Section 570, Tuesday, 1:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Section 571, Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.

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1 SOCIAL WORK 4415A: Organizational Context of Practice FALL Michelle McIntyre, Instructor FACULTY INFORMATION Office Location: LH219 Phone: Office Hours: Tuesday, 12:30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Or by appointment Class Meeting Times: Section 570, Tuesday, 1:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Section 571, Tuesday, 8:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m. Room: LH220 Room: LH220 CALENDAR DESCRIPTION An examination of the agency as the context for professional practice. Provides an overview of various organizational structures and processes, and considers such work-related topics as supervision, employee motivation, organizational culture, life-long learning, and worker stress and professional burn out. Antirequisite(s): The former Social Work 410, 445a/b and 472a/b. Prerequisite(s): All third-year Social Work courses. COURSE DESCRIPTION The human service organization is examined as the context of professional social work practice, highlighting key functions such as organizational structure, service delivery, governance and accountability, and culture. The course provides an introduction to and overview of selected theoretical perspectives, research findings and issues found in an organizational context. The focus of the course is on applying these theories and concepts to human service organizations. LEARNING OUTCOMES Specific At the conclusion of this course students will be able to: Identify and define concepts relating to organizational behaviour in human service organizations. Analyze a human service organization with respect to the formal and informal structure, the accountability system and the inter-organizational relationship negotiated by the agency. Appreciate the various roles, ambiguities and conflicts experienced by the salaried professional within the context of an organization. Understand the need to develop a career development plan by the salaried professional within the context of an organization.

2 SW4415A Course Outline Page 2 METHODS The course will be taught through lectures, discussion, case studies, guest speakers and student presentations. Students will be expected to be able to discuss the assigned readings for each of the topics. COURSE WEBSITE - OWL The course website ( is accessible to all students registered in this course. It contains the course outline (syllabus), announcements, and other course resource material. The OWL may be used for in-class communication, discussion boards, tests, quizzes, posting of lecture materials, etc., at the instructor s discretion. EVALUATION 1. Presentation: Students are divided into small groups and are required to prepare and present a staff development workshop to their classmates on a topic of organizational importance. Each group will include between 3 to 5 people. The presentation will be 75 minutes in length. During these 75 minutes, please ensure there is time for class discussion. Presentation style can vary from one group to the next. Some might want to combine class discussion with formal presentation. Each group is encouraged to use any media which the group members conclude best conveys the content of their presentation. Each group member will be expected to participate in the group s presentation. Students shall present their work in a professional manner that invites discussion and comment from their peers. Each group will prepare and submit to the instructor, at least seven days before the presentation, an outline (maximum two pages, double spaced and typed) of the names of the presenters, title, format, and content of the presentation. Presentations will be evaluated by the instructor according to an evaluation format provided in advance of the presentation. Due: Dates to be assigned in class Mark: 20% 2. Mid-Term Exam: Students will complete an in-class, mid-term exam. This exam will be comprised of short answer questions and will be designed to assess the student s knowledge of course content and the ability to apply this content to human service organizations. Due: Tuesday, October 18, 2016 Mark: 30% 3. Major Paper: Students will write one major paper that demonstrates the student s ability to apply the knowledge learned in class to a human service organization of their choice. The major paper will give students an opportunity to critically assess an organization and make recommendations on how the organizational context could be changed to create a more effective and efficient practice. Requirements of the paper will be provided to students not later than the fourth week of the class. The page length for the paper should not exceed 3,000 words. Papers are to be word processed, singled sided, double spaced, 12 font size, one inch margins on all sides, and with APA format for referencing. Due: Tuesday, December 6, 2016 (in class) Mark: 40% 4. Contributions to Learning: Students are assessed on their continuous contributions to learning, which includes meaningful contribution to learning in class exercises and discussions. Drawing from the readings is of high value, applications and examples are also welcome. Due: N/A Mark: 10%

