. For the social justice paper, the emphasis is on content and integration; for the final paper, use of literature is equally important. Style and presentation is important for both papers:

 

Use of literature: (use of WWW resources is encouraged, but such resources should not constitute a majority of literature cited)

Expected: Coherent application of course readings, 3.0

Excellent: Coherent application of course readings and at least 8 others, 3.5

Outstanding: Outstanding application of course readings and at least 20 others, 4.0

 

Content and Conceptual integration:

Expected: Paper is clearly organized, with clear connections between sections, 3.0

Excellent: Paper is clearly organized, and content reflects an analysis based on critical thinking, 3.5

Outstanding: Content of paper clearly goes far beyond the level expected of a beginning graduate student in ways that can be clearly specified by the reader. Papers achieving this level should begin to approach publishable quality, and are very uncommon; 4.0

 

Style and presentation:

Expected: On-time, APA style, with minimal grammatical errors and of quality that would be acceptable in agency practice. 3.0

Outstanding: Presentation goes far beyond the level expected of a graduate student. 4.0

 

Note that grades are not curved; cooperation among students is encouraged, and competition will not benefit anyone in this system. Please keep in mind that the purpose of professional school is not to work for grades, but to prepare for practice that will contribute to collective well-being; grades are used to encourage active engagement in learning activities and are not a reflection of your value as a human being.

 

STUDENTS REQUIRING ACCOMMODATION FOR DISABILITIES

Students requiring accommodations for disability must follow established University procedures, as follows:

I. Go to the UIC Office of Disability Services to obtain confidential verification of the disability and a statement of accommodations recommended by that office.

2. Show the UIC Office of Disability Services accommodation letter to the instructor of the class for which the student requests accommodation. In the case of field instruction classes, the letter should be shown to the College field liaison or the Director of Field.

3. Accommodation letters are to be shown to the instructor at the beginning of the course or before the start of the course.

 

STUDENTS NEEDING ACCOMMODATION FOR RELIGIOUS REASONS

Students needing accommodations for religious reasons should, at the beginning of the semester, contact the instructor by e-mail to identify appropriate class work to make up any missed sessions or other work.

 

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: Complete academic integrity is expected (please see Student Handbook for details). Plagiarism, self-plagiarism, leaving others to do what should be joint work, or other forms of dishonesty regarding work done are serious ethical concerns, and must be handled as such.

 

WRITING CENTER: Excellent writing skills are required for professional practice. Students requiring assistance in this area may self-refer to the UIC Writing Center, or may be referred by the instructor.

 

CELLULAR TELEPHONES AND PAGERS: Cellular phones and pagers may not be used during class time. Please consult with your instructor regarding genuinely emergency situations.

 


ÒTell them to think before they actÓ (Carol H. Meyer)

 

TOPICAL OUTLINE

 

Sessions 1 & 2 (8/25 & 9/8). THE SOCIAL WORK PROFESSION AND SOCIAL WORK MISSION. (First monitoring assignment due on 9/8)

¥ Critical approach to knowledge-building and practice effectiveness

¥ Development of professional self and identity

¥ Introduction to generalist practice including methods, models, and fields of practice

 

READINGS (2-Week Assignment):

Mattaini, M. A., & Lowery, C. T. (2007). Foundations of Social Work Practice. Chapter 1, Foundations.

Cates, J. C. (2007). Compassion, Control and Justice in Social Work History. Chapter 7, Foundations.

 

LAB 1: Self-knowledge for practice

LAB 2: Empathic Listening

 

Session 3 (9/15). SOCIAL WORK VALUES AND ETHICS. (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Code of Ethics, Ethical dilemmas

¥ Accountable practice as an ethical issue

 

READINGS:

NASW Code of Ethics (Appendix A, Foundations).

Mattison, M. (2007). Professional Values and Ethics. Chapter 4, Foundations.

