Вы находитесь на странице: 1из 7

Running head: THE GROWING FIELD

The Growing Field of Human Services: A Syllabi Analysis


Katerina P. Reilly
Loyola University Chicago

THE GROWING FIELD

When researching syllabi, Human Services courses are challenging to find. In my senior
year at Assumption College, Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies won the title of largest
major on campus for its second year in a row! It made me incredibly proud of my classmates
and peers that cared so much about creating a better tomorrow, but it sheltered me in thinking
that this major is as popular in higher education as it was at Assumption. Now, as I work
towards my future to become a professor in this discipline, it will be more challenging than I
realized, based on the sheer number of programs in the country. It appears as though the most
number of schools which syllabi where available in this major are community colleges and
online learning environments. Many other schools, such as Loyola University Chicago,
Assumption College, and Purdue University also provide this all-encompassing and intentional
focus of study.
The College of Menominee Nation is a land grant and tribal college in Wisconsin which
confers baccalaureate and associates degrees, technical diplomas, and certificates of mastery,
available to general population students and tribal members (College of Menominee Nation,
2014). Its mission is centered around life-long learning, research, and care for the American
Indian culture. This syllabus appears to be from previous academic years, and unfortunately the
course is no longer offered at this school, but it was very important to me to learn more about a
tribal college and hear their voice at the table. Tunxis Community College in Connecticut
highlights the affordable and supportive nature of their programs (Tunxis Community College,
website, n.d.). Old Dominion University is a large public research institution that prides itself on
distinguished scholarship and civic engagement in Virginia (Old Dominion University, 2014).
Columbia College in Missouri confers degrees for associates, baccalaureate, and masters
degrees and has locations in thirteen different states and in Cuba (Columbia College, n.d.).

THE GROWING FIELD

Columbia is a liberal arts, Christian non-affiliating, private school which has transitioned from a
two year womens college to a four year coeducational milieu. Dakota College at Bottineau,
similar to Columbia College, has had a transformation in the school from forestry to now
offering technology courses (Dakota College at Bottineau, 2015). Individual and interpersonal
success are emphasized in their mission at this two year school in North Dakota.
Discipline
Human Services is not always the discipline one may find the courses under in the course
catalog. For example, at Dakota College (n.d.), the Human Services course is in the Gerontology
concentration. Tunxis (Course catalog, n.d.) offers their course under Social Sciences as a
General Elective course. Old Dominion University places the course in their Distance Learning
course offerings (n.d.). Columbia College offers Associates in Science in Human Services online
(2007). Menominee placed the course within a department of Human Services, which now no
longer a department on their course catalog (n.d.).
Statement about Accessibility
As an area of study which is focused on the holistic enhancement of ones life and
individualization of services, I believed a statement of accessibility is necessary on course
syllabi. In relation to other courses at the school, Human Services must practice what they work
towards, which includes multimodal learning and working with those with differences.
Menominee provides and ADA Statement, and Tunxis offers a brief syllabus and no such
information is present (n.d.). Old Dominion University provides a statement under the section of
Special Needs (n.d.). Columbia College and Dakota College at Bottineau provides no statement
of ADA or disability aid on the syllabus (2007; n.d.).
Learning Outcomes/Goals

THE GROWING FIELD

The words understand and identify are used for almost every learning objective within
Menominees syllabus (n.d.). These verbs usage is for foundational knowledge according to
Fink (2013), which is also reflected in the outcomes for Dakota (n.d.). Tunxis uses all
foundational knowledge verbs except for critical thinking skills and application component
(n.d.). Old Dominions course also highlights foundational knowledge, but is additionally
concerned with application to clients and reflection on ethical decision-making (Fink, 2013).
Columbia College (2007) appears to have a comprehensive outcomes section, discussing career
options and application, yet there is a strong foundational knowledge theme throughout (Fink,
2013). In a final note about learning outcomes, although many of the goals are purely
foundational knowledge and do not support the integrated course design, Human Services is a
field which is completely immersed within the human dimension and caring taxonomies stated
by Fink (2013).
Active Learning and Rich Learning Experiences
Menominee (n.d.) uses a portfolio as a method of assessment, but unlike Finks (2013)
advocacy of a learning portfolio, this assignment does not assess learning but evaluation and
application of a number of resources effectiveness with Human Services. Tunxis states that
there is a focus on community networking, hands on experience, and current literature within the
discipline (n.d.). Old Dominion University (n.d.) requires an interview with a human services
professional, experiential learning activities weekly, and submission of journals from these
experiences. Columbia Colleges course uses multiple choice and true/false questions on the
midterm as well as a timed final exam (2007). There is an analysis of body language within an
interview, and the rest of the assignments consist of mainly online discussion postings answering
questions applying the knowledge from the book to real life scenarios. In this online course,

