Conceptual Issues Related to the Use of Computers in Social Work Practice

This article examines a variety of conceptual problems associated with the use of computers in social work practice. Most important is that computerization is a conceptual process that can alter significantly how an agency operates and practice is undertaken. Yet because the criticisms directed at the use of computers by practitioners are mostly logistical in thrust, the fact that computerization can shape the way social work is interpreted is overlooked. And without understanding how practitioners' perceptions of their work are effected by computers, the impact of this technology cannot be accurately estimated.