City University of Hong Kong

Course Syllabus

Offered by Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences

With effect from Semester A 2022/23

Part I Course Overview

Course Title: Practicum II

Course Code: SS4291

Course Duration: One Semester – 17 weeks* (minimum 408 hrs)

Credit Units: 8

Level: B4
Arts and Humanities
Proposed Area: Study of Societies, Social and Business Organisations
(for GE courses only) Science and Technology

Medium of
Instruction: English and other languages appropriate to the practicum setting

Medium of
Assessment: English

Prerequisites:
(Course Code and Title) SS3292 Practicum I

Precursors:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Equivalent Courses:
(Course Code and Title) Nil

Exclusive Courses:
(Course Code and Title) Nil
*This may vary according to the calendar year
Part II Course Details

1. Abstract
(A 150-word description about the course)

In the second practicum, students will be able to move back and forth between classroom study and the
reality of direct practice. It is expected that students will achieve even stronger integration between
classroom learning and field instruction, particularly in relating their social work studies to their practicum.
Given that students have already had their initial exposure of working as a staff member in a social work
agency, the novelty of taking up a social work role in a social work agency will diminish and they will be
less preoccupied with adjustment to the practicum setting. Thus, students are expected to concentrate more
in advancing their practice competence which may now build on a broadened and more differentiated
knowledge base with special focus on theoretical systems underlying specific practice approaches/models
and how they are translated into client-specific and setting-specific social work interventions.
This course aims to enable students to
1.1 Discover practice theory by generalizing from practice experiences;
1.2 Assess critically the application of knowledge and skills in practice;
1.3 Develop competence in performing the professional role and staff role in host agencies;
1.4 Develop competence as a reflective professional practitioner.

2. Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs)

(CILOs state what the student is expected to be able to do at the end of the course according to a given standard of
performance.)

Discovery-enriched
curriculum related
learning outcomes
Weighting* (please tick where
No. CILOs# (if applicable) appropriate)
A1 A2 A3
1. Generalize professional learning from practice 30%  
experiences to the development of practice theory.
2. Transfer knowledge and skills to test out theory in 30%  
practice.
3. Perform the professional role and the staff role in the 20%  
host organization as a service provider, an agency
employee, and a professional practitioner-trainee.
4. Function competently and effectively as a reflective 20%   
professional practitioner-trainee.
* If weighting is assigned to CILOs, they should add up to 100%. 100%
#
Please specify the alignment of CILOs to the Gateway Education Programme Intended Learning outcomes (PILOs)
in Section A of Annex.

A1: Attitude
Develop an attitude of discovery/innovation/creativity, as demonstrated by students possessing a strong sense
of curiosity, asking questions actively, challenging assumptions or engaging in inquiry together with
teachers.
A2: Ability
Develop the ability/skill needed to discover/innovate/create, as demonstrated by students possessing critical
thinking skills to assess ideas, acquiring research skills, synthesizing knowledge across disciplines or
applying academic knowledge to self-life problems.
A3: Accomplishments
Demonstrate accomplishment of discovery/innovation/creativity through producing /constructing creative
works/new artefacts, effective solutions to real-life problems or new processes.
3. Teaching and Learning Activities (TLAs)
(TLAs designed to facilitate students’ achievement of the CILOs.)

CILO No. Hours/week

TLA Brief Description 1 2 3 4 (if applicable)
Practice It aims to create a context where multiple ways    
of knowing are acknowledged, and to recreate
situations to develop possible alternative
meanings to experience professional practice.
Students are expected to concentrate more in
advancing their practice competence which
may now build on a broadened and more
differentiated knowledge base with special
focus on theoretical systems underlying
specific practice approaches/models and how
they are translated into client-specific and
setting-specific social work interventions.
Students should acquire the ability to perform
as professional personnel in the host agency,
with the capacity for independent practice, and
accountable to the agency and clients for what
one does in the professional role.

Intervention To help students to master various professional    

plan, records to re-present their practice in text, to
progress and reflect on their practice and examine it
evaluation critically. Students are expected to be
reports committed to the mission, purpose, and values
of the social work profession, to contribute to
the development of indigenous social work
knowledge, and be accountable for what one
does as a professional practitioner, with a view
to improve clients’ quality of life.

Supervision To provide a space for students to consult and    

seek support from their fieldwork supervisor,
teachers, and through describing, informing,
confronting and reconstructing processes to
help them to tackle problems and issues in their
field practice. Students will meet fieldwork
instructor from the university weekly for 1 ½
hours on the average, and periodically with
agency team leader throughout the whole
period of the practicum. Given the fact that they
have had their experience with practicum
training in the first practicum, we would expect
students to be a more competent learner in the
second practicum. Students should be able to
perform as a reflective, ethical and competent
practitioner under a sustained process of
practicum supervision, and are expected to
assume greater control and responsibility for
their own learning in the second practicum.
4. Assessment Tasks/Activities (ATs)
(ATs are designed to assess how well the students achieve the CILOs.)

