Social work virtual: preparing social work students for a digital future

ABSTRACT

During the pandemic, social workers have faced increasingly complex client needs, and are simultaneously undergoing transformative changes in practice with the rapid uptake of digital technologies. To make the best use of these technologies, practitioners require new knowledge, skills, and competencies, yet to date, the development of digital competencies has not formed a curriculum priority in social work higher education. To address this gap, we developed the 8-week simulation learning experience Social Work Virtual. Combining the principles of best pedagogical practice in both face-to-face and online education, Social Work Virtual is specifically tailored to develop digital social work competencies under the mentorship of practicing clinicians. In this paper, we describe the challenges in higher education and healthcare service provision that prompted the development of this learning simulation, and the opportunities it provided for students to develop skills in social work assessment and intervention using digital technologies. We include a reflective account by a practice mentor in Social Work Virtual. The reflection offers insights into how this simulation experience addressed student learning needs amid a rapidly changing social and professional landscape. We then consider how educators may adopt similar pedagogical strategies to integrate digital competencies within their professional programs.

KEYWORDS:

• Virtual
• digital
• online
• technology
• mental health, simulation learning
• COVID

Introduction

Across the globe, social workers have witnessed the devastating individual, interpersonal and societal impacts of COVID-19 (Banks et al., 2020; Peretz et al., 2020). At the same time, they are experiencing increased pressure to transform their practice and provide care to clients using digital (including telehealth) technologies (Donnelly et al., 2021). Prior to the pandemic, the use of digital care in social work was minimal (Mishna et al., 2019; Taylor, 2017; Tickner et al., 2023), although some rural and remote social workers have relied on the use of telephone and video technologies for years (Tadic et al., 2020). While the use of technology in social work practice is increasing, there remains a widespread gap in social work education and training on how to provide care using digital technologies effectively and ethically (Rinkel et al., 2022).

During COVID, social work programs rapidly transitioned to online and remote learning (Gherardi et al., 2021; MacDermott & Harkin-MacDermott, 2021). This created unique pedagogical challenges due, in part, to social work’s heavy reliance on in-person simulation exercises, such as role-playing, and field practicum to support student’s skill development (Cabiati et al., 2022; Leitch et al., 2021). It also highlighted a fundamental gap in social work education; a lack of preparation for students to provide care and support using digital technologies (Rinkel et al., 2022; Wilkerson et al., 2020). Transitioning from face-to-face to digital care is a complex process involving numerous ethical, practical, and interpersonal challenges (Heinsch et al., 2019; Tickner et al., 2023). Emerging evidence suggests that a lack of guidance and training in addressing clients’ increasingly complex needs while navigating changes in practice places social workers at risk of mental health exacerbation and burnout (Greenberg, 2020). There is, thus, an urgent need to adequately prepare social work students for the realities of digital service provision.

This paper describes a simulation learning experience Social Work Virtual (SWV) specifically tailored to develop digital social work competencies. We include a reflective account by author two, who served as a practice mentor in Social Work Virtual. The reflection offers insights into how this simulation experience addressed student learning needs amid a rapidly changing social and professional landscape. Finally, we consider how educators may adopt similar pedagogical strategies to incorporate digital competencies within their professional programs.

Social work virtual

Developed within the University [deidentified] Social Work Program, SWV was adapted from the single-day face-to-face simulation, The Social Work Big Day In (Agllias et al., 2021). SWV aimed to strengthen social work student preparation for field education during COVID, when many health and human service organizations rapidly pivoted to the provision of services using digital technologies. The simulation was integrated into a second-year social work theory and practice course (SWRK2001) that focuses on mental health and the safety and wellbeing of children.

During SWV, students were allocated to mock agency groups, such as community services, mental health services, schools as community centers and family support services. Each agency group was allocated a virtual ‘office’ on the University’s web-based learning management system and was required to conduct some initial research on the agency in which they would be working, and the policies and legislation relevant to that agency. Each agency was then provided with a mock case scenario. Over the following 8-week period, agency members had to work collaboratively on this scenario, attending meetings, exchanging information, and conducting ‘client’ interviews (portrayed by actors) using online and telehealth technologies, to build a collective assessment of the case and plan for future casework.

