SOCIAL WORK + TECH
We are a research group dedicated to promoting digital social work practice. We study how digital tools can empower social workers and the communities they serve. Our mission is to ensure that as technology evolves, it always respects the heart and intuition that social workers bring to their practice, truly supporting the human side of care.
Our research is guided by a set of principles.
01
Technology should complement the situated and social knowledge of social workers, not replace human judgment.
02
We design tools that prioritize the visibility, value, and dignity of social work labor.
03
We treat digital and physical interactions as a single, integrated practice.
Text-based Engagement
Studying how professionals use text-based platforms like crisis chatlines and Discord communities to engage children, youths and other young persons.
Immersive and Simulated Training
Developing VR and digital avatar role-playing tools for professional training of social workers.
Digital Social Work
Understanding how social service practitioners transit to ops-tech roles.
Analyzing the impact of Scribe on workers and supervisors
Youths’ Use of Digital Mental Health
Investigating how young people choose between chatbots and face-to-face services.
Intervention Development
Designing and evaluating social service programs