Strom-Gottfried, K. (2003). Understanding adjudication: Origins, targets, and outcomes of ethics complaints. Social Work, 48, 85-94.  Online

Lowery, C. T. (2007). Social Justice and International Human Rights. Chapter 3, Foundations.  (focus on womenÕs issues, womenÕs rights as human rights)

Universal Declaration of Human Rights (Appendix B, Foundations)

 

LAB 3a: Ethical practice

LAB 3b: Morality & Social Justice

 

Session 4 (9/22). THEORIES/PERSPECTIVES. (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Ecosystems

¥ Strengths

¥ Generalist Intervention Process

 

READINGS:

Mattaini, M. A., & Lowery, C. T. (2007). Perspectives for practice. Chapter 2, Foundations.

Saleebey, D. (2009). Chapter 1: Introduction: Power in the People, & Chapter 5: The strengths approach to practice. In Saleebey.

Mattaini, M. A. (2007). Generalist Practice: People and Programs. Chapter 13, Foundations.

 

        LAB 4: Transactional Ecomapping

 

Session 5 (9/29). MODELS FOR WORKING WITH INDIVIDUALS, ENGAGEMENT, ASSESSMENT & PLANNING (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Overview of prevalent models used in work with individuals

¥ Emphasis on strengths, diversity and social justice

¥ Voluntary and involuntary clients

¥ Community context for work with individuals

¥ Begin content on engagement with individuals

¥ Identifying a focus for work

¥ Assessment with models highlighted above

¥ Methods of assessment within framework of strengths, empowerment, and ecosystems

¥ Culturally competent assessment

¥ Introduce monitoring as an on-going assessment process

 

         READINGS:

Mattaini, M. A. (2007). Chapter 7: Practice with Individuals. Chapter 8, Foundations.

Anderson, K. M., Cowger, C., & Snively, C. (2009). Assessing strengths: Identifying Acts of Resistance to Violence. Chapter 10 in Saleebey.

Barnes, A. (2008). Race and hospital diagnoses of schizophrenia and mood disorders. Social Work, 53(1), 77-83.

Canda, E. R. (2009). Chronic Illness and Transilience Along My Spiritual Path. Chapter 4 in Saleebey.

 

LAB 5: Engagement & Assessment Exercises

 

Session 6 (10/6). PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Goal setting, treatment planning, and contracting

¥ Types of social work interventions, e.g. case management

¥ Roles and functions of social workers in the helping relationship e.g. broker, mediator

 

READINGS:

Nelson-Becker, H., Chapin, R., & Fast, B., (2009). The strengths model with older adults: Critical practice components. Chapter 9 in Saleebey.

Kisthardt, W. E. (2009). The opportunities and challenges of strengths-based, person-centered practice. Chapter 3 in Saleebey.

Crisp, C., & McCave, E. L. (2007). Gay affirmative practice: A model for social work practice with gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 24(4), 403-421. (online)

Crisp, C. (2006). Homophobia and use of gay affirmative practice in a sample of social workers and psychologists. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 18(1), 51-70. (online)

 

LAB 6: Work with Transactional Webs

 

Session 7 (10/13). EVALUATION OF PRACTICE AND PRACTICE EFFECTIVENESS (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Evidence-based practice

¥ Managed care

¥ Documentation and record-keeping

¥ Skills for monitoring outcomes in individual practice

¥ Practice effectiveness and diversity issues

 

READINGS:

Mattaini, M.A. (2007). Chapter 6: Monitoring Social Work Practice. In Foundations.

Gambrill, E. (1999). Evidence-based practice: an alternative to authority-based practice. Families in Society, 80, 341-350. (online)

Rapp, R. C., & Lane, D. T. (2009). Implementation of brief strengths-based case management. Chapter 8 in Saleebey.

 

LAB 7: Practice Monitoring

 

Session 8 (10/20). DIVERSITY, CULTURAL COMPETENCY, ACCULTURATION, ETHNO-CONSCIOUS PRACTICE (Social justice in practice paper due; Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Empowerment and shared power

¥ Relationship between ethno-conscious practice and oppression

¥ Intergroup relations

¥ Welfare reform

 

READINGS:

Lowery, C. T. (2007). Diversity, Ethnic Competence, and Social Justice. Chapter 5 in Foundations.

Waller, M. (2006). Strengths of indigenous peoples. Chapter 3 in Saleebey.

