Technology in Social Work Education and Curriculum

The High Tech, High Touch Social Work Educator

Florence W Vigilante, Richard L Beaulaurier, Martha F Haffey

• Editore: Routledge
• Anno: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781135430290
• Edizione: 1
• Argomento: Informatik
• Categoria: Informatik Allgemein

Save time and trouble as you incorporate technology into your social work curriculum The dramatic increase in the use of computers and other forms of technology in social work education and practice has educators, trainers, and administrators investing valuable time, money, and effort into trying to make the transition from traditional teaching to a Web-assisted learning environment. Technology in Social Work Education and Curriculum takes the mystery out of the online experience with practical information on using technology to enhance and enrich learning—but not at the expense of the "human" approach to social work. This unique book presents a variety of creative and interesting methods for incorporating technology that's affordable and user-friendly, and for developing online skills that won't become obsolete as computer hardware and software evolves. Technology in Social Work Education and Curriculum transforms technology into an everyday resource for agency field instructors, human service educators, trainers, and social work administrators. The book addresses concerns that educators with limited technical skills may have in using technology to teach cultural competency, group work, research, direct practice, social policy and advocacy, and field practicum, presenting hands-on approaches that are innovative but accessible. And by focusing on approaches rather than simply reviewing available hardware and software, the book provides you with background knowledge that makes it easier for you to successfully incorporate online learning into the classroom. Technology in Social Work Education and Curriculum examines

• using instructional technology to emotionally engage students in the learning process
  
• using digital video and qualitative data analysis software to teach group practice
  
• the role technology plays in advocacy
  
• distance-education technologies in policy education
  
• incorporating Web-assisted learning into a traditional classroom setting
  
• the advantages of distance education over more conventional approaches
  
• a model for planning the use and integration of computer technology in schools of social work
  
• how the behaviors of computer consultants can affect the students who seek their help
  
• using innovation diffusion theory in technology planning
  
• and much more!

Social workers have traditionally embraced the latest technologies and scientific developments since the earliest days of the profession. Technology in Social Work Education and Curriculum helps continue that tradition, offering invaluable guidance to educators and administrators, no matter how experienced—or inexperienced—they are in dealing with communications technologies.

Part I

Weaving a Web: The Use of Internet Technology in Field Education

Julie Birkenmaier
Stephen P. Wernet
Maria Berg-Weger
R. Jan Wilson
Rebecca Banks
Ralph Olliges
Timothy A. Delicath

SUMMARY. The use of Internet technology in social work education is increasingly being debated. This paper describes applications using two technological tools to enhance one school's field education program. The development and current use of these computer-based strategies for use in the classroom-based Integrative Seminars, as a method to orient students to practicum and to offer an on-line Integrative Seminar, are discussed. Also described is the development of an additional project: the use of video conferencing technology to conduct virtual site visits. Key features, implications for the adoption of this technology in other programs, and student and faculty evaluation data are presented. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: l-8OO-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <[email protected]> Website: <http://www.HaworthPress.com> © 2005 by The Taylor & Francis, Inc. All rights reserved.]

KEYWORDS. Technology, social work education, field education

Introduction

Social work is a practice-based profession; therefore, considerable emphasis is placed on the field component of the curriculum. The field curriculum is designed to provide a supervised practice experience to apply the knowledge, skills, values, and ethics learned in the classroom (Council on Social Work Education, 1994). Field education is a central part of students' education and socialization and is increasingly suggested as the mechanism by which students gain exposure to contemporary forces impacting practice (Reisch & Jarman-Rohde, 2000; Strom-Gottfried, 1997).

The Office of Field Education and Faculty Field Liaisons are charged with implementing this crucial aspect of students' experiences. While models of field education vary in the type and purpose of contact between the agency and liaison and the role of the liaison (Fortune et al., 1995), liaison responsibilities generally include: (a) orienting students, field instructors and agencies to the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of the field program; (b) facilitating the integration of theory and practice; (c) teaching field seminars; (d) consulting with agencies regarding student learning; (e) monitoring students' progress in achieving learning goals and assessing professional development; (f) representing the program to agencies to foster dialogue between the two; (g) evaluating field instruction and support provided by the agency; and (h) evaluating student achievement while in practicum (Brownstein, Smith, & Faria, 1991; Fogel & Benson, 2000; Raphael & Rosenblum, 1987).

