SPRn8803 Dilemmas and approaches to clients

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2025
Extent and Intensity
2/0/0. 10 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Asynchronous teaching
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Ladislav Otava, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Ladislav Otava, Ph.D.
Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Supplier department: Department of Social Policy and Social Work – Faculty of Social Studies
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to lead students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for independent research reflection on the approach of social workers to clients with regard to ways of coping with dilemmas that are a common part of the approach in organizations that provide personal social work services.
Learning outcomes
In the course of the course, students acquire and deepen their knowledge of the theoretical concepts of "theory", "approach to clients", "social worker", "social interaction", "client", "dilemma", "social work organization" in order to be theory-driven social workers.
Syllabus
  • Students will learn about the theoretical logic of the approach to clients by independently, according to the assignment, preparing a study on social workers' approaches to clients in an organizational context. The aim of the study is to provide an answer to the question "What is the (1) Conceptualization of (2) Social Workers' (3) Approach to (4) Social Interactions (5) Clients' (6) Social Interactions with respect to (7) Social Workers' Dilemmas in (8) Social Work Organizations?".
Literature
    required literature
  • ARGYRIS, CH., SCHÖN, D.A. Organizational Learning II. Theory, Metod, and Praktice. Addison-Wesley, Reading – Massachusetts tec. 1996.
  • MUSIL, Libor. Coping with Dilemmas. Working Conditions and Interactions of Social Workeres with their Clients. Stassfurt: ISIS, 2006, 130 pp. Comparative Social Work Science Vol. 6. ISBN 80-7326-090-5. info
  • NEČASOVÁ, Mirka and Libor MUSIL. PRACOVNÍ PODMÍNKY A DILEMATA POMÁHAJÍCÍCH PRACOVNÍKŮ (WORKING CONDITIONS AND DILEMMAS OF WORKERS IN HELPING PROFESSIONS). Sociální práce|Sociálna práca. Brno: ASVSP, 2006, vol. 2006, No 3, p. 57 - 71, 14 pp. ISSN 1213-6204. info
  • MUSIL, Libor. "Ráda bych Vám pomohla, ale ..." Dilemata práce s klienty v organizacích. ("I would like to help you, but ..." Dilemmas of work with clients in organisations.). Brno: Marek Zeman, 2004, 243 pp. ISBN 80-903070-1-9. info
  • LAAN, Geert van der. Otázky legitimace sociální práce :(pomoc není zboží). Translated by Eva Kušová. Vyd. 1. Boskovice: Albert, 1998, 260 s. ISBN 80-85834-41-3. info
  • LIPSKY, Michael. Street-level bureaucracy :dilemmas of the individual in public services. New York: Russell Sage Foundation, 1980, xviii, 244. ISBN 0-87154-526-8. info
    recommended literature
  • REDMOND, B.: Reflecting on Practice: Exploring Individual and Organizational Learning through a Reflective Teaching Model. In: Gould, N., Baldwin, M. (eds.), Social Work, Critical Reflection and the Learning Organization, Ashgate, Aldershot 2004.
  • GEERTZ, Clifford. Interpretace kultur :vybrané eseje. Translated by Hana Červinková - Václav Hubinger - Hedvika Humlíčková. Vyd. 1. Praha: Sociologické nakladatelství, 2000, 565 s. ISBN 80-85850-89-3. info
  • The unconscious at work : individual and organizational stress in the human services. Edited by Anton Obholzer - Vega Zagier Roberts. 1st pub. Hove: Brunner-Routledge, 1994, xviii, 224. ISBN 0415102065. info
  • MARTIN, Joanne. Cultures in organizations : three perspectives. New York: Oxford University Press, 1992, xi, 228 s. ISBN 0-19-507163-8. info
  • GOFFMAN, Erving. Asylums :essays on the social situation of mental patients and other inmates. 1st pub. London: Penguin Books, 1991, 336 s. ISBN 0-14-013739-4. info
  • HOWE, David. Social workers and their practice in welfare bureaucracies. Aldershot: Gower, 1986, vi, 174 s. ISBN 0-566-05091-9. info
Teaching methods
The course is organized in the form of lectures and seminars in blocks of 10 hours in total, according to the departmental schedule of the combined study. Students may request a consultation according to their own needs. Block 1: Saturday; 09:00-14:40: lecture where students will be introduced to the basic theses of conceptualizing social workers' approach to social interactions of clients with regard to the dilemmas of social workers in social work organizations. Block 2: Saturday; 15:00-18:40: exam, during which students will present the Theoretical Study and receive an evaluation by the instructor and a classmate from the MUNI IS Peer Review application. Presentation length 20-30 min. with 10 PowerPoint sheets.
Assessment methods
For successful completion of the course is required (1) elaboration and submission of a seminar paper Preparation for the elaboration of a seminar paper according to the assignment and deadlines in IS MUNI, with an assessment of accepted/unaccepted. (2) Preparation, submission and presentation of the Theoretical Study Seminar paper according to the assignment and deadlines in IS MUNI, with a grade of A ≡ 100%, B ≡ 90%, C ≡ 80%, D ≡ 70%, E ≡ 60%, F ≡ <60% of expected performance. The assessment will be whether the answer forms a logically structured and consistent whole with respect to the question.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: in blocks.
Teacher's information
https://is.muni.cz/auth/el/fss/jaro2023/SPRn8803/index.qwarp
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2025/SPRn8803