National Association of Social Workers

It’s ‘Better to Be Informed’ About Tech Tools

Social Media Is Playing a Prominent Role in Profession’s Future

“We are witnessing a communications revolution.”

By Matthew Malamud, News Contributor

CREDIT: John Michael Yanson

If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

That question dogs communications officers like Michelle Rogers of the University of North Carolina’s School of Social Work, who, as director of communications, is responsible for ensuring that if a figurative tree falls at her school, people will hear all about it.

From her office in Chapel Hill, Rogers manages public relations and marketing for the school. These days, social media tools make her job a whole lot easier, and they have the potential to revolutionize social work education and practice.

Wikipedia, an online social media encyclopedia that allows anyone to edit entries that’s normally not an acceptable source for journalism but seems a fitting source for this topic, offers this explanation: Social media is the use of web-based and mobile technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogue.

“[Social media] is a great way to bring people to our website and Contact, our online magazine, and promote news and events,” Rogers said in an interview with NASW News. A banner announces to visitors of her school’s website, ssw.unc.edu: “Follow the UNC School of Social Work on your favorite social media sites.” Clicking on the banner reveals a list of better known social media tools: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, YouTube and iTunes U.

Two benefits of social media in terms of public relations and marketing are its interactivity and the fact that it is instantaneous.

“Social media is more engaging, more of a conversation,” said Rogers. “Instead of just pushing news out, people can reply. And, as soon as I have a headline I can post it, as opposed to a printed publication.” She said she regularly receives feedback from the school’s nearly1,100 Twitter followers and 800 Facebook fans.

Rogers also appreciates that social media is cheap. Facebook and Twitter accounts are free; so is hosting a blog. When the school moved Contact magazine online last year to ssw.unc.edu/contact, they realized significant cost savings by not having to pay for the monthly printing and mailing of each issue.

Faculty members also have gotten into the social media game. For example, Anna Scheyett, UNC School of Social Work’s associate dean for academic affairs, has a blog on social work leadership at sswleadership.blogspot.com. In a story about social media published online last year in Contact, Scheyett said, “I think [blogging is] a great way to disseminate information and offer a secondary education around what social work is.”

It’s here to stay. The UNC School of Social Work jumped on the social media bandwagon because, as Rogers put it, “it’s important to be where people are. Social media is only growing — by leaps and bounds.”

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From June 2011 NASW News. © 2011 National Association of Social Workers. All Rights Reserved. NASW News articles may be copied for personal use, but proper notice of copyright and credit to the NASW News must appear on all copies made. This permission does not apply to reproduction for advertising, promotion, resale, or other commercial purposes.