Social Networking in Higher Education: Ethics, Tips and Pitfalls

(Sent in by our new Mom on the faculty...thanks!)

Social Networking in Higher Education: Ethics, Tips and Pitfalls

December 8, 1:00-3:00 EST online webinar


Host: Innovative Educators

http://www.innovativeeducators.org/retention_p/687.htm

NOTE: Payment is not due before event date. The recording is included and is accessible for one full year.

OVERVIEW

Social networking sites have become staples on the college campus. College staff and administration in many schools do not understand the benefits and consequences of using social networking, which can lead to significant errors in judgment and liability on the individual and the school’s part. Additionally, students need to be aware of the risks and consequences of the information they put on the web, and college student personnel have a responsibility to assist in providing this information. This presentation will discuss the benefits of these sites and address the ethics and policy development around social networking. The speaker will also provide specific examples of what some universities have done to educate their students and staff about responsible use of these websites.



OBJECTIVES

*Define social networking

*Describe the social networking sites used in higher educational settings *Discuss how privacy works on each of these sites *Discuss positive aspects of social networking *Examine the many positive uses social networking sites have in higher education *Demonstrate how schools are using these sites effectively and responsibly through examples *Process the reasons why colleges/universities need to have specific policies around staff/administration and student use *Identify key considerations for professionals *Present the negative aspects of social networking in higher education *Provide examples of pictures, postings, and media representation of social networking blunders *Explore tips for using the sites safely *Discuss how to program/intervene with college students around this topic



WHO SHOULD ATTEND?

This program is designed for higher educational professional staff across disciplines.

Personnel from offices such as Residence Life, Counseling Center, Dean of Students, Judicial Affairs, Health Services, Career Services, and Campus/Public Safety would benefit from this program.



WHO IS THE SPEAKER?

Marcus Hotaling, PhD, Counseling Center Director, Union College received his bachelor’s degree from Alfred University in 1995 and his doctorate in counseling psychology in 2001 from the University at Albany. He completed his doctoral internship at the Northampton Veteran’s Affairs Hospital and UMass Amherst’s Counseling Center. Since graduating, Marcus has worked in a variety of higher educational settings, starting his career as the Assistant Director at University of Albany’s Career Development Center in 2001 before joining Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a psychologist and Outreach Coordinator in 2003.



Due to the students' technological interests and the introduction and popularity of social networking sites, Marcus Hotaling began to do research on the pros and cons of these resources. In 2007, Marcus Hotaling was offered the position of Counseling Center Director at Union College. At this time, his research into social networking really began to take off, with presentations being given at the American College Health Association’s annual conference, The New York/New England College Health Association bi-annual conference, and being invited to a variety of regional conferences to talk on this topic. Marcus Hotaling has developed comprehensive approaches to educating faculty, staff and students about responsible use of these websites, including printed publications, media intervention, and face-to- face communication. Marcus Hotaling was solicited to present at the American College Health Association’s 2010 annual conference in Philadelphia. Marcus Hotaling lives outside of Albany, NY with his wife and three children.



Enquiries: pam@ieinfo.org

Web address: http://www.innovativeeducators.org

Sponsored by: Innovative Educators

Updates from The Social Work Podcast - for your spring courses?

Some of you may remember Dr. Jonathan Singer from his campus visit a few years ago.  Dr. Singer continues to produce The Social Work Podcast - an amazing resource for social workers - and social work educators alike.  Dr. Singer describes his blog as an entity that: "provides information on all things social work, including direct practice (both clinical and community organizing), research, policy, education... and everything in between."


Here are some of the more recent podcasts from his website...these interviews may have some utility for you as assigned listening/classroom listening for your spring semester courses as you begin your planning...

If you are wondering just what the heck a podcast is, the action of podcasting is defined as: " to distribute (multimedia files) over the internet for playback on a mobile device or a personal computer."

On the meaning of the serenity prayer for social work practice - and social work education

On social skills training for youth

On incorporating spirituality and religion into social work practice

On working abroad in social work

On suicide among African American men


May these be useful (and interesting) to you!

Review of My Word!: Plagiarism and College Culture from Chronicle blog

A great new review from ProfHacker (a Chronicle blog offering "Tips about teaching, technology, and productivity") on My Word!: Plagiarism and College Culture.  Click here for permalink. 

A Culture of Sharing: Susan Blum’s My Word! Plagiarism and College Culture

October 21, 2010, 11:00 am

By Ryan Cordell

As you can see from my bio, I’m the Director of Writing-Across-the-Curriculum at St. Norbert College, a small liberals arts college in Northeastern Wisconsin. I spend a lot of time, in other words, thinking not only about student writing in my classes, but talking with my colleagues in many disciplines about student writing in their classes. These conversations turn frequently to the issue of student plagiarism. My colleagues are frustrated by how frequently their students copy and paste information from the internet without attribution. Many see plagiarism as a problem particular to the digital era. No one argues that plagiarism never happened before computers, but many professors argue that it never happened so often or with such abandon before the internet.

In her article on “Preventing Plagiarism” here at ProfHacker, Amy argued, “I’m convinced that a lot (certainly not all) of the plagiarism committed by undergraduates is less than fully intentional, and that much of it stems from poor information-management practices.” I tend to agree, but this can be a hard sell, particularly because instances of plagiarism do seem to be increasing, as is the number of students who think such practices aren’t serious problems. Given this reality, calls for more effective plagiarism detectors—such as Turnitin—sound loudly, while calls for better education and dialogue about citation in the digial age can sound merely idealistic.