Agency members also completed weekly online learning module that provided them with new information about the case and helped them to build essential knowledge and skills needed to progress their assessment and prepare for weekly online team meetings and determine further actions required. Student preparedness for weekly meetings was demonstrated through independent and group tasks submitted using an online platform, where the teaching team provided developmental feedback. Team meetings ran for two hours per week and also provided an opportunity for students to spend time with their ‘practice mentor’; a practicing social worker who acted as a guide for students as they worked on the case scenario. Students demonstrated their preparedness for this session by developing a ‘meeting agenda’ and submitting this online for feedback by teaching staff. Students were responsible for emailing the agenda to their practice mentor and setting up a Zoom meeting prior to each session. Students’ course assignments were directly linked to the case scenario, requiring them to complete a clinical handover, conduct a psychosocial assessment of the case, and document their practice in case notes and accompanying critical reflections.

SWV was implemented for the first time in 2021 with 99 students and 10 practice mentors. Quality of Learning Experience (QLE) scores (the standard anonymous quality assurance process used by the University) show that it enhanced student learning, with an 11.9% increase in student satisfaction across all areas (from 4.2 in 2020 to 4.7 in 2021). QLE qualitative feedback also indicated that SWV provided students with valuable opportunities to develop practical digital health skills in a ‘safe space’, with one student commenting that ‘this has been the most informative course in my social work degree. I have been able to develop practical skills and knowledge, which has helped me to feel well prepared for social work placement and practice’. The following reflection was written by author two to offer further insights into the benefits and challenges of SWV. Author two served as a practice mentor for SWV and has held a long-position as a casual lecturer at the University [deidentified].

Practice mentor reflection

When I agreed to be a practice mentor for SWV, I was motivated by my experience as a practicing social worker striving to embed the use of telehealth in my own practice setting. From the outset I was surprised by how well the technology supported engagement. This differed from my experiences in the workplace, where telehealth had generally held a niche status. Even when the COVID-19 response necessitated the uptake of telehealth, things rarely ran smoothly, and digital communication technologies were generally seen as something to be managed or tolerated. Practitioners were often suspicious of moves toward telehealth, describing it as a lesser alternative or ‘the best we can do right now’. Conversely, in SWV there seemed to be an unspoken assumption that the digital world is a legitimate arena for social work practice.

With the technology—and students’ attitudes toward it—enabling rather than impeding practice, students were able to focus on the case scenario; cultivate their professional identities and relationships; and immerse themselves in the practice simulation. Students were well prepared for our sessions and demonstrated a good sense of process, leading our meetings and using our time together effectively. Furthermore, I cannot think of a time during our sessions when anyone ‘broke the third wall’ and openly acknowledged that we were actors in a mock practice scenario. This seems significant, as in my experience virtual practice (as compared to face-to-face) requires an added degree of attentiveness and empathy to fully ‘actualize’ the practice situation. This might be even truer for a virtual simulation, where there is a risk that the scenario may feel even further from the ‘real world’.

SWV’s focus on practice mentors rather than on pseudo-service-managers was also significant. There was a sense that my role was more contained and removed from the direct practice environment. It felt similar to supervision, with the content of our discussions grounded in students’ self-report of their practice experiences. This provided the basis for an impressive depth of reflection, analysis, and planning from the students. Students unpacked the case scenario in great detail, and their willingness to explore their own subjectivities and experiences of countertransference spoke both to the courage of the students and the level of trust and intimacy that can be established in virtual environments.

For me, the aspects of SWV that worked well also represented some of its limitations. The fact that the process ran so smoothly may have curbed some of the learning opportunities available. Students’ proficiency in facilitating online meetings, the rich discussions held in our mentoring sessions, while fine demonstrations of the students’ skills, seemed a luxury that didn’t reflect my day-to-day practice reality. One lasting impression for me is that Social Work Virtual facilitated less ‘in-the-moment’ social work practice. Notwithstanding the courage it takes to engage in group supervision, our time together seemed a little sanitized, less risky, with fewer opportunities for daring or thinking on one’s feet. From my perspective, students were rarely challenged to perform under pressure, swiftly reevaluate their priorities, or make difficult decisions with limited time and information available. The situation never seemed urgent, or was only urgent to the extent that completing a group project on time can be urgent. I missed that element of tension and drama that is fundamental to social work practice within organizations.

