SOCW 6311 Week 3 Discussion: Choosing and Using Single-System Design Many people receive their first introduction to the scientific method in their early school years. The first experiments which students undertake typically involve plants, chemicals, or small animals in a tightly controlled experimental environment. These experiments enable students to establish a relatively clear cause-and-effect relationship…

Social Work Research: Single Subject Chris is a social worker in a geriatric case management program located in a midsize Northeastern town. She has an MSW and is part of a team of case managers that likes to continuously improve on its practice. The team is currently using an approach that integrates elements of geriatric…

Assignment: Evidence-Based Practice Implementation—Anticipating Results Many social workers attempt to implement an evidence-based practice that seems to be strongly supported by research, only to become frustrated or confused when their efforts do not yield the same positive results as the research. This discrepancy can occur because they failed to recognize the differences between conditions in…

Discussion 2: Group Intervention When leading a group, it is the responsibility of the clinical social worker to find a way to enable all members to benefit from the experience. Although some members may not benefit, it is important for the clinical social worker to identify the positive aspects that he/she is witnessing. This strategy…

Assignment 1: Group Typology As a clinical social worker it is important to understand group typology in order to choose the appropriate group method for a specific population or problem. Each type of group has its own approach and purpose. Two of the more frequently used types of groups are task groups and intervention groups.…

Discussion 1: Group Leadership Skills Leading a group of individuals who have suffered trauma can be difficult because the shared stories may result in further trauma to some of the members. Assessing the members and deciding how they will introduce themselves at the first meeting can be a difficult task. Helping these members begin the…

Project: Social Change Project: Final Report and Presentation Is social change ever easy? What barriers did you experience during your advocacy? What successes did you experience?   Over the past several weeks, you have analyzed a policy related to a social problem and have advocated for change. This week you submit your final report and…

Discussion 1: Policies and the Influence of Values Ideology, politics, and the influence of values often override evidence-based policy. When there is evaluation conflict, a policy advocate must be prepared to defend his/her reasons for wanting to implement a policy. Because almost all proposed policies are circumscribed by politics (for reasons brought up by Jansson…

Discussion 2: Becoming a Lifelong Advocate It is not enough to be compassionate. You must act. —Tenzin Gyatso As this course comes to a close, consider and reflect on how you can become a lifelong advocate for social change in your future social work practice. As a motivated policy advocate and social worker, your actions…

Week 11: Assessing Policy: Toward Evidence-Based Policy Evidence-based policies are ones that achieve positive outcomes where they are evaluated with research. —Bruce S. Jansson, Becoming an Effective Policy Advocate: From Policy Practice to Social Justice, 8th ed. Social workers hope that a proposed policy will be effective and make a significant impact toward social change.…