When I saw Susan D. Blum’s book My Word!: Plagiarism and College Culture on our new books shelf in the library (I know—I first found it as a physical book on a physical shelf! This might be my last ProfHacker post), I hoped it might clarify some of these issues for me. For the most part, the book does offer valuable perspective to debates about technology, plagarism, and modern students. I won’t belabor this review with a summary of Blum’s argument, in part because you can find a brief overview of it in her Chronicle article, “Academic and Student Plagiarism: A Question of Education, Not Ethics.” Instead, I want to highlight a few of the book’s most valuable contributions to this discussion.

First, and I think most importantly, Blum grounds her claims in evidence from modern college students. Blum is an anthropologist, and she approaches her central question as an anthropologist would, by interviewing several hundred undergraduates about how they understand issues such as intellectual property and citation, as well as about their research and writing practices. As a result, the book doesn’t just get at what modern college students do, it grapples also with why they cite (or don’t cite) and even what citation means to them.

This leads to several interesting spins on the question of plagiarism. Blum challenges the notion that academics have a perfectly clear and consistent idea of what constitutes plagiarism. When, for example, does erudite allusion end and uncited borrowing begin? If such lines are unclear even to academics, she argues, how can we expect students—new inductees into the discourse of academia—to understand where they fall, especially if we provide no guidance other than “Cite your sources.”

Blum also describes an intellectual disconnect that modern students face when confronted with issues of intellectual property. Though “digital native” is a vexed term (and not one that Blum uses), Blum argues that modern students have grown up in a culture that prizes online sharing of texts, videos, pictures, and the like. She also describes a youth culture that delights in quotations—as markers of taste, group identity, even, paradoxically, individuality. For these students, Blum argues, the idea of the footnote is antiquated, and its value not immediately apparent. Again, were the book about “kids these days,” her argument might not hold up. Grounded as it is in the words of undergraduates, however, Blum’s argument convinces more often than not.

Blum describes a spectrum of behaviors that currently all fall under the heading “plagiarism.” Some of these behaviors are morally wrong—outright cheating and/or intellectual theft. These behaviors, however, are much less common that those that are morally more complex—inadvertent copying, missed citations, etc. Blum makes a convincing case, in line with Amy’s thoughts here at ProfHacker, that most student plagiarism is “less than fully intentional.”

Unfortunately, Blum offers few solutions to the dilemma she describes so well. Her conclusion—”Conclusion: What Is to Be Done?”—makes a series of suggestions for greater dialogue and transparency about intellectual property issues on campus. There is, as she rightly points out, no “magic bullet” that will solve a problem embedded in cultural changes. I doubt, however, that Blum’s suggestions would offer much succor to the professor distraut about how to respond to plagiarism in his or her classes.

Blum’s insights also might not surprise many ProfHacker readers, who think about these issues regularly. However, Blum’s book could jumpstart productive conversations about plagiarism in wider campus communities, and give Profs. Hacker solid evidence to back up their hunches about why students plagiarize. I’m hoping to use Blum’s argument as starting points for a Writing-Across-the-Curriculum seminar on student plagiarism this spring. For anyone wrestling with this issue (or helping others wrestle with it), My Word! offers a valuable introduction to broader thinking on the topic. Blum’s argument, if taken seriously, might help programs avoid unproductive, binary thinking about plagiarism, student ethics, and the effects of technology on student research and writing.

On facebook and student grieving processes after campus-based traumatic loss

New, from the Chronicle....click here for permalink

New Study Explores How Facebook Helped Students Grieve After Campus Shootings


October 22, 2010, 5:53 pm

By Paige Chapman

Many students at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, two sites of deadly campus shootings in recent years, turned to Facebook as a way to cope. But was the social network an effective outlet for their grief? A study published last month found that students reported short-term benefits but no long-term effect from reaching out to friends via Facebook.

The study was conducted by Amanda Vicary, a doctoral student in social-personality psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and R. Chris Fraley, an associate professor of psychology at the institution. Ms. Vicary was inspired to perform the study after observing the Facebook activities of many of her friends immediately following the Virginia Tech shootings in 2007. Mr. Fraley, who is also Ms. Vicary’s faculty adviser, was eager to help contribute to her research.

“We use the Internet as a means for communicating with friends and family,” Mr. Fraley said. “We use it to find mates, and we even use it to express our identities. Understanding the way something as fundamental as how grieving plays out online is a crucial next step in psychological research.”

Two weeks after each incident, Ms. Vicary sent Facebook messages to 900 randomly selected students at both institutions, asking them to participate in an online survey. A combined 124 Virginia Tech and 160 Northern Illinois students responded.

The survey attempted to gain quantitative information about the students’ virtual and psychological behavior, ranging from asking how many Facebook messages they posted about the events to self-reporting symptoms of both depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. She also asked the students to respond on a five-point subjective scale regarding how the Internet interactions made them feel—with a score of five indicating subjects feeling “a lot better” and a score of one indicating “a lot worse.” A vast majority had reported suffering from symptoms of depression (71 percent) or PTSD (64 percent).

In the same group, however, 89 percent of the students had joined at least one Facebook group about the shootings, and more than 60 percent had started a conversation about the event on a friend’s Facebook wall. Students generally reported feeling better after such interactions—with the average reaction score being 3.57 for joining a Facebook group, and 3.72 for a wall posting.

A similar survey was sent to most of the same students six weeks later, with 116 students responding. The depressive and PTSD symptoms had decreased by more than 40 percent. When Ms. Vicary analyzed whether the decline in symptoms had any relationship to the amount of Facebook interactions on a long-term scale, she found there was no significant relationship between the two.

When she began the study, Ms. Vicary didn’t know what to expect. If anything, she anticipated that Internet interactions may prove harmful to psychological well-being.

