Overview

This advanced concentration course focuses on social work relevant policy positions and the political processes in the US, particularly as they affect vulnerable older persons and their families and communities, and the context in which social work functions. The emphasis in the course is on critical thinking, policy analysis, social action, new media, and advocacy. As the course is taking place during a major political transition that will be disruptive to what was thought to be settled policy and programs and at a time in which social media is a powerful influence in all aspects of contemporary life, we will track social media use in real time during events such as political debates, media coverage, and the various emergent occurrences that accompany presidential and congressional transitions. Where relevant we will examine social theories that can provide perspective on these events, such as those related to social justice, networks, communication, confirmation bias, organizational, community and identity management, social awareness, and “difference” theories related to race, ethnicity, and gender.  

The course takes a social constructivist perspective and emphasizes the role of economics and the market economy in social policy and politics, and provides perspectives to help make the connections between personal life, social institutions, and social structure, and use those understandings to challenge traditional approaches to social policy development. The main objective of the course is to introduce the student to the ways that narrative, textual interpretation and analysis, and new media, broadly defined, are applicable to the development of effective policy development and political argument.

Students will have the opportunity to plan how to construct and disseminate an informed point of view about existing and proposed social policies of interest to social work, and to work collaboratively to formulate and disseminate policy positions and arguments via social media. It is anticipated that student products may take a variety of forms, including a blog, a video, graphic story, or photographic essay.

Learning Philosophy and Methods

I seek to create a learning environment that demands active participation by students, collaboration and co-learning (both students and instructor). The work that students do is not for the instructor but for each other and the broader audience. For this course my main interest is the development of your media literacy and skills in communicating with a broad audience about pressing social problems and social policy concerns.

I approach my teaching as dynamic and ever-evolving process. I think constantly about the class and your learning and this means that you will be receiving a great deal of communication from me that will include directions that are not on this syllabus. Please be sure to check our Slack workspace on a daily basis and be aware that you will be expected to do a lot of reading and participation.

The course is designed as a social media classroom. To paraphrase Howard Rheingold, we will use social media to develop our personal learning networks, become contributing members of communities of practice, and tune our information radars. 

I am by no means particularly adept at social media and know that students are often more capable and skilled with the tools than I am. But we will call on experts when needed and enjoy the plentitude of resources on the web.