Social Work 492
APPLES Service-Learning Summer Internships Course
Summer 2013
Instructor: Cindy Fraga Rizo, MSW
Syllabus
Instructor
I received my BA in Psychology (2005) and my Master’s in Social Work (2007) from Florida
International University. I am currently a doctoral candidate in the School of Social Work at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. My dissertation work focuses on the coping efforts
of intimate partner violence survivors. Specifically, my dissertation project aims to create and
evaluate a scale that measures the manner in which survivors of intimate partner violence cope
with the violence and violence-related stress in their lives.
Generally, I am interested in Violence Against Women research, including intimate partner
violence, sexual assault, harassment, and human trafficking. However, my true passion is
learning about and serving Latina survivors of intimate partner violence. My interest in this
important issue emerged from the converging perspectives of my personal experiences as a
Cuban-American woman and my professional experiences working with Latina survivors and
their families.
When I am not working on research or finishing my dissertation, I like to spend time with my
wonderful husband, Roger, and our black lab, Luna. I enjoy jogging, hiking, reading, and
dancing.
Contact Information
Office: Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building, Suite 400
Email: cfraga@email.unc.edu
Phone: 305-244-7046
Office hours: By appointment. Please email me if you would like to schedule time for us to meet.
My office hours are very flexible and I would be happy to meet and chat with you either over the
phone or in-person.
Communicating with Your Instructor
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me by email at cfraga@email.unc.edu. You
can also post questions for me on the discussion forum.
A common problem in online classes is that instructors sometimes fail to receive student emails.
To make sure that I receive your emails and you receive timely responses to your questions,
please follow these communication guidelines:
1. All email messages must include SOWO 492 CCO in the subject line, otherwise they
will not be routed to the correct folder in my inbox and I will not see them.
2. Be proactive. I should always respond to your email message within a day or two. If I fail
to respond to your message after forty-eight hours, it is almost certain that I have not seen
it. Do not hesitate to let me know that you are waiting for a response!
3. Use your UNC Onyen email.
Course Description
In this course, we will explore frameworks, values, and skills around the democratic principles
of service and citizenship, with particular emphasis on social justice. We will take a servicelearning approach to investigate pervasive social issues occurring locally, nationally, and
globally. This course accompanies an intensive, paid internship experience in a local nonprofit
agency, thus material on characteristics of nonprofits is covered along with theoretical and
personal exploration of values guiding provision of services to individuals and communities.
This course will compliment your fieldwork through focused readings, online discussion posts,
and reflective writing.
This is a one credit hour course offered by Carolina Courses Online. While Carolina Courses
Online (CCO) are generally open to anyone, this course requires permission for enrollment
because it is accompanied by a paid internship.
Goals of this seminar
1. Explore the meaning of service-learning in the context of ten topic areas: nonprofit work,
self-awareness, education, families, aging, chronic disease, public policy, environment,
criminal justice, and global issues.
2. Explore the underlying social, political, and economic issues associated with these topic
areas;
3. Think critically about your internship work, and how that work relates to your system of
values and ethics;
4. Have opportunities to develop greater awareness of what it means to serve communities,
critically evaluate what you bring to that work, and build skills in empowering the
individuals and communities that you are serving;
5. Work toward critical engagement of the subject matter;
6. Gain practical skills to use in your internships now and to take with you as you transition
through your schooling to your careers and beyond.
Required Text
Dolgan, C. & Baker, C. (2011). Social Problems: A Service Learning Approach. Thousand Oaks:
California. (ISBN-10: 0761929479, ISBN-13: 978-0761929475)
Additional readings will be available on BlackBoard at http://blackboard.unc.edu, or you will be
instructed to retrieve additional readings via the UNC library online system.
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
You will write a reflection paper for each lesson. In the reflection paper, you will demonstrate
your understanding of the topic by using specific examples from the lesson, the readings, your
internship experience, and/or online discussion posts. You will also turn in a Final Reflection
Summary Paper. In this paper you will reflect on your overall experience in this class and your
internship. You will also prepare and present a showcase of your internship work and your
learning points from class.
Reflection Papers – 55 points (11 papers at 5 points each)
Reflection papers require you to critically reflect on the readings and lesson plans, and connect
them to your internship experiences. You can find the reflection questions in the lesson plan for
each topic. Each of your reflection papers should be 500 words. Email me your weekly reflection
paper by the following Monday at 8:00pm. Please save your papers as Word documents, using
your name in the file-name, such as “Reflection1-JSmith.doc.”
Final Reflection Summary Paper – 10 points
In this paper, you will reflect on your overall experience in this class and your internship.
