Social Work Students Explore the Grand Challenge of Technology with Field Educators: A Qualitative Approach

ABSTRACT

One goal of the Social Work Grand Challenge is to positively influence the applications of technology. Nowhere is the challenge of integrating innovative technology more apparent than in field education settings. However, current technology trends, challenges, as well as interns’ use of technology, which is often used in field education settings, particularly after the major shift to virtual platforms due to the COVID-19 Global Pandemic, are not well documented. During Fall 2021, the authors sought to evaluate field educators’ (1) current use of technology in social service agencies, (2) perceptions and concerns about technology, and (3) plans for training and engaging student interns with technology. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with fifteen field educators recruited from one social work program. A rigorous thematic analysis approach then was used among six coders to report thematic findings. In this study, we report (1) benefits and limitations of using technology, (2) informal and formal technology training offered to student interns in social service agencies, and (3) recommendations for engaging and training students with technology. Two emerging themes were consistent: (1) generational differences related to technology perspectives of student interns and clients and (2) that the benefits and limitations of technology often are mixed.

Keywords:

• Technology
• Qualitative Study
• Field Instructors
• Student Researchers

Acknowledgments

Thank you to all our participants who shared their time and experiences with us.

Additional contributors

Karina Carbajal, BSW Student; Abigail Guerra, BSW Student; Brianna Rodriguez, BSW Student; Lauren Snowberger, BSW Student; Mariah Vickerstaff, BSW Student

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The development of this article was supported by the Texas State University’s 2021-2022 College of Applied Arts (CAA) Community Learning Grant. The views, however, are those of the authors and do not reflect official positions of the Texas State University CAA Grant Program.