“There was this slant in the media that it may be hurting students, since they are not going down the hall to talk to their friends about it,” Ms. Vicary said. “Since communicating on the Internet and Facebook have become as much of a part of students’ lives as face-to-face interaction, it was able to become an outlet for them.”

She said it may be harder to explain why the Internet didn’t contribute to a longer-term impact, saying that she did not have a control group of students who do not use social networks. However, she guessed that the real-time nature of the medium may make it more conducive to producing immediate gratification.

“Even though we can’t say the Internet use either harmed or helped the student, the important finding is that they reported feeling better, even if briefly,” Ms. Vicary said.

Live and in color - on teaching cultural competency via pop culture and technology (from Dr. Shannon Mokoro)

As you begin to think about courses for the fall (dare I say it - is anyone planning THAT far ahead?) check out Dr. Shannon Mokoro's work on teaching cultural competence via pop culture and technology - which types of ideas could you adapt to your course? Happy summer, folks!

Tips for students on vetting Internet sources for papers

If I see one more Wikipedia reference in my students' papers, I may lose it. It's better than the Cosmopolitan Magazine reference I had a few years ago, though. No lie. AND - it wasn't even a paper on body dysmorphic disorder. Now, while Wikipedia claims to be very careful in their open editing and fact-checking process, they advise caution for use in academic settings, so I am still not a 100% convert. I am very appreciative of this website on vetting Internet sources and wanted to send it along. For example, they have a great section on evaluating quality in information...


"Quality in information comprises several characteristics, including accuracy, scope of coverage, objectivity, timeliness, authority, and verifiability. Take time to recognize it. It could keep you well-informed, prevent you from relying on illicitly edited material, save you money, or preserve your health. It could even save a life."

More from this page - a checklist for students to use in vetting resources:

Accuracy: factually irrefutable and complete information. Tip: Is there a second reliable source that gives the same information? Is it a peer-reviewed source. Does the publisher use editors and fact checkers?

Scope of Coverage: the extent to which the source explores a topic. Scope of coverage may include a period of time, a geographic region, various aspects of a topic, etc. Tip: Does the source offer information about its scope?

Objectivity: minimum bias with respect to interpretation or analysis of facts. Tip: Is the source trying to persuade you? Who sponsors or publishes the information? What can you discover about their intentions?

Timeliness: information that is current at the time of publication. Tip: Does the source provide a date for this specific Web page or entry, as opposed to a general site revision date?

Authority: a reliable source of information. Tip: Can you determine the name of the author and publisher? Is the author a recognized expert on the topic? What is the publisher's reputation?

Verifiability: confirmation of the facts or information with a second reliable source. Tip: Does the material cite to its sources of information?

(Click here for the rest of the page)

On the lighter side - one way to get students to stop looking at laptops during class

From The Chronicle - click here - February 23, 2010, 08:00 AM ET


Here's One Way to Curtail Web Surfing in the Classroom

Kieran Mullen, a condensed-matter theorist in the University of Oklahoma's department of physics and astronomy, freezes a laptop computer in liquid nitrogen, then smashes it on the floor. A student caught the classroom theatrics on video.

From the Chronicle's 'wired campus': A parody video you should see

February 9, 2010, 03:00 PM ET


Class Produces Parody of 'The Office' to Highlight Challenges of Teaching With Technology

By Jeff Young

Students at the University of Denver created a parody video essay -- in the style of the popular TV show "The Office" -- to show their frustrations with technology in the classroom and urge professors and students to work together to make classes more lively.

Many of the scenes in the six-minute video will probably seem familiar to anyone who has sat in on a college class in recent years: a professor funbles with his PowerPoint presentation, a student goofs around on Facebook during the lecture, and another student complains about having to buy a laptop...

Digital textbooks are coming: 24% of all printed textbooks are returned from college bookstore - as they go unsold!

Like it or not, we may be heading in this direction - what do you think of digital textbooks? Will this promote reading - or not? Other thoughts?


What do you think about this?

California Law Encourages Digital Textbooks by 2020

By Mary Helen Miller

While it seems increasingly likely that e-books will one day become the standard in education, California has passed a law to virtually guarantee it -- and to set a deadline.

A new state law, effective January 1, 2020, will require that all textbooks used in public and private postsecondary institutions be made available in electronic form "to the extent practicable" either "in whole or in part." Senate Bill 48 states that "the electronic version of any textbook shall contain the same content as the printed version and may be copy-protected."

Senator Elaine Alquist, who wrote the bill, was unavailable for comment. Her legislative aid, James Schwab, who was involved with writing the bill, said that helping students save money was the primary motive. For instance, even today, one textbook with a list price of $173.33 is available electronically for $95.33.

Mr. Schwab also said that the law would encourage professors to integrate technology into the classroom; spark more student interest in science, engineering, and math; and give students marketable skills in using technology.

"Students these days, and kids growing up, will be used to -- and even prefer -- reading stuff in an electronic format," Mr. Schwab said.

Albert N. Greco, a professor at Fordham University's Graduate School of Business who studies academic publishing, said the 2020 deadline seemed more than reasonable.

"They could have made it 2015!" Mr. Greco said.

The six leading textbook companies now publish 13,000 unique titles. In the past two and a half years, 8,600 of those titles have been made available electronically. Mr. Greco predicts that all 13,000 will be digitized by some point in 2012.

"The spirit of the law is, I think, laudable," Mr. Greco said. As a practical matter, though, "it doesn't matter whether a state passes a law or not."

He explained that textbook companies already have several incentives to make books available in electronic format. First, 24 percent of all printed textbooks are returned from the college bookstore to the publishing company because they go unsold. And sales of used books and textbook rentals are hurting publishers. By making a textbook available in electronic form, the publisher can still make a considerable profit from the six-month rental fee.

