University of Oregon
College of Education
Family and Human Services 215
EXPLORING FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES
Spring, 2012
4 credits
Instructor:
Karrie Walters, Ph.D
Class Time:
10:00pm – 12:00pm, Tuesday and Thursday
Class Location: 125 MCK
Office Location: 264 HEDCO
Office Hours: 2:30pm – 3:30pm Thursday, and by appointment
Email:
kwalters@uoregon.edu
Teaching Assistant: Elisa DeVargas, devargas@uoregon.edu
Grader: Nitsan Ozer, nitsano@uoregon.edu
Course Description:
This course is designed to explore: (a) the issues confronting families in contemporary society,
(b) the role of family in transmitting important cultural and personal values, (c) the influences of
dominant culture as well as institutions of education and human services, and (d) the societal
efforts to assist children, youth and families.
Course Objectives:
 For students to become aware of the influence of family, peers and community in
their own lives
 For students to understand and use the ecological model in conceptualizing the issues
impacting families and the structure of human services.
 For students to recognize the effects of the changing nature of family in relation to
health, education, and human service delivery
 For students to become aware of the issues confronting families in contemporary
society
 For students to analyze the role of the dominant culture in presenting information
about cultural and ethnic diversity, person with disabilities, alternative lifestyles,
sexual orientation, and gender identification.
 For students to understand of societal efforts to assist children, youth, and families
 For students to understand how educational and human services are organized in
Oregon.
Required Texts (Available at the U of O bookstore):
Kozol, J. (1995). Amazing Grace. New York: HarperPerennial
Tough, P. (2008). Whatever it takes. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
Jenson, J. & Fraser, M. (2011). Social policy for children and families: A risk and resilience
perspective. 2nd Ed. Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA.
Student Supports
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If you have a documented disability and anticipate needing accommodations in this course, please
make an appointment with the instructor during the first week of term. Please speak with the
Accessible Education Center (AEC) (formerly Disability Services). If you have a letter, please
present and discuss it with the instructor. Disabilities may include (but are not limited to)
neurological impairment; orthopedic impairment; traumatic brain injury; visual impairment,
chronic medical conditions; emotional/psychological disabilities; hearing impairment; and
learning disabilities. For more information on Disability Services see http://ds.uoregon.edu/
Student Conduct:
UO Student Conduct Code is contained in each term's schedule of classes. All College of
Education students are subject to the regulations stipulated in this code. The College of
Education's Academic Policies and Procedures may be found in its entirety on the web at
http://education.uoregon.edu/feature.htm?id=376. Students should review these policies
periodically to see the most recent version. Student Dismissal: Please read the most recent version
at http://education.uoregon.edu/feature.htm?id=397. Student Grievance: Please read the most
recent version at http://education.uoregon.edu/feature.htm?id=399. Please review the
university’s policies on academic dishonesty. Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty
may be reflected in your grade, or you may be dropped from the course.
Diversity and Respect for Others:
In order to thrive and excel, a culture must honor the rights, safety, dignity, and well being of all
members no matter their race, ethnicity, national origin, age, tribal affiliation, sexual orientation,
gender, gender-expression/identity, socioeconomic status, physical disabilities, and
spiritual/religious affiliations. The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect in
understanding that each individual is unique. Course content, class discussions, activities for this
class rest on an assumption that human diversity is normative and is an important focus of
attention. This course requires and expects critical thinking about and sensitivity to the impact of
diversity in relation to the children, youth and families served in education and human service
agencies and in the University of Oregon community. Students are encouraged to reflect on how
their cultural backgrounds and diverse experiences influence their professional work and identity.
Course Requirements:
Attendance and Participation- Attendance is expected and necessary for you to do well
in this class. You are expected to come to class thoroughly prepared, meaning that you have all
the materials needed for class and have completed all of the assigned reading sufficiently. You
are expected to actively participate in class discussions by raising questions, reflecting/sharing
your thoughts and ideas regarding the assigned reading and topic for the week, engaging in group
activities, and taking notes. You are responsible for course content and in-class, group, and
homework assignments that you miss. If you miss an in-class activity, it is your responsibility to
make it up and turn it in at the next class meeting or to contact the instructor promptly to learn
whether a make-up is possible. More than 2 absences will results in the lowering of your grade by
one letter grade.
Quizzes – There will be 3 in-class quizzes, each worth 10 points. Quizzes will be
structured in a short-answer format.
Blog – You are required to post one blog entry a week. The blog is designed to give you
a space to reflect on the content of the class (readings, lectures, guest speakers, etc) on a weekly
basis. Your blog entry should be between 350-500 words and should discuss critically, and in
detail, your thoughts regarding class content. Your blog post should end with a question that
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invites others to continue this line of thought. You are also responsible to responding to the other
student blogs entries from your group, at least one response for each person in your group per
week. Your blog entries are worth 30 points and your comments are worth 10 points, for a total
of 40 pts for the Blog assignment.
Site Presentation - Choose a human service organization and gather information
regarding the structure and services of the organization. Do NOT ask the organization to give
you’re a tour or set up a meeting. Appropriate ways to obtain this information is looking online
and through their brochures. When determining which organizations to research, consider the
nature of the work that is of greatest interest to you and select agencies that offer these
opportunities. You will then create a handout summarizing your findings in a user-friendly
manner for your peers. More information regarding the structure and format of this presentation
and handout will be provided in class. You will be asked to give a short (5-10 minute)
presentation to a small group in class on your findings. Please bring 6 copies of your handout to
class to pass out to your small group. The Site Presentation (with handout) is worth 10 points.
