Interview a middle-aged adult, using the following questions:

1. Tell me about a high point in your life.
2. Tell me about a low point in your life.
3. Tell me about a turning point in your life.
4. What are some important events that occurred in your childhood, adolescence, and adulthood?

In one paragraph summarize the responses from the interview.

In the second paragraph compare the responses to research in the text and discuss the following questions:

1. Were life experiences generally positive or negative?
2. Was there evidence of a commitment story? If so, describe.
3. When did the turning point occur?
4. Is this consistent with the midlife transition?
5. Based on the answers, would you describe this person as generative? Why or why not?

The answer to each DB must be at least 250 words – that is the minimum required to fully answer the questions. Each answer must demonstrate critical thinking and writing at a college level. Good grammar and spelling are important. The answer must completely address all issues raised in the activity description and information from another source must be cited in APA format.  

 Above and beyond what was specified in the assignments. Is extraordinarily thorough and well-written. Include specific references and is thoughtful. Writing is clear and precise and has few grammatical/spelling errors. Demonstrates understanding of course content knowledge and application of course content within course framework using prior knowledge and >3 examples from course content and other resources when applicable. Includes critical thinking and synthesis. Connects course concepts with other concepts in the subject matter area. APA format with no more than 1 error.

 

READ: The Promise from the Sociological Imagination by CW Mills.pdf

Actions

Don’t forget to refer to the Discussion Board Check List.pdf 

Actionsfor this (and every) discussion this semester.

Finally, note that from this discussion on, you will be unable to read or comment on posts made by your peers until you have published your own response to this discussion prompt.

“The sociological imagination enables us to grasp history and biography and the relations between the two within society.  That is its task and its promise.”

That’s an ambitious agenda but, even as a beginner, you can begin to realize that promise by asking three sorts of questions: those referring to structure, history and biography. When asking these three basic questions, you need to differentiate between the two basic elements of society (biography and history).  Differentiate between the “personal troubles of the milieu” and the “public issues of structure.”

• Troubles occur within the character of the individual and within the range of his immediate relations with others.
• Issues have to do with matters that transcend the local environments of the individual and the range of his inner life.

Answer the following questions based on the contemporary world (large or small, local or global) that YOU live in.  You may focus on one aspect of a particular society (small-scale) or the entire society as whole.  Please be sure to indicate how you’re defining society and/or if you’re focusing on one narrow subsection of a type of society:

1. STRUCTURE: What is this structure of this particular society as a whole? What are the essential component parts? How do these parts relate to one another? How does this society differ from others?

2. HISTORY: Where does this society stand in human history?  What are the essential features of this historical period?  How did/does social change happen? What macro (large-scale, structural) trends cause social problems?

3. BIOGRAPHY: What varieties of men and women now prevail in this society and in this period? How is human behavior changing? In what ways are social characteristics shaped? Which characteristics are encouraged and which are repressed?  How is human “nature” shaped by society’s dominant institutions?

4. Write a ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY on the main point of the reading. In other words, what IS the “sociological Imagination” or sociological perspective he is outlining in the article?

  

Assignment: Creating a Single-System (Subject) Design Study

The steps at the heart of single-system (subject) research are part of the everyday practice of social work. Each day social workers implement interventions to meet clients’ needs and monitor results. However, conducting proper single-system (subject) research entails far more than these simple day-to-day practices. Proper single-system research requires a high degree of knowledge and commitment. Social workers must fully understand the purpose of single-system (subject) research and the variations of single-system (subject) design. They must develop a hypothesis based upon research and select the right design for testing it. They must ensure the reliability and validity of the data to be collected and know how to properly analyze and evaluate that data. This assignment asks you to rise to the challenge of creating a proposal for a single-subject research study.

To prepare for this Assignment, imagine that you are the social worker assigned to work with Paula Cortez (see the case study, “Social Work Research: Single Subject” in this week’s resources). After an initial assessment of her social, medical, and psychiatric problems, you develop a plan for intervention. You also develop a plan to monitor progress in your work with her using measures that can be evaluated in a single-system research design. As a scholar practitioner, you rely on research to help plan your intervention and your evaluation plan.

Complete the Cortez Family interactive media in this week’s resources. Conduct a literature search related to the chronic issues related to HIV/AIDS and bipolar mental disorder. Search for additional research related to assessing outcomes and theoretical frameworks appropriate for this client. For example, your search could include terms such as motivational interviewing and outcomes and goal-oriented practice and outcomes. You might also look at the NREPP database identified in Week 1, to search for interventions related to mental health and physical health.

Provide a 5-page proposal/research plan for single-system (subject) evaluation for your work with Paula Cortez. 

· Identify the problems that you will target and the outcomes you will measure

· Select an appropriate intervention or interventions (including length of time)

· Identify an appropriate evaluation plan.

