650 words

The social work profession is consistently exploring how technology should be used, instead of asking how social work professionals can effectively use it, manipulate it, and leverage it to meet needs. Subsequently, the adoption of technology has been slow in the profession; yet, a host of social media resources are readily available and widely used in other professions. Ultimately, social workers must become familiar with the new technologies that inform practice.

By successfully completing this assignment, you demonstrate your proficiency in the following competencies and specialized behaviors.

• Competency 1: Demonstrate ethical and professional behavior.
  • C1.SP.B: Articulate and provide leadership in the application of the core values and ethical standards of the social work profession through an ethical problem-solving model to aid in critical thinking, affective reactions, and ethical decision making related to individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to guide and inform ethical practice in the specialization of advanced generalist social work.
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 3: Describe how the ethics and values, access, and cultural competence standards can be used to help address a social or economic injustice through the use of technology.
  • C1.SP.C: Integrate the ethical and effective use of technology at all levels of practice in the specialization of advanced generalist social work with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 3: Describe how the ethics and values, access, and cultural competence standards can be used to help address a social or economic injustice through the use of technology.
      • 4. Explain how technology can promote efforts to reduce a particular social, economic, or environmental injustice.
• Competency 2: Engage diversity and difference in practice.
  • C2.SP.A: Analyze dimensions and differentiation in diversity and apply the influence of relationships, intervention techniques, and technologies with diverse clients, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 3: Describe how the ethics and values, access, and cultural competence standards can be used to help address a social or economic injustice through the use of technology.
• Competency 3: Advance human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice.
  • C3.SP.A: Apply leadership skills and technology to engage in collaborative practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities to advocate for appropriate services, resources, and supports to achieve goals and foster positive change.
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 5: Explain the benefits of using the technology standards to inform work in an online environment.
  • C3.SP.B: Apply leadership behaviors by engaging in reflective and professional practices that address and advance social, economic, and environmental justice issues.
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 1. Describe a given social, economic, or environmental issue.
      • 2. Explain the rationale behind the choice of a particular social, economic, or environmental injustice to be addressed.
• Competency 6: Engage with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  
  • C6.SP.A: Apply critical thinking and decision making in verbal and written communication through the use of leadership and technology when engaging with colleagues, individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
    
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 6: Explain how to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate practice (micro, mezzo, or macro) with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and/or communities while using technology to address an injustice.
• Competency 7: Assess individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  
  • 
    C7.SP.A: Apply critical thinking and decision making in verbal and written communication through the use of leadership and technology when assessing colleagues, individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 6: Explain how to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate practice (micro, mezzo, or macro) with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and/or communities while using technology to address an injustice.
• Competency 8: Intervene with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  
  • C8.SP.A: Apply critical thinking and decision making in verbal and written communication through the use of leadership and technology when intervening with colleagues, individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
    
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 6: Explain how to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate practice (micro, mezzo, or macro) with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and/or communities while using technology to address an injustice.
• Competency 9: Evaluate practice with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
  • C9.SP.A: Apply critical thinking and decision making in verbal and written communication through the use of leadership and technology evaluations with colleagues, individuals, families, groups, organizations, and communities.
    • Related Assignment Criterion: 
      • 6: Explain how to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate practice (micro, mezzo, or macro) with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and/or communities while using technology to address an injustice.

Assignment Description

There are a host of online resources that promote effective networking, client engagement, and advocacy. The purpose of this assignment is to identify the benefits and ethical considerations associated with using technology as an adjunct to social work practice. To gain insight on the guidelines that govern social work professionals' use of technology, review the "NASW, ASWB, CSWE, & CSWA Standards for Technology in Social Work Practice," linked in the resources.

Assignment Instructions

For this assignment:

1. Choose and describe a social, economic, or environmental injustice that you have an interest in addressing, such as abuse, social welfare, human rights, marginalized communities, neglect, or social policy. Provide a rationale for your choice.
2. Describe how the ethics and values, access, and cultural competence standards can be used to help address the social, economic, or environmental injustice through the use of technology.
3. Explain how technology can promote your efforts to reduce or eliminate the injustice.
4. Explain the benefits of using the technology standards to inform your work in an online environment.
5. Explain how to engage, assess, intervene, and evaluate practice (micro, mezzo, or macro) with individuals, families, groups, organizations, and/or communities while using technology to address an injustice.