Postgraduate - UnitSWM5105 - Social work practice and research

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2012 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered, or view unit timetables.

Level	Postgraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences
Offered	Caulfield First semester 2012 (Day) Caulfield First semester 2012 (Off-campus)
Coordinator(s)	Dr Catherine Flynn

Synopsis

In all fields of contemporary social work, practitioners need the skills to effectively consume, produce and apply research knowledge, to ensure that actions are based on appropriate and critiqued evidence. Research is a powerful intervention tool through which change can be achieved with individuals, groups and communities.

This unit is offered as part of the core requirements of the professional association, the AASW. Social work research is seen to be informed by a clear value base and driven to deliver socially constructive outcomes. The unit will explore research processes, presenting a structured approach to the implementation of a research proposal.

There will be particular emphasis on research in practice: program evaluation, needs analyses and program development; as well as the ethical underpinnings of all research. The overall aim of this unit is to encourage students to become critically reflective, research minded practitioners, who contribute in an ongoing way to the knowledge base of the profession.

Outcomes

Discuss the contributions of research to the wider social work skill and knowledge base and to socially constructive outcomes
Articulate the most common research methods evident in social work research and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the different research methods that can be applied to social work
Critically analyse key approaches to social work practice research
Demonstrate the knowledge required to evaluate and choose relevant research methods for a range of social work research projects
Critically evaluate existing research literature, especially in terms of research design
Design a social work practice research project that meets rigorous and evidence-based design principles
Identify the ethical issues that need to be considered with respect to the conduct of human research projects

Assessment

1. A review of the available research in a specific field of social work practice (40%)
2. A research proposal in the chosen field, including research significance, aims, methodology, sampling procedures, data collection and analysis and ethical issues (2500 words). (60%)

Chief examiner(s)

Dr Catherine Flynn

Contact hours

The unit runs for 12 weeks. On-campus students are expected to undertake 156 hours per semester study. Students are expected to use their study time to attend on-campus lectures and workshops, undertake the weekly unit tasks as set out in the Unit Outline, including readings and to complete two assignment tasks.

Off-campus attendance requirements

Off-campus students are expected to undertake 156 hours per semester study. Students are expected to complete weekly reading and other online tasks such contribution to an online discussion group; and to complete two assignment tasks.

Prerequisites

SWM5100, SWM5101, SWM5102, SWM5104

Co-requisites

None

Prohibitions