Course Reflections

Course Reflections
Discuss the assignments, readings, and media sources from this course that provided you with the best opportunities to understand the philosophy of social work. Explain and assess the similarities and differences between social definitions of social problems and research-informed social work practices. How can you use this knowledge in your professional life?

February 1, 2018

Philosophy of Social Work
Complete a research presentation on one contemporary social issue (for example, hunger and food insecurity, poverty and economic security, education and employment security, family structure, parenting, racial tension, legalization of marijuana, technology and the Internet, injury and pain management, military veterans) that impacts the community or a specific segment of the population and that may be addressed within the scope of the social work profession.
Present your findings as a PowerPoint presentation using slides and the notes page features of PowerPoint. Your presentation will:
•Identify individual, group or family, or community social justice and social work practices related to the social issue you identified, noting how the dynamics and situations related to that issue cross over into multiple systems (individual, group or family, or community).
•Address the social definition of the social issue or condition that affects the social system or community and the people involved.
•Analyze, in the notes section, based on behavioral theories and approaches from your course readings or other academic literature: ◦How social issues are defined.
◦Why they are identified.
◦How social workers engage with the interventions and management.
•Conclude with a summary that addresses the social work’s role in helping individuals and promoting social justice and social change related to the social issue you identified, using research-based information to support the application of research to practice.
To successfully complete this assignment, you will be expected to:
1.Present an overview that describes one social issue, community, or population that may be addressed within the scope of the social work profession, noting how the issues of that population cross over and into multiple systems.
2.Address the social definition of the identified social issue or condition, and how that issue or condition affects the individual (micro) and social system or community (macro).
3.Discuss how social workers engage with interventions and management of the identified social issue or condition based on behavioral theories and approaches from your course readings or other academic literature.
4.Address social work’s role in helping individuals and promoting social justice and social change with the identified social issue using research-based information to support the application of research to practice.
5.Describe the role of social work in promoting social justice and social change over time.
6.Cite references and sources appropriately, write clearly and at the graduate level, organize a presentation logically and appropriately using PowerPoint slides and notes, and adhere to page number requirements and number of academic references.
Additional Project Requirements
•Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
•APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to APA (sixth edition) style and formatting.
•Number of resources: Minimum of 8 resources.
•Length of paper: At least 10 slides, not counting the Intro slide and references slides.
•Font and font size: For slides, font should be no smaller than 24-point. Slide information should be in bullet points with detailed information in the notes.
Resources
scoring guide icon Philosophy of Social Work Scoring Guide.
Website icon APA Style and Format.

February 1, 2018

Gains and Losses in Middle Adulthood-Baltes' theory

Gains and Losses in Middle Adulthood
Discuss Baltes’ theory on the gains and losses in middle adulthood. Elaborate on the processes of growth, maintenance, and regulation of loss that can be adaptive for development at this stage. Describe how age-graded changes and history-graded changes help to explain development during this stage.

February 1, 2018

Psychological Disorders-annotated bibliography

· Locate six articles on a Psychological Disorders —two quantitative research articles, two qualitative research articles, and two mixed methodsresearch articles—published in peer-reviewed journals.
· Prepare an annotated bibliography that includes the following:
o A one-paragraph introduction that provides context for why you selected the research articles you did.
o A reference list entry in APA Style for each of the six articles that follows proper formatting. Follow each reference list entry with a three-paragraph annotation that includes:
A summary
An analysis
An application as illustrated in this example
A one-paragraph conclusion that presents a synthesis of the six articles.

February 1, 2018

The JUDGE ROTENBERG CENTER (JRC)

Psychology/Counseling Majors Only

Letter to the Senator 100 points
“The JUDGE ROTENBERG CENTER (JRC) is a special needs day, respite, and residential school located in Canton, Massachusetts licensed to serve ages 3‐‐‐adult. Since 1971, JRC has provided very effective education and treatment to both emotionally disturbed students with conduct, behavior, emotional, and/or psychiatric problems and developmentally delayed students with autistic‐‐‐like behaviors. Our specific goal is to provide each individual with the least intrusive most effective form of treatment to insure his/her safety, the safety of others, and promote healthy growth and development. JRC is committed to providing the most effective educational program possible. Our specialized education programs offer: near zero rejection policy…, ABA based treatment plan…, elimination or minimization of psychotropic medications…, state of the art educational software…, [and a] powerful and varied reward program.” – Judge Rotenberg Center website
However, much controversy surrounds JRC’s use of shock devices to punish misbehaviors in the school. Students wear a backpack or fanny‐‐‐pack device attached to electrodes that deliver a shock whenever a staff member presses a button on a remote control carried on their belt. One student told reporters at CBS News, “I felt like I was being punished for being born. Because I was disabled, I was being punished. It’s not humane, you don’t even feel like a person, you have wires all over your body. I would get five or ten shocks for doing just one thing. [It’s like] being underground in Hell.”
Your job is to write a letter to your Senator in which you describe: what is the school doing well regarding antecedent and consequent variables, what is the school not doing well regarding antecedent and consequent variables, and what you would do as a BCBA entering into that program to improve the situation. You must reference each of the 10 guidelines in some way throughout the paper. Include each guideline in brackets to draw my attention to its use (i.e. [Guideline 4]). Remember that consequent variables include both reinforcement and punishment and antecedents may include stimulus events and environmental conditions.
Respond to the practices of JRC from both an ethical and educational standpoint. Not everything about the school is deplorable. In your response, discuss a minimum of 3 antecedent and consequent variables that are appropriate. Then, discuss a minimum of 3 antecedent and consequent variables that are not ideal or unethical. Make sure you again cite your sources in‐‐‐text as you make your point and include a reference page at the end of your paper. Finally, explain what you would do if you were hired as a BCBA to best serve the students at that school, their families, and the reputation of the school. Everything you state must be grounded in research and/or supported by the ethical guidelines for behavior analysts.
Your response should be typed, double‐‐‐spaced, 12‐‐‐point font, with correct grammar and spelling. Cite a minimum of three scholarly sources using APA format. There is a two‐page limit for this assignment

