226 M. Gray e /. Gibbons 1. Stimulate the moral imagination and to alert students to the ethical dimensions of social work theory and practice. 2. Apply critical thinking skills in identifying and dealing with ethical issues when they arise. 3. Develop a sense of moral obligation and personal responsibility for our value choices and the ethical decisions we make 4. Respond to ethical controversy and ambiguity and understand that, ultimately, ethical decisions result from the moral judgments we make The learning unit is taught over five 3-hour sessions. During these sessions, we locate values and ethics in social work practice, examine core social work values, the purpose and limitations of ethical codes, ethical dilemmas in social work, and ethical decision making. It must be emphasised that this learning unit is the culmination of teaching students about social work values in an integrated manner over the 4 years of the program, includes a course on ethics in second year taught by Session 1: Locating Values and Ethics in Social Work Practice In the first session, we encourage students to reflect on, and add to, their learning about social work theory on values through integrating ethics with social work practice (i. e, through connecting values and ethics to knowledge, theories, skills, practice, policy, and research). We want students to understand that intellectual knowledge alone cannot prepare them for the uncertainties and ambiguities of social work practice and will not be sufficient for the types of complex decisions they will have to make, especially when ethical dilemmas arise. Although often presented as a rational process, ethical decision making is a complex problem solving activity that requires the application of critical thinking, as well as the ar ability to make judgments on the basis of our knowledge, theories, practice experience, and values, not to mention those of the client involved. This requires a certain kind of understanding, not just rational-technical approaches( Schon, 983). We want students to learn to accept that things are not always black and white; there are many shades of gray( Gray Askeland, 2002), which is why a thorough understanding of the moral implications of what we do is needed, along with critical reflection on personal and professional values and the guidance of ethical codes. Through group discussion, we establish what the students already know about values and ethics, identify areas that they want to learn more about and conduct an exercise to help them articulate their values. In a sense, our values are our ideals, whereas our ethics guide us towards the achievement of these ideals. Codes of ethics are guides for practice. We examine the history of social work values and debate their universal nature and their applicability to diverse cultural contexts( Gray Fook, 2004; Gray, 2005). Finally, we link values to concepts of human rights and social justice, which, like codes of ethics, offer guidelines for
1. Stimulate the moral imagination and to alert students to the ethical dimensions of social work theory and practice. 2. Apply critical thinking skills in identifying and dealing with ethical issues when they arise. 3. Develop a sense of moral obligation and personal responsibility for our value choices and the ethical decisions we make. 4. Respond to ethical controversy and ambiguity and understand that, ultimately, ethical decisions result from the moral judgments we make. The learning unit is taught over five 3-hour sessions. During these sessions, we locate values and ethics in social work practice, examine core social work values, the purpose and limitations of ethical codes, ethical dilemmas in social work, and ethical decision making. It must be emphasised that this learning unit is the culmination of teaching students about social work values in an integrated manner over the 4 years of the program, which includes a course on ethics in second year taught by philosophers. Session I: Locating Values and Ethics in Social Work Practice In the first session, we encourage students to reflect on, and add to, their learning about social work theory on values through integrating ethics with social work practice (i.e., through connecting values and ethics to knowledge, theories, skills, practice, policy, and research). We want students to understand that intellectual knowledge alone cannot prepare them for the uncertainties and ambiguities of social work practice and will not be sufficient for the types of complex decisions they will have to make, especially when ethical dilemmas arise. Although often presented as a rational process, ethical decision making is a complex problem solving activity that requires the application of critical thinking, as well as the an ability to make judgments on the basis of our knowledge, theories, practice experience, and values, not to mention those of the client involved. This requires a certain kind of understanding, not just rationaltechnical approaches (Scho¨n, 1983). We want students to learn to accept that things are not always black and white; there are many shades of gray (Gray & Askeland, 2002), which is why a thorough understanding of the moral implications of what we do is needed, along with critical reflection on personal and professional values and the guidance of ethical codes. Through group discussion, we establish what the students already know about values and ethics, identify areas that they want to learn more about, and conduct an exercise to help them articulate their values. In a sense, our values are our ideals, whereas our ethics guide us towards the achievement of these ideals. Codes of ethics are guides for practice. We examine the history of social work values and debate their universal nature and their applicability to diverse cultural contexts (Gray & Fook, 2004; Gray, 2005). Finally, we link values to concepts of human rights and social justice, which, like codes of ethics, offer guidelines for 226 M. Gray & J. Gibbons Downloaded by [Shanghai Jiaotong University] at 07:30 23 May 2012