3 SW4415A Course Outline Page 3 TEXTBOOK Organizational Context of Practice, M1101. Western Bookstore. SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTBOOK Weinbach, R.W (2011). The Social Worker as Manager: A Practical Guide to Success (6th ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson Education Canada. (On Reserve in Cardinal Carter Library) COURSE SCHEDULE Week 1 September 13 Week 2 September 20 Introduction To review course content and expectations To set up housekeeping rules for a safe and respectful learning class environment To prepare for group presentations Bureaucracy To understand the phenomenon of bureaucracy and its impact on social work practice Manning S.S. Bureaucracy: Theories and forms with moral implications Weinbach. R. W. (2011). Defining and Describing Management, Chapter 1 and Historical Origins of Current Approaches to management, Chapter 3. Week 3 September 27 Organization Structure To examine alternative structural forms for organizations Mintzberg, H. The five basic parts of the organization. Morgan, G. From bureaucracies to networks: The emergence of new organizational forms. Week 4 October 4 Organizational Technology To understand the concept of service technology To gain an appreciation for the role that domain description and boundary control play in the definition of client problems and the distribution of services in a community Hansenfel, Y. Organizational technology.

4 SW4415A Course Outline Page 4 Greenley & Kirk. Organizational characteristics of agencies and the distribution of services to clients. Week 5 October 11 Leadership (ONLINE LECTURE) To explore different motivational and leadership theories and their applicability to human service organizations Fischer. Motivation and Leadership in Social Work Management () Julien, Wright, and Zinni. Stories from the circle: Leadership lessons learned from aboriginal leaders. Kouzes, J.M. Leadership is everyone s business Week 6 October 18 Week 7 October 25 Mid-Term Exam Culture in the Workplace Group Presentation #1 To understand the concepts of organizational climate and culture, and appreciate how they influence behaviour in organizations Week 8 November 1 Manning S. S. Organizational culture: The tangled web of understanding. O Donnell, MacIntosh and Wuest. A theoretical understanding of sickness absence among women who have experienced workplace bullying. Team Building Group Presentation #2 To appreciate the importance of teamwork in human service delivery and consider ways to make a positive contribution as a member of a team Brody,R. Team building and coalition building. Week 9 November 9 Governance and Group Presentation #3 To discuss the governance of human service organizations and consider the role of an agency s Board of Directors Lohmann & Lohmann. Governance issues: Boards and directorates (on OWL)

5 SW4415A Course Outline Page 5 Week 10 November 15 Organizational Change To consider barriers and problems that can arise from conflicting views of change Gibelman. Coping with change. Ford. Stop Blaming Resistance to Change and Start Using It. (on OWL) Seijts and Crim. What engages employees the most or, the Ten C s of employee engagement. (on OWL) Week 11 November 22 Week 12 November 29 Group Presentation #4 and #5 Review of Key Theoretical Concepts Group Presentation #6 To review key theoretical concepts discussed in class and explore their applicability to students final major papers Week 13 December 6 Passion and Zeal Objective: To understand the challenges of maintaining enthusiasm and idealism in human service settings Maintaining Missionary zeal : A student perspective on idealism in social work practice (Chapman) POLICIES Attendance SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK ATTENDANCE POLICY 1. Attendance is expected in all BSW and MSW professional Social Work courses. Unnecessary absences are a disservice to yourself, as much of the material covered in classes is not readily available elsewhere; to the profession, whose image is enhanced or diminished by the behavior and performance of its members; and to your future clients, who trust that you were conscientious in your studies in order to maximize your understanding of a professional helping response to their presenting human needs. 2. Ideally, students will attend all class sessions. Failure to attend classes or seminars may constitute a ground for the instructor to refuse to evaluate and grade final papers or other marked course assignment submissions. In this manner, the right to submit work for evaluation is conditional upon regular class attendance and participation in class discussions and/or exercises. An instructor has the authority to refuse to evaluate all or part of a student s work where attendance has not been regular. Regular is defined as having no more than two absences from class.