"The business is moving toward digital," Mr. Greco said. "And it has to."

The new Horizon Report on technology and teaching: Key trends, emerging technologies

Check out the new Horizon Report (click here). 

Each year, the report identifies emerging technologies or practices that are on the academic horizon (within one year, reported upon here, but also on the horizon)...but it also addresses key, technology-related trends that impact our work. 

I have excerpted commentary on both here, but do check out the full report if you need to procrastinate while doing "class prep" for the new semester.........

KEY TRENDS: 

1) The abundance of resources and relationships made easily accessible via the Internet is increasingly challenging us to revisit our roles as educators in sense-making, coaching, and credentialing. Institutions must consider the unique value that each adds to a world in which information is everywhere. In such a world, sensemaking and the ability to assess the credibility of information are paramount. Mentoring and preparing students for the world in which they will live, the central role of the university when it achieved its modern form in the 14th century, is again at the forefront. Universities have always been seen as the gold standard for educational credentialing, but emerging certification programs from other sources are eroding the value of that mission daily.

2) People expect to be able to work, learn, and study whenever and wherever they want to. Life  in an increasingly busy world where learners must balance demands from home, work, school, and family poses a host of logistical challenges with which today’s ever more mobile students must cope. A faster approach is often perceived as a better approach, and as such people want easy and timely access not only to the information on the network, but to their social networks that can help them to interpret it and maximize its value. The implications for informal learning are profound, as are the notions of “just-in-time” learning and “found” learning, both ways of maximizing the impact of learning by ensuring it is timely and efficient.

3) The technologies we use are increasingly cloud-based, and our notions of IT support are decentralized. The continuing acceptance and adoption of cloud-based applications and services is changing not only the ways we configure and use software and file storage, but even how we conceptualize those functions. It does not matter where our work is stored; what matters is that our information is accessible no matter where we are or what device we choose to use. Globally, in huge numbers, we are growing used to a model of browser-based software that is device-independent. While some challenges still remain, specifically with notions of privacy and control, the promise of significant cost savings is an important driver in the search for solutions.

4) The work of students is increasingly seen as collaborative by nature, and there is more crosscampus collaboration between departments. While this trend is not as widespread as the others listed here, where schools have createda climate in which students, their peers, and their teachers are all working towards the same goals, where research is something open even to first year students, the results have shown tantalizing promise. Increasingly, both students and their professors see the challenges facing
the world as multidisciplinary, and the need for collaboration great. Over the past few years, the emergence of a raft of new (and often free) tools has made collaboration easier than at any other point in history.
 
EMERGING TRENDS (within the next year)

1) Mobile computing, by which we mean use of the network-capable devices students are already carrying, is already established on many campuses, although before we see widespread use, concerns about privacy, classroom management, and access will need to be addressed. At the same time, the opportunity is great; virtually all higher education students carry some form of mobile device, and the cellular network that supports their connectivity continues to grow. An increasing number of faculty and instructional technology staff are experimenting with the possibilities for collaboration and communication offered by mobile computing. Devices from smart phones to netbooks are portable tools for productivity, learning, and communication, offering an increasing range of activities fully supported by applications designed especially for mobiles.

2) Open content, also expected to reach mainstream use in the next twelve months, is the current form of a movement that began nearly a decade ago, when schools like MIT began to make their course content freely available. Today, there is a tremendous variety of open content, and in many parts of the world, open content represents a profound shift in the way students study and learn. Far more than a collection of
free online course materials, the open content movement is a response to the rising costs of education, the desire for access to learning in areas where such access is difficult, and an expression of student choice about when and how to learn.

Moving to Outlook from Groupwise...

Happy new year all!  As you all have likely heard already, Salem State is moving to the MS Outlook email/calendar/contact/to-do list program...so, say goodbye to Groupwise!

Here are some out-takes from recent communications from Salem State's IT folks to staff and full-time faculty about this matter:

1) The online training and other useful information such as a schedule of upcoming Outlook workshops can be found at: http://www.salemstate.edu/outlook - click on the Training & Tutorials link. Then, please review the seven minute demo also found at this website.  (Note:  I just did it, it is good, basic, but good - looks like a good system to me)


2) You will need to have the Outlook 2007 client or Entourage (for Mac users) installed on your computer. If you are not sure if you have it, contact Kristin Gronberg at kgronberg@salemstate.edu and she will make arrangements to load it for you.

3) For adjunct faculty members:  For those who do not use Salem State owned computers, such as adjunct faculty, the Outlook Web Access tool will be available so you don't need to load a client to your personally owned computer. The Web Access tool looks great, I am sure you will be pleased with it.

4) Tomorrow is the day - What do you need to do? And how will you get help?


If you work on campus - please be sure to turn your computer completely off when you leave tonight. If someone near you is on vacation, please power their computer down. (This will enable us to create the new email on your PC overnight.)

Here is what you can expect tomorrow. Turn your computer on and log in. Instead of seeing your desktop, the new email system will automagically open. (If it doesn't then go to "Programs", then "MS Office", and then "MS Office Outlook 2007".) You are in! Send a test email to someone close to you. New incoming email will be delivered to this email box, not GroupWise. However, if you click on GroupWise it will still open and you will see all your old email, but you will not be able to send from GroupWise anymore.

Now, you will have the choice of whether to move email and calendar from GroupWise to MS Outlook/Entourage, or to simply archive GroupWise so you can view those email as you need to in future. If you choose to migrate your email this needs to be done at your desk (Sarah Evans has kindly volunteered to be our "migration" assistant).  Please remember that these folks are not MS Outlook/Entourage trainers or experts. For on line training and a schedule of classroom training go to http://www.salemstate.edu/7796.php

If you are not on campus, tomorrow please go to msmail.salemstate.edu. Bookmark this location. Log in with your SSCAD network username and password. (Do not use your old GroupWise login.)

