Transforming Communication for Social Services (5 cr)

Learning outcomes

The student is able to
- demonstrate oral, written, and mediated communication in English required for the social services field
- use language and referencing appropriately and effectively in written academic work
- identify and reflect on personal developmental needs in communication and develop realistic strategies for improvement
- reflect on the cultural competency required to communicate effectively with diverse groups

Materials

All learning materials are provided in Canvas.

Teaching methods

A Canvas learning environment is used to support the implementation, but it is important to take part in teaching and guidance on campus according to schedule. The study unit includes working in pairs or groups. You will receive individual feedback for assignments from the teacher.

Exam schedules

According to the degree regulations (section 18) “students must be present in the first contact session or notify their teacher in charge if they cannot attend. If they fail to notify the teacher of their absence in the first contact session, their enrollment will be rejected. Another student in the queue may be enrolled in the study unit in the place of the absent student.” (Laurea degree regulations)

International connections

This is a multicultural group so intercultural communication is an integral part of this course.

Completion alternatives

All students are entitled to demonstrate their competence. The recognition and accreditation of prior competence is initiated by the students themselves. The competence is recognised and accredited by the teacher responsible for the studies or another person designated to the position. The assessment is carried out according to the same assessment criteria and, as a rule, same grading scale as that adopted for the corresponding study unit or module. The student is entitled to apply for accreditation of prior competence regardless of where, how and when the competence has been acquired. The student may also seek accreditation of competence to be acquired on the job as part of their degree (work-based learning). The student is responsible for demonstrating and verifying their competence and for providing sufficient information.
Suitable compensatory or supplementary tasks will be developed accordingly.

Student workload

For a 5 credit course you are expected to do 135 hours of work.
An in-depth workload will be supplied in the Canvas workspace
There will be 44 hours of contact lessons

Content scheduling

The contents include:
• Oral communication skills needed for the workplace: presentations skills; client interactions;
• Basics of Constructive communication (Nonviolent Communication) as a professional and personal communication method to facilitate empathetic encounters with clients as well self-empathy and self-development.
• Reflective written skills
• Report and academic writing skills
• Intercultural competences
• Management of Actual or Potential Aggression (MAPA)
• Group working skills
• Field-specific vocabulary

This course is also integrated into the V1472 Basic Premises of Customer Work in the Social Care Sector. The Life Course essay assignment for the Basic Premises course will be evaluated as part of this course.

Evaluation scale

H-5

Further information

The study unit corresponds to the requirements of Bachelor's level education.
According to the degree regulations (section 18) "students must be present for the first contact teaching session, or they must notify the responsible teacher of their absence to confirm they intend to participate in studies, Alternatively, the teacher can specify a different manner for the student to confirm that they intend to participate in the studies. The completion of these measures can be required within a week of the studies having begun. The application of the aforementioned approach requires that the teacher notifies the students accepted to the study unit of the practice and that the practice is specifically mentioned in the study unit’s implementation plan.

If the student has a justified reason for not attending the first contact teaching session or for not notifying the teacher of their intention to be involved in studies in the manner required by the teacher, the student must contact the responsible teacher to agree on participation in the studies. Their registration for the study unit will be rejected, of the student does not notify the teacher of being absent from the first contact teaching session or the reason for their absence cannot be considered justified, Another student who is in line for the study unit can be selected in their place."

The quality of the study unit implementation has been assessed and the self-evaluation report is available in Canvas.