How to use weblogs in eSupervision

1

• How to use weblogs in eSupervision?
• I-KNOW 06
• Special Track Knowledge Sharing
• in Research and Higher Education
• Jutta Pauschenwein (ZML), Anna Riegler (Social
  Work)
• Maria Jandl (ZML), Gunter Vasold (ZML)
• FH JOANNEUM

2
Overview

• Background and framework
• eSupervision
• Case Study
• Results
• Conclusion

3
Background

• ESMOS European project (Sokrates Minerva)
• Objectives
• Improve student mobility through online support
• Support experiences of intercultural and
  professional learning during the stay abroad
• Enhance the contacts between students abroad and
  at home and between student and tutor
• 6 Partners from Austria, Great Britain, Italy,
  Lithuania, Poland and Bulgaria

4
Framework

• Development of a concept for exchange and
  collaboration
• Which Study Degree would be interested?
• Which technical tool should be used?
• Study Degree Social Work
• Students work at social organisations abroad
• They need supervision during their stay
• Decision for the tool weblog
• Simple to use
• Online diaries

5
Weblog

• Advantages
• Different display possible (chronological order,
  order according to the author)
• Photos can easy be added
• Possibility of comments
• Weblog Serendipity
• Free software licence (BSD)
• http//www.s9y.org

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Photo Weblog
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eSupervision

• eSupervision is a process of advice and
  information
• eSupervision is a process of learning, cognition,
  reflection and understanding
• It gives new perspectives for acting as a
  professional
• eSupervision is supervision in a virtual room
• Is confidential
• Needs data security

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Objectives of eSupervisionin case of long term
placements in the field of social work

• The students have to write about their
  experiences during their placements
• Supervision gives place for reflection
• Students have to define their learning target
• Under supervision, the students find their
  professional role as social worker
• they develop self consciousness and enforcement
  (Stofle,98)
• It is prophylaxis of burnout
• The students develop under supervision their
  professional identity
• Supervision helps to become aware of their
  specific abilities and skills in social work
  (Topel,00)

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Case Study Concept

• Summer semester 2006
• 10 students for Social Work
• Countries
• South Africa
• Ireland
• Great Britain
• Brasilia
• Costa Rica
• Germany
• Swiss

10
Case Study Concept

• We offered eight appointments in the weblog to
  discuss the experiences in the different fields
  and countries.
• Before leaving Austria the students met to work
  out an agreement about how to use weblog.
• In the first period they should report about
  their journey, their first experiences with their
  local tutors and their clients.
• In the next period they defined their learning
  goals and they had to report about their work
  with clients, about the organisation and the
  special systems in social work in their
  countries.
• In the last period they had to write a final
  report about their experiences connecting theory
  and practical experiences.
• During all these phases they could ask for advice.

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Case Study Report

• face to face meeting to provide confidence, to
  contract deadlines and to define the way to work
  together, to have a technical introduction and to
  gain technical know how
• Beginning to motivate the students to take part
• during the second phase more students took part
  very frequently.
• one-on-one supervision, although a group of
  persons took part. Reasons - The surface of
  WEBLOGS is not useable for group discussions -
  The experiences between South Africa and Costa
  Rica are not comparable.- The students have
  no head for the problems of their colleagues

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Case Study Report

• The most students worked well and in the intended
  way
• One student was not accepted by the local
  organisation
• Another student worked two weeks in an
  institution with homeless children. She works
  now in social work in schools.
• Another student saw no necessity to write in the
  weblog at all.
• One Student got angry about her boss, because he
  did not take care about her.
• One Student missed the first six sessions

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Results Advantages

• The first advantage of eSupervision is the
  flexibility on space and time.
• The weblog is a useable instrument for our
  students abroad, because either they do not have
  any supervision during their placements at all,
  or supervision only means tutoring and
  controlling.
• Another advantage for the students is to keep
  contact to their home university using the
  weblog.
• This is especially necessary to help them to deal
  with culture shock and reverse culture shock.

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Results Advantages

• Furthermore eSupervision needs precise forms of
  communication.
• The person who reads the reports has enough time
  to let the written words sink in without being
  disturbed by body language and physiognomy.
• The gain of eSupervision is then to have the so
  called individual time in communication.
• Last but not least the process of eSupervision is
  archived..
• Social workers have to write good documentations
  material eSupervision is a good exercise for
  professional documentation.

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Results Disadvantages

• the lack of nonverbal communication generates a
  feeling of insecure concerning the reactions of
  your partner.
• Accurate expressions are necessary, sometimes you
  can read between the lines, this can cause
  misunderstandings.
• Technical problems and missing internet access
  can distract eSupervision too. Beyond this,
  sometimes you wish to take back, what you have
  written (the spoken word does not have this
  importance).
• Moreover it is not possible to experience the
  immediate response.
• eSupervision is problematical at the start phase.
  
• Students need time to get familiar with
  technology.

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Conclusions

• The results till now show that the supervision of
  students has nearly the same effect as face to
  face supervision.
• In addition the possibility of continuous
  contacts using the weblog gives confidence to the
  students.
• Further we recognized that more preparation is
  necessary as well on technical as on
  administrative matters. More confidence-building
  measures are necessary than in face-to-face
  groups.
• Additionally we have to develop further methods
  for group discussions in weblogs, to support this
  way of learning to a greater extent.
• By all means we want to point out that
  eSupervision via weblog worked well until now.

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Conclusions

• Weblog is a useful tool to support a network of
  students abroad.
• The weblog is used by other students of Social
  Work during their studies abroad to remain in
  contact with colleagues, friends and family.
• Dealing with technical tools needs a good
  preparation!
• The ESMOS partners will include weblogs
  into their portfolio for outgoing students.

18
Impressions