Critically reflect on your introduction reflection paper and answer the following questions: What
does service-learning mean to you now? Where your expectations of this course met (explain)?
What specific knowledge and skills did you gain? What did you learn about yourself as a result
of your participation in this class and your internship? The Final Reflection Summary Paper
should be 3-5 pages, double spaced. Email me your Final Reflection Summary Paper by
Thursday, July 26 at 5:00pm. Please save your paper as a Word document, using your name in
the file-name, such as “FinalReflection-JSmith.doc.”
Final Presentation – 13 points
On Thursday, July 26 we will meet on campus in room 500 of the Tate-Turner-Kuralt Building
(School of Social Work Building) from 5:30pm – 7:30pm. You will each showcase your
internship work and your learning points from class. Feel free to be creative! You can bring in a
poster board, brochures from your internship, pictures, and/or video clips to share your
experience.
Discussion Forum Participation – 22 points (11 discussion posts and 11 discussion responses
at 1 point each)
After reading the chapter, thoughtfully and critically respond to one of the discussion questions
(due by Friday at 8pm each week) and reply to another student’s response in a respectful and
constructive manner (due by Monday at 8pm each week). Although I provide cut-off dates,
please do not wait until the last minute to submit your posts. This will ensure that the discussion
forum remains interactive and that it is not inundated with contributions at the last minute. More
than the two required posts (i.e., one post in response to the discussion questions and one post in
response to another student’s contribution) will be much appreciated, but will not garner points.
However, if you are an enthusiastic discussion participant and have lots to say beyond the two
mandatory posts, I will certainly take notice!
Why discussion? This course depends on your participation. The discussion forum is your space
to air your thoughts about the class and your internship. It’s the place where your ideas regarding
the material are communicated to me and your classmates. Learning takes place best in dialogue
and active participation, and since this course occurs in cyberspace, we need this discussion
forum to replace all the ways in which students normally interact with each other. I will respond
to questions and comments on your discussion forum once or twice a week. In addition, at the
each week I will provide a discussion wrap-up.
To earn the full point for your post, please adhere to the following criteria:
 Each post should be of quality and contribute to the class discussion. Superficial oneliners that merely repeat what someone else has said or just summarize a quote generally
receive zero points.
 Each post and each response should be a minimum of 150 words. Usually, a good
contribution is a substantial paragraph, because that’s what it takes to develop an idea.
 In your postings, use specific quotations and illustrations from the readings (show that
you’ve done the reading). Cite page numbers so the rest of the class can find where you
got your ideas and questions.
 Late posts are not accepted and will not be graded. You must post to each week’s
discussion forum during that week and by the deadline provided (see course schedule).
Grading of Reflection Papers and the Final Reflection Summary Paper
When I evaluate your Reflection Papers and the Final Reflection Summary Paper, I will use the
following criteria:
 Writing: Your work should convey information in a clear and direct manner, with no
spelling or grammar errors.
 Connection to course and internship: Your work should make connections to this
course (including course/lesson objections, discussions, and readings) and your internship
experience.
 Critical Reflection: Your work should demonstrate your ability to think critically about
social justice issues.
 Content: Your work should satisfy all of the requirements of the assignment. When
answering a reflection question, make sure your response is accurate, thoughtful, and
complete.
Grading Policy
Your grade should reflect what you learn in this course, but I can’t know what you have learned
unless you demonstrate it to me. Therefore, it is your responsibility to communicate your
understanding of the material though your participation in the discussion forums, the written
assignments, and your final presentation. It is necessary for all your work to be submitted on
time. Late posts are not accepted and will not be graded. Further, written assignments (i.e.,
Reflection Papers and the Final Reflection Summary Paper) that are not submitted on their due
date will be reduced by one letter grade for each day they are late.
Grade Scale
A
94-100
A90-93
B+
87-89
B
84-86
C+
C
CD
F
77-79
74-76
70-73
60-69
< 60
Things you need to know to succeed in this online course:
This is a unique course because each of you chose to participate in a specific service-learning
internship experience. None of you simply “signed up for the class”, but engaged in a lengthy
process of applying, interviewing, and accepting 10-15 hours/week of service in an organization,
in addition to an online class. This means that each of you brings a particular perspective, based
on your interests and experiences to the class, and that each of you plays an integral role in
defining our collective classroom experience. In short, your skill-sets and areas of knowledge
will enrich the online discussions, inform our collective learning, and impact your individual
service work.
