Digitalisation is having a transversal impact on social work as a discipline and profession. The classification of digitalisation as a socio-political term highlights the contexts in which (social work) scholars, social workers, social education workers and users are affected by digital technologies and the processes of transformation that they entail (see Kreidenweis 2018). Work and leisure are taking digital – or more hybrid– forms. Digital technology now pervades social relations, not least through increasingly media-driven forms of communication. In a digital world determined by algorithms, forming opinions and gathering information require new skills.

Referring to academic debates, Seelmeyer and Kutscher state that digitalisation “has developed and established itself as a cross-cutting issue, which today – like gender, for example – is not only addressed in specialist discourses but is also taken up in a wide variety of thematic contexts” (2021, p. 23, italics in original). Yet, a reflective examination of the topic is still largely absent (ibid., p. 17).

This expert group wishes to be available to its members, other expert groups and beyond as a contact and cooperation partner and as a place for scholarly discussion and reflection on digitalisation in social work. One of the group’s main aims is to pool resources and thereby promote progress in embedding digital skills in the curricula of social work courses.

The group’s members meet every six months to share thoughts and plan new activities. If you are interested in becoming involved, please register for the DFN mailing list at https://www.listserv.dfn.de/sympa/info/digsa.