SHS 103-Survey of Institutions
Social and Human Services Department
Seattle Central Community College
Spring, 2009

Text:     Social Work and Social Welfare:  An Introduction, 6th Ed.  Ambrosino, Heffernan, Shuttlesworth and Ambrosino.  Thomson:  Brooks/Cole, 2008.  ISBN-13:978-0-495-09512-5

A reading list is included in this syllabus; these can be downloaded and printed from any computer with internet access or you can photocopy my hard copy.

Disability Notation: If you need course adaptations or accommodation because of a disability, if you have emergency medical information to share with me or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment or talk with me as soon as possible.

Course Description: This is an introduction to social welfare institutions. We will explore social problems such as poverty, homelessness, substance abuse, racism, sexism etc. with an emphasis on the social service systems set up to solve them. We will look at these in general and as they occur in our local community and nationwide.

Course Objectives: In this course, the student will:

1. Demonstrate critical thinking skills in class discussion and in written assignments.
2. Identify and explain the factors that contribute to social problems that are addressed by human services.
3. Exhibit respect towards others' viewpoints and perceptions regarding the topics explored.
4. Identify opposing viewpoints pertaining to social problems and approaches to solving them.
5. Use data bases to gather information pertaining to social problems and social services,  including research, resources and institutions.
6. Understand the meaning of bar graphs and pie charts depicting data relevant to social problems.
7. Calculate and understand the meaning of the mean and median as relevant to social problems.
8. Understand how statistics can be presented in a variety of ways to convey varying  messages.
9. Explain the differences and similarities between privately and publicly funded services.
10. Work productively with a team of students toward a common goal.
    
    Educational Philosophy
    
    I believe that students learn best when they are actively involved with the course content. I am also certain that all students can learn; there are barriers to learning that occur, however, and it is the responsibility of both the teacher and the student to eliminate these barriers. Below I have listed the responsibilities of each of us; by fulfilling these we can maximize your learning potential. I also believe that developing your ability to critically think through problems and information is an important part of your education. In this class I will ask you to be aware of your thinking processes; for example, are you considering all the relevant information? Are you clear about your understanding of the material? Are your ideas logical? When presented with a situation can you draw on the knowledge you have to problem solve and make decisions?

Instructor Responsibilities

1. To create a safe learning environment that allows for an exchange of ideas and exploration of the concepts and issues we encounter in this course.
2. To make clear my expectations of you in regard to preparation for class, class activities and assignments.
3. To maintain reasonable and high expectations and to hold you accountable to these.
4. To be available to help you individually and to provide referrals to other services that may be of help to you.
5. To give you feedback on your work so that you can increase your skills and knowledge throughout the quarter and beyond.

Student Responsibilities

1. To arrive in class on time and be prepared to actively participate in the class session.
2. To complete assignments on time and in accordance with the guidelines defined by me.
3. To stay in contact with me throughout the quarter, especially if you are having difficulty, i.e. absences, not understanding the material etc. You can contact me by phone, email or in person.
4. To develop professionalism in the following ways:

• Using appropriate language.
• Maintaining confidentiality of information shared in the classroom.
• Monitoring your self disclosure and ensuring it is relevant to course content. Self disclosure of a personal nature can lead to feelings of vulnerability for all involved and can detract from the learning that is happening.
• Practicing listening skills. It takes effort to hear and understand what others are saying.  Class discussions are a good time to practice active listening.
• Being aware of how your behavior and attitude influence and are influenced by the culture of the classroom.
• Using electronic equipment during class only as directly related to the class.
• Silencing electronic equipment.
• Refraining from eating during class time.  Use the 20 minute break for snacks.
• Respecting diverse points of view and being willing to accept that there is often more than one acceptable answer.
• Accepting the fact that there are also plenty of wrong answers. 

Assignments

These are brief summaries of each assignment.  Click on the name  or due date of the assignment for a complete handout.

Case Study    20% of grade
    You will be given four case studies to read as well as a few questions to answer in regard to each.  You will also participate in a small group discussion and write a brief response to the discussion. 

Quizzes   20% of grade  April 22, May 4, May 27 and June 15

Debate-  20% of grade  Paper due on 6/8; debates dependent on topic
    In groups you'll identify a topic for debate, work together to study the issue, formulate pro and con positions and present the information to the rest of the class.  This assignment also includes a written paper presenting both sides of the issue as well as your own opinion.

Resource Collection  Due:  June 15-20% of grade
    This assignment requires that you locate a total of 20 community resources that provide services to various client populations.  Your collection should represent at least four different types of services.  See the full handout for details.

Professionalism-20% of grade
    Your presence and participation in class is important and will enhance the learning of the whole group--please make being prepared and attending class a priority.  You are allowed two absences without any effect on your grade.  You must be present 70% of the time to pass the class.

Comments on plagiarism

Plagiarism is defined as "taking and using another person's ideas and/or writing as one's own"  (Oxford American Dictionary).  It may be interpreted as the result of misunderstanding or of cheating.  It's becoming a greater problem as information is so readily available on the internet.  The forms of plagiarism I run into include quoting material from a source without identifying it as a quote and citing it and cutting and pasting material from other sources, as if written by the student.  Sometimes a student will cut and paste an entire paper and pass it off as their own work.  All of these examples are unacceptable.  If I notice that it looks like you include a quote in a paper without acknowledging it, I'll make a note on your paper and ask that you use your own words to explain the concept.  If I find that paragraphs or the entire paper are plagiarized you will receive no credit for the assignment.

Late Policy:
Do everything you can to turn your work in on time. I have planned the assignments to coincide with the content we are covering in class and they are designed to enhance your understanding of the material. Therefore, if you don't do the assignment when it is due you are not going to get the full benefit of it. If you have an emergency and cannot complete an assignment on time, let me know ahead of time. 10% will be deducted for work turned in up to one week late. 
 

Point and Grade Breakdown:

SHS 103 Required Reading List

Below are several articles and two websites that you will read or survey in preparation for class on the dates listed.  You do not have to print everything-pay attention to the notes for each item.  I have a hard copy you can photocopy if you prefer.

May 11th --"A 'gravely disabled' mental health care system."  Seattle Post Intelligencer, Sept. 8, 2008.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/printer2/index.asp?ploc=t&refer=http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/378130_browning08.html

May 11th --"Western State Hospital patients waiting to get out."  Seattle Times, Dec. 29, 2008.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2008568636&zsection_id=2003925728&slug=westernstate29m&date=20081229

May 13th -wwwsamhsa.gov.  Browse around and find three interesting pieces of information from this site.  You do not need to print anything.

May 18th -Americans with Disabilities Act  http://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm-  A Guide to Disability Rights Laws-Review the various areas that are covered by the ADA.  You do not need to print anything.

May 27th --A Roof Over Every Bed in King County: Our Community's Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness
http://www.cehkc.org/plan-final.shtml, click on "Ten Year Plan-No Photos" or "Ten Year Plan-With Photos."  You do not need to print the entire document, but do read it.  Know what the "principal actions to end homelessness" are as well as the subpopulations discussed in the article.