Advanced Social Work Practice with Groups

Instructions for Final Semester Assignment

Due:  At the beginning of class, Session 13 or 14 if writing a paper (12 for re-write option), 14  or 15 if presentation format.  Papers submitted late will be reduced by ½ letter grade.  You may only choose an oral presentation if you completed a paper for your mini-assignment. If you know you will need an extension and want to submit your paper on session 15, please speak to me with as much notice as possible.

Choose one of the following options for your Final Semester Assignment which will comprise 30% of your semester’s final grade. 

1. Using the provided sample group process record, determine the following:  group type, therapist’s responses and rationale using evidence for your practice decisions.  Then create a second piece of process recording using these same group characters at session 9 or 10.  Analyze this “fictional” process utilizing material from class readings and providing explanations for your choices of intervention as a therapist.  What did you notice over the course of the group’s development and how are the stages of group process reflected? 

General guideline:  6-10 pages, 4 references minimum (at least 2 outside of syllabus), APA format, 6^th or 7^th edition.

• Utilizing a group that you are facilitating at your placement, discuss the following:

Agency setting/mission, group’s target population/purpose, model/format/type of group and group formation issues (organizational factors, needs of members, composition, contracting, etc).  Utilizing readings from our course, examine the choice of group-work with this population/social problem given members unique bio/psycho/social development.  Excerpt a process recording to illustrate part of a session from the middle/ending phase of work (in a cycle or on an issue).  Using self-supervision, explore areas of your work you may want to focus upon, expand and/or change. You may anticipate, future-project, hypothesize, etc, if you demonstrate your process of critical thinking.  Include dynamics of transference, counter-transference, therapeutic alliance and leadership/authority issues.  Address, if relevant, any ethics or systems-based issues that affected your work with this group.  Please include the full process recording as attachment to your paper, consult Adelphi Field Manual for sample (does not count in page count).

General guideline:  6-10 pages, 4 references (at least 2 outside of syllabus), APA format, 6^th or 7^th edition.

• Select a relevant movie from our list and follow the relevant criteria from #2

• Using the iTunes videos available online, complete the assignment above for #3, choosing one interaction/session from the early sessions (1-3) and one from later work (4-7) analyzing each of the same elements and the therapist’s interventions, according to the above criteria from #2.

• Option #2 or #3 or #4 but in an oral presentation case format with written references (annotated bibliography) and outline.  Following your presentation, you must provide a brief question-and-answer period.  You may also facilitate a group exercise using class members in role if you wish.

General guideline:  1-3 page outline, 4-5 references in APA format, 6^th or 7^th edition, annotated, presentation 10-15 minutes