5) Need more help?  If you are having difficulty send an email to it-heldesk@salemstate.edu (assuming you can get in email). Our most efficient (quickest) response time is for email help tickets. If you can't send email at all, please call the Help Desk at x 2036 (978-542-2036).




Have questions? Send them along to Kristin as well and she'll get back to you.

Help with advising: Free, appointment scheduling tools on the Internet

Tired of lots of back and forth emails with students about when you can meet with them for advising?  

Grumpy about formatting that advising schedule for your door?  

Frustrated when the advising schedule falling off of your door and needing to re-tape it to your door?

Are you ruining your nails by peeling tape off of your door when you are done with advising season?  

Well, the Internet has some free solutions to these bane-of-our-existence problems during the advising season.  There are a number of free, online appointment scheduling tools. 

In a fit of enthusiasm, I checked some out today (some might call that a fit of procrastination). I started by googling "free online appointment tools" and found an article highlighting 7 of them - most of the substantive text describing these 7 are from that article (which listed, but did not review them).

Here are my thoughts from my own experience messing around with these tools:

Highly recommended:

SuperSaaS (click here to link to the website)

• Online booking
• E-mail integration (sends reminders to you, your advisees via email or text)
  
• Website integration (you can add it to your website - I didn't do this)
  

The free SuperSaaS plan includes a maximum of 50 registered users and has advertisements.  I found it the most intuitive to use of the 7 I checked out - and so far, my students like it.  It took about 40 minutes to set up adding in slots when I am free, when I am not, but I will have my info in there for future semesters, so I am happy with that.  I sent students a link to the password-protected website today at 7 a.m. and when I just checked, 15 of my 23 advisees have already scheduled themselves - I think that is worth 40 minutes of setup.  You can also integrate this schedule with your comptuer's schedule, if you use outlook (that is where Salem State is heading, right?).

I also really liked Acuity Scheduling and GenBook - but would have had to pay $8 to block out times I was not free, so blew that off:

Acuity Scheduling

• Online booking
• Website integration
• Customization
• Unlimited clients
• Unlimited appointments

Acuity Scheduling offers a free single user version, but it does not include a personalized booking site or the ability to accept credit cards.

 Genbook

• Online booking
• Book Now website button
• Personalized website
• Unlimited staff members
• Unlimited services

Genbook Free limits future scheduling to four weeks. Their paid versions were mentioned in my previous post.


Confusing to me, but may work for you:

 AppointmentPlugIn

• Online booking
• Customization options available
• E-mail confirmations
• Website integration

This tool provides a limited free version that has a limit of 20 appointments per day and advertising in the e-mail confirmations.

 CreateAppointments

• Online booking
• E-mail confirmations
• Create customer accounts

The free basic version of CreateAppointments has an ad on the bottom of the online scheduler and does not include customization.

 MEMOTXT Scheduler

• Free downloadable software
• Search functionality
• Retains client contact information
• Sends out SMS text message appointment reminders

MEMOTXT currently works with all Microsoft platforms, but a Linux and Mac version are in the works.
 Pimero Free Edition

• Free downloadable software
• Includes appointments, task list planner and contact manager
• Synchronizes multiple PCs
• Secure and automatically encrypts stored data
• Outlook import

The Pimero Free Edition is a feature-heavy downloadable option for standardizing your scheduling process.

 Have fun getting organized - and good luck with advising this year!

What the heck is a wiki?

What the heck is a wiki?  Don't tell my students, but I actually think that Wikipedia is a good sourceon this one!  That website states "a wiki is a website that uses wiki software, allowing the easy creation and editing of any number of interlinked Web pages" within an Internet browser setting.  Further, "wikis are often used to create collaborative websites, to power community websites, for personal note taking, in corporate intranets, and in knowledge management systems." 

One example of a wiki that would be especially relevant to teaching social work students here at Salem State College would be our very own Tara Fitzpatrick's wiki on "collection development resources, tools, and news related to Criminal Justice, Psychology, Social Work, and Sociology."  You can find that wiki by clicking here.



Here is an excert of one of Tara's most recent postings on recent social work-related aquisitions (and critical reviews).  Note that we have bought several titles related to social work practice with older adults!

These titles relating to Social Work have been ordered and should appear in the library catalog (reviews from Books In Print booksinprint@bowker.com have been included whenever possible):


Title: Better but Not Well: Mental Health Policy in the United States

Since 1950

Author: Richard G. Frank

Publication Date: July 2006

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-8018-8442-X

ISBN 13: 978-0-8018-8442-9



Choice

April 1, 2007 0-8018-8442-X; 978-0-8018-8442-9



Frank (health economics, Harvard) and Glied (health policy and

management, Columbia Univ.) look closely at changes in the social

conditions and treatment of those affected by varying types and degrees

of mental illness. They chronicle the waning political and economic

influence of state-run mental health agencies, which oversaw mental

institutions that relied heavily on custodial care but had only a

skeleton staff of professional workers. The authors observe that in the

last 50 years an increase in the number of skilled mental health

professionals has combined with access to therapeutic psychotropic drugs

to give individuals suffering from mental illness (e.g., depression,

anxiety disorders) a greater variety of treatment options. In addition,

enrollment in public, private, and entitlement-based insurance coverage

has increased, giving these entities more political clout and a greater

say in policymaking decisions in a deregulated, market-driven

environment. But despite this systemwide progress, many homeless and

indigent individuals still fall between the cracks and are ignored.

