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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Distance And Online Social Work Education: Novel Ethical Challenges, Frederic G. Reamer Jan 2013

Distance And Online Social Work Education: Novel Ethical Challenges, Frederic G. Reamer

Faculty Publications

Digital technology has transformed social work education. Today’s students can take individual courses and earn an entire degree without ever meeting their faculty members in person. Technological innovations such as videoconferencing, live online chat, asynchronous podcasts, and webinars enable social work educators to reach students whose personal circumstances and geographical locations make it difficult for them to attend school in person. This paper highlights complex ethical issues associated with the proliferation of digital and online social work education. Key ethical issues concern student access; course and degree program quality and integrity; academic honesty and gatekeeping; and privacy and surveillance.


Social Work In A Digital Age: Ethical And Risk Management Challenges, Frederic G. Reamer Jan 2013

Social Work In A Digital Age: Ethical And Risk Management Challenges, Frederic G. Reamer

Faculty Publications

Digital, online, and other electronic technology has transformed the nature of social work practice. Contemporary social workers can provide services to clients by using online counseling, telephone counseling, video counseling, cybertherapy (avatar therapy), selfguided Web-based interventions, electronic social networks, e-mail, and text messages. The introduction of diverse digital, online, and other forms of electronic social services has created a wide range of complex ethical and related risk management issues. This article provides an overview of current digital, online, and electronic social work services; identifies compelling ethical issues related to practitioner competence, client privacy and confidentiality, informed consent, conflicts of interest, …