digital literacy skills for social workers - north west london asye programme
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Presentation and Project with North West London Alliance ASYE Social Work Programme.TRANSCRIPT
Advanced Communication Skills: Digital Literacy & Digital Consciousness
For NQSW on ASYE Programme
North West London Alliance – ASYE Programme
Claudia Megele Senior Lecturer and CPD/PQ Programme Leader & Digital LeadMiddlesex University & Head of Practice Learning (Enfield Council)
Agenda
New modes of communication and its impact on relationships, emotions and networks;
eSafety;
eProfessionalism, digital communication and the PCF;
Social Media as an educational tool for the North West London Alliance Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) programme.
A Dangerous New Method
Socrates warning…
This invention will produce forgetfulness in the minds of those who learn to use it, because they will not practice their memory.
Their trust in writing, produced by external characters which are no part of themselves, will discourage the use of their own memory within them.
Source: Plato 1925, 274e-275a
Technology offer a potential, however, it is about how we use it…
Social NetworkingTHEN: THE NOTIFICATION BOARD
NOW: INTERNET
FORUM
What is different about online?
Online Technology is instant
“A hundred years ago it took so long and cost so much to post a letter that it seemed worthwhile to put some thought into writing it. Now the quickness and cheapness of the post seem to justify the feeling that a brief letter today may be followed by another next week and a line now by another tomorrow” Percy Homes Boynton, Principles of Composition 1915
Exercise 1
How do you use digital technology?
How much information is freely available about you online?
Exercise 2
Pair up and google your colleague’s/partner’s name.
What did you find out about your partner?
How much information did you find?
What kind of information did you find?
Did your search results surprise you?
Born Digital
CYP Digital Identity
“Born Digital” – Many children born in the past decade are “born digitally” with the first fragment of their ‘digital footprint’ already available online before their actual birth.
These children will be the first generation to experience the aggregated effect of living in a digital world over their entire life-course, and even after death.
They inherit their digital profiles as a work in progress from their parents.
Although these postings are usually made with great love and best of intentions, parents need to be aware that their children’s online profiles and information are likely to be with them for the rest of their lives.
Digital Identity
Reality and identity can be distorted online.
How do children, adolescents & adults think of themselves in the visual culture of today’s society?
Exercise 3
What are some of the opportunities and challenges for services when using digital media and working with vulnerable individuals?
Face-to-Face contact vs. online-contact: What are the similarities and differences? Is there anything missing in online relationships?
Virtual Interactions & Emotions
‘Triggered by over-exposure to social information on SNS, envy feelings can cause significant damage to users’ well-being and impact their life satisfaction’
Promotion of narcissistic behaviour, with most users sharing only positive things about themselves
‘… friend lists typically consist of individuals with a high degree of similarity to the profile owner, which is particularly conducive for the proliferation of envy feelings.’
Source: Envy on Facebook: A Hidden Threat to Users’ Life Satisfaction?
Do you agree with the above statements?
What do you think?
Sites promoting self harm
Cyber Bullying – what is it?
“Cyber bullying involves the use of ICT, particularly mobile telephones and the internet, to support deliberate, hostile behaviour by an individual or group, which is intended to upset and harm others. This can include mobile text messaging and telephone calls; mobile telephone pictures and video clips; email; chat rooms; instant messaging and websites such as social networking sites.”
Source: E-Safety and the use of ICT, Mobile Phones and other Electronic Devices Policy
Case Study Amanda Todd
Amanda Michelle Todd (born November 27, 1996 in British Columbia committed suicide at her home on October 10, 2012,. Prior to her death, Todd had posted a video on YouTube in which she used a series of flash cards to tell of her experience of being blackmailed, bullied, and physically assaulted. The video went viral after her death,[resulting in international media attention. The Royal Canadian Mounted police and British Columbia Coroners Service launched investigations into the suicide.