Assessment Tasks/Activities CILO No. Weighting* Remarks

1 2 3 4
Continuous Assessment: 100%

Practice     50%

Recordings     50%

Examination: 0 % (duration: , if applicable)

* The weightings should add up to 100%. 100%

5. Assessment Rubrics
(Grading of student achievements is based on student performance in assessment tasks/activities with the following rubrics.)

Excellent Good Fair Marginal Failure

Assessment Task Criterion (A+, A, A-) (B+, B, B-) (C+, C, C-) (D) (F)
1. Practice Ability in: High Significant Moderate Basic Not even
1.1 Integration of Knowledge with Practice reaching
1.2 Professional Practice and Service Delivery marginal
1.3 Performance in the Staff/ Professional Roles in levels
the Host Agency
1.4 Practicum Learning and Professional
Development

2. Recordings Demonstrate: High Significant Moderate Basic Not even

2.1 Integration of Knowledge with Practice reaching
2.2 Professional Practice and Service Delivery marginal
2.3 Performance in the Staff/ Professional Roles in levels
The Host Agency
2.4 Practicum Learning and Professional
Development
Part III Other Information (more details can be provided separately in the teaching plan)

1. Keyword Syllabus
(An indication of the key topics of the course.)

Transforming and developing practice knowledge through practice experiences; mastering and articulating
the rationale for the selection of social work theories in practice; formulating generalizations and abstractions
that are derived from their practice experiences: in identifying and describing social problems and their
impacts on individuals, families and the community; understanding individual clients from a human
development and ecological perspective; identifying and describing the community contexts of practice, i.e.
the host community; gaining direct knowledge of formal and informal community resources; and how to
develop and analyze social policies;

Conceptualizing practice tasks, intervention focus and intervention methods with the generalist framework;
demonstrating professional skills in verbal communication, relational and helping skills; written
communication and documentation skills; utilizing community resources; developing sound assessment, and
critically selecting and implementing interventions at all levels of generalist practice; influencing, guiding
and managing the planned change process; developing skills in evaluating social work practice;

Maintaining system functions of host organizations; analyzing the mission, goals, and services of the agency;
understanding how agency policies affect clients, families, and the community; performing both staff role,
and professional social work roles and identity in the host organization as service provider, an agency
employee, and a professional practitioner-trainee; reflecting on the values issues and ethical dilemmas in
performing these roles;

Differential application of the generic social work principles in the context of the socio-cultural values and
infra-structure of social welfare in Hong Kong; demonstrating attitude and skills required of a reflective
practitioner with a professional identity through internalizing social work values and ethics reflexively;
integrating and deepening the commitments to generic social work principles, core beliefs and values in
professional practice; appreciating social work values and ethics as central premise of practice through
reflection in practice and reflection of practice, self reflection and use of fieldwork supervision.

Remarks:
This course provides further training in social work practicum for students who have completed the first
practicum (SS3293 Practicum I) or who have completed all the required social work practicum training at the
associate degree level.

2. Reading List
2.1 Compulsory Readings
(Compulsory readings can include books, book chapters, or journal/magazine articles. There are also collections of e-
books, e-journals available from the CityU Library.)

2.2 Additional Readings

(Additional references for students to learn to expand their knowledge about the subject.)

1. Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences. (2021). Practicum handbook: BSS(SW)

programme. Hong Kong: City University of Hong Kong.
2. Kwong, W. M., & Lee, T. Y. (2007). Making the best out of field practicum: Field Instruction
Manual. HK: Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong.
3. Kwong, W. M., Lee, T. Y., & Chee, P. (Eds.). (2008). Documenting practice in fieldwork:
Examples, illustrations and feedback. HK: Department of Applied Social Studies, City University
of Hong Kong.
4. Lee, T. Y., & Chan, R. (2005). First level integration of theory with practice in fieldwork. HK:
Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong.
 5. Lee, T. Y., Lo, J. Y. S., & Chow, E. O. W. (2008). Writing reflection logs in social work
practicum. HK: Department of Applied Social Studies, City University of Hong Kong.
6. Social Welfare Department. (2001). English writing reference kit for social workers. HK: Social
Welfare Department.

2.2 Web Resources

(Additional references for students to learn to expand their knowledge about the subject.)

1. Web Resource for Field Instruction

http://www.cityu.edu.hk/ss/resources/bswfw/HOME.htm
2. Practice Teaching, Learning & Research
http://ssweb.cityu.edu.hk/facil-ptlr.asp
3. Social Work Registration Board
http://www.swrb.org.hk/
4. Social Work Resources - Ethics
http://pages.prodigy.net/lizmitchell/volksware/ethics.htm