Social work and multicultural groups
Structure Type: | Course |
Code: | KF08BVS0130 |
Level: | Bachelor |
Credits: | 3.0 points |
Teacher Team: | Järvi, Helena |
Language of Instruction: | Finnish |
Course Implementations, Planned Year of Study and Semester
Curriculum   | Semester   | Credits   | Start of Semester   | End of Semester |
SOSALA-2013   |
3 autumn   |
3.0   |
2015-08-01   |
2015-12-31   |
SOSALA-2014   |
3 autumn   |
3.0   |
2016-08-01   |
2016-12-31   |
Learning Outcomes
With help of theoretical knowledge, students will be able to explain how cultural and ethnic minority or majority background affect interaction between people. Students will know the main contents of the Finnish legislation and service provision system for immigrants and ethnic minorities. They will identify essential factors that influence the position of ethnic minorities and immigrants in Finland and learn how to prevent social exclusion and improve the position of these clients. Students will be able to describe their own cultural and ethnic identity, interaction style and attitudes towards ethnic diversity. They will learn to analyse factors behind their attitudes and the impact of these attitudes on client situations. Students will commit themselves to seeking perspectives and solutions based on social work values to deal with cultural conflicts in client situations. They will also define their personal objectives for the development of their intercultureal competence.
Student's Workload
Total workload 78 hours, including 36 hours of classroom activitities, 15 hours for reading the material, 10 hours for writing a reflective essay and 17 hours for pair work.
Prerequisites / Recommended Optional Courses
Major part of the first year study courses.
Contents
- Cultural diversity from the perspective of practical social work
- Acculturation, multiculturalism, ethnic and cultural identity, stereotypes, racism and discrimination
- Ethnic minorities and types of immigration in Finland
- The position of immigrants and ethnic minorities in Finland, services and legislation
- Encountering cultural and ethnic diversity, communication and cultural difference, intercultural competence in social work, work against racism and discrimination
Recommended or Required Reading
- Paavola, H. & Talib, M.-T. 2010: Kulttuurinen moninaisuus päiväkodissa ja koulussa (sov.osin)
- Ekholm, E. –Salmenkangas, M. 2008: Puhumalla paras – ratkaisuja arjen etnisiin konflikteihin. Saatavana www.intermin.fi/julkaisut
- http://www.migrationinstitute.fi/pdf/webreports.htm
- http://www.muuttoliikkeessa.fi
- http://www.migri.fi
- http:www.pakolaisneuvonta.fi
Mode of Delivery / Planned Learning Activities and Teaching Methods
Classroom activities, independent study, pair or group work, participation in international events at the School.
Assessment Criteria
Grade 1-2:
Together with another student, students are able to prepare a presentation on thematics of the study course. Students are able to apply to their description some perspective on cultural diversity learnt during the course. Students know the main features of the services offered to immigrants and ethnic minorities in Finland. Students participate in classroom activities and complete a self and peer evaluation of the pair work assignments. They are able to produce a new perspective or solution based on social work values to deal with cultural conflicts in a case study. Students can name some form of ethnic discrimination or racism in Finnish society. They know how to describe the contents and development of their cultural identity, using a theoretical approach learnt during the course. Students are able to critically analyse one area of their cultural competence and to point out some factor that has affected their attitudes, values or skills. Based on this description, students are able to define a personal objective in order to develop their competence.
Grade 3-4:
In addition to the requirements above: Students form and justify a personal conception of one of the course topics. They know how to describe the service provision system for immigrants and ethnic minorities in Finland. They analyse the effect the actors' cultural background has on problematic multi-cultural situations in social work and propose alternative solutions. Students are able to describe their cultural identity and the development of their intercultural development, mostly using the concepts studied accurately. They describe forms of ethnic discrimination and racism from multiple perspectives and produce ideas to fight racism. Students have realistic, justified objectives for the develoment of their competence.
Grade 5:
In addition to the requirements above: Students evaluate Finnish immigration and minority policy and the function of the service provision. They provide examples of problematic multicultural situations in social work and evaluate the effect of various factors on these situations. They analyse forms of ethnic discrimination and racism, linking them to social background factors. Students propose practicable ideas to fight racism. They analyse factors that have affected their cultural competence and make extensive use of theoretical knowledge to develop their competence.
Assessment Methods
The assessment will be based on pair work (1/3), in various forms of classroom activity and reflective essays (1/3) and exam (1/3).
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