Challenges and opportunities to eLearning in social work education: perspectives from Spain and the United States

ABSTRACT

eLearning has become an academic tool used to provide access to education for multiple segments of the population, which otherwise would have little to no access to it. While other academic disciplines integrated it into their curricula early in the digital revolution, in many countries, social work education is just beginning to address the opportunities and challenges web-based learning may bring to these programmes [Blackmon, 2013. Social work and online education with all deliberate speed. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 10(5), 509–521. doi:10.1080/15433714.2012.663672; Phelan, 2015. The use of eLearning in social work education. Social Work, 60(3), 257–264. doi:10.1093/sw/swv010]. This international collaborative research study seeks to better understand the challenges and opportunities faced by social work educators teaching at universities who are already using some form of eLearning in the United States and in Spain. A quantitative, non-experimental research design was employed. Results show that there are similarities as well as differences in the ways the two subsamples perceive the challenges and opportunities of eLearning. Findings reveal that there are some significant differences between the way the two subsample respondents perceived challenges and opportunities to eLearning. Recommendations for online social work educators and administrators are provided regarding overcoming challenges and capitalizing on opportunities applicable to the US, Spain, and the larger European and global contexts. Recommendations for further research and practice are also included.

RESUMEN

eLearning se ha convertido en una herramienta académica utilizada para proporcionar un acceso a la educación a múltiples segmentos de la población, que de otro modo tendrían poco o ningún acceso a ella. Mientras que otras disciplinas académicas lo integraron en sus currículos al comienzo de la revolución digital, en muchos países, la educación del trabajo social apenas comienza a abordar las oportunidades y desafíos que el aprendizaje basado en la web puede aportar a estos programas (Blackmon, 2013; Phelan, 2015). Esta investigación de carácter colaborativo e internacional, trata de abordar los desafíos y las oportunidades a las que se enfrentan los educadores de trabajo social en universidades e EE.UU y España que están utilizando alguna forma de eLearning. Para ello, se empleó un diseño de investigación cuantitativo y no experimental. Los resultados muestran que existen similitudes y diferencias significativas en la forma en que las dos submuestras perciben los desafíos y las oportunidades de eLearning. Se brindan recomendaciones para los educadores y administradores de trabajo social en línea para superar los desafíos y capitalizar las oportunidades aplicables en EE. UU., España y en los contextos europeos y globales más amplios. También se incluyen recomendaciones para un desarrollo mayor de la investigación y práctica en Trabajo Social.

KEYWORDS:

• eLearning
• USA
• Spain
• online education

PALABRAS CLAVE:

• eLearning
• Estados Unidos
• España
• educación en línea

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Laura Racovita-Szilagyi has a Ph.D. in Human Services with a Specialization in Management for Nonprofit Agencies, and an MSW degree. Currently, she is teaching graduate courses in a hybrid program at Southern Adventist University, Collegedale, TN, USA. Some of her teaching and research areas of interest include: non-profit management, social work ethics, program development and evaluation, culturally competent online and hybrid education, and trauma, crisis intervention, and emergency response.

Domingo Carbonero Muñoz has a Ph.D. in Sociology and Social Work with European Mentions from the Rey Juan Carlos University and The Spanish National Research Council. Currently, he is a professor of Social Work at La Rioja University, Spain. Some of Dr. Carbonero’s teaching and research areas of interest include: human rights, methodology on research, digital competencies, social exclusion, and social policy.

Mioara Diaconu has a Ph.D. in Social Work, an MSA, and an MSW degree. She is a researcher, a community and international development practitioner, a consultant, and a global social work educator. Currently, she is an assistant professor at Western Michigan University. Some of Dr. Diaconu’s research, teaching, and consultancy areas of expertise are: forced and volunteer migration, emergency management, sustainable programs, and community development.

ORCID

Laura Racovita-Szilagyi http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7710-1147

Domingo Carbonero Muñoz http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6978-1867

Mioara Diaconu http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3396-4813