Course Syllabus

Instructor: Lark Baum (sometimes you will see "Elizabeth," but I go by Lark!)

• Canvas Inbox is preferred.
• Email: ebaum@ccsf.edu
• Office Hours: 5 - 6pm Fridays or by appointment, via Zoom
• Office Location: N/A
• I will respond to all course email within 48 hours Monday-Friday, exclusive of school holidays. Once the course begins, I prefer to get messages through the Canvas "Inbox."
• You can visit my CCSF instructional website

Communication Plan

• Your work will be reviewed, and I will comment on it when appropriate at the time I grade it, or occasionally before I grade it if I want you to resubmit before I do so. Please note that you will receive private comments on your assignments, and I may also occasionally comment on your discussion posts within the discussion as well. Your weekly quizzes also contain feedback for your own self-assessment.
  • Note: If you would like an opportunity to get feedback on your work before I grade it, please turn it in early and send me a Canvas message to let me know that's what you're looking for and I will try to accommodate you. The earlier the better!
• I will participate in the discussions as needed, but will not respond to each individual student.
• If you do not log in to the course,  you will receive a message from our early alert system, "Starfish," to remind you to come back to the course. It is best to keep up as the semester goes quickly and because life happens!
• Office hours are as above; if you need to meet outside those times, please let me know and we will set it up!

Building Community

The heart of this class is you, and the richness of experience, curiosity, and wisdom you each bring to the group. Each week we will tackle a new issue or skill in social work, and it won't be easy!  Rely on each other and on me for support when you need it -- even form a study group if you like (maybe in the Student Lounge, discussed below)!

Instructor Announcements 

The instructor will post announcements on the “Instructor Announcements” page in Canvas throughout the semester. Canvas notifies students according to their preferred Notification Preferences as soon as the instructor creates an Announcement. 

Optional Discussions

• A “Q&A Discussion” is available on the home page as a quick link, and pinned on the discussions page. The Q&A Discussion is for you to ask for the assistance of your classmates or the instructor, but for quickest response, please send me a message directly.
• A "Student Lounge" discussion is available pinned on the discussions page and linked from every weekly announcement for you to casually connect with other students. Consider making connections to form study or work groups, or just to say hello! 

Prerequisites/corequisites/advisories

None. 

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Discuss the historical evolution of social welfare and human services in the United States.
2. Explain the current service delivery system environment that addresses social work and human service clients’ needs.
3. Use problem-solving skills in working with and within social welfare and human service agencies and institutions.
4. Describe the ethical responsibilities of working with social work and human service organizations with attention to cultural humility and oppressed groups.
5. Explain the research methods used to inform and evaluate social work practice.

The above are the formal “Student Learning Outcomes” for this class, but equally important is that you get a taste of what a college class is like, both in terms of personal responsibility and independence as well as the quality of work expected. This class is designed to be a positive experience for you, but these new expectations might also be challenging. Please do not hesitate to come talk to me if you have any concerns or worries in this area! Everyone can succeed in this class if we work together.

Class Meetings

There are no synchronous meetings for this class.

Course Web Site

Students will use the Canvas Learning Management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, viewing classmates' work, sharing resources, and viewing grades.  I can help with the course material and with some Canvas issues, but if you need help uploading an assignment or with the mechanics of Canvas, Canvas help is the number to call.

For 24/7 help with Canvas, call 1-833-249-3993.

Textbooks

Canvas

Students will use the Canvas Learning Management system for assignment instructions, submitting assignments, viewing classmates' work, sharing resources, and viewing grades.  I can help with the course material and with some Canvas issues, but if you need help uploading an assignment or with the mechanics of Canvas, Canvas help is the number to call.

For 24/7 help with Canvas, call 1-833-249-3993.

Zoom Video Conferencing

For office hours and meetings, we will meet on Zoom.

Required Software

• Adobe Reader (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
• Update your browser (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.

Important Dates

• Day Class Begins: June 13, 2022
• Day Class Ends: July 31, 2022
• Last Day to Add without instructor's approval: June 21, 2022
• Last Day to Drop with a refund: June 15, 2022
• Last Day to Drop without a 'W' symbol: June 21, 2022
• Last Day to Opt for Pass/No Pass: June 27, 2022
• Last Day to Drop with a W or apply for leave of absence: July 19, 2022
• Final Exam Date: All work must be in by July 31 at midnight, no exceptions.

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it to avoid getting no refund (after 10% of course length), a W symbol (after 20%), or a grade (after 60%). Also, for several consecutive, unexplained absences, the instructor may drop a student.

Attendance/Drops by Instructor

If you do not engage in the first week of class and complete the first module by the due dates, or after that if you have not  completed/submitted any work for more than two weeks without communicating in advance with me, you may be dropped from the course. Additionally, if you are getting under a 60% in the class, I will reach out to you to discuss a remediation plan -- if you are not able to bring your grade up, I may drop you. I do usually send a message to students I am planning to drop in advance, but it is much better if you reach out to me first if you need to discuss your enrollment!

Due Dates and Late Policy

Good time management skills are especially important in an online course. Expect to spend as much or even more time than a traditional course, yet enjoy the flexibility, convenience, and connection that online learning brings. Consider blocking out a regular time in your schedule each day for this course. This class will take approximately 10 hours per week, some weeks will be less and some weeks will be more.  I will try to let you know when there is an especially heavy week coming, but in my experience every student has their own pace so what you might consider to be a very work-intensive week might be very different from what I do!  Take note of how long it takes you to work through the materials and assignments in the first few weeks, and plan from there.

There are three standard due dates during the week.

