DIVISION OF SOCIAL WORK

SWRK 125A – 06

Human Behavior in Social Environment

Diana Bajrami, Instructor

Fall 2011

Diana Bajrami, Instructor Office Hours: T 2:30 – 3 pm, 6- 6:30 pm

E-mail:

SWRK 125 A section 6 meets on Tuesdays from 3:00 – 5:50 pm in BRH 208.

Catalog Description

Individual development, infancy through adolescence, in the context of the family, community and society. Implications for service and service systems.

Course Description

Using ecological, systems theory and diverse developmental frameworks, this course emphasizes the influence that context has in shaping individual and family dynamics across the life span. This course examines growth and development with special focus on lifespan from birth through adolescence in the context of family, community, complex organizations, and society in a world in which technological, economic, political and ecological systems are rapidly changing, thereby altering the world as an environment for human life. This course is built upon a foundation of the liberal arts perspective that students receive in GE courses and extends that perspective by integrating content about human behavior from such disciplines as human biology, philosophy, history, communication, ethnic and women's studies, sociology, economics, psychology, the humanities, and anthropology.

Multi-level systems theory, a central feature of the course's conceptual framework, examines the networks and social circles of relationships that link the individual with the context in which he or she functions. Diverse groups including ethnic and racial "minorities" (specifically, African American, American Indians, Asian Americans, Chicanos, and Latinos), diverse genders, people with disabilities, gays and lesbians and people experiencing poverty will be an important focus in this course. The impact of discrimination, social and political oppression will be explored as they impact human development. Identification of potential strategies to optimize well-being, to enhance social justice in the environment and to prevent harm to diverse individuals, families, groups, or communities will be explored. Empowerment and the strengths perspective will be emphasized.

This foundation course will provide you with the core theoretical content and knowledge needed to critically analyze current research on development, dynamics and growth of individuals and families within their ecological context. The course will expand your understanding and appreciation of the human condition. You will be expected to think critically and analyze the research and theoretical perspectives explored in this course. You will be further encouraged to explore personal values and ethical implications of environmental conditions and their impact on development. This course is designed to help you increase your own awareness and to assess the consequences of oppression on individuals, families, groups and communities to meet the needs that lead to optimal development. You are expected to increase your self-awareness as to whether your own development is consistent with or at variance with the theoretical models examined in this course.

Fulfills requirement of an Upper Division GE Course for students other than Social Work majors

Course Objectives

This course builds upon and extends the Liberal Arts Perspective. Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to:

  • Describe human behavior and functioning from a social systems theory perspective and describe the usefulness of this approach to social work practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations and communities.
  • Describe the following social systems as separate entities and in dynamic interaction with each other: the individual, family, small group, community, organization and community.
  • Identify and describe the major theoretical approaches to human behavioral in the social environment. Critically analyze these approaches by listing their strengths and limitations.
  • In the life course of birth through adolescence, describe significant biological, psychological, social and cultural conditions.
  • Explore and identify your values and ideas about human functioning and social conditions. Be aware of how your upbringing and experiences filter how you understand the course material. Become aware of how your development follows or strays from the theoretical perspectives and concepts taught in the course.
  • Describe how negative environmental conditions (i.e., poverty, unsafe neighborhoods, and deteriorated schools) and social attitudes and behaviors (i.e., racism, sexism, homophobia, social exclusion, social stigma, and violence/abuse) impair human development.
  • Describe how negative environmental conditions (i.e., poverty, unsafe neighborhoods, and deteriorated schools) and social attitudes and behaviors (i.e., racism, sexism, homophobia, social exclusion, social stigma, and violence/abuse) impair human development.
  • Apply social work values and ethics to human behavior in the social environment theory and information.

Course Format

Class sessions are conducted on a lecture - discussion basis. Both small group discussions and classroom discussions are regular features/. Audio-visual materials will supplement lectures. Lectures will occasionally be given via power point slides and these will be made available that day, after the lecture, on Sac CT.

Codes of Conduct and Course Policies:

  • Academic honesty is expected. Cheating or plagiarizing on course assignments is grounds for a failing grade and a student will not be allowed to drop that assignment in determining the final grade.
  • The student has a responsibility to persevere in understanding the material of the course. Meeting once a month obviously involves less interaction with the faculty member and with other students than in the case of weekly courses. A passive approach of “show up and see what you can absorb” will not be successful in this course. Being prepared to ask questions to help you get a better understanding of material will be the proper approach.
  • Be A Participant – Participating fully in this class will enrich your learning experience. It will also count toward your grade.
  • Be Prepared - Reading assignments shall be completed prior to the start of class.
  • Be Patient and Supportive – Beginning a new class may cause you or your classmates some initial nervousness or apprehension. It is important that class members are patient and supportive of each other. Providing encouragement and support creates an atmosphere of trust and confidence. Such an atmosphere makes risk-taking possible and even exciting.
  • Be Respectful – Students are expected to be considerate and respectful toward their classmates and instructor. The instructor welcomes and encourages you to speak-up and actively participate in class discussions and exercises.

