Introduction to Community

Curriculum Guideline

Effective Date:
Course
Discontinued
No
Course Code
CFCS 1110
Descriptive
Introduction to Community
Department
Child, Family & Community Studies
Faculty
Applied Community Studies
Credits
3.00
Start Date
End Term
202220
PLAR
Yes
Semester Length
Flexible delivery ranging over 2 to 15 weeks
Max Class Size
35
Contact Hours
60 hours: Lecture
Method(s) Of Instruction
Lecture
Learning Activities
  • Lecture
  • Group Work
  • Student Presentations
  • Guest Speakers
  • Audio-Visual Presentations
Course Description
This course will focus on the development of a professional identity through examination of values, worldviews, and personal ethics in context of the professional ethics in education and human services. In forming strong and healthy communities, factors related to diversity, self-determination, social and economic justice, and ethical use of power will be examined. Using the concepts of critical thinking, students will explore and reflect on historical and current perspectives and ethical decision-making. Current legal and policy trends will be discussed in relation to significant social and cultural issues. Students who complete CFCS 1110 will not receive additional credit for CFCS 1112.
Course Content

 The following global ideas guide the design and delivery of this course:

  • Social and economic justice, appreciation of diversity, encouragement and respect for self-determination, and the ethical use of power combine to form strong and healthy communities.
  • Exploring and reflecting on one’s own experience as a member of a community is fundamental to determining how a person will work with others because acknowledging and sharing one’s experiences leads to claiming personal power and precedes the empowerment of others.
  • Communities have many resources. Through collaborative work, communities have power, the capacity to effect change, and the abilities to take care of their own members.  Before one can engage in collaborative relationships, however, s/he must understand the relationship between dependence, independence and interdependence.
  • Critical thinking and the clear effective articulation of ideas in a variety of formats and settings are essential to effective practice and community involvement.
  • In addition to knowing the standards of practice or the expectations of one’s employers, practitioners need to understand their own beliefs and value systems to prevent imposition on others.
  • Professional practice requires an understanding of ethical principles and their application to decisions and actions taken.  Ethical decision making requires continual reflection, self- examination and ongoing values clarification.
  • By making a commitment to become active, ethical practitioners within the political, educational and social service systems, s/he can contribute to the development of healthy communities.
  • The organizations within which practitioners work are complex, imperfect and frustrating.  Practitioners need to actively keep abreast with, reflect on, and apply trends in their fields of practice, develop a personalized model of professional practice, and maintain balance in their lives in order to sustain and renew themselves in their work.
  • It is critical that practitioners understand recognized lines of authority, their personal and professional limitations, as well as their abilities and responsibilities.  They must effectively use a myriad of community resources and appropriate referrals.
  • Knowing the history of the social services field and service delivery is necessary to understand what has been, what is, and what is to come.
Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

 

  1. Describe the impact of personal, cultural, professional and societal values on their work in community
  2. Describe the characteristics of healthy communities
  3. Articulate issues of social justice and diversity
  4. Describe how experiences of authority, culture and power affect work and relationships
  5. Evaluate and apply models of critical thinking in written and oral forms
  6. Apply ethical principles to human service dilemmas
  7. Describe current social attitudes and policies and their relevant  history
  8. Describe the basics of Canada’s political systems and how social policy is created.
Means of Assessment

This course will conform to Douglas College policy regarding the number and weighting of evaluations.

  • Written Assignments
  • Group Presentations
  • Self Assessment
  • Classroom Activity Participation
  • Other

This is a letter graded course.

Textbook Materials

TBA

Prerequisites

NIL

Corequisites

NIL

Which Prerequisite

CCSD 240 or CCSD 1240 and CFCS 410 or CFCS 2410