Showing papers in "Journal of Technology in Human Services in 2010"
TL;DR: A small sample of participants were asked to discuss what friendship and privacy meant to them and to give examples of a privacy violation they had experienced, and a thematic analysis was conducted on the interviews to determine the issues discussed by the participants.
Abstract: With the growth of the Internet comes a growth in a ubiquitous networked society. Common Web 2.0 applications include a rapidly growing trend for social network sites. Social network sites typically converged different relationship types into one group of “friends.” However, with such vast interconnectivity, convergence of relationships, and information sharing by individual users comes an increased risk of privacy violations. We asked a small sample of participants to discuss what friendship and privacy meant to them and to give examples of a privacy violation they had experienced. A thematic analysis was conducted on the interviews to determine the issues discussed by the participants. Many participants experienced privacy issues using the social network site Facebook. The results are presented here and discussed in relation to online privacy concerns, notably social network site privacy concerns and managing such information.
142 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assess the efficacy of online CBT in the treatment and prevention of adolescent anxiety and depression and suggest that for those who are unable to access face-to-face therapy, computerized therapy may be a viable option.
Abstract: Despite the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating adolescent anxiety, few sufferers seek treatment. Barriers to accessing psychologists include a shortage of skilled therapists, long waiting lists, and affordability. The Internet is a medium possibly able to address issues of accessibility and affordability. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of online therapy in the treatment and prevention of adolescent anxiety and depression. Participants (N = 38) were randomly allocated to one of four conditions: online CBT, face-to-face CBT, combined face-to-face/online CBT, and control. Combined face-to-face/online CBT is more effective in treating symptoms of depression and anxiety compared to stand-alone online or face-to-face therapy. The present study suggests that for those who are unable to access face-to-face therapy, computerized therapy may be a viable option. This is an important finding, especially in light of current capacity to treat and accessibility problems faced in the trea...
115 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue that social presence is not confined to face-to-face encounters but are necessarily relational and that all flows of social presence must and can be connected and directed in social work practices.
Abstract: Human presence is a fundamental consideration of social work practices. The argument in this article is not to undermine such notions but to elaborate on them based on research into social presence, a type of presence projected when a person is associating with others. Communication and information technologies support applications that develop social presence and enable sociality. Such forms of presence are not confined to face-to-face encounters but are necessarily relational. Underlying such a realization is the conviction that all flows of social presence must and can be connected and directed in the conduct of social work practices.
72 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors show how various factors interact to affect parents' sense of satisfaction about their attempts to help their children benefit from the Internet as well as reduce the risks to which their children are exposed.
Abstract: An Internet connection has become almost ubiquitous in homes with school-age children in developed societies. The Internet is both a great social and learning tool and full of potential dangers. Without proper parental support and guidance, the chances of children being exposed to these dangers increase. Yet this can cause tension and distress between parents and children. The problem is aggravated because children tend to be more knowledgeable and skilled in the realm of computers than their parents. The major purposes of the study were to show how various factors interact to affect parents' sense of satisfaction about their attempts to help their children benefit from the Internet as well as reduce the risks to which their children are exposed. The major targets were families with children between the ages of 6 and 17. A household survey with a representative sample of 2,579 families was conducted in late 2009. Findings suggest that better-educated parents, the adoption of an authoritative parenting sty...
52 citations
TL;DR: The use of assistive technology in social care, through a program of telecare, has become a prominent feature of policy development in some advanced industrial societies as mentioned in this paper, where the authors examine ethical issues raised by this telecare program and argue that the frameworks in use, while important, are limited in scope.
Abstract: The use of assistive technology in social care, through a program of telecare, has become a prominent feature of policy development in some advanced industrial societies. This article looks at developments in Scotland, where ambitious targets for the application of telecare technologies are underway. The focus here is on telecare for older people. The paper starts by examining the discourse around demographic change and fiscal pressures to explore an increased use of technology. The paper then examines ethical issues raised by this telecare program and argues that the frameworks in use, while important, are limited in scope. It thus considers wider ethical frames of reference and looks at policy imperatives—such as interprofessional working and a performance driven culture—that may make ethical considerations more difficult to realize in practice.
34 citations
TL;DR: Results of the causal comparative design suggested that online students who use a combination of technologies had statistically significantly higher levels of social presence than the students who used only asynchronous technologies.
Abstract: With the increased adoption of online education, it has become vital for helping profession educators to consider the use of online education. It is also vital for them to consider technologies that can support effective online education for the profession. This study considers the use of both synchronous and asynchronous technologies in helping profession courses. Results of the causal comparative design suggested that online students who used a combination of technologies had statistically significantly higher levels of social presence than the students who used only asynchronous technologies. No difference in cognitive presence, teacher presence, and perceived learning was found between the two groups.
27 citations
TL;DR: Results indicate that the initial investment has resulted in significant savings to the health and social care sectors and Additionally, telecare provides opportunities to promote independence and improve the quality of life of service users and their informal carers.
