Social Work

Activity Assignment

This assignment consists of six parts and is worth 25 per cent of your final mark.

Assignment 3.1

Activity 3: Deconstruction, Resistance, and Reconstruction

Introduction

The following questions are provided in an assignment template file. Please enter your responses directly into it.

In Activity 2, you began the process of deconstructing a situation using a human services framework. This required you to understand your own assumptions behind your initial thoughts and then consider alternate ways of looking at the situation.

The next stage in critical reflection is to identify your resistance to seeing the situation from a different perspective; and to identify the challenges that you have doing that. In the example in Activity 2, many people initially respond that the young woman should be allowed to go to university. This typically comes from a Euro-Canadian perspective that values independence and freedom of choice. It also comes from a perspective that education provides an opportunity for success and in many cases, there is a feminist perspective that girls should have the same opportunities as boys.

Resistance can occur at many levels. From a power perspective, it might be difficult to understand that in some cultures the value of helping the family has a higher value than that of education. In some cultures, going against the cultural and social norms may be considered shaming, and so I need to be aware of my own social location and that of the young woman. I may have resistance to the idea because I may believe that immigrants should take on the values of Canada, which include the value of autonomy. In all these areas, and other areas, I must challenge my pre-existing ways of thinking about the situation.

As I work through my personal resistance and challenge, I have to create a new discourse, or a new perception, which will be followed by a different action (whether that is a thought, statement, or question to the young woman). The new discourse becomes the reconstruction of the situation.

It is important to remember that this process is internal to ourselves; it is based on our initial perception (which requires self-awareness) and then a deconstruction of our self-knowledge in order to analyze and examine our thinking which will impact our behaviour.

Instructions

1. Using the same situation from Activity 2:

“An individual is bright and highly capable of attending college, but comes from an immigrant family that is poor and unable to provide the means to pursue higher education. She wants to attend a university to better herself, but she feels that it is her duty to remain at home, where she can work and help provide for her family.”

Complete the following table. Note that you may have many of the points of deconstruction from Activity 2.

2. David’s situation:

A young, bright, affluent gay male, David, wishes to pursue an education in theology, with the ultimate goal of entering the ministry. However, because of heterosexism, he is not able to practice his lifestyle openly. Ultimately, he may be barred from becoming a minister or priest. Although he has the ability, the means, and the desire, circumstance may prevent him from reaching his goal.

Remembering that you are not being asked to provide your personal opinion, what you would do in the same situation or what would you want to do, go through the process of (1) Deconstructing your self-awareness, (2) Identifying your resistance and challenges to different ways of thinking and (3) Reconstructing your perceptions using the dimensions of power, context, diversity and discourse used in human service critical thinking.

Please fill out this table complete and appropriate.

Rubric for Assignment 3.1

Assignment 3.2

Activity 4: Ethical Decision Making and Ethical dilemmas

Introduction

As we are seeing, ethical decision making can be complex. In some situations, there is a clear action to be undertaken; however, in other situations there may be a conflict between two competing values. The O’Hara text, on pages 26-27, provides a framework for ethical decision making.

Instructions

1. Refer to Chapter 2 of “ Skills for Human Service Practice”.
2. View the next three video clips: Ricki, Mary, and Theresa as they describe ethical dilemmas they have experienced.

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3. In your Learning Journal, respond to the following questions:

• For each of the ethical dilemmas Mary and Ricki describe, think about how you would have reacted in the situation. How would you deal with the issue of co-workers breaking confidentiality in the lunchroom (first clip with Ricki)? What role did power play in this ethical issue and in all the other ethical issues? What strategies for support or consultation did Ricki use? What else could he have identified?
• Theresa describes the relationship between confidentiality and boundaries with clients. What are some of the dangers of social networking sites with respect to boundaries and confidentiality? How might you handle a situation where a client asked you to be on Facebook?