Also, Include a description of:

• The problem(s) that are the focus of treatment
• The intervention approach, including length of time, so      that it can be replicated
  • A summary of the literature       that you reviewed that led you to select this intervention approach
• The purpose for conducting a single-system (subject)      research evaluation
• The measures for evaluating the outcomes and observing      change including:
  • Evidence from your       literature search about the nature of the measures
  • The validity and       reliability of the measures
  • How baseline measures will       be obtained
  • How often follow-up       measures will be administered
• The criteria that you would use to determine whether      the intervention is effective
• How the periodic measurements could assist you in your      ongoing work with Paula

Must contain at least 5 references and citations from the following Required Readings:

Dudley, J. R. (2014). Social work evaluation: Enhancing what we do. (2nd ed.) Chicago, IL: Lyceum Books.
Chapter 9, “Is the Intervention Effective?” (pp. 226-244: Read from “Client Satisfaction & Effectiveness” to “Target Problem Scale”)

Document: Corcoran, K., & Hozack, N. (2010). Locating assessment instruments. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 65–74). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (PDF)
Copyright 2010 by Sage Publications, Inc.
Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Document: Mattaini, M. A. (2010). Single-system studies. In B. Thyer (Ed.), The handbook of social work research methods (2nd ed., pp. 241–273). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (PDF)
Copyright 2010 by Sage Publications, Inc.
Reprinted by permission of Sage Publications, Inc. via the Copyright Clearance Center.

Read the following section:
“Social Work Research: Single Subject” (pp. 70–72)

Tankersley, M., Cook, B. G., & Cook, L. (2008). A Preliminary Examination to Identify the Presence of Quality Indicators in Single-subject Research. Education & Treatment of Children, 31(4), 523-548

You will produce a clear and coherent writing that is well organized and edited. After reading and watching S.E. Hinton’s “The Outsiders” and “Fences” by August Wilson.  

In 350 words or more analyze the impact of the social norms of the 1950’s on the development of theme and character in both Fences and The Outsiders. Use at least two pieces of evidence to support your thinking. Make sure to cite correctly using MLA format. 16 points 

Use this sentence format below (fill in the blank, but be clear on what you type):

The 1950’s were a turbulent time in American history. The nation was rapidly changing as were American values.[Three events that happened in the 1950’s that shaped American values]. Although this time is often thought of as a period of prosperity not every American benefited during that decade. In fact two texts written much later would utilize those tensions in a subtle way, to explore the ideas of ___Topic #1____ and ____Topic #2__. 

Both The Outsiders and Fences deal with the topics of ____ and ____ by showing the development of their characters and build their themes through their actions and interactions. Although both stories take place in different parts of America and deal with different ethnic groups they resoundingly share the same theme that in order for a family to stay together they must be willing to change and sacrifice. A moment in __Title of text_____ that demonstrates this is when [Context for your evidence]“[Textual evidence” this [Analysis of text] (Citation). Similarly in ___Title & author____ there is a moment that _[synonym for displays]___ this theme when [Context for textual evidence].“[Textual evidence to support your claim” ]which shows [Analysis of textual evidence] (Citation). In addition this reinforces the social norm of the time that [Social norm shown in textual evidence].

On the other hand there are subtle differences between the texts when it comes to the topic of ___Topic #3___. In _Tiltle of text__ __Topic #3___ [claim about topic #3]. It is made clear to the reader that[claim about the differences between the text].[Contextualize the differences with an example]. [Reasoning for the different view on the topic]. The fierce 50’s are more than a half a century behind us but the themes and culture that emerged during that time can still be seen today.
 

Visit the State Hermitage Museum, in St. Petersburg, on Google’s Arts & Culture platform. Explore the collection and look at the different works of art on display.

From the collection, select two sculptures and respond to the series of questions provided to explore them in depth.

1. Describe the two works by providing the following information for each.

a. Who is the artist?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

b. What is the title of the work?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

c. When was the work created?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

d. What medium was used (e.g., clay, bronze, marble)?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

e. How large is the work? Provide dimensions.

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

f. Is the work representational? Naturalistic? Abstract? Stylized? Nonrepresentational? Give details that demonstrate your answer.

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

g. Does the work depict a person? If so, what is the person doing?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

2. Compare and contrast the two works of art by analyzing each artist’s use of the principles of sculpture.
 

a. Which of the four basic methods for making sculpture is utilized here?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

b. How would the feeling of the work differ if it were created using one of the other three methods?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

c. Identify what is emphasized in each work. How is it emphasized? What, if anything, becomes subordinated?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

d. Describe the scale and proportion employed in each work.

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

e. What would be lost and what would be gained if this were a two-dimensional work?

Work 1:  

Work 2:  

3. Look at Torso at the Museum Kampa in Prague. This sculpture is vastly different and shows the evolution of sculpture over time.

a. What conclusions can you draw about the evolution of the medium in art?

b. How do you think each style is representative of its respective time period?

c. What hasn’t changed?

 

4. Recall your initial reasons for selecting the two works.

a. What were your first impressions?

b. Do you think their curation affected your impressions? If so, why?

c. How have your impressions changed after you looked at the two works closely?

Link of State Hermitage Museum, in St. Petersburg,- https://artsandculture.google.com/partner/the-state-hermitage-museum