practice and are mainly enforceable to the extent that they are embodied in Session 2. Core Social Work values In the second session, we examine various value classification systems, such as those of Biestek(1961), Biestek and Gehrig(1978), Levy (1993), Pumphrey(1959),Reamer (1999)and Timms (1983). Students complete a values questionnaire on their own and then discuss the questions and their responses in small groups. The questions relate to (a)the values of social work and why they are important;(b) the difference between values and ethics; (c) ways in which we may encourage people to practice ethically; and(d)the he relationship between personal, professional, organisational, and social values. Working in their small groups, we ask students reflect back over the 3 years they have been studying social work and to consider the Have your values changed? If so, how? If not, what values have been confirmed? What do you see as the most important, pivotal, or even overarching values of ocial work? 3. What do you know about the history of social work values? 4. How have social work values changed or remained the same over the years? 5. What are the limitations of your knowledge about values? 6. Do you know how to apply your values in practice? Session 3: The Purpose and Limitations of Ethical Codes In the third session, we review different ethical codes(some different social work codes, and some codes from other disciplines)to identify the main tenets of the code, to establish how they embody the core values of social work, and to relate them to the ethical and legal duties of helping professionals, such as the duty of care, duty to respect privacy, duty to maintain confidentiality, duty to inform, duty to report, and duty to warn. Working in small groups, students review a different ethical code in social work, identify the main tenets of the code, establish how this differs from core values identified in the previous learning task, and connect the code to critical thinking. Thereafter, they work through a case example, usually a current australian story in the media with ethical overtones, using the codes, values, and critical thinking to reflect on the moral issues involved in this case situation. In reporting back, we draw their attention to the purpose of ethical codes as a means of ensuring that we are accountable for our actions and to protect client interests. We discuss the difficulties of using codes prescriptively, because they are only guides, and the importance of having an understanding of moral and ethical theory to help us identify the ethical aspects of the situations we encounter( Gray, 1995, 1996)
practice and are mainly enforceable to the extent that they are embodied in legislation and policy. Session 2: Core Social Work Values In the second session, we examine various value classification systems, such as those of Biestek (1961), Biestek and Gehrig (1978), Levy (1993), Pumphrey (1959), Reamer (1999) and Timms (1983). Students complete a values questionnaire on their own and then discuss the questions and their responses in small groups. The questions relate to (a) the values of social work and why they are important; (b) the difference between values and ethics; (c) ways in which we may encourage people to practice ethically; and (d) the relationship between personal, professional, organisational, and social values. Working in their small groups, we ask students to reflect back over the 3 years they have been studying social work and to consider the following: 1. Have your values changed? If so, how? If not, what values have been confirmed? 2. What do you see as the most important, pivotal, or even overarching values of social work? 3. What do you know about the history of social work values? 4. How have social work values changed or remained the same over the years? 5. What are the limitations of your knowledge about values? 6. Do you know how to apply your values in practice? Session 3: The Purpose and Limitations of Ethical Codes In the third session, we review different ethical codes (some different social work codes, and some codes from other disciplines) to identify the main tenets of the code, to establish how they embody the core values of social work, and to relate them to the ethical and legal duties of helping professionals, such as the duty of care, duty to respect privacy, duty to maintain confidentiality, duty to inform, duty to report, and duty to warn. Working in small groups, students review a different ethical code in social work, identify the main tenets of the code, establish how this differs from core values identified in the previous learning task, and connect the code to critical thinking. Thereafter, they work through a case example, usually a current Australian story in the media with ethical overtones, using the codes, values, and critical thinking to reflect on the moral issues involved in this case situation. In reporting back, we draw their attention to the purpose of ethical codes as a means of ensuring that we are accountable for our actions and to protect client interests. We discuss the difficulties of using codes prescriptively, because they are only guides, and the importance of having an understanding of moral and ethical theory to help us identify the ethical aspects of the situations we encounter (Gray, 1995, 1996). Australian Social Work 227 Downloaded by [Shanghai Jiaotong University] at 07:30 23 May 2012