Browsing by Author "Wilkerson, David"

Now showing 1 - 7 of 7
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Assessing the Impact of COVID-19 on Social Work Students: Burnout and Resilience During a Global Pandemic
    (IU School of Social Work, 2023-03-22) Keesler, John M.; Wilkerson, David; White, Kurt; Dickinson, Stephanie; School of Social Work
    COVID-19 had a profound impact on teaching and learning at academic institutions across the globe. This study examined the experiences of social work students (n = 884) during the pandemic and their associated level of burnout. Using a mixed methods approach, data from an online survey within a school of social work at a large Midwestern university were examined using stepwise regression and thematic analysis. Student demographics, academic characteristics, and experiences with COVID-19 were examined as predictors of burnout. Resilience was tested as a moderator of the association between COVID-19 experiences and burnout. Regression models accounted for 34.3% to 45.5% of variance across three domains of burnout (i.e., exhaustion, cynicism, and professional/academic efficacy), with COVID-related experiences accounting for most of the variance. Although resilience had a significant main effect, the interactions of resilience and COVID-19 experiences were not significant. Quantitative results were illuminated by thematic analysis of the qualitative data from which emerged four major themes: online teaching pedagogy, impact of COVID-19, transition of teaching and learning, and affective domains of learning. Engaging in humanistic education is discussed as a possible approach to circumvent burnout, bolster student resilience, and encourage academic success.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Digital Hybrid Psychoeducation: Model Development and Case Demonstration
    (Center for Translating Research Into Practice, IU Indianapolis, 2022-09-30) Wilkerson, David
    In this presentation, Professor Wilkerson discusses his research that focuses on the uses of technology to advance social work practice and education. In the area of practice, he's interested in ways to improve the delivery of online support as an aspect of psychoeducation. He also works on the delivery of online mental health services through rural public libraries and looks for methods to best infuse digital practice into the social work curriculum.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The e-OSCE and Social Work Education: Creating Authentic, High-Impact Practice Learning Opportunities for Students
    (2023-01) Wolfe-Taylor, Samantha N.; Khaja, Khadija; Wilkerson, David; Brown, James; Price, Jeremy
    Advances in technology, non-traditional students, and a new generation of elearners all challenge institutions of higher learning to support innovations that create relevant distance education opportunities for their students. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic dramatic shifts to education occurred, requiring schools of social work to consider new ways to prepare students for the field and new evaluation methods of students’ practice skills. Smoyer and colleagues explored this further in their study on BSW students’ experiences in distance education during the pandemic and found when students were unexpectedly thrust into online learning platforms most were able to learn online; however, substantive interactivity and synchronous engagement were factors that were necessary to maintain student overall satisfaction in the distance learning environment. In addition, they point out the need for interactive technology in online social work classrooms to simulate the human interaction that is essential to student learning and practice. The online objective, structured clinical examination (e-OSCE) is one form of online simulation-based learning that offers highly interactive and engaging HIP learning opportunities for social work students. The OSCE is a standardized, valid, and reliable assessment method that social work education programs use to ensure successful practice skills development. This study used a qualitative, exploratory embedded single-case method to investigate online MSW students’ experiences participating in an e-OSCE, their perspectives on the use of an e-OSCE in online social work education, and future practice considerations students identify upon completing the e-OSCE.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Introduction to David Wilkerson & His Work
    (Center for Translating Research Into Practice, IU Indianapolis, 2022-09) Wilkerson, David
    Professor Wilkerson's research focuses on the uses of technology to advance social work practice and education. In the area of practice, he's interested in ways to improve the delivery of online support as an aspect of psychoeducation. He also works on the delivery of online mental health services through rural public libraries and looks for methods to best infuse digital practice into the social work curriculum.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Student and Faculty Perceptions on Feedback in a Graduate Social Work Distance Education Program
    (Taylor and Francis, 2022-09-04) McCarthy, Katherine M.; Wilkerson, David; Ashirifi, Gifty
