SOWK 435 Field Instruction 1

School of Social Sciences

School of Social Sciences, Department of Social Work
P.O. Box 175, Port of Spain, Trinidad, W.I.
COURSE OUTLINE: SOWK 435 – Field Instruction
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
- Course Number and Title: SOWK 435 – Field Instruction
- Semester: First Semester: 2023
- Credits: 2
- Class Schedule: Tuesday & Thursday
- Time: 6:00 p.m. to 7:10 p.m.
- Course Organization: Blended (Tuesday - face to face – Thursday Online)
- Dates: September – December 2023
- Location:
- Zoom Link:
- Pre-requisites: SOWK340 Human Beh and the Social Environment
- Co-requisite: SOWK401

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
- Hanif E. A. Benjamin, LMSW, BSc., CCT., CFT
- Rank: Adjunct Lecturer
- Email [email protected]
- Communication Policy- Email

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Welcome to Semester 1 of the Year 2023 to 2024. Field Instruction I is pivotal to the social work
programme, as the student is placed in social service settings in which they are given the
opportunity to observe and apply the knowledge, value, and skill base to which they have been
exposed in the classroom. Under the supervision of experienced practitioners, the student is given
opportunities for integrating theory with practice. Concurrent with the Field Instruction course,
students participate in the Foundations of Practice and Social Work Methods Seminar, which
reinforces the foundational knowledge and skills required for practice and supports the
development of a reflective practitioner.

FIELD EDUCATION: The Signature Pedagogy

Field Education is the signature pedagogy of social work education and offers students
opportunities to fully integrate and practice skills necessary to demonstrate achievement with the
School of Social Work’s core competencies and practice behaviors. Field Education provides
practical application of values, skills, and knowledge introduced to students in Foundation
coursework. Using carefully selected community partnerships and at the direction of qualified
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field instructors, students become participating members of the social work community while
learning to apply ethics and values needed for effective service delivery with populations at risk.
Participation in the guided seminar class assists the student to assimilate course content with
community-based learning.

PURPOSE OF THE COURSE/COURSE RATIONALE

The purpose of this course is to allow students the opportunity to apply all that have learnt to the
workplace. All of this will be done under the supervision of a Practice Teacher.

LETTER TO THE STUDENT

Dear Students,

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Field Instruction 1. This is an exciting opportunity for you, as
the material taught to you in the last few years can finally now be placed in context. So many
feelings may be emerging for you at this time. Be confident in your training and remember to be
consistent review of material taught to you in the last few years so that you can be prepared for
Practicum.

Hanif E. A. Benjamin, LMSW, BSc., CCT., CFT

LEARNING OUTCOMES (Modules/Unit Learning Outcomes)

After successful completion of the course, the students will be able to:

By the end of this course, students will be able to

1. Apply the knowledge, values, and skills of social work with individuals, families, groups,
organizations, and/or communities.
2. Demonstrate the effective use of social work skills in working with individuals, families,
groups, organizations, and/or communities, systematically integrating knowledge of social
work theories and skills.
3. Engage in the process of developing self-awareness about personal values.
4. Practice within the values and ethics of the social work profession with an understanding
of and respect for the positive value of diversity.
5. Describe the goals and purposes of the agency at which they are placed. Gain knowledge
of resources in various settings and fields of practice.
6. Use communication skills differentially and communicate effectively with a wide variety of
colleagues and members of the community.
7. Apply strategies of advocacy and social change that advance social and economic justice,
based on an understanding of the forms and mechanisms of oppression and
discrimination.
8. Use supervision and consultation appropriate to social work practice.
9. Function within the structure of organizations and service delivery systems, and with
supervision, evaluate their own practice interventions.
10. Identify and explain the implications of gender, sexual orientation, religion, language,
immigration, national origin, and differential abilities for undergraduate-level practice.

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CORE COMPETENCIES
Competency 1: Demonstrate ethical professional behavior.

Competency 2: Engage diversity and difference in practice

Competency 3: Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice

Competency 4: Engage in practice-informed research and research-informed practice

