Academic Year/course:
2023/24
274 - Degree in Social Work
26117 - Communication skills in social work
Syllabus Information
Academic year:
2023/24
Subject:
26117 - Communication skills in social work
Faculty / School:
108 - Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y del Trabajo
Degree:
274 - Degree in Social Work
ECTS:
6.0
Year:
2
Semester:
Second semester
Subject type:
Compulsory
Module:
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1. General information
It is part of module A of the curriculum entitled"Social Work: Concepts, Methods, Theories and Application", and in particular, of the subject Social and Communication Skills of Social Work. It deepens in skills and concepts relevant to professional communication at interpersonal, group, community and social levels; this includes reflexivity, analysis, consensus building and conflict resolution. The digital dimension of professional communication is specifically addressed, as new technologies bring new opportunities and, at the same time, new forms of exclusion and social marginalization different from those that already exist. To this end, the ethical and legislative framework linked to the Protection of Personal Data and guarantee of digital rights is put into perspective. These approaches are aligned with the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, specifically SDG 16: Promote just, peaceful and inclusive societies.
2. Learning results
A3.1 Has acquired skills for interpersonal relations in social work and professional activity in general, especially in the areas of personal interviews, meetings and group sessions, and public speaking.
A3.2 Has acquired skills to establish an empathetic relationship and effective communication with other people, especially those with communication needs.
A3.3 Is proficient in active listening, able to engage appropriately with the life experiences of service users, to understand their point of view correctly and to overcome personal biases in order to respond appropriately to a range of complex personal and interpersonal situations.
A3.4 Knows and has been trained in the skills and techniques that enable conflict management at interpersonal, group, and intergroup levels.
A3.5 Is able to use verbal and nonverbal cues to guide interpretation.
A3.6 Is able to establish professional relationships in order to identify the most appropriate form of intervention and to clarify and negotiate the purpose of such contacts and the limits of their involvement.
A3.7 Has developed skills to design documentary supports and document the processes of social intervention, among those of elaborating, presenting and sharing social histories and reports, keeping them complete, faithful, accessible and up-to-date as a guarantee in professional decision-making and assessments.
A3.8 Is able to establish effective contact with individuals and organisations by means of the spoken and written word, on paper and by electronic means; and do so correctly and clearly in a style appropriate to the target audience, purpose and context of communication.
A3.9 Is able to manage a debate and assess the views and evidence provided by others.
A3.10 Is able to prepare for and take an active part in decision-making meetings.
A3.11 Is able to participate within interdisciplinary and inter-institutional networks and teams in order to establish cooperative agreements, and deal constructively with possible disagreements.
A3.12 Is able to apply communication and information technologies in the provision of services.
3. Syllabus
UNIT 1. Social work as a social technology
Contexts and levels of communication, intercultural, professional and specific media communication.
UNIT 2. Techniques for obtaining information in Social Work
Interview and conversation with individuals, groups and heterogeneous communities, home visits and on-site observation in the context of the helping relationship.
UNIT 3: Design and use of professional documentary supports
Use of the spoken and written word, on paper and by electronic means in the professional relationship. Auxiliary Documentation and Basic. Protection of Personal Data and guarantee of digital rights. TICS in service delivery and Digital Social Work.
UNIT 4. Conflict management and consensus building
Conflict theory, non-violent communication, consensus and mediation; active participation and decision making, networking and interdisciplinary teamwork networking and interdisciplinary teams.
4. Academic activities
Teacher's expository activities in theoretical classes, encouraging student participation
Dynamic activities (case resolution, classroom and non-classroom practice, etc.) Involves searching for information on specific topics of study, reading recommended materials, problem-based learning, case studies and/or class presentations
Tutored individual or small group activities. It includes the preparation of materials encouraging collaborative work.
Assessment activities. Assessment processes (continuous or single) to generate evidence of the knowledge acquired in the term.
5. Assessment system
Continuous assessment
It requires attendance to 80% of the theoretical and practical sessions. The minimum passing grade is 5.0.
T1 Written test (50%) consisting of essay questions and/or multiple choice questions.
T2 Practicals (50%) Dynamic activities (case resolution, classroom or out-of-classroom practices, etc.) It involves searching for information on specific topics of study, reading recommended materials and analysis, problem-basedlearning, individual or small group tutorials and/or class presentations.
Single assessment in first and second call
Written test (90%) consisting of questions to be developed and/or a questionnaire of multiple-choice questions from the syllabus materials.
Delivery of the work of the reading materials (10%) defined throughout the course including a synthesis and reflection on them of the same.
A passing grade on the written test is required in order to count the work on the reading materials.