Attendance

  • Because this class uses group exercises, experiential exercises and class discussions, student’s interest, time, commitment to the course, as well as personal/professional development, is highly valued. Attending all scheduled class sessions and being prepared for class discussion and activities are required. The following criteria will be used to assist in assessing students’ attendance. There is no substitute or make-up for attendance.
  • As a matter of fairness and equity anyone missing two (2) excused or unexcused scheduled class sessions loses a letter grade on the final course grade.
  • Missing 3 (3) or more scheduled class sessions will result in a grade of Fail from the course and will require the student to make arrangements to complete the course in a fashion acceptable to the Professor, Division Chair and Division of Social Work.
  • Repetitive lateness will affect the final grade. Being 15 minutes or more late (or leaving class early) to class more than one (1) time will affect the final grade.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is the use of distinctive ideas or works belonging to another person without providing adequate acknowledgement of that person's contribution. Regardless of the means of appropriation, incorporating another's work into one's own requires adequate identification and acknowledgement. Plagiarism is doubly unethical because it deprives the author of rightful credit and gives credit to someone who has not earned it. Acknowledgement is not necessary when the material used is common knowledge. In this course a grade of {F} can be expected by students who plagiarize.

For more information please see University website http://www.csus.edu/admbus/umanual/UMP14150.htm.

Writing Guidelines

  • Written work must be mechanically and stylistically acceptable. Serious deficiencies in areas such as spelling, punctuation, sentence structure, and coherent organization will result in lower grades. Where appropriate, the following criteria are used to evaluate assignments:
  • Effective use of knowledge: the integration of concepts, theories, models, and information from readings, lectures, and class discussions is used in a way that demonstrates that students understand the concepts used.
  • Clarity: syntax, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Sentences and paragraphs are clear, unified, and coherent. The inclusion of personal points of view along with rationale, logic, and examples: generalization of ideas, observations, concepts, and experiences are carefully supported with empirical data, conceptual work generated by authors, practitioners, or researchers, and/or original thoughts.
  • The inclusion of personal points of view along with rationale, logic, and examples: generalization of ideas, observations, concepts, and experiences are carefully supported with empirical data, conceptual work generated by authors, practitioners, or researchers, and/or original thoughts. Use refereed journal articles.
  • Organization: thesis in introduction, smooth relationship between ideas within and between paragraphs, clear overall structure, including an integrative concluding section. Careful planning is evident in the organization.
  • References in appropriate format (use of APA format).
  • If students need help or have questions, they are encouraged to contact the instructor in a timely manner. Incompletes are not given automatically. A grade of Incomplete may be assigned only in cases clearly beyond the student’s control. It is the students’ responsibility to fulfill the University’s and/or Division’s policies and procedures for obtaining an incomplete for a course grade. Students who fail to comply with this policy will automatically be assigned a grade of FAIL for this course.
  • (Students are reminded to retain a duplicate copy of all written assignments prior to submitting them for grading in the event of accidental loss or destruction.).
  • As a guideline for organizing your workload, note that it is standard educational expectation that students spend 2-3 hours outside of class time for every hour spent in class. Homework is an expected part of class and is counted as part of your classroom participation. Homework may include in-class informal writing, take-home assignments, readings, preparing for tests, watching movies and other assignments given by the professor.

Required Texts

Hutchison, E. D., (2008). Dimensions of Human Behavior: The Changing Life Course,

Third Ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Hutchison, E. D., (2008). Dimensions of Human Behavior: Person and Environment,

Third Ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Percent of Final Grade / Description
10% / Attendance, Participation, in-class activities
25% / Exam One
25% / Exam Two
30% / Final Exam
10% / 6 Quizzes

Attendance and Participation in Class

·  Students are expected to turn cell phones off for the duration of class. If you must wear your cell phone for work or in emergency situations, please turn it to vibrate. Students are not allowed to have cell phones out during exams.

·  Computers must be closed until break or at the conclusion of class, unless being used in an exercise.

·  Students are expected to comply with guidelines for ethical behavior, including showing respect for other students at all times. Students are expected to read the Division of Social Work Student Standards of Performance, located on the Division website under the Forms link.

