Computers and Information Technology in Social Work

Book excerpt: Expand the scope of your social work practice or education program! Computers and Information Technology in Social Work: Education, Training, and Practice discusses the impact that recent technological advances have had on social work practice and education. This unique book covers a wide range of topics for social workers and educators highlighting various aspects of technology applied to assist those in helping professions. You'll learn how computers can be used in child protective cases and the benefits of videoconferencing in social work programs. Computers and Information Technology in Social Work will show you how new advances in technology can improve your social work practice or education program. Computers and Information Technology in Social Work examines many different aspects of technology and demonstrates how they can be applied to assist you in making a positive impact on the communities, clients, and organizations that you serve. This guide offers specific methods and suggestions for providing students with better services and enhanced instruction on the use of current technologies in social work practice. Computers and Information Technology in Social Work is packed with innovative concepts that will improve your effectiveness through the use of advanced technology. You will: discover the impact that video conferencing technology can have on the delivery of social services to rural populations and undeveloped areas of the world gain insight into the lives of isolated and vulnerable people, such as those in a breast cancer support group, who can directly benefit from technological advances like video conferencing learn how television can be used by social work practitioners to positively impact communities by providing programs that teach self-advocacy and provide outreach and peer support examine World Wide Web-based instructional resources to help students access information on their own time, at their own pace, and from any computer location discover a World Wide Web-based conferencing program that allows professors expanded opportunities for teaching, learning, and communication Derived from papers that were presented at a week-long conference sponsored by the University of South Carolina College of Social Work, Computers and Information Technology in Social Work presents exciting and innovative ideas and projects to keep you abreast of technical developments in the field and how they can best assist your practice. The unique ideas presented in this book will enable you to provide more effective services to your clients with the help of information technology.