Abstract: In 2006 the Scottish Government provided just over £8 million to help 32 health and social care partnerships to develop telecare services. This paper presents a summary of the 2007–2008 evaluation of the Scottish Telecare Development. This evaluation focused on measuring overall program progress toward eight predefined Scottish Telecare Development objectives. Results indicate that the initial investment has resulted in significant savings to the health and social care sectors. Additionally, telecare provides opportunities to promote independence and improve the quality of life of service users and their informal carers. However, some caution needs to be taken in interpreting the findings as results are based on self-reported performance from partnerships, and many of the reported monetary “savings” are actually efficiency savings and are unlikely, in practice, to be cash-releasing.
23 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors assess the significance of satellite tracking in the context of network society and assess its implications for supervising offenders in so-called "real-time", speculating on the different temporal experiences of monitors and the monitored and explores a dubious but possible future development in tracking technology: the power to inflict pain at a distance, forms of which were in fact considered by the those who first imagined offender tracking.
Abstract: The satellite tracking of offenders, particularly sex offenders, has grown in significance in the United States since the late 1990s. Some evaluations have been undertaken, but few of the larger theoretical questions it raises, as an aspect of surveillance and remote location monitoring, have been explored. Drawing in part on the work of Manuel Castells and Paul Virilio and on the concept of “time–space compression,” this paper appraises the significance of satellite tracking in the context of “the network society” and assesses its implications for supervising offenders in so-called “real time.” It speculates on the different temporal experiences of monitors and the monitored and explores a dubious but possible future development in tracking technology: the power to inflict pain at a distance, forms of which were in fact considered by the those who first imagined offender tracking in the 1970s. For some offenders, potentially subject to lifelong satellite tracking, the specter of “eternal vigilance” is ra...
15 citations
TL;DR: In the past few years, the risks associated with use of the Internet and social networking sites by children and young people have become a recurrent focus of attention for the media, the public and policymakers as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: In the past few years the risks associated with use of the Internet and social networking sites by children and young people have become a recurrent focus of attention for the media, the public, and policymakers. Parents, caregivers, and child care professionals alike are rightly concerned about exposure to pornography, pedophiles, and cyberbullies. At the same time Internet researchers have been steadily collecting evidence about the actual opportunities and risks associated with the young people's use of the Internet. In this article we describe some of the emerging evidence on opportunities and risks for young people and consider the challenges for social welfare professional charged with the role of safeguarding “looked after” children.
15 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examined if virtual volunteering is a viable option for every age group and found that it is an emerging phenomenon among every group, however, it is not suitable for all age groups.
Abstract: Virtual volunteering refers to the use of the Internet for volunteer services. It is an emerging phenomenon among every age group; however, the current study examines if it is a viable option for o...
15 citations
TL;DR: The purpose of this article is to get human service professionals to think about research, policy, management, and practice in a future service delivery system where data, information, and knowledge can be electronically exchanged and used globally.
Abstract: We are entering a period of interoperability in the human services, or the automatic global linking of information across different services and organizations. The purpose of this article is to get human service professionals to think about research, policy, management, and practice in a future service delivery system where data, information, and knowledge can be electronically exchanged and used globally. If human service professionals are to be intelligent discussants at the table when our future digital human services delivery infrastructure is planned, clear thinking about the practices, impacts, and issues of linking agency data globally is critical. Since the focus in this paper is on the impact of global data interchange, the difficult technical issues surrounding user authentication, security, and privacy are not discussed in the depth they require.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore recent neuroscience findings along with the implications for human service professional decision making and the ICT tools designed to support this decision making, and propose that professional decision processes are best that integrate these rational and emotional systems.
Abstract: The science of professional decision making and resulting information and communication technology (ICT) tools are typically based on a rational decision-making model designed to minimize the influence of emotions and biases. However, neuroscience suggests our brain naturally incorporates both unconscious emotion and conscious cognition in its mental processes, and professional decision processes are best that integrate these rational and emotional systems. This article explores recent neuroscience findings along with the implications for human service professional decision making and the ICT tools designed to support this decision making.
TL;DR: Citizens, who already experience disablement through social failure to recognize difference and diversity of need, may be doubly disabled by exclusive digital policy and practice.
Abstract: Issues around digital exclusion may be in their infancy but they are developing fast. The Internet has the potential to offer equity of digital access for enabling individual independence and empowerment in an increasingly digital society. However, for many users of assistive technologies, this remains a problematic scenario. Citizens, who already experience disablement through social failure to recognize difference and diversity of need, may be doubly disabled by exclusive digital policy and practice. There is an urgent need to research the implications of this exclusion for human service educators and practitioners.
TL;DR: This study examined the perspectives of 101 technology peer tutors for older adults in a nonprofit program in Hong Kong and found which tutors felt prepared for their roles, perceived considerably more benefits than challenges, saw value in their tutor work, and overwhelming plan to continue as volunteer tutors.
Abstract: The cost of caring for an aging population is a growing concern in many societies. Although information and communication technologies (ICTs) like computers and the Internet are seen as new tools which offer some potential to help, unfortunately older adults are generally the age group with the lowest level of skill and utilization of these technologies. Although nongovernmental organizations have attempted to address this digital gap, limited staff resources are a concern. One approach for generating additional staff to provide more technology training to older adults is a “peer-tutor” model. This study examined the perspectives of 101 technology peer tutors for older adults in a nonprofit program in Hong Kong. Topics included preparation and training, perceived benefits and challenges, side effects on their lives, the perceived value of their work as tutors, and suggestions for personal and program improvement. The influence of demographic factors was examined. Results show which tutors felt prepared fo...