THE GROWING FIELD

unlike Old Dominion, there is only one active learning component. Dakota College at
Bottineaus syllabus offers tests, one case study, and two reaction papers, with no appearance of
active learning (n.d.). In defense of this fantastic discipline, some of the syllabi were scarce in
content and general in learning goals. Upon experiencing the class myself, I would be able to
make a more concrete analysis on the course.
Reflection
Fink (2013) encourages professors to be reflective, and I believe that reflection,
especially in Human Services, is an essential component of making sense of ones experience in
a service profession. At Menominee (n.d.), the assignment with the greatest point value is the
reflective essay. The assignment asks for a self-analysis of where you are currently in
attitudes/values, skills, and knowledge areas and where one would like to be in the future. To
add to this assignment, reflecting on the learning process in addition to the content areas would
also enhance the learning experience, according to Fink (2013). As previously stated, Old
Dominion University (n.d.) asks for experiential activity journals, but no formal reflection paper
on specific skills as seen with Menominee. There is one reflection component at Columbia
College (2007) at the end of the major paper for the course, but it is specific to the book which
the assignment is based. As seen in Nilson (2010), if the learning outcomes of this course were
created before the assignments, then the foundational knowledge outcomes are reflected in the
lack of analysis and contemplation within the graded projects (Fink, 2013). As mentioned,
Dakota College at Bottineau (n.d.) grades two one-page reaction papers, but no other reflection
practices, or reflection of the learning process (Fink. 2013).
A New Way of Thinking

THE GROWING FIELD

Tony Wagners book, Creating Innovators (2012) had a significant impact on me


reinforcing the idea that not everyone participates with the majority way of thinking and
performing. As Human Services majors may have dealt with in the past, questions from others
asking what your major is and entering a discipline which is not known for fame and a lucrative
future, might make one feel alone in taking a risk with an unconventional major. As a growing
field, we are innovators, and I wanted to highlight those pieces of syllabi which are new ways of
thinking. Fink (2013) presents new ways of thinking in creating significant learning experiences
as well as the twelve-step process of creating integrated course design. Through lack of
reflection on some syllabi, and a need for more active and rich learning experiences, I am
saddened to report a lack of integrated course design and innovation in any of the syllabi (Fink,
2013). That is not to say that within the actual classroom or discussion board setting, this does
not take place. With many other schools providing this discipline, which, in my own experience,
integrated design was used, I recognize the challenges of active learning within an online
environment. I have hope that the Human Services area of study will continue to grow in
numbers and towards value in the immense learning which can come from integrated course
design.

THE GROWING FIELD

7
References

College of Menominee Nation. (n.d.). HUS 200: Introduction to human services: Course
syllabus. [Word document].
College of Menominee Nation. (2014). College of Menominee Nation 2014-2016 Course
Catalog. [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.menominee.edu/pdfs/201416_Academic_Catalog.pdf
Columbia College. (n.d.) About CC. Retrieved from http://web.ccis.edu/about/.aspx
Columbia College. (2007). HUMS 101: Introduction to human services [Word document].
Dakota College at Bottineau. (n.d.). Course syllabus. [PDF]. Retrieved from
http://www.dakotacollege.edu/files/9214/2057/7422/GERO130-GARCIA-F14.pdf
Dakota College at Bottineau. (2015). About dcb. Retrieved from
http://www.dakotacollege.edu/about/
Fink, L. D. (2013). Creating significant learning experiences: An integrated approach to
designing college courses. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Old Dominion University. (n.d.). Syllabus: Introduction to human services. [Word document].
Old Dominion University (2014). About odu. Retrieved from https://www.odu.edu/about
Nilson, L. B. (2010). Outcomes-centered course design. Teaching at its best, (pp. 17-31).
Tunxis Community College. (n.d.). Associate in science degree: Human services. [PDF].
Tunxis Community College. (n.d.) Mission, vision and presidents welcome. Retrieved from
http://www.tunxis.edu/college-information/mission-vision-and-presidents-welcome/
Wagner, T. (2012). Creating innovators: The making of young people who will change the world.
New York, NY: Scribner.

Вам также может понравиться