Module Descriptors
THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF SOCIAL WORK
XSWK40095
Key Facts
Faculty of Health Sciences
Level 4
15 credits
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 22
Independent Study Hours: 128
Total Learning Hours: 150
Assessment
- ASSIGNMENT weighted at 100%
Module Details
Module Learning Strategies
Whole group sessions (11 x 1hr = 11 hours)
Will be used to explore key themes, concepts, theories, debates and boundaries to the discipline of sociology. These sessions will utilise both lectures and workshops. There will be an emphasis upon tutors providing expositions of key features of the topics and debates, but with opportunities for students to raise issues and engage in exercises and discussions especially in workshops.
Small group sessions (11 x 1 hr = 11 hours)
Will be used to provide a more active learning environment for students through interrogation of tutors by students, students by tutors and students by students. Student seminar presentations and problem based learning (including case studies and problem solving exercises).
Service user involvement
To enhance students? understanding of the impact of life events on service users and of the need to work in partnership with service users, service users will contribute to both whole group and small group sessions.
Directed and independent study (128 hours)
Guided reading will underpin students? preparation for small group sessions and assessments. This will include library based activities, Internet (especially websites of government and agencies/pressure groups concerned with health and social welfare) and contemporary material from the media.
Will be used to explore key themes, concepts, theories, debates and boundaries to the discipline of sociology. These sessions will utilise both lectures and workshops. There will be an emphasis upon tutors providing expositions of key features of the topics and debates, but with opportunities for students to raise issues and engage in exercises and discussions especially in workshops.
Small group sessions (11 x 1 hr = 11 hours)
Will be used to provide a more active learning environment for students through interrogation of tutors by students, students by tutors and students by students. Student seminar presentations and problem based learning (including case studies and problem solving exercises).
Service user involvement
To enhance students? understanding of the impact of life events on service users and of the need to work in partnership with service users, service users will contribute to both whole group and small group sessions.
Directed and independent study (128 hours)
Guided reading will underpin students? preparation for small group sessions and assessments. This will include library based activities, Internet (especially websites of government and agencies/pressure groups concerned with health and social welfare) and contemporary material from the media.
Module Resources
Module handbook
Access to appropriate texts and journals
Computing facilities including access to the www and an
e-mail account
Access to appropriate texts and journals
Computing facilities including access to the www and an
e-mail account
Module Special Admissions Requirements
This module is open only to students enrolled on the BA (Hons) Social Work and BA (Hons) Social Studies.
Module Texts
You will need access to one of the following texts:
Abercrombie, N & Warde, A (2000) Contemporary British Society (3rd edition), Oxford, Polity Press
Giddens, A (2001) Sociology, (2nd edition) Oxford, Polity Press
Abercrombie, N & Warde, A (2000) Contemporary British Society (3rd edition), Oxford, Polity Press
Giddens, A (2001) Sociology, (2nd edition) Oxford, Polity Press
Module Indicative Content
This module provides an introduction to the social context of social work. It seeks to provide students with an understanding of :-
1) The nature of sociological enquiry and the social construction of social problems as they impact upon the lives of users of social work services.
2) Poverty, housing and homelessness, crime and deviance, drug and substance use, inequalities in health including mental health, educational disadvantage, urban and rural degeneration and difficulties faced by families and kinship networks including elders.
3) How structural inequality and social differentiation especially in relation to class, ethnicity, age, disability, gender and sexual orientation influence `life chances? and individual experience. Biography and history.
1) The nature of sociological enquiry and the social construction of social problems as they impact upon the lives of users of social work services.
2) Poverty, housing and homelessness, crime and deviance, drug and substance use, inequalities in health including mental health, educational disadvantage, urban and rural degeneration and difficulties faced by families and kinship networks including elders.
3) How structural inequality and social differentiation especially in relation to class, ethnicity, age, disability, gender and sexual orientation influence `life chances? and individual experience. Biography and history.
Module Additional Assessment Details
Assignment
Word count 2500
Learning Outcomes 1 ? 4
100%
Formative Assessment
Feedback on assignment plan
Word count 2500
Learning Outcomes 1 ? 4
100%
Formative Assessment
Feedback on assignment plan