Students will gain knowledge about new risks of virtual environments important for social work practice. They will gain insight into the various practices of social work in a virtual environment. They will learn specific ethical principles related to social work practice in a virtual environment and the use of modern technologies.
Course objectives are to introduce students to the possibilities of contemporary helping practices through modern technologies, new risks in an online environment, digital competencies relevant for helping professions and specific ethical standards in the use of modern technologies in professional practice. During the course of the module, the following topics will be addressed and developed: Impact of technology on everyday life, Social networks, Problematic Internet use: Internet violence, internet addiction, online gambling, online gaming, online sexual exploitation of children, Online environment and technology use in helping practices, Ethics of professional practice in online environment
The course contributes to the learning outcomes at the program level: Students adopt modern methods and techniques of working with different user groups and specific ethical principles of social work in a virtual environment. Also, the subject contributes to the development of critical thinking of students, ability to work independently and effectively work in a team, the ability of oral and written presentation of the results of work and respect for diversity and multiculturalism.
Social Work in Virtual Environment
Literature
MANDATORY LITERATURE
Reamer, F.G.; Social work in a digital age: Ethical and risk management challenges; Social Work 58, (2) (2013), str. 163-172
Lamendola, L.; Social work and social presence in an online world; Journal of technology in the human services, 28 (2010), str. 108-119
Mishna, F., Bogo, M., Root, J., Sawyer, J.L. Khoury-Kassabri, M.; I just crept in: The digital age and implications for social work practice; Clinical Social Work (2012), str. 277-286
Mihajlov, M Vejmelka, L.; Internet addiction: A review of the first twenty years; Psychiatria Danubina (2017), str. 260-272
Černja, I., Vejmelka, L. Rajter, M.; Internet addiction test: Croatian preliminary study; BMC Psychiatry (2019), str. 388
Learning outcomes
Identify the risks of the digital environment relevant to social work practices and opportunities for safe Internet use
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CONTRIBUTES TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AT THE LEVEL OF THE STUDY PROGRAM
Define risks and problems taking into account the user perspective and values of social work (3)
Analyse how social, political, economic, technological and environmental processes affect the emergence of inequality in society, the development of social risks and problems (16) -
COGNITIVE AREA OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Understanding
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SKILLS
ability to apply knowledge in practice information management skills digital skills
ethics -
LEARNING CONTENT
● The impact of technology on everyday life
● The benefits and risks of modern technologies
● Problematic usage of internet
● Online environment and social networks -
TEACHING METHODS
Lecture, interactive discussion, work in groups, solving individual tasks, synchronous and asynchronous forms of e-learning,
educational media content, written assignments
Apply digital competencies and professional communication skills in direct online practice with specific groups of service users
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CONTRIBUTES TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AT THE LEVEL OF THE STUDY PROGRAM
Apply professional communication skills with specific groups of users needed to assess, inform, lead the change process, advise and implement other interventions in social work (1)
Understand ethical norms in social work and other supporting professions (10)
Analyse how social, political, economic, technological and
environmental processes affect the emergence of inequality in society, the development of social risks and problems (16) -
COGNITIVE AREA OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Applying
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SKILLS
ability to apply knowledge in practice information management skills online communication skills
digital skills
problem-solving ability content creation
ability of self-assessment ethics -
LEARNING CONTENT
● Digital competencies and digital tools
● The practice of social work in the digital environment
● Use of technologies in direct practice with service users -
TEACHING METHODS
Lecture, interactive discussion, work in groups, solving individual tasks, synchronous and asynchronous forms of e-learning,
educational media content, written assignments
Choose the appropriate methods, techniques and tools for professional action in an online environment
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CONTRIBUTES TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AT THE LEVEL OF THE STUDY PROGRAM
Apply professional communication skills with specific groups of users needed to assess, inform, lead the change process, advise and implement other interventions in social work (1)
Understand ethical norms in social work and other supporting professions (10)
Analyse how social, political, economic, technological and environmental processes affect the emergence of inequality in society, the development of social risks and problems (16) -
COGNITIVE AREA OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Evaluating
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SKILLS
ability to apply knowledge in practice information management skills online communication skills
digital skills
problem-solving ability content creation
ability of self-assessment ethics -
LEARNING CONTENT
● Advocacy activities on social networks
● Digital competencies and digital tools
● The practice of social work in the digital environment
● Use of technologies in direct practice with service users -
TEACHING METHODS
Lecture, interactive discussion, work in groups, solving individual tasks, synchronous and asynchronous forms of e-learning,
educational media content, written assignments
Integrate specific ethical principles related to the practice of social work in the online environment and the use of modern technologies in helping practice
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CONTRIBUTES TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AT THE LEVEL OF THE STUDY PROGRAM
Understand ethical norms in social work and other supporting professions (10)
Analyse how social, political, economic, technological and
environmental processes affect the emergence of inequality in
society, the development of social risks and problems(16) -
COGNITIVE AREA OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Synthesis/Creating
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SKILLS
ability to apply knowledge in practice information management skills online communication skills
digital skills
problem-solving ability content creation
ability of self-assessment ethics -
LEARNING CONTENT
● Specifics of ethics in working with different groups of users in the online environment and the use of technology in
direct practice -
TEACHING METHODS
Lecture, interactive discussion, work in groups, solving individual tasks, synchronous and asynchronous forms of e-learning,
educational media content, written assignments
Create an online activity proposal as response to the identified needs of individuals, groups, organizations or communities
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CONTRIBUTES TO THE ACHIEVEMENT OF LEARNING OUTCOMES AT THE LEVEL OF THE STUDY PROGRAM
Apply professional communication skills with specific groups of users needed to assess, inform, lead the change process, advise and implement other interventions in social work (1)
Understand ethical norms in social work and other supporting professions (10)
Analyse how social, political, economic, technological and environmental processes affect the emergence of inequality in society, the development of social risks and problems (16)
Develop proposals for projects and programs in the community with the aim of increasing the quality of life of different social groups
(18) -
COGNITIVE AREA OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
Synthesis/Creating
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SKILLS
ability to apply knowledge in practice
information management skills online communication skills digital skills
problem-solving ability content creation
ability of self-assessment
ethics -
LEARNING CONTENT
● Development and presentation of online projects
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TEACHING METHODS
Lecture, interactive discussion, work in groups, solving individual tasks, synchronous and asynchronous forms of e-learning,
educational media content, written assignments
