THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTINSCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORKSOCIAL WORK IN THE RURAL ENVIRONMENTI. Course DescriptionII. Course ObjectivesIII. Teaching MethodsIV. Required and Recommended Texts, and MaterialsV. Course RequirementsVI. Class PoliciesVII. Course ScheduleTHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK Course Number: SW 360K SW 395K Instructor’s name:Cal Streeter Unique Number: 64798 65167 Co-Instructor’s name: Donna Aguiniga Semester: Spring 2008 Office Number: 3.130G Meeting Time/Place: M 11:30-2:30 Room. 2.122 Office Phone: 512.471.0543 Office Hours: M 9:30am-11:30am and by appointment SOCIAL WORK IN THE RURAL ENVIRONMENT I. Course Description This course will develop social workers who are knowledgeable about the unique challenges of rural social work practice. Approximately twenty-five percent of Americans reside in a rural environment. Social workers who provide services to these rural residents often have roles and responsibilities that differ from urban expectations. This course examines the prevailing theories of rural social work practice, historical and current trends experienced by rural residents and practitioners, and issues of diversity and social and economic justice related to rural life. II. Course Objectives 1. Demonstrate familiarity with the nature of rural social work practice and the theoretical concepts upon which it is based. 2. Critically analyze issues related to social work values and ethics involved in working with rural communities and rural residents. 3. Explore and analyze the nature of social problems in rural communities and how the service delivery system differs from that of an urban setting. 4. Identify issues of cultural diversity and social and economic justice in relation to rural traditions, heritage and practices. 5. Demonstrate familiarity with the characteristics of individuals and families, groups, communities and organizations specific to rural environments. 6. Demonstrate an ability to apply theoretical concepts related to rural practice in regards to social work assessment, practice, policy, and evaluation. III. Teaching Methods - 1 -A variety of teaching methods will be used, including lecture, discussion, exercises, guest speakers, student presentations, and videos. During some class sessions, a student will be responsible for leading the discussion. However, all students are expected to ask questions, share experiences, and actively participate in class discussions. IV. Required and Recommended Texts, and Materials Ginsberg, L.H. (Ed.). (2005). Social work in rural communities, 4th ed. Alexandria, VA: Council on Social Work Education. Scales, T.L. & Streeter, C.L. (Eds.). (2004). Rural social work: Building and sustaining community assets. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole. Other readings and their availability are included in the course schedule. V. Course Requirements Course requirements will consist of class attendance and participation, a mid-term exam, an article presentation and a major group project. Regular class attendance is expected and students should come to class prepared to actively participate in the class discussions. The course assignments are explained below. However, sometimes students still have questions about the assignments. If this is the case, please feel free to ask for clarification at any time during the course. Students may ask for clarification on an individual basis or they can ask questions at the beginning of each class session. Points Due Date Class Attendance and Participation 25 ongoing Article Presentation 25 as assigned Midterm Examination 50 March 3rd Community Mapping Assignment History and Demographics 25 Interviews or Community Map 25 Community Presentation 50 April 30th Final, Integrated Report (all 5 sections) 75 Individual Grade Based on Contribution 25 May 5th Class Attendance and Participation Attendance and participation are important for effective learning. This means that students are expected to not only attend class but to actively participate in class discussions. In addition, there may be small in-class writing assignments (½ to 1 page) or brief homework assignments which will count towards class participation. These assignments cannot be made up. Students are expected to arrive to class on time. If a student is unable to attend class, it is appropriate for a student to notify the instructor. This part of the grade will be determined by class attendance, participation in discussions and completion of the in-class and homework assignments. Article Presentation - 2 -Each student will choose one class session for which they will be responsible for critiquing the readings. The student will prepare a brief (1-2 pages) handout outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the articles to be distributed to the class. This handout is not to be a summary of the articles but rather a thoughtful critique of their contribution to the group’s understanding of rural social work issues. The student will then lead the class discussion about the assigned readings. Students may not reschedule article presentations unless they have an approved emergency. Midterm Examination A midterm examination will be given on March 3rd. The exam will consist of short answer and/or essay questions about topics covered in the first half of the course. Students may not reschedule the examination unless they have an approved emergency. Group Community Mapping Assignment In groups of three or four, students will map a rural Texas community. Students will be responsible for conducting interviews and researching the history and demographics of the community and social service organizations in the community. Students will then be asked to apply their knowledge of the community to a case scenario and to creating recommendations for the community regarding social service needs. Groups will submit sections of the written report in three stages: the history and demographics of the community, either a synopsis and analysis of the interviews or a detailed community map with analysis, and a final, integrated written report which has all five sections (including any necessary revisions to previously submitted sections) of the