Assignment Activity: Ethical decision making

Using the Reamer’s (1999) ethical decision-making framework found on pages 26-27, work through one of the dilemmas identified by Ricki, Mary or Theresa.

Rubric for Assignment 3.2

Assignment 3.3

Activity 3: SOAP Recordings – A & P

Introduction

In this activity, we will consider the A. and the P. and practice it.

The “A” refers to Assessment Information. This section refers to the professional’s conceptualization or conclusions derived from reviewing the subjective and objective information. Remember it is NOT personal opinion, but professional opinion, based on the information and your knowledge.

An example of the “A” in a client recording would be:

Family does not have enough money for food. Mrs. Brown is probably eligible for food stamps. Much of her disorganization is due to her anxiety about losing children to foster care, which is, in turn related to her own experience in foster care. She fears that accepting welfare will label her as a “bad parent.”

The “P” refers to the Plan and spells out how the professional intends to address or resolve the specific problem.

An example of the “P” in a client recording would be:

Need to support Mrs. Brown’s application for food stamps and show her that application is a way to be a “good mother” under these very trying circumstances. Need to assure her that agency has no plans to place her children. Begin effort to help Mrs. B find higher-paying job. Complete food stamp application by 5/25.

Instructions

1. It is now time to practice writing the “A” and the “P” of client recording.
2. Watch again: Social Work Interview Role Play – Fiona Mc.
3. On the client recording sheet you started in Activity 2, complete the SOAP by writing out the “A” and the “P,” clearly identifying the two sections.

Rubric for Assignment 3.3

Assignment 3.4

Activity 1: Practicing SOAP Recording

Introduction

By now, you should start feeling more comfortable with the SOAP recording, and have received feedback from the Open Learning Faculty Member. This activity is a final opportunity to put all the feedback you received into practice.

Instructions

1. View: Motivational Interviewing—Good Example – Alan Lyme at:

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2. Write a SOAP client recording, and submit it to your Open Learning Faculty Member. This will be the last SOAP recording that will contribute to your final grade.

Rubric for Assignment 3.4

Assignment 3.5

Activity 2: Providing Feedback

Introduction

Giving and receiving feedback is an important component of our ongoing professional development. In both cases, it is important to remember that the feedback is simply one person’s perception, based on their knowledge and experience. When providing feedback to other people, it is important to be as specific as possible. In addition, a good rule of thumb is to provide at least two specific areas of strength, and then one suggestion of something you might have done differently. In receiving feedback, it is important to be open to receiving it in a non-defensive way. We all have blind spots and so receiving feedback can open these up. However, any change you make based on the feedback is absolutely within your control.

Instructions

1. Read pages 85, 218 & 219 of the O’Hara text “Skills for Human Services Practice”
2. View the first minute of Presentation skills—How to improve your presentations, a YouTube video:

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Try to stop the video at 55 seconds and forego watching the rest.

3. Using the information you have learned in this lesson on verbal and non-verbal communication, and organization/structure of the presentation, write out the feedback that you would provide to “Laura.

Rubric for Assignment 3.5

Assignment 3.6

Activity 3: Self-Reflection on a 2-minute Impromptu Speech

Introduction

In this activity, you are asked to complete a two-minute impromptu speech. Following the speech, you will listen to it and provide feedback to yourself.

Instructions

1. Identify six themes about which someone could do an impromptu speech. These could include your last holiday, your favourite teacher or coach, a hobby of yours, a recent movie you saw or a Netflix binge you had, etc.
2. Once you have identified the themes, write them on different pieces of paper.
3. Draw one of these pieces of paper randomly from an envelope or jar. Give yourself one minute (time it) to think about what you are going to say.
4. Then using a timer, deliver your two-minute impromptu speech, recording it as you give it. Write down the speech here.
5. Following the completion of your speech, watch your video and write a self-reflection, using the feedback process we have been discussing in this lesson. Remember to include what you might do differently next time to improve your presentation.

Rubric for Assignment 3.6