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Student Study QuestionsThese study questions highlight many of the important issues or topics in each chapter and may be used for class discussion, homework, or examinations. They are not intended to be a complete review of all the material but to suggest questions that may be helpful in leading students to better understand the chapter content. The questions follow the progression of the text in the chapter.Student Study Questions for Chapter 1, The Social Construction of Social Work Theory1. How is practice influenced by formal and informal theory? How does this process actually occur?2. What are the four types of practice theory? How do they differ from each other in terms of how they are developed and the way in which they are used?3. What are the underlying reasons for social workers to use theory? In other words, what good is theory? You might thinking about the three types of theory talked about in this chapter.4. Why does the author argue that social work practice is socially constructed?5. What are the ‘shared value principles’ that are found in theories? Why are these important to know?Student Study Questions for Chapter 2, Evaluating Social Work Theory1. How can we sort through the large numbers of theories that exist? In other words, how can you as a practitioner make sense of the large numbers of theories that you may come across?2. Why do social workers come up with so many theories if most workers actually operate according to one or two basic styles?3. Why is social work theory often at some distance in time and interpretation from ideas in wider theoretical debate? In other words, how do ideas from other bodies of theory come into social work?4. What are the advantages and disadvantages of selectivity and of eclecticism for different kinds of practitioners in different kinds of settings?5. How do you feel about the ongoing debate between positivists and interpretivists? How do you think clients feel? Does that differ from agency managers and from elected officials?Student Study Questions for Chapter 3, Connecting Theory and Practice1. Why have conflicts occurred in connecting theory and practice among agencies, academics, practitioners, and other groups over the past century? What conflicts do you think might occur in your lifetime? (That’s a hard question—but think about the social changes going on around you in American society as well as the enormous changes in many other countries such as China, Brazil, India, etc.)2. There appear to be at least three ways to deal with the interaction of theory and practice: by understanding theory-practice connections to see how theory and practice influence each other; by selecting from, combining and adapting aspects of different theories to help practitioners deal with plurality; and by using critical reflection techniques to help them apply ideas creatively to practice situations. What are the strengths and weaknesses of each from your perspective? 3. What are the issues involved in using the different models for theory development such as deductive versus inductive; process model; accumulation model; and the practice constraints model? Which do you see as most relevant for you?4. What examples do you see in your life of transfer of learning? What is the most common approach to transfer of learning by social work and why is this the most common?5. Why are reflection, reflexivity, critical thinking, and critical reflection so useful in connecting theory and practice?Student Study Questions for Chapter 4, Psychodynamic Perspectives1. Why do psychodynamic perspectives underlie traditional social work? Why do these perspectives have such power in this profession?2. What are the values issues that arise from psychodynamic theory’s individualism and determinism?3. Does it really matter that psychodynamic practice fails to incorporate the social issues that affect practice? Why or why not? Is this a personal preference or one based on a client group?4. Despite the large influence of psychodynamic perspectives, why does psychodynamic theory have less influence than it might have had?5. In what directions do you imagine psychodynamic perspectives will be extended in the future? In other words, given neuroscience and other areas of development such as people living in ‘virtual realities’, where my psychodynamic perspectives go?Student Study Questions for Chapter 5, Crisis Intervention and Task-Centered Theory1. What are the differences and similarities between crisis intervention and task-centered approaches?2. What are the various reasons for the popularity of crisis intervention and task-centered models?3. What are the limitations and weaknesses that are identified in crisis intervention and task-centered models?4. Are these models gaining or losing popularity? Why?5. Why do some persons suggest that the effectiveness and popularity of brief interventions may help individuals but harm society?Student Study Questions for Chapter 6, Cognitive-Behavioral Practice1. What are the sources of ideas for cognitive and behavioral ideas?2. Why are theories of CBT primarily a Western model of practice? Will this change? Why?3. Values issues are often a concern that arises in discussions of cognitive-behavioral practice. Why? Do you see values issues to the degree that others do?4. In practicing from a cognitive-behavior perspective would the client’s age be a significant factor? If so, how and why?5. Why is CBT at the center of an ongoing controversy about EBP?Student Study Questions for Chapter 7, Systems and Ecological Perspectives1. What are the key components or elements in systems theory?2. What is the relationship between systems and ecological perspectives?3. What is the historical development of systems theories?4. Why do systems ideas not bring in the full implications of social change? Is this because there is a desirability of the status quo built into systems theory?5. What are the fundamental weaknesses of systems theories?Student Study Questions for Chapter 8, Macro Practice, Social Development, and Social Pedagogy1. What are the differences and similarities among these three areas? What results in those differences and similarities?2. Do these theories focus more on social change or social order? Why?3. What are the values issues in each one of the three?4. Is social entrepreneurship practical? Will it be a major field? Why or why not?5. Why is social pedagogy not more developed in English-speaking countries?Student Study Questions for Chapter 9, Strengths, Narrative, and Solution Practice1. What is the common focus among these three? How attractive is this common focus to you and to client groups?2. How did the idea of social construction play a part in the development of these three practice areas?3. What is claims-making and why is it an important concept?4. What is the value of postmodernism?5. How does deconstruction and discourse play a part in postmodernist approaches?Student Study Questions for Chapter 10, Humanistic Practice, Existentialism, and Spirituality1. What do humanistic and related areas of practice contribute to social work? Why is this valuable? Do you find it valuable as a person? Are their client groups who you think would find them particularly valuable?2. Spirituality is becoming more influential; why? Is this appropriate? Explain.3. Where have humanistic approaches filtered into well-known systems of practice and writing?4. What are the core ideas of humanist practice in your own opinion? Why are they important?5. What do you think of the author’s comments about transactional analysis? Do theories and beliefs have to pass a test of public opinion in order to be adopted? Should they? Student Study Questions for Chapter 11, Empowerment and Advocacy1. What aspects of critical theories do empowerment and advocacy incorporate?2. Why is advocacy popular? Where is it most practiced—in what types of settings?3. What is different about advocacy as compared with other types of help given by social workers? In other words, is advocacy actually rate being placed in a separate category?4. How does empowerment differ from advocacy?5. What sort of connections do empowerment and advocacy have with other fields? How might those connections be relevant to social work practice?Student Study Questions for Chapter 12, Critical Practice1. What about critical theory provides so much debate? 2. What is the major value of critical theory to social work?3. Is critical practice (and critical theory ideas) on the rise? Why? Why might this continue in the US? How about in other areas of the world?4. Explain how critical practice sees social work as a type of social control? To what degree do you think that this is valid? Explain. 5. What are the negative aspects about applying critical theory for a practitioner?Student Study Questions for Chapter 13, Feminist Practice1. What are the major features about feminist practice that characterize its use? Do you see these as relevant to present society? Why?2. Why are there diverse perspectives in feminism? In other words, why do we have these different types of feminism rather than a single approach?3. Why is the feminist perspective an integral part of current-day critical practice? 4. Feminist work includes four major areas. What are they and why are they relevant to social work?5. What are the criticisms of feminist practice? Are they justified?Student Study Questions for Chapter 14, Empowerment and Advocacy 1. How do practitioners use anti-oppressive and multicultural sensitivity approaches to better understand cultural/ethnic barriers and differences and conflicts in societies?2. Why did anti-oppressive and multicultural sensitivity approaches emerge from ethnic conflict?3. What are the different aims of empowerment and advocacy? How different are they really?4. Why does the understanding of racism change over time and with geography?5. What is institutionalized racism and how do you combat it? ................
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