SW 5101 Human Behavior in the Social Environment

Guidelines for Assignments

Participation

Participate in class activities

1. Attend class on a regular basis (about 90% of classes).

2. See instructor to arrange alternative if unable to attend 90%.

3. Develop a social service scenario to which you will be able to apply human behavior concepts

(will be discussed in class)

Understanding

Mid-term test and final exam

1. Both of these tests will be of the take home essay variety. You will be given approximately two weeks to complete each test.

2. If you perform below your expectations on the mid-term test, you will have the opportunity to do additional work to demonstrate that you know the material. You can gain additional points up to one-third of the way from your obtained score to 100. (Example: if you scored a 70 on the test initially, you could earn up to 10 additional points and receive an 80 for the test ultimately.)

Group test

1. Meet in a small group (3-6 people) at least twice during the semester to "test" each other on basic concepts and information from this course.

2. As a group, select a number of basic concepts that you collectively believe are central to the course.

3. Determine some method of documenting that each member of the group understands the concepts that you select.

4. Submit one completed "Group Test Report Form" from each group for each of the group tests.

Summaries

1. Summaries are completed primarily for the benefit of the student.

2. Include the key concepts and information from each reading or chapter.

3. Approximately one page of summaries should be completed for every 50 pages of reading.

Demonstrate More Thorough Knowledge of Specific Topics

1. Complete summaries of one “cell” in the HBSE organizational matrix or “special focus” topics. Each summary should be 1-2 pages long. An example will be provided in class.

2. Complete a summary of one stage of human development, using the form provided. The completed form should be 1-2 pages long.

3. Both summaries should be submitted as attachments to an email message to the instructor (please use MS Word or another readable format).

4. All summaries will be posted on a web site that will serve as a summary of the course topics.

Computer and Internet search, summaries, and communication (using electronic technologies)

1. Use the UMD library’s electronic resources to search Social Work Abstracts or another database to identify one current (2000 or more recent) article on a human behavior topic of interest to you. (examples: needs of adolescents, article on American Indian families).

2. Use Internet (World Wide Web) to identify another article or other information on a human behavior topic of interest to you. (Example: search for information on alcoholism on Google)

3. Use the forms provided to summarize both articles/resources and to describe the implications of the information in the article for social work practice.

4. Receive one email message from the instructor and send one email message to him.

5. More guidance on these "electronic" assignments will be provided in class.

Application

The general purpose of the application activities are for you to identify important concepts and information from the course and to apply these learnings to understand activities, dynamics, and processes that are important to your personal or professional life. Three optional methods of achieving this purpose are described below.

Ongoing journal

1. Keep an ongoing journal in a loose-leaf notebook in which you share your reactions to the to topics, ideas, concepts, and information you are exposed to in class as they relate to some aspect of your life. The general idea is to relate readings and concepts from class to your field experiences and to other experiences you have had.

2. Write regularly (about two times a week for a minimum of 20 entries) in your journal.

3. Turn in the completed pages of the journal to the instructor for review as indicated in the syllabus. The instructor may not be able to read all of the entrees you submit, so please put a star by any entries that you would particularly like Denny to read.

Short papers applying concepts

1. Select and describe a concept or concepts from class or readings

2. Apply this concept (or these concepts) to understand a social work/human service situation.

3. Complete two papers; each should be approximately 3-5 typewritten pages in length.

Ongoing discussion group

1. Read basic and/or additional material on human behavior

2. Discuss readings, field placement experiences, or class activities in discussion groups.

3. Attempt to relate readings and ideas from class to experiences and issues that are relevant to you, particularly practice experiences.

4. Hand in one "Group Discussion Report Form" describing each group meeting.

5. At some point in your discussion address and apply the issues in the human development summary form.

6. Meet 8 hours minimum during the semester.

Note: Whatever method of demonstrating application you choose, please apply at least two of the following three concepts from the Covey material:

1. Personal Mission Statement. Using introspection, careful analysis and thoughtful expression, write your personal mission statement. Identify the principles inherent in this mission statement. Share your mission statement with at least one other person.

2. Weekly Organization. Organize any week prior to October 25, using Covey’s model. Per Covey’s suggestion, start with identifying your roles and goals for this week, then transfer the goals to a specific action plan. Share this weekly organization with at least one other person, examining how your plan translated (or did not translate) your values (see mission statement) into your daily life.

3. Emotional Bank Account. Apply the emotional bank account concept to one key relationship in your life. Describe the balance (or lack of balance) in this relationship. Then, specifically address each of the six “deposit areas” – providing examples of deposits that you could make in each area to move this relationship toward holistic interdependence.

Integration

The general purpose of integration activities is for you to synthesize or integrate a variety of information on human behavior to better understand a topic of particular interest to you. The paper or presentation you develop in this regard should generally apply a social systems approach to understanding a social work/human service topic that important to you.

Longer paper integrating concepts*

1. Do outside reading and/or library research concerning a topic in human behavior and social work.

2. Summarize the relevant materials.

3. Integrate (synthesize) the important themes from these readings.

4. Organize the material into a 8-10 page typewritten paper.

5. Include an introduction, a body, and a summary/conclusion section.

6. Papers should reflect a level of effective written communication that may be expected of graduate students. (Consult Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style or similar resource if necessary.)

7. Papers should incorporate American Psychological Association (APA) format. (Consult the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association for specifics. This manual is on reserve in the library or available through the bookstore) A writing tutor is available for students who could benefit from using this resource.

8. Include a bibliography of materials used and document your sources in the text of the paper.

9. Refer to the feedback form provided for the specific criteria to be considered in grading your paper.

Presentation*

1. Do preparation similar to that for a longer paper.

2. Present material to at least three other class members; in-class presentation is preferred.

3. Invite instructor to presentation; tape record (video preferable) presentation if instructor cannot attend.

4. Turn in outline of presentation, bibliography, and tape (if necessary) to instructor.

5. Solicit feedback (evaluation) from those persons to whom you presented the material and forward to instructor.

6. Refer to the feedback form provided for the specific criteria to be considered in grading your presentation.

*You may work in pairs to complete the longer paper or presentation requirements.