Field liaisons support both students and agencies in maximizing the learning experience of the student and provide a satisfactory supervision experience for the field instructor. Field instructors provide a crucial component of education for students, and field instructor satisfaction is vital to the success of the student's field education experience. Liaison availability and total number of contacts between the liaison and the field instructor are the best predictors of field instructor satisfaction with faculty field liaisons. Field faculty support, which may include emotional support, assistance with tasks, clear communication of expectations, and access to emerging information, is crucial to field instructors' satisfaction with field faculty (Bennett & Coe, 1998). Field education programs seek ways to provide the assistance, support, and communication needed for optimal field experiences for students and field instructors.

Use of the Internet Technology in Social Work Education

Citing possible negative effects on productivity, program development, and social relationships (Kreuger & Stretch, 2000), some social work educators caution against using Internet technology and distance learning in social work education. Despite the concern, the use of the Internet is being explored in most areas of social work curriculum. The Internet is routinely used in teaching course content to students in separate geographical locations. Distance learning is "a method of instruction involving two-way interactive televised transmissions between an instructor in one location and students elsewhere" (Thyer, Polk, & Gaudin, 1997, p. 363). Other non-interactive, Internet-based technology utilized in social work education involves Web pages, e-mail and other forms of communication to augment on-campus courses. Both distance learning and other Internet technology are used to teach in virtually all areas of undergraduate and graduate curricula (Siegel, Jennings, Conklin, & Napoletano Flynn, 1998), to include Human Behavior in the Social Environment (Siegel, Jennings, Conklin, & Napoletano Flynn, 1998), statistics and research (Harrington, 1999; Stocks & Freddolino, 1998), policy and macro practice (Fitzgerald & McNutt, 1999; Galambos & Neal, 1998) and social work practice skills (e.g., the use of interactive videodisk and computer-assisted instructional programs) (Coe & Elliott, 1999; Ezell, Nurius, & Balassone, 1991; McNutt, 2000; Maypole, 1991; Seabury & Maple, 1993). At least one program uses distance learning to teach all required undergraduate courses in rural areas (Haga & Heitkamp, 2000). Little discussion exists, however, on the organization of Internet-based field education strategies (Spencer & McDonald, 1998). The discussion and/or practice of Internet technology in field education is only beginning to emerge in the professional literature (Finn & Marson, 2001; Reisch & Jarman-Rohde, 2000; Siegel et al., 1998; Stofle, 1998).

Five factors, highlighted here, have prompted programs to consider the technology use in field education. Dramatic changes in the social service environment, to include managed care, have led to decreasing budgets and increasing expectations, thus, agencies have fewer resources and field instructors have less time for field supervision (Kolar, Patchner, Schutz, & Patchner, 2000). As a result, creative approaches to supervision are being suggested, such as shared student supervision, financial compensation for field instructors and increased use of University personnel (Birkenmaier, Rubio, & Berg-Weger, 2001; Bocage, Homonoff, & Riley, 1995; Jarman-Rohde, McFall, Kolar, & Strom, 1997; Raskin & Whiting Blome, 1998; Reisch & Jarman-Rohde, 2000; Rubio, Birkenmaier, & Berg-Weger, 2000; Strom-Gottfried, 1997). Consequently, practicum programs are seeking strategies to maximize supervision time and tools to compensate for decreased supervision from agencies. While field instructors place great emphasis on technology (Campbell & Queiro-Tajalli, 2000), most BSW and MSW programs are not using the Internet to facilitate field education (Finn & Marson, 2001).