• Initial assignments such as reading the material and initial forum posts are due as early as possible in the week, no later than Wednesday at 11:59 pm.
• Secondary assignments (ie. forum replies) and major assignments are due either on Saturday at 6pm or at the close of the week, before 11:59pm on Sunday. Note: Every semester students ask me why some work is due Saturday night and some isn't.  The answer is simple: Just as you are working online courses around the rest of your life, so am I!  Sunday is a major grading day for me, so if you would benefit from a quick turn around on the grading of your assignment (an outline you need feedback on before you can start the draft of your paper, for example) it will be due on Saturday so I can work on getting it back to you by Sunday.  It doesn't always work out that way, but that's the goal!
  

To best help you complete the course successfully, I ask that you strive to meet deadlines, especially on discussion forums -- since these are interactive, your timely participation is critical.  As such, no submissions will be accepted after Sunday night, no exceptions there. Likewise, quizzes and exams are not accepted late, they lock on their due date and will need to be manually unlocked by me if needed. All other work is accepted late, generally with a 10% penalty.  Note that on paper-related assignments, this is 10% per day -- so make sure you are communicating!  If life events interrupt your other work in this class, I will work with you as best I can and the most effective way to help me do that is by reaching out as soon as possible so I can help you catch up and provide as much support as possible.

If you recognize a due date might be a problem, advocate for your success by following these steps:

1. Identify the problem
2. Contact me to propose a solution
3. Let’s negotiate

Life happens… good communication is key to working out reasonable solutions or accommodations.

Methods of Evaluation

Each week you will complete graded assignments, some of which relate directly to the textbook readings and some of which do not.  Some assignments are discussions in which you will need to both post and reply; some are group assignments; some are reflections; and some are written assignments. Be prepared to engage in different types of media and to create different types of assignments, including essays and presentations.

Quizzes and Exams

There will be online quizzes for each module (17 x 5 points each = 85 points) and two exams (2 x 50 points each = 100 points). The material comes from the mainly from the textbook, but also class lectures and supplemental materials. If an exam is missed, a zero will be recorded as the score. It is your responsibility to take the online exams by the due date. 

Pass‐No Pass (P/NP)

You may take this class P/NP. You must decide before the deadline and add the option online with College Scheduler or file the P/NP form with Admissions and Records. With a grade of C or better, you will get P.  Make sure you have spoken with a counselor to be sure that taking this class P/NP doesn't negatively impact your transferability.

You must file for the P/NP option by the date listed above. Once you decide to go for P/NP, you cannot change back to a letter grade. If you are taking this course as part of a certificate program, you can probably still take the class P/NP. Check with a counselor to be sure.

Grading Policy

Visit the “Grades” in Canvas to keep track of your grades. I grade within two weeks of submission and post grades and comments on the online Canvas gradebook.

  How do I view my grades, teacher comments, and an assignment rubric as a student?

Grades will be assigned as follows and are not rounded up:

If taking Pass/No Pass, you need at least 70% of the total class points and complete the midterm exam and the final exam to pass the class.

An “F” grade indicates that a student attended, participated, and completed the course but failed to master the course curriculum.

An “FW” grade indicates the student stopped attending a course after the “last day to withdraw” deadline and subsequently did not submit any work or participate in any exams. Please check with your counselor and financial aid advisor for possible implications of the FW grade on residency and financial aid status.

If you need classroom or testing accommodations because of a disability, or have emergency medical information to share with me, or need special arrangements in case the building needs to be evacuated, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible.

Students seeking disability-related accommodations are encouraged to also register with Disabled Students Programs and Services located in Room 323 of the Rosenberg Library (415) 452-5481. Please see the DSPS website for more information and alternate locations.

Students who register in CCSF classes are required to abide by the CCSF Student Code of Conduct. Violation of the code is basis for referral to the Student Conduct Coordinator or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Office of Student Affairs.

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. I encourage students to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on plagiarism:

Encourage Academic Integrity and Prevent Plagiarism

Citing Information Sources

Active participation (yours and mine)

You are expected to be an active member of this class -- that means that you participate as instructed in the required discussions and as needed in the optional ones; it means you complete your assignments fully and promptly; it means that you are checking your e-mail and Canvas regularly so you are aware of changes and announcements; and most importantly, it means you understand that the activities in this class build on each other sequentially, so if you don't understand something you need to reach out and get help before it gets away from you! 

In exchange for your active participation in this class, it is my commitment to you to:

• Participate in discussions to help guide them and to clarify anything that might be confusing or need more information;
• Grade your assignments in a timely manner and, often, provide you written feedback on what you did well and what might need improvement; and
• If I see a pattern or theme emerging in your performance, discuss it with you.

Respect

Social work is an evolving field, and as such no one person (including me!) will know the best way to address every possible topic. Sometimes we will get it wrong – and that’s okay, as long as we address it respectfully. You are expected to show respect and kindness to everyone, even if you are expressing disagreement or feel emotional. Your current notions and beliefs will definitely be questioned in the course of the semester, because that is the purpose of higher education, but part of being in college is learning how to discuss these productively and work through challenges in the room.   

Note: This class is a space where everyone’s experience is respected, even if we do not agree. No bullying or rudeness will be tolerated, and your discretion around the personal information shared by others is expected.

Note to students: To view all course content, go to Modules.

Week 1, June 13 - 20: Modules 0, 1, 2 and 3

Week 2, June 21 (Tuesday) - 26: Modules 4, 5 and 6

Week 3, June 27 - July 3: Modules 7, 8 and 9

Week 4, July 5 (Tuesday) - 10: Module 10 and Midterm (and catch up on any late work!)

Week 5, July 11 - 17: Modules 11, 12 and 13

Week 6, July 18 - 24: Modules 14, 15 and 16

Week 7, July 25 - 31: Module 17 and Final