Digital Practitioners? Analyzing Technology Use among Social Work Students

This paper presents a study of information and communication technology use among undergraduate social work students. The study included a sample of 108 students at two private Midwestern liberal arts colleges. Students were given an assignment presenting a generic practice scenario they may encounter in practice – finding information and referral resources for a client. Students completed a survey that gathered information regarding their use of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and how they utilized ICTs to complete the assignment. Findings suggest the majority of students located adequate information on behalf of the client.. Data also show that personal computers and laptops were the preferred devices for students despite high ownership of handheld devices. Finally, students indicated social media use as a primarily recreational pursuit, with limited utilization of such platforms for professional applications. Researchers present suggestions for further research and classroom application of the findings.