6 SW4415A Course Outline Page 6 3. If a student must be absent for whatever reason, it is expected that they contact the instructor and inform them of the absence before class if possible, or as soon as possible thereafter. This communication is the level of professional behavior expected of social workers in the workplace. 4. If a student is absent too frequently from class in any course the instructor will inform the Manager of Academic and Administrative Affairs of these absences. This will occur after two student absence occurrences. Once informed, the Manager of Academic and Administrative Affairs, will meet with the student to discuss the absences and coordinate program planning to better meet student and program needs. At this time, the student absences may also be brought to the attention of and discussed with the Director of the School of Social Work or the Graduate Program Coordinator for further input and collaboration. Grade Adjustment for Late Assignments Failure to meet deadlines without prior permission of the Instructor will result in a reduction of marks. Marks for papers/assignments received after the due date will be reduced by 2% per day (including weekends) to a maximum of 5 days, after which time the assignment will not be accepted. ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATION Academic accommodation can refer to missed classes, tests/exams or deadlines for written work. Students who request academic accommodation based on medical or compassionate grounds for course work/assignments/tests worth 10% or less of the overall grade should consult their Instructor directly. Your instructor will advise you of their policy with respect to work worth 10% or less of the course grade. Students who request a due date extension based on medical or compassionate grounds for course work or written assignments worth more than 10% of the overall grade should proceed as follows: Short Term Extensions for Non-Medical Reasons: The request for a short term extension (5 days or less) for non-medical reasons is to be made to the Instructor in writing ( is fine) and will be replied to in writing by the Instructor (again is fine). The form of documentation is determined by the Instructor. If an extension is warranted the Instructor will indicate in the the revised due date for the assignment. All Other Requests for Extensions: Medical Grounds, Other Grounds Requiring Documentations, Extensions Past Five Days: Students requesting an extension for medical reasons or an extension in excess of five days for nonmedical reasons will be asked to alert their Instructor that they will be seeking an extension and make an appointment to meet with an Academic Counsellor. In most cases this would be Samantha Pearson. Alternatively an undergraduate student could choose to meet with an Academic Counsellor from the Academic Dean s office. The choice is up to the student. A student s request for an extension will be reviewed by the counselor based on appropriate documentation. Those students who are requesting an extension for medical reasons will be asked to provide a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) which may be found at: After discussion between the student and the counsellor, the counsellor will advise the faculty member if the student is experiencing difficulties that warrant academic accommodation, and direct the student to the faculty member to negotiate an accommodation. If the faculty member agrees to an extension, the details (including new due date) are to be provided to the student in writing ( ). A copy of this correspondence is sent to the Director to alert them to the possibility of a student in academic difficulty.

7 SW4415A Course Outline Page 7 Western Policy on Accommodation: Documentation/Confidentiality: ALL supporting documentation (medical or otherwise) should be submitted to the Academic Counsellor who will then advise the instructor(s) involved that appropriate documentation has been received and that accommodation is warranted. It is at the student s discretion to reveal, or not, further details of the situation. Incompletes and Special Exams An Incomplete or Special Exam involves a formal accommodation which is recommended by an academic counsellor to the instructor, based upon a student s documented situation. The conditions of the Incomplete/Special Exam are negotiated between the student and the instructor and must be approved by the Director and the Academic Dean. Once approved, a grade of INC or SPC is submitted for the student until such time as the conditions of the Incomplete/Special Exam are fulfilled. a) Incompletes/Special Exams must be requested by the student in writing, with supporting documentation if appropriate provided to the Academic Counsellor, and arrangements for the completion of course work negotiated in writing between the professor and the student. b) If on the due date, the Director does not receive a grade revision or a request for a further extension due to medical or compassionate reasons, the Director forwards an automatic "F" to the Dean. The Director will do this by 4:00 p.m. the day following the due date. c) In cases where a further extension is requested, additional documentation/rationale must be provided and a revised Incomplete Form submitted. The Director must approve the extension. If this further deadline is not met, the granting of an "F" is automatic. Missed Tests or Examinations Students who do not attend a test or examination for non-medical or non-emergency reasons will not be permitted to take a makeup test or examination, nor will the term mark be re-weighted in any fashion in order to accommodate missed examinations. However, students who have a legitimate emergency, medical or otherwise, and who miss a test or examination worth 10% or more of the term grade will be asked to alert their Instructor that they will be seeking accommodation and make an appointment to meet with an Academic Counselor. In most cases this would be Samantha Pearson. Alternatively an undergraduate student could choose to meet with an Academic Counselor from the Academic Dean s office. The choice is up to the student. The student s request to write a makeup test/exam will be reviewed by the counselor based on appropriate documentation. Those students who are requesting an accommodation for medical reasons will be asked to provide a Student Medical Certificate (SMC) which may be found at: After discussion between the student and the counsellor, the counsellor will advise the faculty member if the student is experiencing difficulties that warrant academic accommodation, and direct the student to the faculty member to negotiate an accommodation. If the faculty member agrees to a makeup test/exam, the details (including new due date) are to be provided to the student in writing ( ). A copy of this correspondence is sent to the Director to alert her to the possibility of a student in academic difficulty. For exams or tests worth less than 10% of the term grade, students should consult their professor. Only

