SOWK 590 Generalist Field Experience and Seminar

Field education is a principal component of the instruction and training the student receives to prepare him/her for a professional career in social work. While receiving supervised practice experience in an agency setting, the student will attend a seminar class that offers the opportunity to process his/her field experiences and engage in further learning. The integration of classroom and field activities provides the student with a unique and comprehensive learning experience to support his/her development as a professional social worker.

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Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Hours Tracking Assignments (16)

The student will document the hours completed during his/her field experience by completing the Hours Tracking Assignment in CORE each week. The student must document all activities including the required 1 hour of supervision each week.

The Hours Tracking Assignment will document all activities that the student completes in the Field each module. For each day, the student will describe the activities accomplished, place them in the category they best fit with, and include the hour(s) for that specific category. The ATS will be prompted to approve the hours in CORE each week as they are submitted.

If there are questions, the student should reference the SOWK Field Community in the MSW Field area.

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Supervisory Agenda Assignments (16)

The student will prepare a minimum of 3 agenda items prior to the scheduled supervisory meeting with his/her Field Instructor. Items that can be included can relate to ethical decision-making, problem-solving, interactions with clients, policy, practice, learning objectives from the previous supervision, and/or specific questions/topics about field experience that require additional discussion.

The student will submit the points of discussion and the outcomes of the supervisory session in their CORE account. The weekly submission will be reviewed by the Field Faculty for grading and feedback.

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Journal Assignments (7)

The purpose of the Journal Assignments is to reflect on the field activities the student participated in and how he/she observed and applied the core competencies. The student will engage in self-assessment and self-correction.

The student will complete a Journal Assignment bi-weekly while completing field internship hours. Each provided template prompt must be answered in 2-3 paragraphs reflecting on what the student learned at his/her field experience, feelings experienced, something he/she would do differently, and the application of core competencies and social work theories. It is recommended that previous textbooks and scholarly articles be consulted to support efforts to integrate theory into practice. Textbooks and any other sources used must be documented and properly cited in current APA format.

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Learning Contract Assignment

The student will complete the Learning Contract Assignment in an effort to detail key learning goals and objectives to achieve during his/her field experience.

Using the Learning Contract Template, the student will complete the Learning Contract Assignment with support from his/her Field Instructor and Agency Task Supervisor. The Learning Contract will serve as a guide for what the student should accomplish during the field experience.

Once the Learning Contract Template has been filled out, the student will schedule a Learning Contract Meeting with his/her Field Instructor, Agency Task Supervisor, and Faculty Field Liaison to review and ensure that the student will be able to meet the requirements of the Learning Contract.

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Mid-Semester Evaluation Assignment

The Mid-Semester Evaluation Assignment will assess student performance, learning experiences, and the role of supervision and instruction during placement. This meeting will allow for an in-depth discussion on areas of strength and growth.

First, the student will take the lead in contacting his/her Faculty Field Liaison, Field Instructor, and Agency Task Supervisor to schedule the Mid-Semester Evaluation Meeting at a time that is agreeable to all parties. For agencies in the Central Virginia Area, the meeting can take place on-site or via a video chat platform. For agencies outside of the Central Virginia Area, the meeting will take place via a video chat platform.

Next, the student will meet with his/her Agency Task Supervisor and Field Instructor prior to the scheduled Mid-Semester Evaluation to fill out the Mid-Semester Evaluation Template. This is a time for the student and his/her supervisors to reflect on what the student has learned and accomplished, as well as any areas of growth.

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Case Presentation Assignment

The purpose of this assignment is to provide the student an opportunity to integrate theory into practice, develop a case presentation specific to a client and/or client system that he/she is working in, and facilitate a discussion to identify strengths, areas of growth, interventions, and discussion questions to elicit feedback from classmates.

Using the Case Presentation Template as a guide, the student will develop a PowerPoint presentation to identify the agency he/she is working in, the reason for referral, genogram/ecogram, an assessment of strengths and needs, interventions, and discussion questions. The case overview should take approximately 10-15 minutes and the discussion questions should take about 15-20 minutes.