Block grant funding to states has been ineffective, since it covers only

a fraction of what is required. The authors include detailed data on

these issues in this carefully researched study. Summing Up:

Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and

professionals; general readers. D. J. Winchester Yeshiva University



SciTech Book News

December 1, 2006 0-8018-8443-8; 978-0-8018-8443-6



Mental health policy in the US is often based on erroneous ideas about

the recent history of policy and practice, say Frank (health economics,

Harvard U.) and Glied (health policy and management, Columbia U.), so to

improve the quality of that policy making, they trace changes over the

past half century in the lives of people with mental illnesses, and

assess the factors that generated these changes. The deficiencies of the

present, they argue, must be seen as incomplete improvements rather than

as impediments. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

(booknews.com)

---------------------------------------



Title: Engaging Children in Family Therapy: Creative Approaches to


Integrating Theory and Research in Clinical Practice

Contributor: Catherine Ford Sori

Publication Date: June 2006

Publisher: Routledge

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-415-94981-5

ISBN 13: 978-0-415-94981-1



---------------------------------------






---------------------------------------



Title: Gerontological Practice for the Twenty-First Century: A Social


Work Perspective

Author: Virginia E. Richardson

Publication Date: December 2005

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-231-10748-X

ISBN 13: 978-0-231-10748-8



Choice

June 1, 2006 0-231-10748-X; 978-0-231-10748-8



Over the past century, the number of Americans over age 65 has increased

tenfold, making social services to older adults more significant and

necessary than ever. Social work professors Richardson (Ohio State

Univ.) and Barusch (Utah College) have compiled a well-organized,

exhaustively researched work covering all aspects of gerontological

social work. Divided into four parts, the book covers various theories

of aging and stages of gerontological social work services; common

concerns of older adults, such as depression, anxiety, isolation,

bereavement, dementia, and substance abuse; therapeutic interventions

commonly used by gerontological social workers; and sociopolitical

issues of older people, such as poverty, health insurance concerns, and

end-of-life care. Packed with practical intervention strategies and

realistic case examples, the chapters flow neatly and end with useful

discussion questions appropriate for undergraduate and graduate-level

students. Throughout, the authors give equal attention to micro

(individual) and macro (policy-based) concerns and interventions, and

organize their ideas into a clear framework for working with older

adults. This book would serve well as required reading for all levels of

gerontological social work coursework, and as supplemental reading for

health sciences and nursing students. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended.

Upper-division undergraduates and above. J. K. Downey California State

University, San Bernardino



---------------------------------------



Title: Handbook of Prevention and Intervention Programs for Adolescent

Girls

Contributor: Craig Winston LeCroy

Publication Date: December 2007

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-471-67796-5

ISBN 13: 978-0-471-67796-3



Reference & Research Book News

February 1, 2008 0-471-67796-5; 978-0-471-67796-3



Thirty American academics, researchers, and practitioners contribute 11

chapters describing exemplary programs from throughout the U.S. that

were designed to promote and strengthen positive functioning and address

problematic realities of adolescent females. Among these examples are

programs suitable for developing and implementing in various settings:

schools, YWCAs, youth camps, after-school programs, mental health

agencies, and youth agencies. The issues they address include universal

prevention, friendships and peer relationships, eating disorders,

depression, HIV prevention among African American girls, leadership

training for young Latinas, family treatment, and mentorship. It is the

editor's hope that the book will inspire more efforts to develop new

programs, involve more young girls, and generate enough force over time

to change their future. For researchers and practitioners including

social workers, psychologists, teachers, school principals, and youth

development professionals. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland,

OR (booknews.com)

---------------------------------------



Title: Helping Students Overcome Substance Abuse: Effective Practices

for Prevention and Intervention

Author: Jason J. Burrow-Sanchez

Publication Date: Not Supplied. Contact publisher for more

information

Publisher: Guilford Publications, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 1-59385-454-4

ISBN 13: 978-1-59385-454-6



Reference & Research Book News

November 1, 2007 1-59385-454-4; 978-1-59385-454-6



Two professors at the University of Utah explore adolescent substance

abuse prevalence, assessment, prevention, group interventions,

individual interventions, and the referral process. Intended for school

mental health professionals, the guide outlines the major substances of

abuse, the steps in the screening process, research-based prevention

programs, the developmental stages of therapy groups, and an action plan

for community-based services. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc.,

Portland, OR (booknews.com)



---------------------------------------



Title: Hope Springs Maternal: Homeless Mothers Talk about Making Sense

of Adversity

Author: Jill Gerson

Publication Date: July 2007

Publisher: Richard Altschuler & Associates, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 1-884092-71-3

ISBN 13: 978-1-884092-71-8



Choice

March 1, 2007 1-884092-67-5; 978-1-884092-67-1



Gerson (sociology/social work, Lehman College) provides a qualitative

study of 24 mothers living with children in New York City homeless

shelters. Based on in-depth interviews and the life history approach,

her book allows readers to experience the living reality of homeless

mothers, mainly through their own voices. The life histories of these

young single mothers of color are poignant and profound, heartrending

and instructive. The author asks why mothers with children become

homeless. After presenting biographical portraits of the mothers, Gerson

focuses on their past lives and pathways to the shelter, and their

perceptions and assessments of the shelter system. She analyzes their

present lives inside the shelter system, their views on parenting and

family, the multiple stressors they face, and how they cope with them.

