TOTAL LEARNING HOURS 300

1. Whole Group Sessions in TB1 (11 x 2hrs = 44 hrs) based on an experiential learning strategy where students will be expected actively to participate in a range of learning opportunities to develop their active listening and interviewing skills.

2 Skills Laboratory Session in TB2 (3 hrs) students will receive individual tuition, feedback and assessment in their active listening and interviewing skills.

3. Essential Computer Applications (22 x 2 hrs = 44 hours) where students will receive tuition to introduce them to a range of computer-based skills to prepare them to proceed to the European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL1) qualification (to be gained by the end of level 3 in the student's own time).

4. Research Awareness and Study Skills in TB1 & TB2 (22 x 2 hrs = 44 hrs) to help students develop their study skills and research awareness in preparation for work at levels 2 & 3.

5 Workshops in TB2 (5 x 2 hrs = 10 hrs) to introduce students to key themes of court room skills dealing with stress; health and safety in the workplace; family work and court room skills.

6. Practice Learning TB2 (15 days = 105 hrs) students will spend 15 days in a social work agency to enable them to demonstrate their safety and readiness for social work practice at level 2.

7. Problem Based Learning TB2 (5 x 2 hrs = 10 hrs) students will spend 10 hours in a small PBL group exploring an issue in multidisciplinary working.

8. Independent Study (61 hours) students are expected to undertake background reading, exercises (for computer skills) and preparation work (PBL) as well as completing Practice Learning documentation.

Module handbook
Recommended texts
Access to recording equipment
Access to a mock court room
Access to word processing facilities
Access to simulated learning and community-based agency settings
Access to web-based resources

This module is open only to students enrolled on the BA (Hons) Social Work.

Student must also have studied all other level 1 modules on the BA (Hons) Social Work & cannot combine this module with level 1 modules outside of the BA (Hons) Social Work.

1) Thompson, N (2002) People Skills 2nd Ed Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan ISBN 0-333-98746-2
2) Trevithick, P (2000) Social Work Skills, Buckingham, Open University Press ISBN 0-335-21499-1
3) Koprowska, J (2005) Communication and Interpersonal Skills in Social Work, Exeter, Learning Matters ISBN 1-84445-019-8
4) Munnelly, B & Holden, P (2005) ECDL4 The complete coursebook for Microsoft Office 2003 Pearson Education. ISBN 0-130-90837-1

WHICH WILL BE ASSESSED BY

A) Assignment
i) A written analysis of the students skills used in a `live' interview in a simulated interview setting (Learning Outcome 4) 500 words
ii) A written initial assessment and intervention strategy based on a `live' interview in a simulated interview setting, using standardised documentation (Learning Outcomes 1& 2) 250 words maximum

Total Word Length 750
50%

B) Group presentation based upon a multidisciplinary problem based learning project (Learning Outcome 4) 20% of final mark

C) Class tests to assess students competence in the 7 components of the ECDL (Learning Outcome 3) 30% of final mark.
STUDENTS MUST PASS ALL ELEMENTS OF THIS COMPONENT IN ORDER TO PASS THE MODULE

D) A practice learning portfolio which is assessed on a pass / fail basis

Formative Assessment

Audio-taped interview and a `dry run' live interview. Ongoing feedback in IT workshops. Skills lab experience

Students must achieve an overall mark of 40% in order to pass this module.
No compensation or condonation is allowed.

This module provides learning opportunities for students to develop their professional and interpersonal communication skills in order to assess their suitability to progress to Level 2 of the degree. Students will be expected to achieve a sound knowledge of this area of work with an ability to communicate appropriately and a capacity to exercise some personal responsibility for their present and future professional learning and development (FHEQ Certificate Level)

SERVICE USER INVOLVEMENT
Service users will be involved in the skills lab programme and the 15 days preparation for practice.

Specific Topics to be addressed on the module include:

1) Active listening, interviewing and communication skills
2) Skills to recognise and celebrate diversity
3) Working with families
4) Court room skills
5) Developing reflective practitioner skills
6) Strategies for coping with stress and handling violence and aggression
7) Simulated practice skills
8) Inter-professional skills
9) Recording skills
10) Essential Computer Applications
11) Introduction to group work skills
12) Research awareness and study skills