ChFam 4860/4890
“ FAMILY STUDIES PRACTICUM and COOPERATIVE WORK”
COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall Semester 2003
Instructor: Joyce Buck, MS, CFLE
Office: McKay Education Building #245; Phone: 626-6880; e-mail: jbuck1@weber.edu
Text: REQUIRED: Resource Materials for ChFam 4860/4890, Buck. Available at
Alphagraphics, 4669 South Harrison Blvd., Ogden. Phone: (801)479-8339.
Catalogue Description:
Work experience which applies prior academic learning in a supervised setting.
Cooperative Work provides academic credit for on-the-job experience. (Volunteer
placements are designated as “practicum,” and paid placements are
designated as “cooperative work.”)
CFLE Certification:
The National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) requires practical experience
as a standard for certification.
Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course the student will have
1. Gained knowledge of the operational and administrative procedures of a community
agency.
2. Designed a personal job description with learning experiences to match the
achievement of agency objectives.
3. Performed responsibilities appropriate to the professional role and used professional
skills (organization skill, human relations skills, teaching skills, writing
skills, evaluation skills, advocacy skills, etc. ) in direct and indirect involvement
with clients.
4. Given an oral presentation sharing on-site learning and experience.
5. Refined a personal/professional philosophy of Family Studies in a written
paper.
6. Created documentation of required experiences including a daily journal.
Class Schedule:
Aug 25 Course overview/orientation
Sept 1 HOLIDAY
8 Defining competencies: What’s in your toolbox? Assign #1 (Goals and
Contract) DUE
15 professional presentations
22 professional presentations
29 professional presentations
Oct 6 professional presentations
13 professional presentations
20 professional presentations
27 professional presentations
Nov 3 professional presentations
10 Philosophy paper; FS Portfolio
17 professional presentations
(Nov 19-22 National Council on Family Relations (NCFR) AnnualConference in
Vancouver, BC)
24 NCFR Conference report; Assign #4 (supervisor evaluation) DUE
Dec 1 Course evaluations/Celebration Assign #3 ( documents folder) DUE
Class Assignments:
1. Learning Contract and Goal Statements = 20 points
2. Oral Presentation = 40 points
3. Documents Folder (Portfolio) = 40 points
a. Placement goals
b. Time Log
c. Samples of plans or activities
d. Daily journal
e. Personal evaluation of goal accomplishment
and placement effectiveness
f. Philosophy Paper
4. Site supervisor evaluation = 180 points (60% of possible points)
5. Class attendance and participation = 20 points
TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS =300 points
Grading Criteria:
A letter grade will be assigned on the percent of points earned:
94 - 100% = A 74 - 76% = C
90 - 93% = A- 70 - 73% = C-
87 - 89% = B+ 67 - 69% = D+
84 - 86% = B 64 - 66% = D
80 - 83% = B- 60 - 63% = D-
77 - 79% = C+ 59 or below = E
Class may opt to have grades assigned on a straight A, B, C basis:
90 - 100% = A 60 - 69% = D
80 - 89% = B 59% or less = E
70 - 79% = C
The Fall Semester 2003ChFam 4860 class selected
grading with the A-/B+ criteria
grading with the straight A, B, C criteria
NOTE: A 10% penalty will be assessed on all late work. Any work over a week
late will not be accepted. (Work turned in before the department office closes
at
4:30 pm on the due date will be considered on time.) A course grade lower than
B will not be accepted for graduation credit in this major.
SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS: “Any student requiring accommodations or services
due to a disability must contact Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD)
room 181 of the Student Service Center.” Please identify yourself with
the course instructor before week two of the semester.
CHFAM 4860/4890
PRACTICUM/COOPERATIVE WORK
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
1. LEARNING CONTRACT and GOAL STATEMENTS:
Using the forms provided in Resource Materials for ChFam 4860/4890 sign a contract
with your site supervisor. Make three (3) copies of your contract; provide
one to your site supervisor, one to your practicum faculty, and one for yourself.
As part of the learning contract, develop a set of at least 3 goals to be accomplished
during the practicum experience. Under each goal list possible activities (a
minimum of 3) that could be done in the practicum experience to achieve the
identified goals. Be sure to list activities, not additional goals. (An activity
is something that can be done.) Have goals approved by the agency supervisor
and the faculty supervisor. A second copy of goals should be included in assignment
#3, the Documents Folder.
2. ORAL PRESENTATION:
In an 8-10 minute professional presentation identify the practicum or cooperative
work placement site and report the most significant learning of the experience.