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Final Field Evaluation Assignment

The Final Field Evaluation exists for the student to assess their level of growth in meeting all 9 baseline competencies established by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) at the end of their placement experience. This evaluation also serves as a document where supervisor(s) can provide the student with critical feedback to assist them in their development as professionals. 

The student will engage the Supervisor(s) in a meeting for the purpose of sharing feedback on their overall progress on the Learning Contract. Areas of strength and areas for growth will be identified and discussed. 

The student will first submit their portion of the Final Field Evaluation in CORE.

Next, the Agency Task Supervisor and Field Instructor will each complete their portions of the Final Field Evaluation in CORE.

The Faculty Field Liaison will review the evaluations and will assign a grade based on these evaluations. 

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Professional and ethical behavior is so important that it is considered to be one of the nine essential competencies for every social worker. The Five Domains of Professionalism below detail these responsibilities, which are based largely on the 2022 Educational and Policy Standards established by the Council on Social Work Education.

Social work entails self-awareness and self-reflection. It is also a field where professionalism is expected, and as this is cultivated in the learning experience, the student should practice this habit of self-reflection. 

Student will rate themselves on a scale, then identify at least 1 strength area and at least 1 area for growth for each section. For the area of growth, the student will identify a strategy that could be employed to assist in improving this area.

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Quiz: Field Orientation Training

The student will complete the Quiz: Field Orientation Training after the student, the student’s Agency Task Supervisor, and Field Instructor have attended the Field Orientation Trainings at the beginning of the course or have watched the accompanying Field Orientation Training videos. The quiz will contain 1 true/false question, and will have no time limit.

(CLO: A, Competency 1 Dimensions: Knowledge)

Quiz: Learning Contract

This Quiz is to confirm that the student has reviewed the Learning Contract Template with his/her Agency Task Supervisor and Field Instructor, and has scheduled a meeting with these 2 individuals and his/her Faculty Field Liaison. The quiz will contain 1 true/false question, and will have no time limit.

(CLO: A, Competency 1 Dimensions: Knowledge)

Quizzes: Seminar Participation (14)

The student will meet weekly (online or in person) with his or her instructor and peers. (Please note attendance policy, as penalties for missing this class may apply.) The student will share his or her field experiences during the seminar and discuss how these experiences relate to the theories and practices learned in social work courses. The student is expected to be on time, attend the entire session, and actively participate in order to earn full points. An active participant is one who attends the synchronous seminar sessions, actively listens, reacts to information shared, asks pertinent questions, shows signs of understanding, shares relevant insights, and contributes to the general learning of the class. The student should come to class prepared to share his/her field experience and how he/she is applying what he/she learned in the classroom in his/her field placement. To help facilitate the discussion, the student should have the NASW Code of Ethics Document and the LU Social Work Competencies and Practice Behaviors Document available during the seminar. Culturally diverse perspectives are welcome. These quizzes will contain 3 true/false and short answer questions. The student will have unlimited time and unlimited attempts to complete the quizzes.

(CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J Competencies 1-9 Dimensions: Knowledge, Values, Skills, Cognitive & Affective Processes)

Quiz: Field Experience Feedback Survey

The Quiz: Field Experience Feedback Survey is meant to assess the student’s overall experience throughout the semester in the Field Experience and Seminar course. Student feedback is very important to us, and the information the student provides will help the department improve the MSW Field Education program!

The evaluation includes questions about the student’s Field Instructor, the staff at the agency where the student completed his/her Field Experience, and the Field Experience Seminar and course assignments. The evaluation also asks about components of the Field Experience that the student feels will be most and least valuable to his/her anticipated career development. Lastly, the evaluation asks for suggestions of additional guidelines for students who are placed at that agency in the future.

This quiz will contain 1 true/false question and will have no time limit.

(CLO: A, Competency 1 Dimensions: Knowledge)