Secondly, programs are searching for ways in which to recruit non-traditional, part-time students and students who commute long distances to attend school. Increasing the ease with which students can fulfill practicum and field seminar requirements through the use of technology can be an attractive feature to prospective students. Third, the use of distant sites for field education is increasing, posing challenging logistical and communication problems (Kilpatrick, Turner, & Holland, 1994). Fourth, students possess more sophisticated computer and Internet skills and want more efficient ways to obtain information about practicum, transmit practicum and seminar documents, and conduct site visits. Because computer technology is underutilized in the profession, researchers suggest that student computer literacy skills should be encouraged in social work education (Pardeck, Dotson, Ricketts, McCully, & Lewis, 1995). Lastly, although the research is mixed, it does appear that computer-mediated communication can facilitate positive educational relationships (Gasker & Cascio, 2000; Mowrer, 1996; Savicki, Kelley, & Lingenfelter, 1996; Siegel et al., 1998). Therefore, the potential exists for the use of technology to further the educational goals of students in the field and maximize supervision and support without sacrificing positive educational relationships. Technology offers the opportunity to increase supervision and supportive resources for practicum students without increasing the burden on faculty, and increase the ease with which students can obtain field information and resources.

While the literature is replete with discussion and evaluation of technology in delivering curriculum (Coe & Elliott, 1999; Harrington, 1999; Johnson, 1999; Thyer et al., 1997; Thyer, Artelt, Markward, & Dozier, 1998), the scant literature available on the use of technology with field education has focused on individual field instruction (Stofle, 1998), the use of technology by field instructors (Campbell & Queiro-Tajalli, 2000), or distance field education programs (McFall & Freddolino, 2000). This paper describes one school's exploration of technology use in Field Integrative Seminars, in orienting advanced standing students to practicum, facilitating site visits and providing an on-line format for the Integrative Seminar. This paper will discuss three implemented projects (the use of Internet technology through the classroom-based Field Seminars, to provide an on-line Seminar format and to orient students to practicum) and one project currently under development (the use of web cams to facilitate site visits). Evaluation data regarding the implemented technology from students and faculty is provided.

Integration of Technology and Field Education— One School’s Experience: Use of WebCT in Integrative Seminars

At the authors' Midwestern joint BSW and MSW program, the WebCT program has been integrated in the field program to enhance communication between students and between the instructor and students. The model of field education utilized at the university entails the use of specialized clinical faculty engaging in routine telephone contact with the agency and one in-person site visit for each semester. The MSW Integrative Seminars are conceptualized as a mechanism for the integration of classroom learning and practice experience gained in the practicum. The Seminar serves as a venue for further student-liaison communication and student support, to integrate classroom learning with the field experience as well as to learn more about social work practice in a variety of settings. Students are required to attend the Foundation seminar during their first practicum and a Concentration seminar during their second practicum. The Foundation Seminar is a zero-credit seminar designed to be part of the practicum experience. Students from each of the three concentrations are involved in the Seminar that meets for two hours three times/semester. In the Foundation Seminar, students debrief practice challenges and successes and integrate theory with practice by writing and presenting a case from their practicum experiences (Birkenmaier et al., 2001).

In contrast, the Concentration Seminar is a one-credit course completed concurrently with the first concentration-level practicum. Seminar activities also include debriefing, as well as exercises related to stress and diversity and the reenactment of a challenging case situation. Both Seminars are conceptualized as integral to the practicum experience.

Due to difficulty in meeting course objectives in the limited class time for the Seminars, the Practicum Faculty needed a tool to facilitate theory/practice integration and discussion of the experiences between class sessions. Additionally, faculty sought an easier mechanism to send documents to students, for students to send documents to each other and for documents to be made available to the entire class. The WebCT program was piloted as a tool for meeting these needs.

WebCT is an Internet program designed to enhance educational instruction. The software program offers the instructor the ability to create an interactive web site for the course. Tools also available to instructors and students through the program include: chat rooms; grade book; e-mail; test and quiz administration; and the ability to post documents to the entire class as well as to send documents to one another. The WebCT program offers confidentiality, as only students enrolled in the course have access to the course's...

Indice dei contenuti

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• About the Editors
• Preface
• PART I
• PART II
• PART III
• Index