SOCW 6060 Social Work Theories

SOCW 6060 Social Work Theories

Week 1: What Are Social Work Theories?

Discussion 1: Are Theories Necessary?

Your classmates are also your colleagues and a social support system. Similarly, the other social workers you may work with in your agency will become colleagues and a social support system.

As colleagues, you may discuss sometimes controversial issues in the field of social work. Remember, you can agree to disagree with respect—which is key as you discuss and debate. As evidenced by Drs. Simon and Thyer, even the role of theories in social work can lead to disagreements.

In this Discussion, you take this opportunity to get to know one another and learn about topics upon which you may agree or disagree.

To upload your media to this Discussion thread, use the Kaltura Media option from the mashup tool drop-down menu. Refer to the Kaltura Media Uploader area in the course navigation menu for more information about how to upload media to the course.

POST-Just write it out and make sure it is 2-3 minutes and I will record

For this graded Discussion, record a 2- to 3-minute video introducing yourself to your colleagues. Your video should include responses to the following:

•        Your name
•        Your geographic location and what you did for fieldwork
•        A brief reaction to Dr. Barbara Simon’s article about theories being necessary in social work as you think about her position in relation to your fieldwork experience
•        A brief reaction to Dr. Bruce Thyer’s article about theories not being necessary in social work as you think about his position in relation to your fieldwork experience
•        Do you tend to agree with Dr. Simon or Dr. Thyer? Why?

Discussion 2: Sources of Knowledge

Social workers make decisions in practice settings based on different sources of knowledge, including their intuition, personal experiences, tradition, authority, and theories and research evidence. These sources of knowledge can be used together to contribute to decisions. Which source(s) of knowledge do you rely on? What are the strengths and limitations of each source of knowledge, and how will they affect your social work practice? For example, think about the sources of knowledge you used when you made decisions in your field experience. In this Discussion, you consider the sources of knowledge that inform your practice decisions.

To prepare: Complete the “Situations 1 and 2: Making Decisions About Interventions” handout. (Note: You do not need to upload the handout to the Discussion forum. The handout is intended to assist you in writing your Discussion post.)

Post

•        Explain how and why your choices differed in Situations 1 and 2.
•        Evaluate when using intuition or personal experiences is advantageous in making clinical decisions. Provide an illustration of this from your fieldwork experience.
•        Analyze when using theories and research evidence is advantageous in making clinical decisions. Provide an illustration of this from your fieldwork experience

SAMPLE ANSWER

What Are Social Work Theories?

Introduction

Social work theory is a set of principles that help social workers understand the people who need their services and how best to serve them. It’s important to look at theories before you start working with clients, whether you’re considering pursuing a degree in the field or just want more insight into what it means to be a social worker.

Social work is a helping profession, and social work theories emphasize a person-in-environment approach.

Social work is a helping profession, and social work theories emphasize a person-in-environment approach. Theories help you understand people’s behaviors and your own responses to them. Social workers use these theories to help clients solve problems that may be affecting their lives or relationships with others.

Social work concepts are often applied in clinical settings such as family therapy, counseling and consultation services for individuals, groups or organizations; mental health care; substance abuse treatment; prison outreach programs; community development projects (e.g., homelessness prevention); international development efforts such as peacekeeping missions abroad

Definition of Social Work Theory

Social work theory is used to explain why people behave the way they do, and how they should act. It’s also used to predict what might happen in the future, or help you make decisions about your own life.

A social work theory can be applied to any situation where there are two or more people involved. For example: if you want to help someone with their problems, then your theory will tell you how best to go about it—theories don’t just apply themselves!

Types of Social Work Theories

• Cognitive-behavioral theory

• Feminist theory

• Social justice theory

• Social constructionist theory

Core Ethical Values of Social Workers

Social workers are committed to the welfare of all people, and they treat everyone with respect and dignity. They also support social justice by working toward a more equitable society in which everyone has access to quality healthcare, education and housing.

Social workers are committed to empowering individuals, families or groups so that they can make positive changes for themselves or their communities. This empowerment comes from knowledge about how one’s circumstances affect other people’s lives—for example, knowing what causes poverty may help develop strategies for reducing it.

Finally: Social work professionals seek improvement in their own professional practice through continuing education and professional development opportunities available through organizations like NASW (National Association of Social Workers).

Social work theory helps you understand people’s behaviors and your own responses to them.

Social work theory is a set of ideas that help you understand people’s behaviors and your own responses to them. It helps you understand how society and institutions affect people’s lives, as well as how to intervene in their lives.

Social workers use social work theories when they practice their profession; this includes helping clients solve problems by applying knowledge from different schools of thought:

• The medical model focuses on treating symptoms rather than causes; it assumes that anyone can recover if given proper treatment at the right time. This approach has been criticized because it doesn’t take into account individual differences or cultural backgrounds (for example, some cultures may be more accepting of certain illnesses than others).

• The humanistic approach focuses on meeting basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing without regard for illness or disability; this approach has also been criticized because it ignores power dynamics between individuals who have unequal access to resources like healthcare providers who might not know how best manage their patients’ conditions due themselves being white-collar professionals instead working class immigrants who don’t even speak our language properly yet still manage somehow keep us alive long enough until someone else comes along with better ideas!

Conclusion

Social work theory is an important part of social workers’ education. It helps us understand people’s behaviors, and it also helps us understand our own reactions to those behaviors. This knowledge can be helpful in helping clients cope with difficult situations, or even just making a difference in their lives.