Midterm Exam– This report has two sections. The first part is related to the site you
chose to present. This section of the report should answer the question “What are the services
offered by your agency and how do they benefit the clients?” This section should contain a large
amount of references to class and the textbooks. The second is section allows for more personal
reflection and involves 1) engaging in the activity and 2) fully answering questions provided for
the chosen activity (see handout on blackboard.) There are three activities you can choose from
for this section: 1) Watch one of the videos posted on blackboard, 2) Conduct an Informational
Interview with a person in a career of interest to you, or 3) Thoroughly read a blog written by a
person involved in the human services (either from the professional side or the client side.) A list
of accepted blogs are provided. Use of other blogs requires instructor approval. The Midterm
Exam is worth 30 points.
Final Project- The term project will provide an opportunity for you to research the role
that the ecological model has played in your own development. The purpose of this personal
exploration is to help you clarify your values and explore the complex nature of the main
influences in your life. The project can be a book, video, or web-based project which follows the
guidelines presented in class. The Final Project is worth 40 points.
Final Exam - This comprehensive exam covers all lectures, readings, class activities, and
class discussions for the entire term. This take-home exam will be in essay format. You will be
given the exam a week before it is due. This exam involves a great amount of time and work.
There will be between 2 questions, and each question will require a 4-5 page answer. The Final
Exam is worth 50 points.
Course Requirements and Evaluation:
Area of Evaluation
1. Quizzes
2. Blog
2. Site Presentation
3. Midterm Exam
5. Final project
6. Final Exam
Points (total possible = 200 pts.)
30 points (10 pts each)
40 points
10 points
30 points
40 pts.
50 pts.
Grading:
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100 – 90% = A
89 - 80% = B
79 - 70% = C
69 - 60% = D
<60 = F
Grading Descriptions: Many students ask ‘how do I get an A?”. Except for quizzes (which are in
a fill-in-the blank and short answer format) the following criteria will be used for grading
purposes:
A: Excellent. High quality work that exceeds requirements, demonstrates exceptional
understanding and effort.
B: Good. Work exceeds requirements, shows above average thought and effort.
C: Satisfactory. Work meets basic criteria and demonstrates understanding of assignment.
D: Unsatisfactory. Work meets basic criteria but portrays a careless approach
F: Fail. Work fails to meet basic criteria.
Late Assignments:
Outside of exceptional circumstances (e.g. medical emergency), any assignment turned in beyond
the deadline will be reduced in score by 25% for each day it is late.
Class Conduct and Beepy Buzzy Things
Please turn off all cell phone devices, pagers or anything else that beeps, buzzes, tweets, clicks or
gyrates incessantly during lecture. Please put away all laptops and shiny things during lecture or
I will stop and stare at you awkwardly until you do. Dnt b txtn. Be nice. Laugh at my jokes even
if they aren’t funny.
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Outline of Course Schedule
This schedule is subject to change.
Date
U 09/25
General Topics and Activities
Introduction to class and the field of Human Services
Readings and Assignments Due
Mehr: Ch. 1 (on blackboard)
H 09/27
U 10/02
Introduction to the Ecological Model
Conceptualization and impact of Multiculturalism in
social services
A History of Helping in the Human Services
Individual: What does “healthy” look like?
Individual Interventions within an ecological system
Mental Health, Trauma and Addiction
HS in Action: White Bird Clinic; Trauma Healing Project
Microsystems: An ecological overview of the family and
a focus on parenting.
HS in Action: Birth to Three
Introduction to Child Welfare (child neglect/abuse, foster
care and adoption)
HS in Action: Relief Nursery; CASA, FCAT
Microsystems: The power of relationships – a focus on
peers, school and mentoring.
HS in Action: Committed Partners for Youth
Mesosystem: The power of connections
Antisocial Behavior (impact of peers, school-home
mesosystem interventions)
HS in Action: FCU School Check up
Site Presentations
Discussion of Kozol’s Amazing Grace
Jenson Ch. 1
Kozol Chap. 1-2
H 10/04
U 10/09
H 10/11
U 10/16
H 10/18
U 10/23
H 10/25
U 10/30
H 11/01
U 11/06
H 11/08
U 11/13
H 11/15
U 11/20
H 11/22
Kozol Chap 3
QUIZ 1
Jenson Ch. 5 & 8
Kozol: Ch. 4
Blackboard Readings
Jenson Ch. 3
Blackboard Readings
Jenson Ch. 4
Kozol Ch. 5-end
Tough: Ch. 1-3
QUIZ 2
Site Presentation Due
Midterm Report
Exosystem: The impact of institutional and society
Jenson, Ch. 2
structures on individuals and families.
HS in Action: Centro Latino Americano, ShelterCare, Full
Access Brokerage
A closer look at Poverty and Social Class
Jenson Ch. 6
Movie: Take it from me.
Current structure and goals of Human Services; Overview
of DHS in Oregon. Advocacy and Social Justice
HS in Action: DHS, OSLC Community Programs
Macrosystem: The power of perceptions.
Conceptualizing Disability
An ecological view: Criminal Justice and Drug Use
HS in Action: Teen Court, Willamette Family
“Putting it all together” Integrated and ecologically based
prevention, intervention and policy;
No Class - Thanksgiving
Tough: Ch. 4-6
Jenson Ch. 7
Tough: Ch. 7 - Afterward
Jenson Ch. 9
QUIZ 3
Jenson, Ch. 10
Projects due
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U 11/27
H 11/29
H 12/05
A closer look: LGBTQ Families
Careers and Future Planning in Human Services
Final Exam DUE at 5:00pm on Wednesday, Dec. 5th
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