UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO Winter 2004
FACULTY OF SOCIAL WORK
Professor
Rob MacFadden
robert.macfadden@utoronto.ca
(416) 978-5818; Room 434
www.robertmacfadden.com
ADVANCED SOCIAL WORK RESEARCH
SWK 4503S
A SINGLE
SYSTEM APPROACH TO MEASURING
PRACTICE
EFFECTIVENESS
COURSE
DESCRIPTION
RATIONALE AND SIGNIFICANCE
Social workers are increasingly required to demonstrate the
effectiveness of their work and the movement towards evidence-based practice
involves the use of data-based, empirical evidence whenever possible. This
course enables students to address the question, “Is my practice effective?” from a single system perspective. The single system approach to practice
evaluation is client-centred and naturalistic to the practice context. It is
one of the few types of research methods that can be directly employed by a
practitioner and where the results can be immediately shared with clients and
used to refine the intervention. A single system approach can be applied to
micro, mezzo or macro levels of practice.
EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY
This course is based on an adult-centred model of learning. Students are
expected to attend class and participate fully in class discussions and to
share their own knowledge and experience as a critical part of the class
process. Integrating research and theory with practice will be a primary focus
throughout the course and students will be encouraged, at all times, to connect
this learning with their experiences within their practica.
GOALS
To provide students
with an opportunity to learn the essentials of a single system approach to
practice and how this perspective can strengthen their work with clients. The
course will emphasize how this approach can be integrated naturalistically into
practice and how it can respect the diversity and self-determination of clients
while providing systematic feedback to both clients and social workers about
desired change.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
This course will enable students to develop:
· a
knowledge of a single systems approach to research,
· an
understanding of how the single systems approach can be used to evaluate practice including an appreciation of the
strengths and limitations of this
· an
appreciation of how this approach can be employed to incorporate both
diversity and ethical
concerns,
· a proposal which focuses on the evaluation
of some facet of the student's practice, using a single system methodology,
· an understanding and experience in using a range of measures, computer technology and the internet
in developing the assignment.
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Every effort will be made to create a positive learning environment
where people are free to share ideas and explore issues. Learning from others
is a significant part of the educational process both within our classes and in
the field. Social workers, in particular, have a social and professional
responsibility to respect and encourage a range of viewpoints. We may challenge
the ideas but not the person. Students are encouraged throughout the course to
make suggestions of ways to foster a more positive learning environment within
the classroom.
WEEKLY CONTENT & READINGS
January 6 Introductions,
review of course outline, bibliography & assignment
Overview of
single system evaluation
January 13 Fundamentals of single system evaluation & comparison with
other
research
methods. Bloom et al., Prologue (1-31); Part I, (33-54). See
http://www.robertmacfadden.com/single/sld001.htm
.
January 20 Developing client
goals: From the general to specific. Bloom et al.,
Chapter 3,
86-115.
January 27 Measurement &
recording plans. Bloom et al., Chapter 2 (57-85);
Chapter 4,
(116-138).
February 3 Behavioural observation & individualized rating scales. Bloom
et al.,
Chapter 5,
(163-193); Chapter 6, (194-210).
February 10 Standardized
questionnaires & client logs & reactivity. Bloom et al.,
Chapter 7,
(211- 266); Chapter 8, (277-295). Chapter 9, (296-311).
February 17 Reading Week
February 24 Single system
designs: Basic principles, & baselining,
Bloom et al.,
Chapter 11,
(327-363). Chapter 12, (364-379).
March 2 Types of designs:
Case study, basic, experimental, multiple & design
selection.
Chapter 13, (380- 399). Chapter 14, (400-427); Chapter 15
(428-457).
Chapter 18, (496-512).
March 9 Analysis: Basic
principles & visual analysis. Chapter 19, (515-553);
Chapter 20,
(554-568).
March 16 Descriptive
statistics, statistical significance & computer analysis.
Chapter 21,
(569-594); Chapter 22, (595-613); Chapter 23, (614-645).
March 23 Ethics. Chapter 25,
(659-688).
March 30 Diversity-sensitive
evaluation. Rodgers, A., Potocky, M. (1997).
Evaluating
culturally sensitive practice through single system design:
Methodological
issues and strategies. Research on Social Work Practice.
Vol.7,
No.3, July, 391-401. Available through e-journals.
Nelsen, J.
(1994). Ethics, gender and ethnicity in single-case research
and
evaluation. Journal of Social Service Research. Vol.18(3/4), 139-152.
April 6
Last class. Assignment Due
Using
single system evaluation in practice: Some examples
Using
single system designs in practice. Kazi, M., Mantysaari, M.,
Rostila, I.
(1997). Research on Social Work Practice. Vol.7, No.3, July,
311-328.
Available through e-journals.
Besa, D.
(1994). Evaluating narrative family therapy using single
system
research designs. Research on Social Work Practice. Vol.4, No.3,
309-325.
Jensen, C.
(1994). Psychosocial treatment of depression in women: Nine
single-subject
evaluations. Research on Social Work Practice. Vol.4,
No.3, July,
267-282.
COURSE FORMAT
Weekly classes will focus on exploring the basics of the single system
approach and content will be presented in both lecture and discussion formats
and include some PowerPoint presentations. Students are encouraged to apply
their past and current field experiences to understand the single system
approach.
Examples from practice will be provided and students will be encouraged
to bring in their own examples and to share their learnings with the class.
Research-based content will be emphasized and students will be asked to explore
the university’s e-journals for relevant articles.
Internet resources will be used throughout, along with specialized,
single system software for analysis.
EVALUATION OF STUDENTS
ASSIGNMENT
There is one assignment which is a 25 page, double-spaced proposal for
the evaluation of some aspect of your practice with a client system at any
level (i.e., micro, mezzo, macro), using a single systems approach. This should
include:
· the
nature and significance of the problem and related goals to be achieved
with a client system,
· how your client system will be involved in this evaluation,
· a
brief literature review related to the problem and goals,
· a
conceptual framework with a hypothesis,
· the essential characteristics of a single system approach to evaluation
and why this is appropriate to use in this situation,
· the type of single system design that will be used, along with the data
collection plan, the measures, approach to analysis and how the results are
presented and shared with the client,
· how your evaluation addresses issues related to the client’s diversity,
· how your evaluation addresses ethical issues, including informed
consent,
· the limitations, from a research perspective, of your approach to
evaluation, identifying any barriers (e.g., client, professional,
organizational and personal) to conducting the evaluation,
·
suggestions as to how your evaluation might be improved given different
circumstances.
This assignment will be given a letter grade and is subject to the
requirements of all graduate papers, including correct spelling, grammar and
bibliography. Late papers are subject to a one-half grade penalty. Please
consult our MSW Studies handbook http://www.utoronto.ca/facsocwk/mswprogram/handpub/table.html
for details
regarding paper writing, grades, policies and evaluation. The School of
Graduate Studies Calendar and website also contains useful information. This
assignment is due
Tuesday, April 6th, 2004.
REQUIRED TEXT
Bloom, M., Fischer, J., & Orme, J. (2003). Evaluating practice:
Guidelines for the accountable
professional (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon. Available at Bob Miller Bookroom.
Singleout04a.htm