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Session: 2022/23

Last modified: 12/10/2022 14:34:19

Title of Module: Directly Assessed Practice

Code: SWRK09005 SCQF Level: 9
(Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework)
Credit Points: 60 ECTS: 30
(European Credit Transfer Scheme)
School:School of Education & Social Sciences
Module Co-ordinator:S  Grant

Summary of Module

This module represents the first assessed practice learning opportunity for the undergraduate qualifying award in Social Work. Students are required to demonstrate competence in all aspects of the Social Work process. This will require students to demonstrate an ability to coherently and systematically integrate relevant skills and knowledge within a framework of critical analysis and reflection in both their practice setting and academic coursework.

Whilst on placement, students will work under the supervision of a practice teacher, or a person undertaking training as a practice teacher who will be supervised by a practice assessor. The practice teacher, university tutor, and any link worker will constitute the learning team.

  • A specified period of practice placement within a professional Social Work or associated context to provide the student with an opportunity to meet the Standards in Social Work Education

  • Day to day professional learning, support and assessment on placement from accredited practice teaching staff

  • Scheduled university sessions to support learning on placement and to prepare students for assessment


Module Delivery Method
Face-To-FaceBlendedFully OnlineHybridCHybridOWork-based Learning
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Face-To-Face
Term used to describe the traditional classroom environment where the students and the lecturer meet synchronously in the same room for the whole provision.

Blended
A mode of delivery of a module or a programme that involves online and face-to-face delivery of learning, teaching and assessment activities, student support and feedback. A programme may be considered “blended” if it includes a combination of face-to-face, online and blended modules. If an online programme has any compulsory face-to-face and campus elements it must be described as blended with clearly articulated delivery information to manage student expectations

Fully Online
Instruction that is solely delivered by web-based or internet-based technologies. This term is used to describe the previously used terms distance learning and e learning.

HybridC
Online with mandatory face-to-face learning on Campus

HybridO
Online with optional face-to-face learning on Campus

Work-based Learning
Learning activities where the main location for the learning experience is in the workplace.


Campus(es) for Module Delivery
The module will normally be offered on the following campuses / or by Distance/Online Learning: (Provided viable student numbers permit)
Paisley:Ayr:Dumfries:Lanarkshire:London:Distance/Online Learning:Other:
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Term(s) for Module Delivery
(Provided viable student numbers permit).
Term 1

 

Term 2check markTerm 3

 

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Learning Outcomes: (maximum of 5 statements)

On successful completion of this module the student will be able to:

L1. Demonstrate developing professional competence in Social Work practice by meeting all 6 practice standards contained in the Standards of Social Work Education published by the Scottish Social Services Council of August 2019

L2. Demonstrate professional and academic competence in social work practice at level 9 through the application of theory to social work practice, demonstrating also that anti-oppressive practice and self-awareness are informing practice throughout the length of the whole social work process.

L3. Produce work in accordance with academic and professional conventions.

Employability Skills and Personal Development Planning (PDP) Skills
SCQF Headings During completion of this module, there will be an opportunity to achieve core skills in:
Knowledge and Understanding (K and U) SCQF Level 9.


Students will be required to develop a comprehensive understanding of social work knowledge, theory and practice, including an understanding of international and global perspectives on social work.

Students will be required to critically reflect upon the ethical dilemmas that they are likely to encounter in practice, together with the range of theoretical and practical approaches available from which to base particular assessments, interventions and evaluation.

Students will be required to demonstrate a generic understanding of social work practice.

Students will be required to demonstrate a knowledge of and ability to apply research findings in order to promote evidence-based practice.

Practice: Applied Knowledge and Understanding SCQF Level 9.


Students will be required to develop a comprehensive range of social work skills in order to facilitate effective and ethical practice.

Students will be required to undertake a comprehensive practice study, which will require reflection and critical analysis on the part of the student regarding their ability to work in accordance with the social work process.

Students will require to demonstrate the application of a range of theories to inform their understanding of people, their situations and their own practice.

Generic Cognitive skills SCQF Level 9.


