Remember, we do not have in-person classes this week.
Unit Introduction and What You Will Learn
Week 12 is focused on group work and using technology to create groups. Cabiati (2021) provides the example of an online support group using social workers as the participants. Barak et al. (2008) provide some context for enhancing empowerment for online support groups. Finally, students have two forums to respond to that ask them to discuss their planned use of technology in their practice.
Unit Assignments
Read/Listen
- Read Cabiati (2021) and Barak et al. (2008)
- Listen to Bakk et al. (2023)
A-01: Class Engagement and Attendance
Week Forums
There are two forums for students to participate in. Students are to make at least two replies, one in each forum as their classroom engagement this week. The forums are as follows.
- Current Apps or Online Tools encourages students to consider technology-mediated groups and share some resources they can find or their experience reviewing an online group.
- Personal Reflection on Technology gives a platform for students to be introspective and reflective about how they see themselves using and engaging with technology in social work.
A-02: Reading Engagement
A-02: Reading Engagement for Week 12 due before by Sunday via My Heritage Assignments
Unit Resources
The University of Buffalo, has a wonderful podcast, inSocialWork that you might consider subscribing to. They frequently have episodes related to technology in social work, and you can browse a curated list of episodes if that is interesting to you. This week, I wanted to expose you to a recent episode they published about using virtual reality in social work. You can find the episode at their website See me, feel me, touch me, heal me: Virtual reality and social work or on Apple Podcast App, Overcast. You can also just search in your podcast player.
Reference
Bakk, L. (Host), Sperlich, M. (Host), & Sturman, S. (Host) (2023, March 21) See me, feel me, touch me, heal me: Virtual reality and social work [Audio Podcast Episode]. In inSocialWork. University of Buffalo School of Social Work. https://www.insocialwork.org/see-me-feel-me-touch-me-heal-me-virtual-reality-and-social-work/
Barak, A., Boniel-Nissim, M., & Suler, J. (2008). Fostering empowerment in online support groups. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(5), 1867-1883. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2008.02.004
Cabiati, E. (2021). Social workers helping each other during the COVID-19 pandemic: Online mutual support groups. International Social Work, 64(5), 676-688. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020872820975447
Fitch, R. (2017). Chapter 33 - Technology-mediated groups. In C. D. Garvin, L. M. Gutierrez, & M. J. Galinsky Handbook of Social Work with Groups (pp. 587-600). The Guilford Press.
To-Do Lists
- Read Cabiati (2021) and Barak et al. (2008)
- Listen to Bakk et al. (2023)
- Submit at least one reply in each forum Current Apps or Online Tools and Personal Reflection on Technology
- Complete your reading engagement questions.