LIS 518: Community Informatics

Understanding the Digital Divide for Social Work Practice and Research

Preamble

• Introductions

• Parameters of topic

• Practice = educational practice, agency & administrative practice

• Research

Outline

• Revisiting the definition digital divide• The Digital Divide Within• Social Work and Technology Education• Technology & Organizational Culture• Role of Social Work in the Digital Divide– Information literacy of SW students– Collaboration with the libraries– MLIS & MSW degree

Definitions

• The term "digital divide" refers to the gap between individuals, households, businesses and geographic areas at different socio-economic levels with regard to their opportunities to access information and communication technologies (ICTs) and to their use of the internet for a wide variety of activities. “ (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2009)

Typology of Digital Divide

• Not useful to categorize between have and the have nots

• Need for more differentiation of groups and understanding of the influence of the context

Role of Context in the Digital Divide

• Data relevant for policy making

• Practice needs to take into account context

• Meaningful discussion needs to take into account the context

Research Findings

• Research appears to focus more on technology use than providing access – Eg. research with older adults– Older adults are no longer resistant to technology

but are for the most part open to using technology when issues of use and access are addressed (Mitzner et al., 2010)

• More useful to differentiate users according to barriers (Horrigan, 2010)

Typology of the Digitally “Unconverted”“Digital Hopefuls”

8% of populationLike idea of being online, but lack resources

Cost and Digital Literacy areadoption barriers

“Near Converts”

10% of populationHigh rate of computer ownership & comfort with ICTs; positive attitudes

Cost is main barrier to adoption

“Digitally Distant”

10% of populationLack of skills, resources, andnegative attitudes towardcyberspace

Cost, Digital Literacy, Relevance - all barriers

“Digitally Uncomfortable”

7% of populationHave access means, but low comfort with ICT & tepid attitudes toward ICTs

Cost and Relevance are adoption barriers

High

LowLow High

Com

fort

with

Tec

hnol

ogy

Digital Support System

Horrigan, 2010

Meaningful Discussion of DD

• Uses • Context• Variety of groups• Barriers• Strengths of users• Relationships• …..and then

technology !

Technology & the Social Work Profession

• How relevant is IT to the social work profession?

• How are students engaged in using technology in their curriculum and practice?

Social Work Technology Standards

• Technology has changed social work practice offering new ways to perform services and obtain information.

• The challenges that it brings require a special set of skills and knowledge to provide the best practice available.

• http://www.naswdc.org/practice/standards/NASWTechnologyStandards.pdf

Technology Standards

• Standard 4. Technical CompetenciesSocial workers shall be responsible for becoming proficient in the technological skills and tools required for competent and ethical practice and for seeking appropriate training and consultation to stay current with emerging technologies.

Analysis of Top 5 Social Work Journals

• 2000-2010, American Journals• With keywords computers, technology

• Research on Social Work Practice = 16 /6x12x10 = 2%

• Journal of Social Work Education = 14 /3x10x10 = 4.6%

• Social Work = 6 /4X10X10 = 1.5%• Health and Social Work = 1 /4x10x10

= .25%• Social Service Review = 0

Technology & the Social Work Student

• Range of students who enter the social work profession (eg. age, motivation, skill set, experience level)

• Person oriented profession• Online classes preferences• Preferences for practice oriented

classes over policy related OR technology related

• Competency in IT use is not a pre-requisite in social work education

• Instructors are not confident in the use of IT to incorporate IT into their teaching

Where’s the Data ??

IT Infusion in Social Work Curriculum ?Gerontology Infusion – a current national initiative by the Council of Social Work Education to include gerontology content and exemplars in the social work curriculum to enhance students knowledge of older adultshttp://www.cswe.org/CentersInitiatives/GeroEdCenter/TeachingTools.aspx

40 million dollar Initiative was sponsored by John A Hartford Foundation

Curricular infusion programshttp://www.cswe.org/CentersInitiatives/GeroEdCenter/Programs.aspx

Technology Infusion in Curriculum

• Is there sufficient technology infusion in the curriculum? 24 Yes (78%)

7 No (22%)

• Many students considered the use of blackboard and ability to use search engines as sufficient

• No mention of social media, blogging, creation of websites as important competencies to acquire

Acceptance of IT in the Social Services

• Uneven acceptance of IT• Commitment to social justice affects IT

adoption– “….overwhelming commitment to serve

vulnerable populations, to protect their clients' integrity and privacy, and to improve the scarce resources within which current services are provided” (Gutierrez & Friedman, 2005)

• Heavy caseloads, burn out, high turnover

IT in Social Services• Negative attitudes could be affected by funding requirements

which expect agencies to adopt certain IT to meet external requirements of program performance evaluation (Berlinger & Te’eni, 1999; Speckbacher, 2003).