Of course, I am here to help you get the most out of your abilities. Since we will not meet in a
classroom, I will provide assistance largely through lessons, where you will find reading
assignments, discussion questions, lesson objectives, a topic overview, my lesson notes, and your
reflection assignment for the week. Furthermore, we will use our companion Sakai site to
interact with one another through announcements and online discussions.
Here are some hints for doing well in this course:
Read each week’s lesson carefully. At the beginning of each week, look at the lesson page for
the week. Read the discussion questions and objectives carefully. Next, read the textbook
chapter(s) listed in the “Required Reading” section. After you have finished reading the
chapter(s), read the “Overview” and “Lesson” sections of the lesson plan. The lesson plans
introduce you to the topics for the week. Read them carefully. They highlight and expand on
some of the main themes.
Make notes as you read. Read actively, not passively. Think about the discussion and reflection
questions as you go along, and take notes! This will help prepare you for writing your discussion
posts and reflection papers.
Check the discussion forum and Sakai site frequently. Several times each week, you will
want to click on the “Sakai” link at the top of any course page and log onto this companion site
for our course. Please take a moment to read any recent announcements I have posted there.
Participation in the discussion forum is required. Keep the discussion in mind as you read so that
you will easily come up with contributions that will be useful to yourself and the rest of the class.
Contact me with your questions! Whenever you have a question about anything related to the
course or your internship, get in touch with me either by calling me at 305-244-7046 or by
emailing me at cfraga@email.unc.edu. If you send or leave a message on a weekday, I will
usually respond within 1 or 2 days.
Visit the UNC Writing Center and read their suggestions thoroughly. Do not fail to do this! It
will make your life easier.
Internship
Your internship will comprise a bulk of this learning experience as you will be working 10-15
hours per week in a community organization. The following guidelines may help you in your
internship placement:
1. Follow the policies, procedures, and related expectations as defined by the agency. Ask your
supervisor if you have any questions or are unclear on a policy or procedure. Don’t be afraid
to ask questions.
2. Trust yourself. If something doesn't feel right, ask for assistance, clarification. Remember
this is your learning experience. Feel free to use our seminar time to process any issues that
may come up. Everyone will experience concerns, insecurities, difficulties, and frustrations.
Openness to explore and process those experiences is valued. Everyone in seminar will
benefit from sharing both the good as well as the disappointing experiences.
3. Your internship is a serious commitment. Recognize the many ways staff and clients come to
expect your presence and look forward to seeing you. Relationships are formed best by
regular, consistent presence, along with warmth and vitality.
4. I encourage you to use the online forum to share challenges and triumphs that will inevitably
accompany your internship experience. If there are times when you would like a more oneon-one conversation, please come to my office hours or make an appointment with me. In
addition to my support and class support, Carolyn Byrne is the APPLES coordinator for this
course. You may email her at cbyrne@email.unc.edu or call the APPLES office at 843-9837
if you have concerns about your placement.
COURSE MECHANICS
Sakai
Some of your class components (discussion forums, announcements) are accessed through a
software package called Sakai, and you will need to log in to Sakai using a unique identifier
known as your UNC Onyen (Only Name You’ll Ever Need) and Onyen password.
There should be a link to the Sakai site in the gray navigation bar at the top of every page in this
course. Click on that link, and then use your Onyen to log in to Sakai. Click on the “SOWO 492”
link, and you will see navigation buttons on the left side of the screen labeled Announcements,
Assignments, Forums, and so on.
If you experience problems accessing Sakai, this is what you should do:
 If you do not already have a UNC Onyen, go to the Onyen Web site and follow
instructions for creating an Onyen.
 If you have an Onyen but have forgotten it (or the password), go to the Onyen Web site.
 If you have your Onyen but can’t log in to Sakai, contact ??? at the Friday Center
 If you can log in to Sakai but can’t find this course listed, contact ??? at the Friday Center
 If you can’t locate a forum in Sakai, contact the Instructional Designer at the Friday
Center.
Using Email
All communication from me and the Friday Center staff will go to your UNC Onyen email
address (the one that appears when you post to the discussion forum). If you use a filter on your
email account, you are responsible for ensuring that it does not prevent you from receiving
messages from your instructor, the course listserv, or Friday Center Staff.
It is extremely important for you to save copies of any work you send to me via email. If I don’t
receive your work, you must have a copy of the email with the attached file, indicating the date
sent, to prove that you submitted the assignment on time. It is your responsibility to maintain
copies of your sent emails, as there is no way to guarantee that any email message will be
delivered. Please check your email software to see how it manages sent and saved messages.
