Technology and
Distance Education Committee
As new chair
of the Technology and Distance Education Committee I would like to share some of the committee’s recent work and plans
for the future.
Members of the Technology
and Distance Education Committee presented a number of sessions in 2006 at both BPD and APM on topics including online classroom
resources, plagiarism, the www.bpdonline.org web site, evaluation of online courses, new technology innovations
and enhancing classroom presentations. They continue to meet regularly at the
APM and BPD conferences and online in the interim. Members are currently
updating the committee’s goals and objectives given the rapid changes that have occurred relating to information technology
and its applications in the social work classroom. Marshall Smith has also initiated
a new listserv for those interested in issues relating to technology at all level of social work education, the Distance Education
List (DE-BPD list). Inquiries regarding this new listserv can be sent to smithml@hawaii.edu.
The committee
is currently summarizing and incorporating the recommendations gathered from its conference presentations. This will culminate in a comprehensive update of the committee’s materials on the BPD web site and
future conference offerings. They are also evaluating the need for an updated
BPD membership technology needs survey. The committee also continues to monitor
the BPD listserv as well as several other technology and human service related lists to keep abreast of technology issues
relevant to BSW education.
The committee
has begun investigating the technology situation in Destin potential for wireless connections, labs, costs, etc. Hopefully
a session on disabilities & assistive technologies will be feasible and available at this conference. Additional suggestions or requests for future conference topics can be sent to berghoef@ferris.edu or any of the technology committee
members.
The members of
the technology committee wish to extend heartfelt thanks to fellow members and past chairs Lynn Adkins and Debra Gohagan for
their many years of dedicated service in bringing technology innovations to social work educators.
Respectfully submitted,
Mike Berghoef
Chair Technology
& Distance Education