Competency 5: Engage in policy practice

Competency 6: Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities

Competency 7: Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities

Competency 8: Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities

Competency 9: Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and

communities

COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

● Full-time students must complete 340 hours of fieldwork to complete their first practicum.
One hundred hours are to be completed in the first semester and the balance in the second
semester.
● Fieldwork for Semester I will begin in September and ends in December. Fieldwork for
Semester II begins in January and ends in April.
● At a minimum, students should be available for at least one day of fieldwork between the
hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. during the Monday to Friday work week. Field experience
should be conducted concurrently with the SOWK 401 Foundations of Practice I and
SOWK 420 Social Work Methods Seminar. These courses will support the student
throughout his/her field practice experience, providing and reinforcing the requisite
knowledge and skills, equipping him/her to address any challenges that may arise, and
stimulating a reflective approach to practice. It is essential, therefore, that students attend
fieldwork regularly throughout the semester. Any deviation from attendance at practicum
one day per week during the work week must be discussed with the instructor and
approval obtained from the Head of the Department.
● The programme does not guarantee any student a placement that includes weekend
hours.
● Regular attendance at field placement is expected of all students. The student is expected
to be prompt in arriving at work. Chronic lateness (or leaving early) is unacceptable. The
student MUST notify the agency if he/she is unable to report on the given day. In the case
of a personal emergency, students need to consult with their Fieldwork Instructor to make
up the time. All hours missed must be made up.

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● The student and Fieldwork Instructor must meet at a regularly scheduled time each week
for supervision. Students are responsible for raising issues of concern. Written supervisory
agendas must be prepared by the student.
● The student must complete the Student Activity Report sheet each week and have the
same signed by the Fieldwork Instructor weekly. The forms are subsequently turned in to
the Faculty Advisor during or at the end of each semester.
● The student is responsible for adhering to all policies and customary practices of the
fieldwork agency. Any concerns can be discussed with the Fieldwork Instructor or the
Faculty Advisor.
● Students may be required to make home and community visits as part of their fieldwor k
assignment.
● Inappropriate or unprofessional behaviour will not be tolerated or accepted. The
student is expected to function at the agency in a manner that is accountable to the
agency, the school, and the profession. Students are required to demonstrate
professional behaviour consistent with the IFSW Global Social Work Statement of
ethical principles.

TEACHING STRATEGIES
Supervisory meeting with Field Instructor, Placement officer, and Faculty Advisor; observation
and practice of social work skills in the agency; reflective logs.

RESOURCES
Garthwait, C.L. (2011). The Social Work Practicum: A Guide and Workbook for Students (5 th. Ed.).
New York: Allyn & Bacon.

NASW: Code of Ethics.

Royse, D., Dhopper, S.S., & Lewis Rompf, E. (2012). Field Instruction: A Guide for Social work
Students (6th. Ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Switzer, H.F. & King, M.A. (2008). The Successful Internship: Transformation and Empowerment
in Experiential Learning. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole

COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
(A) The Field Practicum Portfolio provides evidence of your practicum experiences
over the course of the academic year. Each student’s Portfolio would be unique,
as their experiences at practicum are unique. The Portfolio should include the
following:

1) Background information about your placement organization. This document

should include any information that would provide insight into the operations of
your placement organization. It may include (but is not restricted to) the mission,

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vision, goals, organizational structure, the role, and responsibilities of the social
worker in the organization, nature of the clientele. Not more than 3 pages.
2) Learning objectives and tasks. You should prepare your learning objectives at
the start of your practicum experience. These objectives would be refined during
meetings with your Field Instructor to reflect the Practicum environment. Your
Field Instructor would also provide guidance as to the tasks that would be
performed to accomplish each objective. A copy of the refined list of learning
objectives and tasks should be included in your Portfolio. Not more than 2 pages.
3) Self-evaluation. The self-evaluation is divided into two sections: an evaluation
of the accomplishment of learning objectives and an evaluation of your feelings,
thoughts, and actions in response to key events that occurred during the
practicum. (Two key events should be cited. One of the key events should
demonstrate how you dealt with an individual, family, group, or community). Your
feelings, thoughts, and actions should be evaluated considering your knowledge
of the values, principles, and ethics of social work. The self-evaluation should also
analyse your development over the course of the practicum. Not more than 10
pages
4) Resource manual. You should prepare a resource manual including a list of 10
– 15 organisations to which clients of your placement organization are generally
referred. The resource manual should include the name, address, and telephone
number for each organization, target group, and services provided.
5) Reflective logs. Two reflective logs are to be included. One reflective log should
reflect your practice in the first semester and the other should demonstrate your
practice in the second semester. Field logs provide you with the opportunity to
evaluate your practice and demonstrate your ability to link theory to practice.
Although two field logs are to be submitted as part of your portfolio, your Field
Instructor may require additional field logs. Not more than 3 pages

6) Counselling Report.

a) Provide a one-to-two-page report on the counselling process.

b) Reflect on and evaluate the ways in which the stages of the process were handled
by your counsellor.
c) Reflect on your feelings that accompanied your process and the reasons for such.
d) Reflect on your thoughts throughout the process.
e) Reflect on the ways in which the counselling experience has enhanced,
challenged, and/or negatively affected your understanding of the Social Work
practice.