Journal Article•
TL;DR: This study compared the designs of a traditional style WebQuest and a Web 2.0 Style WebQuest in terms of their effectiveness as a teaching tool and indicated that while students from both groups enjoyed the activity, the responses from the Web 1.0 style group were more positive.
Abstract: This study compared the designs of a traditional style WebQuest and a Web 2.0 style WebQuest in terms of their effectiveness as a teaching tool. The sample included 104 university sophomore students. Students were randomly assigned to two groups, with one group using the traditional style WebQuest and the other used the Web 2.0 style WebQuest. Data were collected (a) using a test developed by the author and (b) by conducting unstructured interviews. The results showed that the mean score of the students using the Web 2.0 style WebQuest was significantly higher than the traditional style WebQuest group on a test measuring the understanding of the WebQuest content. Furthermore, interview results indicated that while students from both groups enjoyed the activity, the responses from the Web 2.0 style group were more positive.
TL;DR: Process mapping is an effective tool to identify barriers to efficient client-level data management and opportunities to leverage health information technology to streamline the intake process of substance abuse treatment agencies, improve staff productivity, and enhance the accuracy and information flow.
Abstract: This article describes how integrated health information technology affects the collection and flow of client-level intake and assessment data within substance abuse treatment agencies. We combined process mapping and qualitative inquiry methods to analyze staff interviews (N = 54) from eight agencies in four U.S. states. Integrated health information technology was related to expedited and improved flow of information, while nonintegrated health information technology systems were associated with double data entry, multiple eligibility screenings, and different intake processes across levels of care. Process mapping is an effective tool to identify barriers to efficient client-level data management and opportunities to leverage health information technology to streamline the intake process of substance abuse treatment agencies, improve staff productivity, and enhance the accuracy and information flow.
TL;DR: The use of online synchronous technology (web conferencing, text chat, and video chat) by social-service agencies for employee-related activities (recruitment, training, meetings, continuing education, and supervision) has received minimal attention in the professional literature.
Abstract: The use of online synchronous technology (web conferencing, text chat, and video chat) by social-service agencies for employee-related activities (recruitment, training, meetings, continuing education, and supervision), and client-related activities (visitation, case management, and education/training classes) has received minimal attention in the professional literature. This article describes these technologies, their examination in the literature, and potential barriers to their use in social-service agencies. The article also reports on a survey of social-service agency administrators in an upper Great Plains state who were asked about their use of online synchronous technology for employee- and client-related activities. Results indicate minimal use of the technologies for these purposes.
TL;DR: The first edition in a research series emphasizing the impact of technological advances on the aging culture is presented in this paper. The authors address this topic from an international perspective, offering an analysis of the effects of these advances on aging culture.
Abstract: This book is the first edition in a research series emphasizing the impact of technological advances on the aging culture. The authors address this topic from an international perspective, offering...
TL;DR: The Human Services in the Network Society (HNS) Symposium was held in Glasgow, UK, in 2009 as discussed by the authors to provide a focus for an international exchange about the changes, challenges and opportunities networked technologies are bringing to the lives of the users of human services and to the practice of human service practitioners.
Abstract: The articles in this special issue are all directly connected to or influenced by an international research symposium held in Glasgow, Scotland, in September 2009. The symposium was hosted by the Institute for Advanced Studies and organized by ‘‘Connected Practice,’’ a research unit within the Glasgow School of Social Work. The symposium was titled ‘‘Human Services in the Network Society,’’ and its purpose was to provide a focus for an international exchange about the changes, challenges, and opportunities networked technologies are bringing to the lives of the users of human services and to the practice of human service practitioners. Walter LaMendola (1988) was among the first human service practitioners to document human service activity in what we now call the network society. In 1985 he had identified over 300 separate electronic network sites in Denver, Colorado, alone. He classified human service activity in networks at that time into six categories: public service networks, community networks, human service organization networks, professional networks, and client centered networks (p. 240). He concluded by saying that
TL;DR: Many current mobile developments are in danger of missing the opportunities for service enhancement and of perpetuating and embedding a paradigm which is limiting and inefficient in the era of powerful mobile devices.
Abstract: Increasingly, effective service delivery requires multiple assessments and often involves multiple agencies or departments. In many cases such assessments may be best carried out in the service useras home rather than in an environment which is less familiar. Current practice requires separate assessments collecting only the relevant information needed to make the individual assessment, with much duplication of data collection and consequent frequent intrusive reviews and potential contradictions or errors in data held where multiple assessments are needed. Transformation of this process can be achieved if multiple assessments using an integrated data set and mobile devices are positioned as a core channel of service delivery. Many current mobile developments are in danger of missing the opportunities for service enhancement and of perpetuating and embedding a paradigm which is limiting and inefficient in the era of powerful mobile devices. This paper will present and discuss other alternative options.