Ross, pp. x-135. (Chapters: The movement towards teaching and healing; healing inside the whirlwind of sexual abuse; Digging for the roots of the healing vision; Towards a fluid reality; Watch your language)

Bricker-Jenkins, M., Barbera, R. A., & Young, C. (2009). Poverty through the lens of economic human rights. Chapter 14 in Saleebey.

 

LAB 8: Diversity & Culture

 

Session 9 (10/27). PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS WITH INDIVIDUALS (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Types of social work interventions, e.g. solution-focused

¥ Maintenance and termination

 

READINGS:

Sullivan, W. P., & Rapp, C. A. (2009). Honoring philosophical traditions: The strengths model and the social environment. Chapter 12 in Saleebey.

Franklin, C., Moore, K., & Hopson, L. (2008). Effectiveness of solution-focused brief therapy in a school setting. Children and Schools, 30(1), 15-26. (online)

Lethem, J. (2002). Brief solution focused therapy. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 7(4), 189-192. (online; look for ÒChild and ÉÓ not ÒChild &Ó)3

Black, C. J. (2003). Translating principles into practice: Implementing the feminist and strengths perspectives in work with battered women. Affilia: Journal of Women and Social Work, 18, 332-349. (online)

 

LAB 9: Ecobehavioral and cognitive behavioral practice with individuals

 

Session 10 (11/3). MODELS FOR WORKING WITH FAMILIES, ENGAGEMENT, ASSESSMENT & PLANNING (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Overview of prevalent models used in work with couples and families

¥ Definition of family, family treatment, and recognition of family variations

¥ Indications for family work and engagement of the family (including reluctant members)

¥ Cultural issues in engagement of families

¥ Identifying focal concern(s)

¥ Assessment of the family including alliances, communications, strengths, conflict, hierarchy in the context of the family's ethnicity/culture

¥ Assessment of the ecosystem

¥ Assessment of the focal concern(s)

¥ Plan to monitor changes in foci

¥ Choosing foci that give all family members something to gain

¥ Establishing an agreement/contract for work (time limits, participants, foci, goals)

 

READINGS:

Mattaini, M.A. (1999). Clinical Intervention with Families, Washington, DC: NASW Press. Chapters 1 (An ecobehavioral perspective on the family; pp. 3-23), & 2 (The practice process with families; pp. 24-59). (ERes)

Benard, B., & Truebridge, S. L. (2009). A shift in thinking: Influencing social workersÕ beliefs about individual and family resilience in an effort to enhance well-being and success for all. Chapter 11 in Saleebey.

Early, T. J., & GlenMaye, L. F. (2000). Valuing families: Social work practice with families from a strengths perspective. Social Work, 45, 118-130. (online)

 

LAB 10: Engagement and Assessment with Families

 

Session 11 (11/10). PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS WITH FAMILIES (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Involving the family in developing interventions

¥ Culturally relevant intervention strategies with couples

¥ Culturally relevant intervention strategies with families

¥ Implementing interventions in the home

 

READINGS:

Lowery, C.T. (2007). Social work with families. Chapter 9 in Foundations.

Patterson, S. L., & Marsiglia, F. F. (2000). "Mi casa es su casa": Beginning exploration of Mexican Americans' Natural Helping. Families in Society, 81(1), 22-31. (online)

LaSala, M. C. (2007). Queering ideas: The descriptive and theory-building potential of qualitative research with lesbian and gay families. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 18(2), 61-72. (online)

Saleebey, D. (2004). The power of place: Another look at the environment. Families in Society, 85, 7-16. (online)

 

LAB 11: Family Communication

 

Session 12 (11/17). PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS WITH FAMILIES, CLINICAL SUPERVISION (Monitoring assignment due)

¥ Intervening in the family context

¥ Evaluating outcomes and modifying intervention strategies

¥ Maintenance of change and termination

 

READINGS:

