Unit Outline

In this final-year capstone unit, you will be supported to integrate your learning across the program and prepare for your transition into professional practice. Through deep reflection and critical analysis, you will explore the complexities of contemporary social work practice, including ethical challenges, organisational constraints, and the impact of language and documentation. This will facilitate the ongoing development of your professional social work identity, capacity for critical thinking, and evaluative skills. By assessing your own development across the social work program, you will be prepared to navigate your future practice, grounded in a commitment to reflexivity, sustainability, and lifelong learning.

Intended Learning Outcomes

As per the Assessment and Results Policy 1.3, your results will reflect your achievement against specified learning outcomes.

On completion of this unit, you will be able to:


1	Critically reflect on the complexities of contemporary social work practice
2	Integrate theory, values, and practice experience to analyse professional decision-making in response to complex practice situations
3	Document and communicate information that reflects an understanding of how social work practices shape client narratives and impact service provision
4	Demonstrate reflexivity and critical thinking in evaluating professional development and preparation for lifelong learning
5	Identify strategies for ethical and sustainable practice that support the ongoing commitment to decolonisation social work

Requisites


REQUISITE TYPE	REQUISITES
Pre-requisite	HGW327, HGW308, HGW312, HGW302, and HGW303.

Alterations as a result of student feedback

This unit is being taught for the first time in 2026. As always, the teaching team will greatly appreciate your feedback both informally during the delivery of the unit in 2026, and formally through the University of Tasmania’s Unit Survey following your completion of the unit.

How will I be Assessed?

For more detailed assessment information please see MyLO.

Assessment schedule


ASSESSMENT TASK #	ASSESSMENT TASK NAME	DATE DUE	WEIGHT	LINKS TO INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES
Assessment Task 1:	Critical Reflection on Practice Presentation	Week 4	20 %	LO1, LO2, LO4
Assessment Task 2:	Practice-Based Writing Analysis	Week 10	30 %	LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5
Assessment Task 3:	Self-Assessment of Learning and Development	Week 12	50 %	LO1, LO2, LO3, LO4, LO5

Assessment details

Assessment Task 1: Critical Reflection on Practice Presentation

Task Description:

This task requires you to critically reflect and present an experience of encountering complexity in practice during your first field placement. This could include navigating organisational constraints, ethical dilemmas, systemic barriers, moral distress, or other challenges that might have challenged your ability to act in alignment with your social work values. You will consider and apply relevant social work theories and ethical frameworks in your reflective presentation.

Task Length:

10-minute video recorded presentation

Due Date:

Week 4

Weight:

20 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Articulate understanding of complex practice situations, including ethical and organisational challenges	LO1
2	Integrate relevant social work theories, professional values, and practice experience to support reflection	LO2
3	Evidence critical self-reflection on practice experiences and development of professional identity	LO4

Assessment Task 2: Practice-Based Writing Analysis

Task Description:

Drawing upon your own practice-based writing from The Social Work Praxis Lab, you will critically analyse your social work client formulation to examine your decision-making processes and explore how written records play a significant role in social work practice. You will examine issues of power, objectivity, and bias in relation to the language, structure, and audience of your client formulation. You will be required to consider the ethics of interpreting and documenting people’s lived experience and how writing as a social work practice can support our commitment to decolonisation.

Task Length:

1500 words

Due Date:

Week 10

Weight:

30 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Critically analyse practice-based writing, considering the role of language, structure, and audience	LO3, LO4
2	Reflect on ethical implications of interpreting and documenting people’s lived experience, considering issues of power, objectivity, and bias	LO2, LO3
3	Identify approaches for ethical and effective communication practices that contribute to decolonising social work	LO5

Assessment Task 3: Self-Assessment of Learning and Development

Task Description:

Using the overall course learning outcomes as a guide, you will be required to complete a self-assessment of your own learning and development across the social work program. In this assessment, you will reflect on your growth as an emerging social work, using examples from your coursework and field placement to support your analysis, and identity opportunities for future learning and professional development.

Task Length:

2500 words

Due Date:

Week 12

Weight:

50 %

CRITERION #

CRITERION

MEASURES INTENDED

LEARNING OUTCOME(S)


1	Reflect on social work learning and preparedness for practice	LO4
2	Synthesise social work knowledge, theories, values, and practice experiences to self-assess professional development	LO2, LO4
3	Identify opportunities for ongoing development of ethical and sustainable practice, demonstrating an understanding of social work’s commitment to decolonisation	LO5
4	Provide relevant and insightful examples to support self-assessment of learning and development	LO1, LO2
5	Communicate self-assessment in a structured, clear, and engaging manner	LO3

How your final result is determined

To pass this unit, you need to demonstrate your attainment of each of the Intended Learning Outcomes, achieve a final unit grade of 50% or greater, and pass any hurdle tasks.

Academic progress review

The results for this unit may be included in a review of your academic progress. For information about progress reviews and what they mean for all students, see Academic Progress Review in the Student Portal.

Submission of assignments

Where practicable, assignments should be submitted to an assignment submission folder in MYLO. You must submit assignments by the due date or receive a penalty (unless an extension of time has been approved by the Unit Coordinator). Students submitting any assignment in hard copy, or because of a practicum finalisation, must attach a student cover sheet and signed declaration for the submission to be accepted for marking.

Academic integrity

Academic integrity is about acting responsibly, honestly, ethically, and collegially when using, producing, and communicating information with other students and staff members.

In written work, you must correctly reference the work of others to maintain academic integrity. To find out the referencing style for this unit, see the assessment information in the MyLO site, or contact your teaching staff. For more detail about Academic Integrity, see Important Guidelines & Support.

Requests for extensions

If you are unable to submit an assessment task by the due date, you should apply for an extension.

A request for an extension should first be discussed with your Unit Coordinator or teaching support team where possible. A request for an extension must be submitted by the assessment due date, except where you can provide evidence it was not possible to do so. Typically, an application for an extension will be supported by documentary evidence: however, where it is not possible for you to provide evidence please contact your Unit Coordinator.

The Unit Coordinator must notify you of the outcome of an extension request within 3 working days of receiving the request.

Late penalties

Assignments submitted after the deadline will receive a late penalty of 5% of the original available mark for each calendar day (or part day) that the assignment is late. Late submissions will not be accepted more than 10 calendar days after the due date, or after assignments have been returned to other students on a scheduled date, whichever occurs first. Further information on Late Penalties can be found on the Assessments and Results Procedure.