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(B) Evaluation – The Practice Teacher’s Evaluation will focus on the following:

1) The student’s level of professionalism in attire, punctuality, regularity, ethical

practice, use of supervision, effectiveness of written and oral communication, and
adherence to the values and principles of social work.
2) The student’s knowledge of social work theories, human behaviours, the
organisation structure and policies and laws, and social policies that guide
intervention; and
3) The student’s practice skills including their engagement, data collection,
assessment, referral, intervention, and evaluation skills.

This document is completed, signed, and stamped by the Field Instructor. Then, signed
by the Practicum Coordinator and the student.

COURSE ASSESSMENT

A grade is not assigned for this course. Instead, you will be assessed as Satisfactory or
Unsatisfactory. To obtain a Satisfactory grade, you must have achieved at least 60% in
both the Field Instructor’s Evaluation and the Field Practicum Portfolio.

Field Instructor’s Evaluation 60%

Field Practicum Portfolio (March 31st, 2024) 40%

TOTAL 100%

*Timesheets
Students are required to submit timesheets reflecting the time spent at practicum at the
end of the semester. Students would not obtain a grade until time sheets reflecting the
required number of hours are submitted. Also, please note that time sheets should bear
the signature of the Practice Teacher and the stamp of the organisation.

Students will be supervised in the field by a trained and experienced social worker (direct
or long-arm supervision). Projects and assignments will facilitate reflection on the
experiences in the field.

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Standard)

● All assignments must be typewritten, double spaced in Standard English, with
reference list. Your paper must be left-justified, 12pt. font size. Marks will be
deducted for grammatical and spelling errors.
● You are responsible for ensuring that you sign the Attendance Register.
● All electronic devices are to be put on vibration during your placement. You should
not be seen sending text messages or surfing the internet on your telephone,
tablet, or community during your placement.
● Signing for other students and/or having other students sign for you are considered
as acts of dishonesty and unprofessionalism. You will be penalised for
participating in this activity.

University Policies:
● Attendance Policy/Regulations (USC Bulletin 2010-2012, pg. 15)
● Grading Policy (USC Bulletin 2010-2012, pg. 16)
● Late Assignment- One (1) mark per day will be deducted for late assignments.
● Plagiarism (USC Student Handbook, pg. 47)

GRADING SYSTEM (Standard)

Description of the grading system of the university
GRADING GUIDELINES:

Letter % Grade
Grade Value Pt. per Definition Description
Credit
1. Excellent mastery of course content, evidence of
extensive background reading. 2. Excellent performance
A 100-90 4.0
in analysis, synthesis and critical expression, oral or
Excellent written. 3. Excellent performance in analysis, synthesis
and critical expression, oral or written. 4. Student works
A- 85-89 3.67 independently or in groups as is required with unusual
effectiveness
1. Very good mastery of course content, evidence of
B+ 80-84 3.33 substantial background reading. 2. Student performance
Very indicates a high degree of originality, creativity and
B 75-79 3.0 Good problem-solving skills. 3. Very good performance in
analysis, synthesis and critical expression, oral or written.
4. Student works very well independently or in groups as
B- 70-74 2.67
is required.
1. Acceptable mastery of course content, evidence of
C+ 65-69 2.33 some background reading. 2. Students demonstrate some
degree of originality, creativity and problem-solving skills.
Satisfactory 3. Acceptable performance in analysis, synthesis and
C 60-64 2.0 critical expression, oral or written. 4. Student works
independently or in groups at an acceptable level
1. Unacceptable mastery of course content, very little
C- 55-59 1.67 evidence of background reading. 2. Students demonstrate
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Unsatisfactory little degree of originality, creativity and problem-solving

skills. 3. Unacceptable performance in analysis, synthesis
and critical expression, oral or written. 4. Students display
unacceptable level of proficiency in working independently
or in groups.
1. Deficient in mastery of course content, no evidence of
background reading. 2. Originality, creativity and
Deficient problem-solving skills absent from performance. 3.
D 50-54 1.33 Deficient performance in analysis, synthesis and critical
expression, oral or written. 4. Deficient in ability to work
independently and in groups.
1. No comprehension or grasp of course content, no
evidence of background reading. 2. Originality, creativity
and problem-solving skills totally absent from
Unacceptable performance. 3. Unacceptable performance in analysis,
F 0 – 49 0.0
synthesis and critical expression, oral or written. 4.
Displays neither aptitude nor ability to work independently
or in groups.

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