Henggeler, S. W., Schoenwald, S. K., Borduin, C. M., Rowland, M. S., & Cunningham, P. B. (1998). Multisystemic treatment of antisocial behavior in children and adolescents. New York: Guilford. Chapter 1: Empirical, conceptual, and philosophical bases of MST (pp. 3-20); and Chapter 2: Clinical foundations of MST (pp. 21-57). (ERes) (includes material on supervision)

Walsh, F. (1997). Family therapy: Systems approaches to clinical practice. In J. R. Brandell (Ed.), Theory and Practice in Clinical Social Work (pp. 132-163). NY: The Free Press. (ERes)

 

LAB 12: Multisystemic intervention and clinical supervision

 

Session 13 (11/24). GROUP - INTRODUCTION, ENGAGEMENT & ASSESSMENT (Final Paper due; no monitoring assignment due)

¥ Overview of prevalent models used in group work

¥ Mutual aid and empowerment perspective

¥ Preplanning stage of group work-composition and design

¥ Multicultural issues-group composition

¥ Preaffiliation stage of group work-engagement skills

¥ Establishing group structure & purpose

¥ Worker's role and skills

 

READINGS:

Magen, R.H. (2007). Practice with groups. Chapter 10 in Foundations.

DeCarlo, A., & Hockman, E. (2003) RAP Therapy: A group work intervention model for urban adolescents. Social Work with Groups, 26(3), 45-59. (online)

Jones, L. V., & Hodges, V. G. (2001). Enhancing Psychosocial Competence Among Black Women: A Psycho-Educational Group Model Approach. Social Work with Groups, 24(3/4), 33-52. (ERes)

Parker, L. (2003). A social justice model for clinical social work practice. Affilia, 18, 272-288. (online)

 

LAB: Group work with women; group work with adolescents

 

Session 14. (12/1) GROUP MIDDLE/WORK PHASES. MONITORING AND INTERVENING IN GROUP DYNAMICS. REVIEW AND INTEGRATION OF GENERALIST PRACTICE. (No monitoring assignment due)

¥ Worker role & skills

¥ Evaluating group member change/evaluating design and facilitation

¥ Assessing group dynamics

 

READINGS:

Ross, 131-277. (Chapters: The first step to reconnection; The healing path has potholes, too; The whirlpool vision of crime; At the crossroads; Choosing the healing path; Getting started on the healing path; And finally É the starting point)

Smokowski, R. P., Rose, S., Todar, K., and Reardon, K. (1999). Post-group-casualty status, group events, and leader behavior: An early look into the dynamics of damaging group experiences. Research on Social Work Practice, 9, 555-574. (online)

 

LAB 14: Culture circles and talking circles


Guidelines for Final AssignmentÑSocW 430

 

The assignment is a 12-14 page paper in perfect APA style, that demonstrates a clear understanding of the practice process (engagement, envisioning, assessment, and intervention) within a shared power, generalist practice framework, as applied to an actual person or family. The page limit includes a cover page, reference list, and all figures and diagrams included. YOU MUST USE APA STYLE HEADINGS TO ORGANIZE YOUR WORK.

 

The following is a suggested outline for completing the assignment. Variations are possible; these should be discussed individually with the instructor. Incorporate literature from your course readings, other courses, and any other sources that can inform the work in a sophisticated way. Where you do not have the necessary information, or where you would need client input to practice from a genuinely shared power stance, simply indicate this, and work hypothetically. You may choose to take a family perspective even if you are only seeing one member of the family. In situations where there is additional information that you feel is important, that you don't have and that might affect your work, you can simply indicate what that information is. In most cases, including those of very short-term work, it should be possible for you to complete the paper for a single client or a single family. In a very few situations (usually only if you see cases only once for less than 30 minutes), you may find it easier to discuss two or three cases, and to make some comparisons among them in the areas listed below. As noted in the syllabus, if you are working only with groups, you should meet individually with the instructor. If you are not seeing any clients, you should consult with the instructor, who will then contact the field department to follow up with your agency field instructor (ÒsupervisorÓ).

 

1. Organizational Setting. Clarify (in less than half a page) where the case is being seenÑthe type of agency. Material related to the effects of the organizational context on the case more specifically is included in #3, below.

