Elective Module Social Work: Social Work in the Digital Age

Department

Master's Program Social Work, Social Policy & Management

Course unit code

SOA-M-3-SOA-WMD-ILV

Number of ECTS credits allocated

5.0

Name of lecturer(s)

Koglek Robert, MA MSc, Posch Magdalena, BA MA MA, FH-Prof. Dr. Schlögl Stephan

Mode of delivery

face-to-face/optional online

Recommended optional program components

none

Recommended or required reading

Andrejevic, Mark. (2011): Facebook als neue Produktionsweise. In Generation Facebook, Hrsg. O. Leistert T. Röhle, 31-49. Bielefeld: transcript

Ahvenharju, Sanna; Minkkinen, Matti; Lalot, Fanny (2018): The five dimensions of Futures Consciousness. In: Futures 104, S. 1-13. DOI: 10.1016/j.futures.2018.06.010.

Ballantyne, Neil (2015): Human Service Technology and the Theory of the Actor Network. In: Journal of Technology in Human Services 33 (1), S. 104-117. DOI: 10.1080/15228835.2014.998567.

Bauer, Ullrich; Bittlingmayer, Uwe H.; Scherr, Albert (Hg.) (2020):
Becker, Heidrun (2018): Robotik in der Gesundheitsversorgung: Hoffnungen, Befürchtungen und Akzeptanz aus Sicht der Nutzerinnen und Nutzer: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden (Pflegeroboter), S. 229-248.

Patton, Desmond Upton; Eschmann, Robert D.; Butler, Dirk A. (2013): Internet banging: New trends in social media, gang violence, masculinity and hip hop. In: Computers in Human Behavior 29 (5), A54-A59. DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.035.

Pfadenhauer, Michaela; Dukat, Christoph (2016): Professionalisierung lebensweltlicher Krisen durch Technik? In: Österreich Z Soziol 41 (S1), S. 115-131. DOI: 10.1007/s11614-016-0210-1.
Pink, Sarah; Ferguson, Harry; Kelly, Laura (2021): Digital social work: Conceptualising a hybrid anticipatory practice. In: Qualitative Social Work, 147332502110036. DOI: 10.1177/14733250211003647.

Assessment methods and criteria

Exam, Course immanent examination, Homework

Level of course unit

Master

Year of study

Fall 2025

Semester when the course unit is delivered

3

Language of instruction

English

Course contents

• Positioning social work in the digital environment
• Digital competence in professional social work
• Opportunities and risks of virtual space in the fields of social work
• Ethical aspects in the digital social work context
• Social Robots – a new perspective in social work and its impact on the fields of action
• Artificial intelligence - challenges and opportunities for social work actors
• Data protection
• Implications of the digitalization of social work on socially disadvantaged groups
• Digital systemic consulting in specific fields of work
• Addressing different settings in counseling work

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course comprises an interactive mix of lectures, discussions and individual and group work.

Work placement(s)

none