Gerson also explores the mothers' futures: how they envision their

futures beyond the shelter, and their expectations and dreams for their

children and themselves. The author offers recommendations for how

social policies and laws could be used to best solve the problem of

homelessness in the US. A timely, important contribution to the study of

homeless mothers. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All

levels/libraries. D. A. Chekki emeritus, University of Winnipeg



---------------------------------------



Title: The Inner World of a Suicidal Youth: What Every Parent and

Health Professional Should Know

Author: Millie Osborne

Publication Date: November 2007

Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-313-34855-3

ISBN 13: 978-0-313-34855-6



SciTech Book News

March 1, 2008 0-313-34855-3; 978-0-313-34855-6



Osborne (psychiatry and behavioral sciences, George Washington U.) is a

practicing psychiatrist with 20-plus years of experience in the

profession. She presents an edited diary of a young American woman who

committed suicide in her early 20s. Written over a seven-year period and

discovered only after her death, the diary provides a uniquely in-depth,

longitudinal first-person account of the evolution of self-esteem and

the suicidal process. In addition to a detailed transcription of the

diary, the text includes Osborne's commentary and analysis based on the

diary's contents, discussions with family and friends and treating

professionals, a review of medical and clinical records, and several

encounters with the victim. The text offers health care professionals,

aspiring professionals, and parents insights into the adolescent mind

and the changes needed to develop more effective suicide prevention and

treatment strategies. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

(booknews.com)



---------------------------------------



Title: International Perspectives on Social Work: Global Conditions and

Local Practice

Author: Karen Lyons

Publication Date: November 2006

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Market: United States

ISBN: 1-4039-3951-9

ISBN 13: 978-1-4039-3951-7



Choice

April 1, 2007 1-4039-3951-9; 978-1-4039-3951-7



These original essays, while brief, give a sharp picture of

international social work, a new and growing arena of professional

practice in the early 21st century. From local community conflict to

natural and forced migration and the explosive issue of child

exploitation (including loss, social justice, human rights, and, at most

wrenching, commercial child sexual exploitation), through the worldwide

spread of disease, the authors give a picture of new and necessary

large-scale opportunities to intervene on behalf of some of the world's

most vulnerable populations: victims of war, migrants, and those

suffering from poor physical and mental health. Like most edited

volumes, the book becomes more representative as it develops. Part 1

covers core themes--globalization as fact or fiction, poverty,

inequality, the universality of loss--and the theoretical underpinnings

of international social work. Part 2 demonstrates the interconnected

knowledge and policy debates on, for example, the causes of migration,

the expansion of civil and cross-border conflict, and the exacerbation

of racial and ethnic strife. The book ends with a wonderful chapter that

proposes a new vision for globally minded social work professionals.

^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All academic levels/libraries. E. A.

Danto City University of New York Hunter College



---------------------------------------



Title: Listening to Battered Women: A Survivor-Centered Approach to

Advocacy, Mental Health, and Justice

Author: Lisa A. Goodman

Publication Date: October 2007

Publisher: American Psychological Association

Market: United States

ISBN: 1-4338-0239-2

ISBN 13: 978-1-4338-0239-3

Binding Format: Trade Cloth



Choice

April 1, 2008 1-4338-0239-2; 978-1-4338-0239-3



Both specialists in domestic violence, Goodman (psychology, Boston

College) and Epstein (law, Georgetown Univ.) provide a

multidisciplinary, feminist review of responses to domestic violence.

Shelters, hotlines, protective orders, and improved arrest, prosecution,

and therapeutic responses have revolutionized services to battered women

and go far beyond services offered during the early years, when women

were encouraged to leave not only their abuser but also their community

and support network. Such a "one-size fits all" mentality is not only

unsuitable for impoverished, immigrant, or minority women, it also does

not confront issues of gender and trauma at the core of domestic

violence nor respect women's voices and empowerment. In addition to

recommending domestic-violence training for all health care, justice,

and advocacy providers, the authors urge the mental health system to

reach out to disenfranchised/impoverished women and the justice system

to be sensitive to individual women's voices and not automatically usurp

the women's control. Goodman and Epstein argue that services need to

coordinate to provide a response that respects the woman, adjusts

services to the women's needs, and recognizes the influence of poverty

and gendered society on this problem. Summing Up: Highly recommended.

All readers, all levels. S. M. Valente University of California, Los

Angeles



Reference & Research Book News

February 1, 2008 1-4338-0239-2; 978-1-4338-0239-3



It is time to move the response to intimate partner abuse beyond the

one-size-fits-all model that marginalizes women's particular situations

and perspectives, say Goodman (counseling and developmental and

educational psychology, Boston College) and Epstein (law, Georgetown

U.), especially women of minority cultures or racial groups, those in

same-sex relationships, and those who choose to remain in abusive

relationships. The series presents studies by psychologists working on

social issues from a feminist perspective that are accessible to lay

readers, and longer than journal articles but shorter than full texts.

Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)



Doody's Reviews

January 1, 2008 1-4338-0239-2; 978-1-4338-0239-3



This is a realistic and detailed discussion of the unfortunate

occurrence of intimate partner violence that affects so many lives. The

purpose is to emphasize the need for increased responsiveness to the

particular concerns of women and the design of practices that not only

work but take an individual rather than a one size fits all approach.

The purpose is also to educate the reader to where we have been, where

we are, and where we need to go in terms of addressing the needs of

abused women and their families. The book exceeds expectations. This is

a must-read for anyone involved or interested in working with victims of

domestic violence. Counselors, clinicians in mental health and general

medicine, public service officials, first responders, and relatives of

victims will find this to be an insightful book. The authors are both

credible and tireless individuals working for the betterment of abused

victims. The book smartly takes the reader on a historical exploration

of past practices in a number of chapters to emphasize how far we have

come and what is still needed for victims of domestic violence. It then

provides an in-depth discussion of the various responses from advocacy

groups, the mental health system, and of course the justice system.

