Incorporating digital and social technologies into social work education

Laurel Iverson Hitchcock, PhDUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham

Melanie Sage, PhDUniversity of North Dakota

Nancy J. Smyth, PhDUniversity at Buffalo g+

#swtech

Demonstrate how digital and social technologies can be incorporated into assignments for social work courses

Understand the importance of digital literacy in 21st century

social work practice .

Appreciate the role of theory to support the development and implementation of technology-based assignments

OBJECTIVES

BENEFITS OF TEACHING WITH TECH

Diversity, Access, & CollaborationTech-mediated work can expose learners to people and opinions outside of their own classrooms and allow them to work with others. It also allows us to serve learners who may not otherwise have access.

TransferabilityTech use in the classroom, especially when using open platforms, prepares students to use tech in an ever-technical field

CompetitivenessProfessional fields across many disciplines are adapting to technology-mediated learning and service delivery.

Experimentation & FunPlay with pedagogy, experiment with tools for engagement, prepare students for a plugged-in world, automate repetitive tasks.

CHALLENGES OF TEACHING WITH TECH

DisconnectionSocial presence, if not meaningfully inserted, may be lost.

DistractionsTech can distract from the main learning outcomes, either through its presence or learning curve.

Access & KnowledgeThere may be disparities in what students/instructors can get access to and how much learning is necessary to use tech tools.

TimeAn up-front time investment may be required to most effectively use technology.

USING THEORY WHEN TEACHING WITH TECH

Social LearningSocial presence is key• Imitation and reinforcement• Socialization helps with identity

development • Use of videos, social media,

avatars, discussion boards can help reinforce social presence

• Group work• Active/collaborative learning,

performing for public audience

Motivational Principlesmotivation is enhanced by:• Feelings of self-efficacy (formative feedback, acknowledge progress)• Beliefs about control (allow choices)• High level of interest in material (explain transferability)• Clear goals (provide learning outcomes)

Multimedia Principlesdual processing of verbal/written material• Too much info results in cognitive overload• Chunk content in digestible bits• Learners need time to process and contextualize new

information• Offer previews of new material• Use “signaling” to introduce upcoming material• Use outlines and concept maps to prepare learners

Self-regulationlearners are active in their learning, which is enhanced by:• Making it clear where/how to seek

help• Clarity about due-dates, assignment

requirements, class templates• Support for time management• Support for regulating distractions

BELSHAW’S EIGHT ELEMENTS OF DIGITAL LITERACY

1. CULTURAL Context: purpose, role,

environment/app norms, expectations,

manage attention

3. CONSTRUCTIVE about “how to” do tasks, undo, copy, construct profile,

licensing

2. COGNITIVEExplicit knowledge of processes & structure

of digital settings (contextual menus,

profiles, etc.)

5. CONFIDENTDigital self-efficacy, confidence in problem-solving,

7. CRITICALCrap Detection, Evaluate online sources, check facts

6. CREATIVEConstruct something ”new” that adds value

4. COMMUNICATIVECreate messages for different audiences, develop “network smarts”

8. CIVICUse digital strategies/knowledge to participate in government, social action, larger society

Understanding Literacies in Action

Foreground

Midground

Background

Viewing Literacies in ActionAssignment: Create Meme for Social Work and Share on Instagram

Cultural: Norms/Expectations of Instagram, purpose, professional role & values

Cognitive & Constructive: Licensing knowledge, upload & edit image

Creative & Communicative: Idea, Remix, Audience messaging

SAMR Model of Technology Integration

Augmentation

Video record role plays and then

edit with software

Tech sub allows

improvement

Substitution

Video record role plays

instead of doing them in class

Tech as substitute

Redefinition

Create how-to videos about interviewing

techniques, incorporating editing and annotation

software, to be posted on public video sharing

website

Modification

Tech supports task redesign

Video record role play, then edit and add notations to

video

Tech allows for new tasks,

previously inconceivable

Enhancement > > > Transformation

List of Competency-Based Learning Activities for TechnologyFrom CSWE’s EPAS….“...use technology ethically and appropriately to facilitate practice outcomes (p. 7).”

- Connected to practice behaviors from EPAS (skills dimension)

Competency-Based Learning Activities

Example Activity: Search for information about yourself on the Internet including websites, social media accounts and other online resources, and review the content, including words and images, for quantity, quality, and accuracy. Write down what you find in a brief 300-word reflection.

Tech-enhanced assignments: Twitter

Digital Literacies Needed:• Confident• Communicative• Cognitive

Learning Task: Participate in a live Twitter chat with other social workers or professionals about a topic of interest to you (i.e. #MacroSW).

SAMR: Redefinition

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities - Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies.

Tech-enhanced assignments: Infographics

Learning Task: Create an infographic for your agency’s annual report about the number and types of clients served, services provided and other key data indicators.

Competency 9: Evaluate Practice with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities - Apply evaluation findings to improve practice effectiveness at the micro, mezzo, and macro levels.

Digital Literacies Needed:• Cognitive• Civic• Creative• Communicative SAMR:

Augmentation

Tech-enhanced assignments: Creating VideosDigital Literacies Needed:• Cultural• Confident• Communicative• Cognitive• Constructive• Creative

Learning Task: Create a YouTube video that informs social workers about best practices for verbal and non-verbal communication with a client via a face-to-face video conference call.

SAMR: Redefinition (assuming prior learning task had been class presentation or paper)

Competency 6: Engage with Individuals, Families, Groups, Organizations, and Communities - Use empathy, reflection, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage diverse clients and constituencies.

Resources

Belshaw, D. (2014). The essential elements of digital literacies. http://digitalliteraci.es/

#MacroSW. (n.d.). #MacroSW: Where Macro Social Workers Come to Connect. Retrieved April 7, 2016, from http://macrosw.com/

Puentedura, R. (n.d.). Introduction to the SAMR Model. Retrieved April 7, 2016, from https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/introduction-to-the-samr-model

Questions?

Laurel Iverson Hitchcock, PhDUniversity of Alabama at Birminghamlihitch@uab.edu twitter: @laurelhitchcock

Melanie Sage, PhDUniversity of North DakotaMelanie.Sage@und.edutwitter: @melaniesage

Nancy J. Smyth, PhDUniversity at Buffaloemail: sw-dean@buffalo.edu twitter: @njsmyth