Some software automatically deletes messages one month after they have been sent; others only
save messages if they are filed in folders; others save messages received but not those sent. You
may need to send yourself a copy of your emailed assignment at the same time you send it to
your instructor, or you may need to print a copy of the email message and any attachments to
keep in your paper files. No matter how your system works, make sure you know to save a copy
of all work that you submit to me and that you save the copy for several months beyond the end
of the course.
Computer Problems
It is your responsibility to have a functioning computer and Internet connection. Run a virus scan
each week! Back up your work regularly and arrange access to a backup computer in case yours
fails. Keep your email inbox cleaned out (a full inbox cannot accept new messages). I will not
accept the lack of a computer or a computer failure as a legitimate excuse for late assignments or
late discussion participation.
Library Services and E-reserves
Students enrolled in Carolina Courses Online can access online library resources from the UNC
Library System by linking to Library Services for Distance Education Students. This site
includes information on using general online reference works as well as accessing e-reserves. If
you are using an off-campus computer, you will need to enter your Onyen to access restriced
online library resources. The UNC library staff is available online to assist any students who
have difficulties accessing electronic library resources.
Carolina Courses Online – Student Handbook
For more information about the mechanics of this course, please review the CCO Student
Handbook.
Other Questions
If you have questions regarding the content of the course and your progress, contact me. There is
a link to my email address at the top of every lesson page. It is essential that you include “SOWO
492 CCO” in the subject line of your email.
Contact the instructional designer at the Friday Center about problems with this Web site,
including bad links.
If you have any logistical questions as you work through the course (enrollment, Onyen, credits,
withdrawal, and so on) contact the Student Services staff at the Friday Center for Continuing
Education (phone 919-962-1134 or 800-862-5669).
Add the following to your email address book:
Instructor
Student Services
Course Web Site
Cynthia Fraga Rizo
Friday Center staff
Instructional Designer
cfraga@email.unc.edu
stuserv@unc.edu
jessa_bliss@unc.edu
Course Schedule
Lesson
Week 1
Dates
May 15 – 21
Topics and Assignments
Course Introduction: A Service-Learning Approach to
Eliminating Social Problems
 Discussion post (by Friday, May 18 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, May 21 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, May 21 at 8pm)
Service Learning: Making the Most of your Nonprofit
Internship Experience
 Discussion post (by Friday, May 18 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, May 21 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, May 21 at 8pm)
**NOTE: I know this first week is packed with content
and assignments. But don’t worry, the remainder of the
course will not be as busy! We just have a lot to cover in a
very short period of time.
Self-Awareness in Service-Learning: Addressing Race,
Ethnicity, and Gender
 Discussion post (by Friday, May 25 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, May 28 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, May 28 at 8pm)
Week 2
May 22 – 28
Week 3
May 29 – June 4
Service-Learning in Education: Addressing the Academic
Achievement Gap
 Discussion post (by Friday, June 1 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, June 4 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, June 4 at 8pm)
Week 4
June 5 – 11
Service-Learning: Social Issues affecting Families
 Discussion post (by Friday, June 8 at 8pm)


Discussion response (by Monday, June 11 at 8pm)
Reflection paper (by Monday, June 11 at 8pm)
Week 5
June 12 – 18
Service-Learning: Meeting the Needs of our Aging
Population
 Discussion post (by Friday, June 15 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, June 18 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, June 18 at 8pm)
Week 6
June 19 – 25
Service-Learning: Chronic Disease and Health Disparities
in the United States
 Discussion post (by Friday, June 22 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, June 25 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, June 25 at 8pm)
Week 7
June 26 – July 2
Service-Learning and Public Policy: Addressing Poverty
 Discussion post (by Friday, June 29 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, July 2 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, July 2 at 8pm)
Week 8
July 3 – July 9
Service-Learning: Social Justice and the Environment
 Discussion post (by Friday, July 6 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, July 9 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, July 9 at 8pm)
Week 9
July 10 – July 16
Service-Learning: Social Problems and the Criminal
Justice System
 Discussion post (by Friday, July 13 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, July 16 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, July 16 at 8pm)
Week 10
July 17 – July 23
Service-Learning: Addressing Global Issues
 Discussion post (by Friday, July 20 at 8pm)
 Discussion response (by Monday, July 23 at 8pm)
 Reflection paper (by Monday, July 23 at 8pm)
Final Reflection
& Presentation
Thursday, July 26
TTK Room 500
at 3:00pm
We will meet at the TTK building in room 500 at 3:00pm
for your Final Presentation on your internship experience.
Your Final Reflection Summary Paper is due by 5pm.