Faculty Practicum Liaisons should adapt this document to include their expectations of their assigned students. The items in bold/italics are areas that should be addressed. 

SW 4998, 7998 or 8998 Practicum Work for Social Workers
Professor [Faculty Practicum Liaison]
Fall 2016

Contact Information:
Email address: [professor@wayne.edu]
Phone number: [xxx.xxx.xxxx]
Mailbox: Located on the first floor of the School of Social Work
Mailing address: WSU School of Social Wok, 5447 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202

Important Dates and Assignments:

Learning Plan (Required) Due: September 30, 2016

A guide for field placement in order to ensure specific, agreed upon learning goals, objectives, and tasks are met throughout the duration of the placement.  A learning plan is done to minimize the possibility of misunderstandings between the student, the practicum instructor, and the faculty practicum liaison as it provides a measurable level of accountability through the use of detailed goals, objectives, and tasks

Midterm Evaluations - (Required) Due: Fall - October 21, 2016; Winter - February 24, 2017

The goal of this evaluation is to provide both the student and field instructor feedback on student learning and allow for any corrective action plans to be implemented in a timely fashion.  This form is to be completed by the Practicum Instructor discussed with the student, and a submitted to the Faculty Practicum Liaison who will review it and respond as needed.

Practicum Instructor Assessment of Student Competencies - FIASC (Required)  Due: Fall - Dec. 9;  Winter - April 14

This instrument is used to assess student performance in practicum placement and connects directly with the learning plan.  It is to be completed (and signed) by your agency practicum instructor near the end of the semester and turned in via IPT to the assigned faculty practicum liaison.  The practicum field liaison will need this form to be able to submit the semester grade for the student.  Please consult with your faculty practicum liaison should you have any questions regarding use of this evaluation.

Process Recording (Required of MSW Advanced Year Interpersonal Practice (IP) concentration students, BSW Senior Year, and MSW Foundation Year)

A tool used to examine the dynamics of a particular interaction the student participated in while at the practicum placement site; it will help them to reflect on specific interactions they had with clients or other persons (i.e. staff, community members, etc.).  A process recording is intended to capture one encounter so that the techniques, feelings, and reasoning demonstrated can be reviewed to help identify areas of strength and weakness, to better understand interpersonal relationships, and to improve self-awareness.  All process recordings are submitted to the assigned faculty practicum liaison after review by the practicum instructor.  ALL STUDENTS WILL COMPLETE FIVE PROCESS RECORDINGS PER SEMESTER.

PRACSIS (Required of MSW Advanced Year students in the Innovation in Community Policy and leadership (I-CPL) concentration and when the Faculty Practicum Liaison deems it appropriate for BSW Senior and MSW Foundation Year students).

A framework represented in grid form that can help social work students understand and use the concept of praxis in a thoughtful and explicit way (Alvarez,2001).  PRACSIS is viewed as a macro alternative to a process recording, and one that follows the process through to its logical conclusion, including the delineation of strategies that can be used to improve and maximize the effectiveness of another such interaction in the future (Alvarez, 2001).  PRACSIS looks at a situation or interaction and attempts to decipher perceptions and assign logical implications for such responses.  PRACSIS strives to understand personal and situational limitations that can or do hinder growth/progression of the relationship.  All PRACSIS are submitted to the assigned faculty practicum liaison after review by the practicum instructor. 

Process Recording/PRACSIS Due Dates:  (5 Required each Semester)

Intern Placement Tracking (IPT)

The Learning Plan, Process Recording, Midterm Evaluation and Field Instructor Assessment of Student Competencies (FIASC) must be completed in the IPT System.  No hard copies of any field assignments or documents will be accepted.  To view the IPT tutorial, please visit our school website at  http://socialwork.wayne.edu/field/ipt-instructions.php. 

Resources:

You may find examples and explanations for required documents on the school's website.  Additionally, a template for the Supervision Agenda can be found on the website.

You have four resources available to you for any fieldwork-related questions or concerns:

• Your practicum instructor agency-based supervisor (social worker)
• Your faculty practicum liaison university-assigned liaison (professor)
• The Office of Practicum Education (313) 577-4446 or practicum_education@wayne.edu
• WSU School of Social Work website

The website includes explanations and samples of the required forms for practicum education, as well as templates to complete your practicum assignments.  Click on the tab "Documents and Forms" on the left of the page.