So, how might future attempts at virtual simulation-based learning provide an authentic experience of social work practice? For me, the challenge is to cultivate those elements of tension and drama without doing so in a way that feels overly contrived. In saying this, my impression of SWV is conditioned by the fact that it was a less immersive experience for me. It is possible the students experienced these more dynamic elements (for example, during the ‘client interviews’), but that these occurred outside of our mentoring sessions. Still, if activities like SWV aim to prepare students for virtual practice, and to harness the experience of practicing social workers to support this, it would make sense for practice mentors to be closer to the action. This might make better use of their experience and create added pressure for students to practice (not just reflect) in front of other social workers.

Discussion

The inclusion of digital practice skills in social work education has been limited (Rinkel et al., 2022). Despite increased use of technology in social work practice, particularly during COVID-19, many social work programs do not have a comprehensive approach to preparing social workers for assessment and intervention using digital technologies (Rinkel et al., 2022; Tickner, 2023). This highlights the need for a stronger emphasis on digital practice skills and knowledge to prepare students for the changing landscape of social work practice. In response to this need, we developed the 8-week simulation learning experience SWV. Based on a combination of student feedback and practice mentor insights, we found that SWV improved students’ ability to provide care using digital technologies and equipped them with a clear understanding of the potential benefits and limitations of these technologies in various practice settings. Educators can enhance student preparation for the digital workforce by adopting similar pedagogical strategies. This includes normalizing digital care, challenging negative assumptions about digital assessment and intervention, and promoting digital platforms as an important component of a versatile social work skillset.

We also found that SWV facilitated the development of core skills needed for effective team-based communication and collaboration. For example, the use of digital tools, like online communication platforms and collaboration software, enabled students to organize and facilitate virtual group meetings, providing with an authentic and convenient way to practice these essential skills. Additionally, digital resources such as online databases and case files enhanced information sharing, enabling students to conduct more accurate psychosocial assessments. These observations support findings by Shrader et al. (2016) that incorporating digital communication in undergraduate education enhances students ability to collaborate in teams and develop interprofessional care plans. Future research should explore the flow-on effects of these educational approaches in social work practice.

Our experience of SWV also highlighted opportunities for improvement. To some extent, SWV reduced opportunities for ‘in-the-moment’ practice; the experience of working under pressure and managing the in-person challenges associated with role-plays and case studies. Future iterations of SWV could enable practice mentors to accompany students during virtual ‘client interviews’ with actors, providing them with the opportunity to ‘practice’ in front of a social worker. This would allow students to receive real-time feedback and guidance from their mentor as they interact with the virtual client, simulating the immediacy of a real-life scenario. Educators must continue to explore opportunities for enhancing social work student preparation for digital practice (Wilkerson et al., 2020), particularly in relation to complex and demanding issues such as risk and safety (Tickner et al., 2023); issues that have preoccupied social work for some time, but that take on new meaning in the digital world.

Conclusion

• SWV proved to be beneficial for both students and practice mentors, facilitating students’ ability to provide care and support using digital technologies, and challenging perceptions of digital tools as a niche or temporary solution.

• While SWV provided a smooth and efficient processes, the absence or urgent or risky situations may have curbed some learning opportunities. Future virtual simulations should aim to incorporate more in-the-moment practice experiences and prepare students to manage complex and demanding issues using digital technologies.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Milena Heinsch

Milena Heinsch is an honorary professor at The University of Newcastle, Australia, and

Kynan Cliff

Kynan Cliff is a social worker and clinical coordinator working in the field of mental health and substance use.

Campbell Tickner

Campbell Tickner is an accredited social worker and higher degree by research candidate in Public Health and Medicine.

David Betts

David Betts is a lecturer in the social work program in the School of Humanities, Creative Industries, and Social Sciences at The University of Newcastle, Australia.