·  Students participation in class will be graded according the following guidelines

Outstanding Contributor: Contributions in class reflect exceptional preparation. Ideas offered are always substantive, providing one or more major insights as well as direction for the class. Challenges are well substantiated and persuasively presented. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of discussion would be diminished markedly.

Good Contributor: Contributions in class reflect thorough preparation. Ideas offered are usually substantive, provide good insights and sometimes suggest direction for the class. Challenges are well substantiated and often persuasive. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of discussion would be diminished.

Adequate Contributor: Contributions in class reflect satisfactory preparation. Ideas offered are sometimes substantive, provide generally useful insights but seldom offer a new direction for the discussion. Challenges are sometimes presented, fairly well substantiated, and are sometimes persuasive. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of discussion would be diminished somewhat.

Non-Participant: This person says little or nothing in class. Hence, there is not an adequate basis for evaluation. This person may also appear to “zone out” often in class. If this person were not a member of the class, the quality of discussion would not be changed.

Unsatisfactory Contributor: Contributions in class reflect inadequate preparation. Ideas offered are seldom substantive and provide few, if any, insights or a constructive direction for the class. Integrative comments and effective challenges are absent. If this person were not a member of the class, valuable air-time would be saved.

Exams

There will be two exams and a comprehensive final exam in this course. Although it may feel like a lot, this allows for covering smaller amounts of material on each exam. It also makes each exam worth a little less of your overall grade. The exams will cover materials from readings, lectures, class discussion and activities. The exams may incorporate multiple choices, true/false, matching and a substantial number of short answer questions.

Quizzes

There are going to be 6 quizzes through the entire course.

Letter Grade Assignment

Final grades assigned for this course will be based on the percentages noted above and are assigned as follows:

Important note: For more information about grading at Sac State, visit the academic policies and grading section of the university catalog.

Human Behavior in the Social Environment Fall 2011

Syllabus

Human Behavior in the Social Environment, SWRK 125A-Sect. 05
Fall 2011 Syllabus

Topic Outline/Schedule

PIE – Person and Environment

CLC- Changing Life COurse

Date / Course Session / Readings
Week One
Tuesday, 8/30 / ·  Introduction to each other and the course
Week Two
Tuesday, 9/6 / ·  The Multi-Dimensional Framework for Assessing Social functioning / PIE
Chps. 1, 2
Week Three
Tuesday, 9/13 / ·  The Biophysical Dimension
·  Understanding the role of the nervous, endocrine, immune, cardiovascular, Musculoskeletal and reproductive systems in the body
Quiz 1 / PIE
Chp. 3
Week Four
Tuesday, 9/20 / ·  The Psychological Dimension of behavior
·  Theories of cognition and emotion
·  Theories of self in relationships / PIE chp. 4
Week Five
Tuesday, 9/27 / The Psychosocial Person
·  The concept of stress
·  Relationships
·  Coping
Quiz 2 / PIE chp. 5
Week Six
Tuesday, 10/4 / ·  Pregnancy, Birth, & the Newborn
·  Social support
·  Social functioning
·  The “ethics of prenatal diagnosis” / CLC chp.2
Week Seven
Tuesday, 10/11 / ·  Infancy and Toddlerhood
Take Home Exam no. 1 Handed out and Due on Nov. 18th / CLC chp. 3
Week Eight
Tuesday, 10/18 / Take Home Midterm no. 1
Week Nine
Tuesday, 10/25 / ·  Early Childhood (cont.)
·  Trauma
Quiz 3 / CLC chp. 4
Week Ten
Tuesday, 11/1 / ·  Middle Childhood
·  Learning Disability & Emotional Intelligence
·  Exercise(s)
·  Quiz 4 / CLC chp. 5
Week Eleven
Tuesday, 11/8 / ·  Middle Childhood (cont.)
·  ADHD & Other “Mental Health Issues”
·  Quiz 5 / CLC chp. 5
Week Twelve
Tuesday, 11/15 / ·  Adolescence
·  Self Esteem, Gay, Lesbian, Transgender, Bisexual Identity, Eating “Disorders”
·  Choice Theory
·  Exercise(s) & Video
Take Home Exam 2 Handed Out / CLC chp. 6
Week Thirteen
Tuesday, 11/22 / Take Home Exam 2 Due
Week Fourteen
Tuesday, 11/29 / ·  Adolescence (cont.)
·  Suicide and Self-Harm
·  Exercise(s)
·  Quiz 6 / CLC chp. 6
Week Fifteen
Tuesday, 12/6 / ·  “Pulling it all together”
·  FINAL EXAMINATION HANDED OUT
FINALS WEEK / Final exam is due by Tuesday, December 13th

SWRK 125 A Fall 2011 CSU Sacramento 8