 

2. Engagement and Envisioning. Discuss briefly, in perhaps one page, your understanding of what brought your client (or family) to the agency, the steps you took to achieve early engagement, and the responses of the client (family) to these efforts. How does the client envision her/his/their life changing as a result of your work? What does the client want? (This is relevant even to involuntary cases.)

 

3. Ecosystemic Scan. Include in this scan those features of the case that are relevant and salient to achieving a sufficiently broad perspective for initial interventive planning. This may include selected history, as well as current strengths, obstacles, and transactions, the organizational and community context of the case, and cultural factors. In addition to narrative (of perhaps 2-3 pages), include at least one graphic representation as an aid in conceptualizing the case holistically.

 

4. Contracting for Change Targets/Focal Issues. Drawing on the material above, specifically identify from one to three priority areas of focus (problems to address, goals to achieve), which you and your client(s) contracted to work on (or discuss why the contracting process was unsuccessful). Briefly note how agreement was reached (between one-half and one page.)

 

5. Contextual Analysis of Change Target(s). Analytically examine the area(s) of focus selected in the last step, examining them in terms of causes, obstacles to their resolution/achievement, strengths and resources available to work with, and other important factors. You are encouraged to use theory and research here; you are also encouraged to use the approaches to contextual analysis discussed in the course readings. (Approximately two to three pages.)

 

6. Identification of Tasks. Using the evidence-based practice process, identify session tasks (interventions) you believe are suggested by the previous analysis, as well as home and environmental tasks (to be completed by worker or client), recognizing that final selection depends on collaborative decision-making with your client(s). The interventions should both (a) flow from the above steps, and (b) be based on the best available evidence (note that this requires a literature search). Indicate who might carry out the tasks, why you feel the tasks selected are responsive to the needs of the case, and possible obstacles you can foresee. (Approximately two to three pages, depending on the complexities of the case).

 

7. Monitoring Plan. In one to two pages, discuss how you might track progress in the case, particularly related to the identified change targets. How would you know if the case were proceeding successfully? What sort of records would you keep? Provide an example of one way of tracking progress in the case (graph, chart, sequential ecomap, or something creative).

 

Feel free to be creative, and to do your best work, even if the final product looks somewhat different from that described here (so long as you approach the case in a coherent way). For example, if you have chosen to pursue the assignment from a particular theoretical framework, and found particular strengths and weaknesses in the approach when applied to the case, you may wish to discuss these. Approach the assignment as a learning opportunity and a challenge to help you deepen your knowledge and skills, and therefore your effectiveness with clients, rather than simply a means to a grade.


Accessing Electronic Readings for SocW 430

 

There are two kinds of electronic readings used in this course, online journal articles and Electronic Reserve. Both can be accessed from campus labs or from home, but to access them from home you will need to have activated your University computer account so you have your University NetID and password for University computer access. Please refer to your registration materials or go online to:

 

http://www.uic.edu/depts/accc/accts/altpswd.html#3

 

to activate your account if you have not done so. If you have trouble, please contact the University Help Desk.

 

 

Online Journal Articles are accessed through the library website. Most can be found through this page:

 

http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/reference/resources/journals/

 

but since changes do occur, you may occasionally have to access them through the online library catalog (UICCAT), or in other creative ways. It is always smart to plan at least a couple of weeks ahead so that if you have trouble finding things you can ask for help. Occasionally errors in such things as volume or page numbers may occur, so you should also practice looking for articles through Social Work Abstracts and PsycINFO, both of which can be accessed through the libraryÕs Electronic Resources page:

 

http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/reference/resources/electronicresources.shtml

 

(You will also need to know how to use those abstract resources for preparing paper assignments.)

 

 

Electronic Reserves are accessed through the libraryÕs ERes page:

 

http://uic.docutek.com/eres/default.aspx

 

which is found under ÒServicesÓ rather than ÒResourcesÓ on the library home page. You can locate the course by course number (SocW 410), course name (Human Behavior), instructor (ÒMattainiÓ), or department (Social Work).

 

You will need the Course Password to access ERes documents; the password is ÒPRACTICE08Ó (case-sensitive).