SOCWORK 725 : Supervised Field Placement I

Education and Social Work

2025 Semester Two (1255) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

A first practicum course which focuses on developing a professional identity and a philosophy of practice that is shaped by integrating personal experience and professional knowledge, values and skills. A significant part of this course includes a period of a minimum of 50 days of supervised agency-based practical experience for which the student will be prepared through developing individual learning goals.

Course Overview

Fieldwork placement is a central component in the professional education of social work students. It is designed to give students supervised, practical application of the knowledge acquired through classroom teaching and self-directed learning. Field Education is intended to facilitate students' personal and professional development, enables students to identify their strengths and areas for development and to manage feedback. The scaffolded introduction to 'real world' practice allows students to better understand their use of self by critically evaluating how their culture, beliefs, and values impact on their social work practice.  
 
This course includes a period of 50 days supervised practical experience for which the student will be prepared through a block teaching component. At the completion of this course, students are expected to be able to demonstrate competently the learning outcomes (listed below) aligned with the Social Workers Registration Board Core Competence Standards and Aoteaora New Zealand Association of Social Work Ngā Tikanga Matatika | Code of Ethics.

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: SOCWORK 722, 723 Corequisite: SOCWORK 721, 724

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate appropriate use of self in a professional setting (Capability 1.2, 3.3, 7.1 and 7.2)
  2. Demonstrate competence to work with Māori and other ethnic and cultural groups in Aotearoa New Zealand (Capability 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3)
  3. Demonstrate competency in basic interviewing and communication skills (Capability 3.2, 5.1 and 7.1)
  4. Demonstrate an ability to develop own learning in a social work practice situation (Capability 3.1, 4.1 and 4.3)
  5. Demonstrate professionalism and an awareness of how to use supervision effectively (Capability 6.1, 6.3, 8.1 and 8.2)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Portfolio 100% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4 5
Portfolio
The Field Placement Portfolio consists of the following components:
  • Placement Learning Contract
  • Self & Field Educator Assessment 1
  • Mid-Placement Report
  • Self & Field Educator Assessment 2
  • Placement Learning Summary
  • Placement Timeline & Evaluation
To pass this course students must complete all components of the Field Placement Portfolio to the satisfaction of the examiners, complete the required number of supervised placement days and receive a pass recommendation from their host agency.

Exam Mode

There is no final exam for this course

Workload Expectations

  • This course is a standard 30-point course. A typical semester including the lectures/field placement period totals approximately 12 weeks.
  • For this course, students are expected to spend 40 hours per week for a period of 50 days in supervised practical experience.
  • Students can also reasonably expect to commit approximately 40-60 hours to independent learning throughout this course. This may include reading, note-taking, face-to-face and/or online discussion, writing, engaging in collaborative group work, problem-solving, undertaking practical tasks, reflecting on learning, accessing learning and study resources, and assignment preparation and completion.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

  • Attendance is required at scheduled activities to complete this course.
  • Lectures may be available as recordings.
  • The course will not include live online events.
  • The activities for the course are scheduled as a block teaching week, a 50-day full time field placement, a university callback day during the placement period and a Field Educator's Morning Tea event.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

The following learning resources are essential to this course:
  • Students and their Fieldwork Placement Educators (FE) will be provided with a Placement Handbook (updated annually based on student and FE feedback)
  • The course will include a reading list in Canvas with resources to support placement learning
  • SWRB Core Competence Standards
  • SWRB Code of Conduct
  • ANZASW Ngā Tikanga Matatika | Code of Ethics

Health & Safety

Each placement agency has Health & Safety requirements outlined in their policies and procedures. Students are responsible for familiarising themselves with the policies and procedures of their host agency and adhering to them at all times during their field placement.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a Qualtrics survey. The teaching staff will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

  • Students reported that the handbook was useful to help them navigate their placement. We will continue to use this handbook in conjunction with online Canvas content to support students' engagement in this course. Refinements have been made to the handbook to improve clarity and ensure accuracy of information. 
  • The portfolio assessments have been significantly reduced and streamlined to reduce repetition and workload for students.
 

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 11/02/2025 09:34 a.m.