A message from Dr Paul Freddolino I have just begun work on an annotated bibliography for Oxford University Press intended to cover references of all sorts that examine changes – both positive and negative – in the way social work is (and will be) practiced as a result of new and emerging technologies. The search is for research studies if available,…
Report on Dublin conference for husITa Board Meeting
The husITa18 stream was part of the SWSD2018 conference Dublin 4-7 July 2018 There were approximately 2,200 delegates in Dublin and husITa Board members who attended the Dublin conference were: Neil Ballantyne (Chair), Ann Lavan (Secretary), Jonathan Singer (Treasurer), Board members: Wong Yu Cheung, Juls Gilliam, Gloria Kirwan, Oyinlola Oluwagbemiga, Melanie Sage, Dick Schoech, Amanda Taylor. Board members met on…
Vote for five new board members
Members of the husITa mailing list will have now received details of the seven candidates who are standing for election to the husITa Board. Please return your vote by 30th November 2018 for FIVE board members to: [email protected]
Cyberpsychology labs in Mexico and Spain
Advances in human services technology occur worldwide, and the Spanish speaking community, with the third highest population in the world, is no exception. Special mention must be made of the research and intervention in cyberpsychology that two labs, one located in Spain and the other one in Mexico, have developed in recent years: the Cyberpsychology Lab (UNAM, Mexico), and the…
husITa and sustainability
Sustainability is a difficult term to define. Wikipedia states sustainability should be viewed as humanity’s target goal of human-ecosystem equilibrium (homeostasis), that is, satisfying present needs does not threaten meeting future needs. Today, most organizations claim the popular goal of sustainability. For example, Starbucks is eliminating an estimated 1 billion plastic straws per year worldwide. The only problem is that…
husITa18 in Dublin: An event to remember.
For the last decade husITa has organised a human service technology track within the international Social Work, Education and Social Development Conference. This conference within a conference format has worked incredibly well allowing delegates at the larger conference to drop in and out of the technology track. This year the event was held at the Royal Dublin Society in Ireland…
Winners of the Best Human Services App Idea Award 2018
husITa is delighted to announce the winners of the Best Human Services App Idea Award 2018. The award is designed to support an individual, group, or organization in the idea stage of developing an app that supports the mission of husITa, which is to promote the ethical and effective use of information technology to better serve humanity. Submissions were judged by…
The Golden Age of the Internet and social media is over
A little over three years ago I authored a blog post for husITa that detailed a study I conducted on New Media Literacies and Participatory Culture. In that post, and the study it was based on, I talked about the need for new media literacies, social and cultural competencies, and how increasing digital competence relies in part on developing these…
Call for papers from the upcoming husITa18 conference
Special Issue of the Journal of Technology in Human Services: Call for papers from the husITa18 conference Special Issue Editors Ann Lavan (University College Dublin) & Gloria Kirwan (Trinity College Dublin) The editors of this special edition of the Journal of Technology in Human Services, a Routledge/Taylor Francis publication, are seeking submissions from colleagues who presented papers at husITa18 held…
Social welfare benefits and technology
By Gareth Morgan, Vice-Chair of husITa. Almost exactly 30 years ago, the means tested benefit system in the UK underwent a massive change. In April 1988 the previous Supplementary Benefit and associated schemes changed overnight to one called Income Support with, again, other linked ‘income -related‘ schemes. I said overnight, and it was overnight, and it all went very…