• Staff members often view IT deployment and usage as a burden that interferes with their core missions.

• Positive attitudes can be fostered by using peer-based initiatives and self managing teams when making IT-related decisions (Zhang & Guitierrez, 2006)

Social Workers could be More Effective in Addressing Issues of DD if….

• They saw IT as integral to their professional practice• They had more information technology knowledge,

skills infused in their curriculum• Their organizations had IT to support evidence based

practice• Had role models to show them how to use

technology in their practice with clients and administrative practice

• They partnered with librarians !!!

Research Agenda

• Data supporting organizational divide• Data supporting need to develop information

literacy competencies among students• Understanding ecology of use and support• Understanding how barriers are reduced• Information needs analysis of students and

clients• Impact of how curriculum impacts upon the

development of IT skills

Social Work Mission

“ The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human well being and help meet the basic human needs of all people, with particular attention to the needs and empowerment of people who are vulnerable, oppressed, and living in poverty... Fundamental to social work is attention to the environmental forces that create, contribute to, and address problems in living.” (National Association of Social Workers, 2008)

To summarize…..

• Enabling social inclusion• Avoiding social exclusion• Providing ladders out of poverty

What is the role of a social worker in the public library?

• Harold Washington Library

• Skokie Public Library

• What is the role of the librarian in the social services?

Emerging Social Problems

• Cyberstalking• Cyberbullying• http://www.examiner.com/x-39476-NY-Cyber-Safety-Examiner~y2

010m3d25-Long-Island-teen-commits-suicide-Is-cyberbullying-to-blame

• Internet addiction• http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/0

3/116_62907.html

• Rise of hate groups• http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/314885,racism-spread-

by-online-social-networks-human-rights-bodies-warn.html

Synergy from Partnerships

• What can social workers learn from librarians?

• What can librarians learn from social workers?

• Social worker & Librarian– Joint degree program– Faculty Resistance

Selected References• The Advanced Communications Law and Policy Institute (2010). Barriers to

Broadband Adoption: A Report to Federal Communications Commission http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/ecfs/document/view?id=7020142497

• Beder, J. (2005). Cybersolace: Technology built on emotion. Social Work, 50, 355-358.

• Federal Communications Commission (2010). Connecting America: The National Broadband Plan. http://www.broadband.gov/download-plan/

• Foster, M., & Washington, E. (2000). A model for developing and managing distance education programs using interactive video technology. Journal of Social Work Education, 36, 147-158.

• Horrigan, J. (2010). Broadband adoption and use in America: Results from an FCC Survey. http://www.fcc.gov/DiversityFAC/032410/consumer-survey-horrigan.pdf

• Kreuger, L.W., & Stretch, J. (2000). What is the role of hypertechnology in social work today. Social Work, 45, 457-462

Selected References• McCarty, D., & Clancy, C. (2002). Telehealth: Implications for social work

practice. Social Work, 47, 153-161• McCoy, H., & Vila, C. K.. (2002). Tech knowledge: Introducing computers

for co-ordinated care. Health & Social Work, 71-75• Parker-Oliver, D., & Demiris, G. (2006). Social Work Informatics: A new

speciality. Social Work, 51, 127-134.• Randolph, K., & Krause, D. (2002). Mutual aid in the classroom: An

instructional technology application. Journal of Social Work Education, 38, 259-271.

• Smith, C. (2008). Technology and web-based support. Journal of Social Work Education, 44, 75-82.

• Zhang, W., & Gutierrez, O. (2007). Information technology acceptance in social services sector context: An exploration. Social Work, 52, 221-231.