Students will be given the opportunity and required to demonstrate the ability to purposefully engage in reflection and critical analysis using a range of tools to apply their learning to practice.

Communication, ICT and Numeracy Skills SCQF Level 9.


Students will be expected to demonstrate communication and interpersonal skills in their practice with a range of service users and with colleagues and other professionals.

Students will be required to draw upon a range of ICT skills including accessing electronic databases in order to search for and retrieve relevant research.

Students will be required to use appropriate computer software to produce their written submissions to a high standard.

Autonomy, Accountability and Working with others SCQF Level 9.

Students will be required to demonstrate that they have reached a sufficient level to be regarded as competent practitioners at level 9. This will necessitate that students can demonstrate the ability to use their initiative in making judgments in complex and challenging situations, while also making appropriate use of available resources such as supervision both formal and informal.

Students will be required to demonstrate a clear understanding of their role and purpose within their particular practice learning setting and relate this to the broader aims and purpose of social work practice.

Students will demonstrate that they have been able to effectively assess, intervene and then evaluate their work with service users in order to promote effective processes of change based on the assessment of need, rights, strengths and risk.

Students will need to show an awareness of an ability to work within complex ethical dilemmas, whilst at all times working in accordance with the Code of Practice of the Scottish Social Services Council.

Pre-requisites: Before undertaking this module the student should have undertaken the following:
Module Code:
Module Title:
Other:Completion of all previous modules within this programme, in order to comply with the Readiness for Assessed Practice Requirements of the Scottish Social Services Council.
Co-requisitesModule Code:
Module Title:

* Indicates that module descriptor is not published.

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Learning and Teaching
Practice teachers, who will typically be qualified social workers are trained in the education and support of students. Practice teachers have a remit of ensuring that students receive regular supervision, support, guidance and instruction in relevant practice related and theoretical concepts. Practice teachers also have a particular responsibility to assist students to develop the ability to critically reflect upon and analyse their practice.

The modules that students complete prior to undertaking this placement are intended to directly support students in successfully completing this particular module. The content of this module is intended to promote personal and professional development. During the course of this module students will receive on-going support from UWS staff to acquire and develop an appropriate range of personal, professional and academic competencies to equip them for professional practice.

Please note: this module requires students to contribute more than the standard number of Student Learning Hours for a 60 credit module (i.e. 600 hours). The 85-day placement requires 595 hours of practice-based learning, on top of which students will be expected to attend scheduled learning events and complete assessment activity. The grid below makes this clear.
Learning Activities
During completion of this module, the learning activities undertaken to achieve the module learning outcomes are stated below:
Student Learning Hours
(Normally totalling 200 hours):
(Note: Learning hours include both contact hours and hours spent on other learning activities)
Practice Based Learning595
Tutorial/Synchronous Support Activity5
Independent Study50
650 Hours Total

**Indicative Resources: (eg. Core text, journals, internet access)

The following materials form essential underpinning for the module content and ultimately for the learning outcomes:


Lishman, J. (2015) Handbook for Practice Learning in Social Work and Social Care: Knowledge and Theory (3rd ed.). London: Jessica Kingsley


Lomax, R. and Jones, K. (2014) Surviving Your Social Work Placement. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan


Milner J. and O’Byrne, P. (2009) Assessment in Social Work. (3rd ed.). Basingstoke: Palgrave MacMillan


Payne, M. (2020) How to Use Social Work Theory in Practice and Essential Guide. Policy Press.


Trevithick, P. (2012) Social Work Skills and Knowledge: A Practice Handbook (3rd ed). Berkshire: Open University Press

(**N.B. Although reading lists should include current publications, students are advised (particularly for material marked with an asterisk*) to wait until the start of session for confirmation of the most up-to-date material)

Engagement Requirements

In line with the Academic Engagement Procedure, Students are defined as academically engaged if they are regularly engaged with timetabled teaching sessions, course-related learning resources including those in the Library and on the relevant learning platform, and complete assessments and submit these on time. Please refer to the Academic Engagement Procedure at the following link: Academic engagement procedure

Where a module has Professional, Statutory or Regulatory Body requirements these will be listed here:
In line with the Academic Engagement and Attendance Procedure, Students are defined as academically engaged if they are regularly engaged with timetabled teaching sessions, course-related learning resources including those in the Library and on Moodle, and complete assessments and submit these on time. Please refer to the Academic Engagement and Attendance Procedure at the following link: Academic engagement and attendance procedure.