    Online social work educators are responsible for fostering high quality academic growth experiences for their students. Feedback instructors provide to students aims to further this goal. The purpose of this study is to understand how social work instructors and students in an entirely online MSW program value instructional feedback. Open-ended survey questions were used to gather instructor and student perspectives. Qualitative analyses revealed similar themes. Faculty felt the main purpose of feedback was to facilitate learning, improve effectiveness of learning, enhance student social work capability, and foster engagement and connection. MSW students felt the main importance of feedback was that it fostered student development, assessed student progress, facilitated interaction and communication with instructor, and clarified misunderstanding. Contrary to the traditional role of feedback in on-the-ground programs, both MSW faculty and students felt that feedback in the online modality not only increased content comprehension but also influenced the student and instructor relationship. This study highlights the need to train faculty to deliver feedback that is consonant with distance education students' desire to experience connection and support as a part of their online education.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The Future of Social Work Education: A Guide to Developing, Implementing, and Assessing e-Simulations
    (Indiana University School of Social Work, 2022-11-08) Wolfe-Taylor, Samantha N.; Khaja, Khadija; Wilkerson, David; Deck, Christian K.; School of Social Work
    Advances in technology, an increase in non-traditional students, a new generation of e-learners, the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on education and practice, and the emergence of greater practitioner and client adoption of telebehavioral health present opportunities and challenges for curricular innovation in schools of social work. e-Simulations are reliable, valid, authentic high impact practices that address these challenges and prepare students for a future where social workers are called upon to adopt telebehavioral practice. Although there is literature on the development, implementation, and assessment of simulation-based learning in social work education, much of the literature explores the use of simulations in face-to-face social work education. Provided is a guide for educators and administrators on developing, implementing, and assessing online simulations (e-simulations) in social work education.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Using Technology to Enhance the Well-Being of Caregivers of Persons with Dementia: Implications for Social Work Practice and Policy
    (2020-12) Yi, Eun-Hye; Adamek, Margaret E.; Hong, Michin; Wilkerson, David; Lu, Yvonne
    Difficulties caring for people living with dementia (PWD) contribute to their family caregivers’ diverse unmet needs and adverse outcomes in health and well-being. This dissertation research explored the influence of macro systems on individual caregivers' well-being reflecting on the prevalence of online use among caregivers. Caregivers have migrated to online platforms to seek support. However, there is limited understanding of how online social support [OnSS] compares to offline support [OffSS] in terms of caregivers’ well-being. The first study examined the associations of OnSS and OffSS with the psychological well-being [MH] of caregivers. A subsample of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) from 2017 to 2018 (n=264) was analyzed. The data indicate that OnSS supplemented rather than replaced OffSS. Emotional support delivered offline had a positive direct association with MH, while OnSS did not. OffSS interacted with caregiving stressors while OnSS interacted with life stressors. Caregivers who are in less favorable situations, such as working part-time while caring for a PWD, living with economic hardship, and being unhealthy, tended to be significantly affected by OnSS. The results suggest that practitioners need to incorporate caregivers’ OffSS into OnSS to maximize the available support resources, specifically for those who are in less favorable conditions. There is limited understanding of caregivers’ experiences within the complex health care system, especially after the significant policy changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The second study analyzed caregivers’ perceptions of and experiences with the ACA using national online forum data posted in 2011-2017 (n=514 posts). Text-mining thematic analysis method was used to analyze the posts. Three overall themes emerged: (a) concern about cost implications of placement decisions for care recipients, (b) skepticism about government and healthcare system support of their caregiving roles, and (c) caregivers’ own well-being and concerns about health insurance. Efforts are needed to enhance clear and effective communication among policymakers and health professionals serving service users, including caregivers of PWD. The present dissertation provides preliminary evidence to increase understanding of the complex contexts that affect the overall well-being of caregivers. Implications and suggestions for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers are discussed.