Second email for this week. Lecture video is now accessible and shared in the resources section. I’ve also written up a description of what you will learn now and it is included.

Unit Introduction and What You Will Learn

Week six is asynchronous. The week is centered around the topic of ethics. It is explored in Jarolmen and Bautista-Thomas (2023) as they describe ethical dilemmas that school social workers should consider. Students will also review practice in the context of schools and how it intersects with LGBTQI persons and groups. The forums provide space to reflect on the week’s content, FERPA, and confidentiality. This week’s lecture video shares information about using an ethical principle screen and decision-making and relates it to a case example. Furthermore, students submit their ethical decision-making video presentation to demonstrate their ability to apply ethical decision-making to practice and consider scientific-based practices to support students.

The agenda for the lecture video includes:

• Plan for the week
• Ethical principle screen
• Steps in decision making
• Case example

Learning Objectives for the week include

• Define and describe the Ethical Principle Screen (EPS) and its hierarchical ranking of ethical principles.
• Examine a case study using steps in decision making
• Analyze the intersection of ethics, confidentiality, and FERPA
• Critically reflect on personal values and biases
• Demonstrate knowledge of how to support the outcomes for all students through strategies such as scientifically-based practices, collaborative teaming, and ethical decision making (Competency E for ESA Course)

Unit Assignments

Content

• Read Jarolmen and Bautista-Thomas (2023) Chapter 6: Ethical Dilemmas
• Read Goodrich and Luke (2015) Chapter 8: Group in Context: School, Community Outpatient, and Residential Settings
• Watch my lecture video

A-02 Asynchronous Weekly Small Groups Discussion Forums

W-06 Small Group Discussion Forums

This week’s focus is on collaboration within schools. This collaboration often occurs within teams, including parents, teachers, administrators, and others. Working together is a vital aspect of being a school social worker, and our focus should be using these teams to support the learning outcomes for all students. You can find what group you are in the A-02 Group Assignments and Description handout. Students must submit at least three replies this week in their group’s forum. The discussion prompts focus on sharing examples of collaboration, learning from that, reflecting, and engaging with the content shared this week.

• Small Group Discussion Forums - Group 01
• Small Group Discussion Forums - Group 02
• Small Group Discussion Forums - Group 03
• Small Group Discussion Forums - Group 04

This week, the fourth person on each group list is the leader (unless your group determines to have somebody else do it). It is the responsibility of the group as a whole that one of the members engages in this leadership role. This team leader will develop a reply in W-06 Discussion Forum Synthesis that will provide an overview of your group’s discussion. Even though only the team leader needs to post in this forum, I’d like for everybody to read it so you can hear what other groups discussed.

A-03: Ethical Decision-Making Video Presentation

Meta: Points 60 pts (12% of final grade); Deadline Tuesday 02/25/25 Monday 03/03/25 at 8:00 AM; Completion via a forum post on MyHeritage; Locations Assignment Submission, W-06 Forum for A-03 Presentations, and Assignment Description and Rubric.

Purpose: The purpose of this assignment is to provide students with an opportunity to apply an ethical decision-making framework to a school social work setting. Students will demonstrate skills in analyzing client needs, identifying ethical dilemmas, and making informed decisions based on professional and legal guidelines.

Task: Students are encouraged to select a youth on their caseload that they have worked with if they are engaged in a school-based placement, but they may also develop a fictional case if needed. They are to deliver a 10–15-minute video presentation detailing an ethical decision-making framework as it is applied to a client situation. The selected client should have intersectional needs, minimally including qualifying for special education services. Presentations should include the following:

• Setting Background Information: Provide context regarding the client’s school placement (e.g., district/school mission, population, special education setting, etc.).
• Client Case Review: Describe an overview of the client and their needs. Every client is different and the review of their case you provide should give the context necessary to understand their needs and the support you are offering them. The case review will include some of the following: presenting problem, background information (age, gender, demographics, special considerations, supportive services, medications, person-in-environment), assessment, strengths/resiliencies factors, planning/goals, intervention strategies, engagement/implementation, practice evaluation, intervention alternatives considered, termination, follow-up. The overall case review should give a comprehensive picture of your identified client. There are a couple of components which need to be included:
  • Evidence-Based Practices: In the review of the case study, students will discuss interventions completed or proposed. Some of the examples that are discussed are to include scientifically based practices. Provide a brief description of the intervention along with the sources.
  • Special Education: Discuss the connection your client’s case review has to special education services, policy, or laws.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Identify and describe an ethical dilemma you have encountered (or could encounter) in working with this client. Clearly outline what the dilemma is.
• Ethical Decision-Making Framework: Describe and apply an example of an ethical framework to the ethical dilemma. Chapter six of Jarolmen and Bautista-Thomas (2023) provides several frameworks for making ethical decisions that could provide the basis for students’ presentations. Provide the rationale for the decision made with your client.

Success: Grades this assignment are evaluated using the Ethical Decision-Making Video Presentation Rubric. Students will follow the assignment guidelines to submit a final professional presentation that provides context about the client situation, describes their case, and relates an ethical dilemma to a decision-making framework. The discussion of the case should include evidence-based practice discussion and application to special education law or policy. A visual aid (e.g., presentation slides or document) is not required for the presentation, but they are often helpful in clearly connecting points discussed to the assignment expectations and terminology.

Ethical Decision-Making Video Presentation Rubric

The Ethical Decision-Making Video Presentation Rubric is used to the assignment with the same name and evaluates students proving a detailed description of the context and setting of the described client, a throughout and organized review of their case describing their needs, identifies an ethical dilemma and applies a decision-making framework to provide appropriate rationale for social worker actions. The presentation is to be professionally completed following strong facilitation strategies and include content regarding evidence-based practices and special education law or policies.

Description	Initial	Emerging	Developed	Highly Developed
Provide strong context and background information about the client setting	The context of the client and their setting is not discussed.	The client’s context is briefly discussed but details.	The presentation describes the client setting but does not frame it related to the client.	The presentation includes a detailed, well-articulated description of the school setting. The context of the client is clear and relevant to the case.
Include a descriptive overview of the client’s case	The case presentation lacks structure, detail, or clarity.	Limited information is provided regarding the client.	The presentation describes the client’s needs but lacks the depth to understand their situation.	The presentation provides an organized and thorough case discussion, demonstrating a deep understanding of the client’s needs and challenges.
Identify an ethical dilemma and apply it to a decision-making framework	The ethical dilemma and the framework are not clearly defined.	The ethical dilemma is defined, and there is a decision-making framework, but the parts of the framework aren’t articulated.	The ethical dilemma is defined and applied to a decision-making framework, but the discussion of how it is applied appears disconnected.	There is an ethical dilemma that is clearly explained, explaining why it requires consideration. A nuanced discussion of an ethical decision-making framework clearly connects the rationale for decisions.
Special consideration applied to evidence-based practices and special educational needs	Lacks discussion of evidence-based practices and special education policies.	There is discussion of either evidence-based practices or special educational needs, but not both.	Evidence-based practices and special education needs are directly addressed but they lack necessary details such as citations or a clear connection to policy.	Demonstrates a strong understanding of evidence-based practices, providing citations for appropriately literature. Special education law or policies are directly connected to the client situation.
Professional presentation that is well organized and high-quality	The has significant problems following assignment requirements and is hard to follow and has major problems in facilitation.	The has some significant problems following assignment requirements, but the presentation is acceptable.	The presentation has some minor problems following assignment requirements but is generally a well done presentation.	The presentation follows all of the assignment requirements and is clear, well-structured, professional, engaging.

Unit Resources

All of the presentations for this class can be found at https://presentations.jacobrcampbell.com. This week’s slides are Spring 2025 SOWK 587 Week 06 - Using an Ethical Principle Screen and Decision Making.

MyHeritage is where all of the lecture videos can be found. The video this week is at Spring 2025 SOWK 587 Week 06.

To-Do Lists

• Read chapter 6 of your textbook and the attached PDF
• Engage in at least three replies in your small group discussion forum and have a member post their synthesis.
• Submit your video presentation