Be sure to include a) a view of your experience, b) an indication whether goals
have been accomplished or addressed, c) why this experience has significance
to you, and d) the articulation of a professional philosophy of Child and Family
Studies.
As part of the presentation create an informative handout on the placement
site for each classmate. (This information is not part of the presentation,
rather it will be shared via the handout.) Include:
1. Name of agency and contact person
2. Overall mission of the agency
3. Organizational diagram
4. Your job description
5. Type of client the agency services
6. Area the agency services
7. Future job possibilities with agency
8. Education and skills necessary for positions in agency
9. Salary range
10. Possibilities for advancement
11. Funding of agency
12. Other pertinent information regarding the agency or the experience
The oral presentation will be evaluated on the following criteria by the instructor
and by fellow classmates:
a) professional presence and polish; b) organization and value of information;
c) effectiveness and skill in delivery; d) overall impact of presentation;
e) evaluation of goal accomplishment; f) inclusion of professional philosophy;
g) quality of the handout; and h) time.
3. DOCUMENTS FOLDER (PORTFOLIO):
Prepare a documents folder (referred to in the Practicum Packet as a portfolio
and as a journal) that tastefully presents the following documents:
a. Placement goals: Restate goals established in the Learning Contract. Be sure to include activities that lead to goal accomplishment.
b. Time Log: Use the log provided in the syllabus package, make additional pages if necessary.
c. Samples of plans or activities done at the placement site: Include lesson plans, job lists, clientele evaluations, worksheets, etc. These could be documents used in the daily routine at the placement site that demonstrate individual productivity.
d. Daily journal: Keep a journal of practicum activities and personal growth. These entries may include goals, objectives, progress reports and personal responses to experiences at the agency. Use it as a way to increase self understanding (assessment of personal strengths and weaknesses) and as an aid in developing a “helping identity.” Seek to develop an awareness of the part values play in determining behaviors as well as a realization of the impact that value similarities or differences may have in relationships. Make an entry in this journal for each day on site.
e. An evaluation of goal accomplishment/placement effectiveness: Write a brief evaluation of the practicum experience, identifying how effectively goals were met, how much growth was
achieved, what changes would be productive, the value of the experience to Child and Family Studies students, and the professional preparation effectiveness of the placement.
f. Philosophy Paper: In a 2-5 page paper express who you are as a professional in the field of Child and Family Studies. Define how you will appropriately interact with clientele and colleagues as an individual and as a professional. Identify, from all your work as a major, what has impacted you most. Title your paper “My Philosophy as Child and Family Studies Professional.” Make this paper quality work.The following ideas may help to outline the paper:
a. Webster defines “philosopher” as a person who lives and thinks according to a system of philosophy. He defines “philosophy” as the general principles or laws of a field of knowledge. (You are after professional applications of Family Studies principles.)
b. A statement of personal philosophy can begin, “I believe....”
c. Any of the following items could be considered:
1. Factors, experience, background, etc., leading to your feelings about Child and Family Studies.
2. Assumptions, premises, and strong beliefs about Child and Family Studies.
3. The application of your philosophy to any of the following activities:
a. Professional preparation of self and others
b. Personal professional growth
c. Development of curriculum: generalizations, concepts, ideas, activities
d. Evaluation of self and others
e. Promoting yourself and your Child and Family Studies degree to:
1. Graduate schools
2. Employers
3. Clients
f. Designing activities
g. Promoting the dignity of work.
h. Determining when and where to use your Child and Family Studies skills
4. SITE EVALUATION:
A two page Student Placement Evaluation form is provided in Resource Materials
for ChFam 4860/4890. This form is to be completed by the site supervisor
and returned, confidentially, to the course instructor by the end of
the 14th week
of the semester. It is critical that each supervisor understands the
importance of this document and returns it on time. Sixty percent of your
grade will
be determined by this evaluation. (You may want to request that it
be placed in
a sealed and signed envelope and given to you to turn in.)
5. ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION:
Class attendance will be counted as 30 hours toward the total requirement
of 135 hours.
EXTRA CREDIT OPTIONS
1. Extra credit is available for the identification and sharing of resources
helpful to the practice of family life education that have not already been
identified to cohort members. See the instructor for approval.
General guidelines:
a) the resource is available
b) the resource has practical and useful application to professional practice
c) the resource has not been used in other Family Studies courses
d) the resource meets course instructor approval
2. Additional extra credit may be available for conferences and/or special
events as approved by the instructor and announced to the class.