At the time of her death, Todd was a student at a school that caters to students who have experienced social and behaviour issues in previous educational settings.
In response to the death, The premier of British Columbia , made an online statement of condolence and suggested a national discussion on criminalizing Cyberbullying .Also, a motion was introduced in the Canadian House of Commons to propose a study of the scope of bullying in Canada, and for more funding and support for anti-bullying organizations. Todd's mother Carol established the Amanda Todd Trust, receiving donations to support anti-bullying awareness education and programs for young people with mental health problems.
Internet and Vulnerability
Does the internet amplify
vulnerability?
Think of some
examples or experiences
from practice or personal
life.
How offline vulnerabilities can be amplified online
Social media is not a neutral medium which simply reflects or echoes offline interactions and communications.
There is little or no content control. Communication is captured, aggregated, added to, morphed, changed and re-hatched as a new posting, broadcast or ping.
Skill and confidence are needed to be able to narrate lives online, manage reputation, mitigate risk and maintain resilience to thrive.
Often those who have few supportive adults in their lives have low self-confidence and are unassisted and unsupervised and vulnerable to abuse.
The lack of self-confidence and support network makes them vulnerable to being overly influenced and/or groomed online by their peers.
6 Risk Factors
Low self-confidence.
‘Outsider Identity’
Gaps in education and digital literacy.
Lack of supportive adults &
peers
Frequently unsupervised
+ lack of
boundaries & structure
Experience of abusive
environments and/or
relationships
Influence of drug, alcohol,
gangs. And risk taking
behaviour.
A Facebook Update in Real Life
Privacy Settings
Always explore the privacy settings of your social networking site;
Ask friends and family to have a look at your profile online to check that you aren’t giving out too much personal information;
Keep Passwords protected
How are values affected?
We are all exposed to material we might rather not see. How do site that sponsor/promote such activities affect children & young people?
Violence; Frightening material; Sexualisation (Websites, TV and movies, others); Misogyny; Sexualised violence; Exaggerated and Damaging Stereotypes (e.g. in video games); Radicalisation Drug use; Anti-social attitudes and behaviour; Suicide and Self-harm; Eating disorders; Drug and Knife Crime; Gang Activity; Others….
Friends
FamilyColleagues
Facebook: “closed” networking
Most users connect & communicate with a defined group
Facebook continues to be among the most popular media
Colleagues
Groups
LinkedIn: “Strategic” Networking
Maintain professional connections
Join groups for discussions, job postings, posting requests
Keep in touch with current and former colleagues
Be selective and manage settings to avoid email deluge
Multiple Interests Twitter
Twitter: “Open” Networking Shared interests
Real-time ‘#hashtag’ discussions – with international reach
Follow and share conferences and updates
It takes time to build a personal learning network or community of interest
Finding Fellow-Travellers on Twitter
ASYE Colleagues
Social Work
Organisations
Social Work
Professionals
Opportunities for networking, sharing and learning
An example of a Knowledge Network
An example of a Community of Interest
How does it work?
Blog /research
paper
Live and interactive
Debate with fellow social workers & academics
Share knowledge, links
and good practice
Transcript of debate
posted online
Post article or comments
on blog
Debating Social Work Issues in Realtime #SWSCMedia
e-Professionalism
Practical Management of the twitter chat
1. Setting up an account
2. Testing the hashtag
3. HCPC will be joining us
4. Brain storm some questions for the HCPC Twitter chat
Contact Details
Claudia MegeleSenior Lecturer & CPD/PQ Programme Leader & Department Digital LeadDept. of Mental Health, Social Work, & Integrative MedicineSchool of Health and Education Middlesex UniversityEmail: [email protected]: +44 (0)208 411 2885Academia.edu: http://mdx.academia.edu/ClaudiaMegelePinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/claudiamegele/LinkedIn: http://uk.linkedin.com/in/claudiamegeleTwitter: @ClaudiaMegele @MHChat @SWSCmedia @U4Change