Internet Activities
for Social Work
Using Usenet Newsgroups
Until a couple of years ago, Usenet newsgroups represented one of the best ways to learn about a subject area. Because of the increase in Internet traffic over the past two years, and also because of inappropriate use of Usenet to advertise commercial and often shady enterprises, it has become somewhat less useful. Still, social work students may find Usenet to be a relatively easy way to learn information about a given subject area.
Exercise: Go to the SWAN site and click on the Newsgroups button. Click on one of the newsgroups (you may need to try a few before you find one your service carries). Read some of the topics available.
What did you learn about this topic that you didn't already know?
Are newsgroups going to provide you with authoritative information? If not, why not?
Searching the Web for Social Work Information
Earlier, you read about how to use Internet indexes and search engines to find information. Now you can try out some of the strategies you learned with a topic area of choice.
Exercise: Pick a general topic area, for example, substance abuse. Go to the University of Indianapolis site and look at the information presented there about using search engines on the Web. Click on "An in-depth guide with social work-relevant examples," and follow their links with your topic area.
What did you learn about this topic that you didn't already know?
Are search engines on the web going to help you find authoritative information? How easy was it to find what you wanted?
Surfing the Web for Social Work Information
Surfing the Web can be one of the most rewarding strategies for finding information, but you have to remain disciplined, and try not to get lost. To beat the metaphor almost to a pulp, it's easy to find yourself bobbing in the waves with the baby sea lions and the sharks if you don't keep your information objectives in mind while you are surfing.
Using Social Work Academic Sites
Exercise: Go to the Columbia University site. Click on the Library Resources link, and then click on Online Books. Now you can do some of your suggested reading without leaving the comfort of your computer!
What happened when you tried to read one of these online books? Why do you think this happened? Does your library provide such a service?
Using Government Resources
Exercise: Go to the National Library of Medicine site, and click on HIV/AIDS Resources under Special Information Programs. Click on Publications, and then on Guide to NIH HIV/AIDS Information Services. This will take you to the latest information the US government has published on the topic of HIV/AIDS.
How authoritative is the information presented on this site?
How might you use information from the National Library of Medicine for your professional practice?
Using Professional Association Sites
Exercise: Visit the NASW site and click on the Contact State Chapters button at the top of the page. Does your state chapter have email? Do they have a Web site of their own? Visit the California Chapter of NASW.
How do you think that this site will be utilized by the chapter membership? What aspects of the site do you think will be most helpful to social workers?
Using Electronic Journals and Newsletters
Exercise: Go to Alcohol Alerts. This is a quarterly bulletin of the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism that disseminates important research findings on a single aspect of alcohol abuse and alcoholism. Notice that you can get free copies of these bulletins by filling out the form on the page. Select a topic of interest to you and click on the link.
How authoritative is this information?
How useful would this information be for writing a paper on a related topic?
Using Social Work Areas of Practice Sites
Exercise: Go to Neighborhoods Online and click on the Community button. Click on the NetAction button under Community Networking. I think we're just beginning to see the potential of the Internet as an organizing tool!
What, if anything, was interesting about this site? Is there anything that can be used for social work? What, and how?
Exercise: Go to the Detroit Community AIDS Library. Click on the PubMed link under Searchable Databases. This takes you to a free Medline search page, which is a wonderful resource for finding any health-related resource. How useful might this resource be for you in your practice?
Exercise: Go to NetPsych.com. This site explores the new uses of the Internet to deliver Psychological and Healthcare Services. NetPsych is the first site to focus exclusively on online resources. Click the HUH? Button.
What do you think of the sites you find linked here?
What are your impressions of on-line psychotherapy? Should the social work profession address this issue at the 1999 NASW Delegate Assembly?
Exercise: Go to the Domestic Violence Handbook. This online resource is designed to assist women who are experiencing domestic abuse. Click on Index at the bottom of the page and follow the link to Personalized Safety Plan
Would you be comfortable knowing that some victims of domestic violence have no other resources to help them? Why or why not?