8 SW4415A Course Outline Page 8 students for whom emergency circumstances prevented their completion of a test/examination will be eligible for accommodation by the professor. Remembrance Day Two minutes of silence should be observed on November 11th at 11:00 a.m. throughout the University and that, where this is not possible, two minutes of silence will be observed between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. Students should be permitted to be absent from class to attend a Remembrance Day Service, provided the Instructor is informed in advance of the intended absence. Students who miss an exam, test or other evaluation as a result of attending a Remembrance Day service will have grounds for academic accommodation. Academic Offences King s is committed to Academic Integrity Scholastic offences are taken seriously and students are directed to read the appropriate policy, specifically, the definition of what constitutes a Scholastic Offence, at the following website: All required papers may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to the commercial plagiarism detection software under license to the University for the detection of plagiarism. All papers submitted for such checking will be included as source documents in the reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of papers subsequently submitted to the system. Use of the service is subject to the licensing agreement, currently between The University of Western Ontario and Turnitin.com ( Computer-marked multiple-choice tests and/or exams may be subject to submission for similarity review by software that will check for unusual coincidences in answer patterns that may indicate cheating. Unless otherwise noted by your instructor, the following policies are in effect: Statement on Use of Electronic Devices Use of Electronic Devices You are not allowed to have a cell phone, or any other electronic device, with you during tests or examinations. Use of Laptops in the Classroom King s University College at the University of Western Ontario acknowledges the integration of new technologies and learning methods into the curriculum. The use of laptop computers can contribute to student engagement and effective learning. At the same time, King s recognizes that instructors and students share jointly the responsibility to establish and maintain a respectful classroom environment conducive to learning. The use of laptops by students during lectures, seminars, labs, etc., shall be for matters related to the course at hand only. Students found to be using laptops for purposes not directly related to the class may

9 SW4415A Course Outline Page 9 be subject to sanctions under the Student Code of Conduct. See df. Inappropriate use of laptops [or smart phones] during lectures, seminars, labs, etc., creates a significant disruption. As a consequence, instructors may choose to limit the use of electronic devices in these settings. In addition, in order to provide a safe classroom environment, students are strongly advised to operate laptops with batteries rather than power cords. Prerequisites Unless you have either the requisites for this course or written special permission from your Dean to enroll in it, you may be removed from this course and it will be deleted from your record. This decision may not be appealed. You will receive no adjustment to your fees in the event that you are dropped from a course for failing to have the necessary prerequisites. Support Services Students who are in emotional/mental health distress should refer to Mental Western: for a complete list of options about how to obtain help. University Students Council provides many valuable support services for students (including the health insurance plan) Information about Counselling and Student Development, including Services for Students with Disabilities at King s is available at For emotional/mental assistance see specifically: The web site for Academic Services at King s University College is Accommodation for Religious Holidays Please refer to the Senate Policy on Accommodation for Religious Holidays at (See Policy on Academic Rights and Responsibilities). The Calendar of Religious Accommodation will be available on the Equity and Human Rights Services website at: Your Western ID/user name and password are required to see the calendar. This Calendar shows religious holidays for which Equity and Human Rights Services has confirmed students of different faiths may require academic accommodation. Please be advised that students must give proper written notice for such an accommodation in accordance with the directives in the UWO Academic Calendar (page 18-19): Such written notice includes a minimum of one week s notice for mid-term tests/exams and two weeks notice for final exams.

10 SW4415A Course Outline Page 10 Class Cancellations All reported class cancellations are posted at Mailbox re: Submission of Late Essays/Assignments ONLY: Only late essays/assignments not submitted in class may be dropped off in the chute designated for late assignments, located in the front foyer of the Cardinal Carter Library. The chute will be clearly labelled and available for use beginning in September, 2016, and will only be accessible during Library hours of operation which are posted on the Library home page ( Essays deposited into the chute will be picked-up twice per day: once in the morning (9:30 a.m.) and once in the afternoon (4:00 p.m.). All essays dropped off after 4:00 p.m. on a Friday will be date-stamped the following Monday. Assignments placed in the chute should clearly indicate your name, student ID and your instructor s name.