For the purposes of this module, academic engagement equates to the following:

All full-time students (part-time and distant learning students should check with their programme leader for any queries) are required to attend all scheduled classes and participate with all delivered elements of the module as part of their engagement with their programme of study. Consideration will be given to students who have protection under the appropriate equality law. Please refer to UWS Regulations, Chapter 1, 1.64 – 1.67, available at the following link: http://www.uws.ac.uk/current-students/rights-and-regulations/regulatory-framework/

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Supplemental Information

Programme BoardPsychology & Social Work
Assessment Results (Pass/Fail) No
Subject PanelUg/Pg Social Work & CDAS
ModeratorL Nuttall
External ExaminerL Smith
Accreditation DetailsSCCC
Version Number

1.02

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Assessment: (also refer to Assessment Outcomes Grids below)
Summative assessment 1 is the student presentation of consistent evidence to their practice teacher that they have met all Standards in Social Work Education. The outcome is determined by the Practice Teacher and is a designated as Pass/Fail with no marks awarded.
Summative assessment 2 makes up 100% of the overall module mark and consists of a critically reflective practice study in which students are required to demonstrate professional competence in social work practice at level 9. The practice study will need to demonstrate that the student’s practice is being appropriately underpinned by relevant theory, research, ethical / anti-oppressive practice and self-awareness are informing practice throughout the length of the social work process

Please note that no separate timetabled contact hours apply to the assessments in this module; both assessments directly relate to the work that students undertake during their placement.
(N.B. (i) Assessment Outcomes Grids for the module (one for each component) can be found below which clearly demonstrate how the learning outcomes of the module will be assessed.
(ii) An indicative schedule listing approximate times within the academic calendar when assessment is likely to feature will be provided within the Student Handbook.)

Assessment Outcome Grids (Footnote A.)

Component 1
Assessment Type (Footnote B.) Learning Outcome (1) Learning Outcome (2) Learning Outcome (3) Weighting (%) of Assessment ElementTimetabled Contact Hours
Portfolio of written workcheck mark  00

Component 2
Assessment Type (Footnote B.) Learning Outcome (1) Learning Outcome (2) Learning Outcome (3) Weighting (%) of Assessment ElementTimetabled Contact Hours
Case study check markcheck mark1000
Combined Total For All Components100% 0 hours

Footnotes
A. Referred to within Assessment Section above
B. Identified in the Learning Outcome Section above

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Note(s):
  1. More than one assessment method can be used to assess individual learning outcomes.
  2. Schools are responsible for determining student contact hours. Please refer to University Policy on contact hours (extract contained within section 10 of the Module Descriptor guidance note).
    This will normally be variable across Schools, dependent on Programmes &/or Professional requirements.

Equality and Diversity
Aligned with the overall commitment to equality and diversity stated in the Programme Specifications, the module supports equality of opportunity for students from all backgrounds and with different learning needs. Using Moodle, learning materials will be presented electronically in formats that allow flexible access and manipulation of content (part-time and distant learning students should check with their programme leader for any queries). The module complies with University regulations and guidance on inclusive learning and teaching practice. Specialist assistive equipment, support provision and adjustment to assessment practice will be made in accordance with UWS policy and regulations. The University’s Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy can be accessed at the following link: http://www.uws.ac.uk/equality/

Our partners are fully committed to the principles and practice of inclusiveness and our modules are designed to be accessible to all. Where this module is delivered overseas, local equivalent support for students and appropriate legislation applies.

UWS Equality and Diversity Policy
(N.B. Every effort will be made by the University to accommodate any equality and diversity issues brought to the attention of the School)

2014 University of the West of Scotland

University of the West of Scotland is a Registered Scottish Charity.

Charity number SC002520.