February 1, 2018

Parenting stages

Parenting is probably the most difficult job one can ever face, yet the rewards are indescribable. Pick ONE stage (e.g., infancy/toddler years, elementary school years, or adolescence) and describe the most important goals for parents with a child in that stage. Based on your readings, what are the biggest sources of parental stress during that stage? What types of parenting strategies are most successful at that stage?

February 1, 2018

Child Growth and Cognitive Development Program Evaluation Analysis

Running head: Milestone One 1
Milestone One 3

2-2 Final Project Milestone One: Draft of Introduction
Kevin Menard
Southern New Hampshire University
2-2 Final Project Milestone One: Draft of Introduction
Introduction
Evaluation is a critical and essential aspect of any activity because it tries to identify strengths and weaknesses of the program. The main purpose of this evaluation is to try and decide if the program is effective and according to the targeted population. The establishment of any given program is accompanied with a huge responsibility to make sure that the goals are achieved. It would, therefore, be not logical to establish a program and lack to evaluate its effectiveness (Anderson et al. 2003). The report will examine if the program reaches the targeted population and if the services that are provided to the targeted population are of help to them or not.
Program Identification and Targeted Age Group
Citizens for Citizens Head Start is a school based program which is located in Southeastern Massachusetts. The program targets children in their early childhood age; 3-5 years old. The age bracket is in line with the children who are supposed to gather knowledge before they begin their primary school journey.
Developmental Needs and Risk Factors
Development needs
The development needs which are identified in the program and which are also in line with the targeted group know shapes, colors, and letters (Rolnick & Grunewald, 2003). The reason why these needs are essential is associated with the fact that the program is in place to make sure that the children who go through the program are equipped to take on the primary school challenges. Therefore, making sure that they are ready for their primary school education is meeting their needs.
Risk factors
Risk factors are poor parenting, lack of parents’ and elder siblings’ attention, incompetent teachers, and availability of materials. Poor parenting affects especially for a child who is developing. Parents have a significant role when it comes to providing a peaceful learning environment; therefore when parents are not supportive, they expose the child to a risk of not grasping what he or she is supposed to grasp (Rolnick & Grunewald, 2003). Teachers also have a role to play when it comes to preparing a child for primary school. When they are incompetent, they affect the development process of the child negatively. Availability of learning materials is also an aspect that promotes the development of the child. Therefore, if materials are not available, the child might not gain the knowledge he or she needs.
Resiliency factors
The resiliency factors are safe and effective school systems, availability of programs, and positive parenting skills. The program goes a long way in equipping the children and preparing them for the next stage in their lives. A reliable school system also has a positive effect because they make the learning process enjoyable and effective. Positive parenting keeps the focus on connection, cooperation, learning and growing together in these early years. There is so much happening between the third and fifth year of a child’s life. Preschoolers benefit from a lot of play, discovery, and kind, respectful guidance. Discipline for three to five year olds can be positive and effective (Positive Parenting Connection, 2018).
Program Description
Head Start is a free child development program which provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition and social services to pre-school children from income eligible families. The overall goal of Head Start is to increase the child’s effectiveness in dealing with everyday life and later responsibilities in school and life. Because parents are the most important influence in their child’s development, Head Start provides many opportunities for parents to become involved in the program, and to improve their own education and employment potential (Citizens for Citizens, Inc., 2008).
References
Anderson, L. M., Shinn, C., Fullilove, M. T., Scrimshaw, S. C., Fielding, J. E., Normand, J., & Task Force on Community Preventive Services. (2003). The effectiveness of early childhood development programs: A systematic review. American journal of preventive medicine, 24(3), 32-46.
Citizens for Citizens, Inc. (2008). Retrieved January 03, 2018, from http://cfcinc.org/about-us/programs/head-start-programs/head-start/
Positive Parenting Connection. (2018). Retrieved January 03, 2018, from https://www.positiveparentingconnection.net/preschoolers-3-5-years/
Rolnick, A., & Grunewald, R. (2003). Early childhood development: Economic development with a high public return. The Region, 17(4), 6-12.

February 1, 2018

methods of data collection

Specific methods of data collection (e.g., surveys, interviews, observations) produce specific types of data that will answer particular research questions, but not others; so here too, as covered in previous weeks, the research questions inform how the data will be obtained. Furthermore, the method used to collect the data may impact the reliability and the validity of that data.
For this Discussion, you will first consider sampling strategies. Then, you will turn your attention to data collection methods, including their strengths, limitations, and ethical implications. Last, you will consider measurement reliability and validity in the context of your discipline.
Position A: Probability sampling represents the best strategy for selecting research participants.
Post a restatement of your assigned position on sampling strategies. Defend your position with examples and support from the scholarly literature. Next, select a data collection method and briefly explain its strengths and limitations. Then, identify a potential ethical issue with this method and describe a strategy to address it. Last, explain the relationship between measurement reliability and measurement validity using an example from your discipline.