Readers are made fully aware of the complexity, the contradictions, and

the difficulty of reporting abuse and the lack of services currently in

place for domestic violence victims. The book delves into learned

helplessness, the inability of abuse victims to escape the cycle of

abuse, and the power their abusers have over them. The book rounds out

these excellent discussions with a chapter on recommendations for future

reform. This is the quintessential book for a realistic and an

authoritative update on domestic violence. This is a weekend read that

will stimulate and empower those working with domestic violence victims.

Nicholas Greco IV, M.S., BCETS, CATSM(College of Lake County). Copyright

2008, Doody Enterprises, Inc.



---------------------------------------



Title: Making Contact: The Therapist's Guide to Conducting a Successful

First Interview

Author: Leah M. DeSole

Publication Date: October 2005

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-205-41935-6

ISBN 13: 978-0-205-41935-7

---------------------------------------



Title: Mental Health Care in the African-American Community

Contributor: Sadye M. L. Logan

Publication Date: December 2007

Publisher: Routledge

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-7890-2611-2

ISBN 13: 978-0-7890-2611-8

Binding Format: Trade Cloth



Doody's Reviews

May 1, 2008 0-7890-2612-0; 978-0-7890-2612-5



This book addresses various factors affecting mental healthcare among

African-Americans and is written from a life course perspective, given

each individual's unique experiences of stability and change over time.

According to the editors, "The purpose of this book is twofold. First,

it will provide a critique and analysis of the history, philosophy,

policies, research, and practice modalities that undergird mental health

care in the Black community. Second, the book will use a life course

perspective and evidence-based practice not only to frame this critique

and analysis but also to suggest new and expanded ways of

conceptualizing the mental health needs and care of the Black

community." It is intended to serve "not only as a resource guide for

the lay community but also as a textbook for the professional

community," according to the editors. It also appears appropriate for an

undergraduate course in psychology and/or social work, but I question

whether the professional community will benefit, only because the book

seems rather basic. The editors have published extensively in the area

of social work and the contributors work in social work or counseling

departments at universities across the United States. The book covers

historical factors, mental health interventions, public policy issues,

and holistic approaches underlying mental health care with

African-Americans. Because it covers so many topics, it would be well

received as an introductory text in an undergraduate setting. However,

trying to cover so much ground over 396 pages is difficult and the

material is often superficially treated. Since I work with females in a

correctional setting, I was especially interested in the well written

chapter that addresses this area and includes results of an interview

study of 13 women returning to their communities in Chicago from prison.

In general, the subtopics are interesting but short. I found myself

wanting more information, but realized that I would have to find it

through the sources in the reference list. Most chapters include

conclusions, summaries, discussion questions, and group/classroom

activities. A few include case studies and exhibits/figures. However,

the life course perspective advertised in the introduction is not so

obvious in all the chapters and the chapters are short, making it

necessary for readers to seek out other sources of information. This

book does an excellent job of presenting the salient issues underlying

mental healthcare in the African-American community. However, it doesn't

cover the material quite as well as another book in the field, Black

Families in Therapy: Understanding the African American Experience, 2nd

edition, Boyd-Franklin (Guilford Press, 2003). In general, as a resource

for the general public or as a text for undergraduates, this book would

be very useful, especially given the discussion questions and classroom

activities. Authors must always balance the priorities of covering many

topics superficially or a few topics rather thoroughly. As a

professional in the field of mental health, I was mildly disappointed

because I wanted more information. Gary B Kaniuk, Psy.D.(Cermak Health

Services). Copyright 2008, Doody Enterprises, Inc.



SciTech Book News

March 1, 2008 0-7890-2611-2; 978-0-7890-2611-8



Twenty-four American academics and practitioners contribute 20 chapters

critiquing and analyzing the history, philosophy, policies, research,

and practice modalities that undergrid mental health care in the Black

community. The text uses a life course perspective and evidence-based

practice to frame the critique and analysis and to suggest new,

nontraditional and expanded ways of conceptualizing the mental health

needs and care of the Black community from a social work perspective.

Included are chapters on mental health care for specific segments of the

population and conditions: group homes and foster care, women and

depression, incarcerated women, substance abuse, poverty, ADHD, girls,

suicide and young males, the elderly, rural inhabitants, kinship care,

and multiethnic families and children. For students, researchers,

educators, and practitioners in the helping professions, and mental

health consumers and their families. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc.,

Portland, OR (booknews.com)



---------------------------------------



Title: The Other Philadelphia Story: How Local Congregations Support

Quality of Life in Urban America

Author: Ram A. Cnaan

Publication Date: September 2006

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-8122-3949-0

ISBN 13: 978-0-8122-3949-2



Choice

September 1, 2007 0-8122-3949-0; 978-0-8122-3949-2



As a professor of social welfare and scholar of religion, Cnaan (Univ.

of Pennsylvania) uses a unique, thorough field study of nearly 2,000

congregations in Philadelphia to probe the issue of social service

delivery through religious institutions. He argues persuasively that

these groups are more numerous, better positioned in neighborhoods where

service needs are greatest, and more trusted and integrated into the

lives of people than any other service providers. However, he also

clearly documents that religious congregations are more highly segmented

by race and social class than almost any other institution, so that

congregations facing the greatest needs for information and services

paradoxically also have the fewest resources to deliver (and vice

versa). Transferring external government resources through these

congregations could redress this lack of fit between needs and

resources, but might thereby drown personalized, informal network

connections in formal bureaucracy--there are no easy answers here. The

book will be useful for graduate courses in social welfare and religion,

and to scholars in both fields. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Most

levels/libraries. E. Carlson Florida State University



---------------------------------------



Title: Professional Communication Skills in Social Work

Author: Nancy Sidell

Publication Date: September 2007

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-205-52421-4

ISBN 13: 978-0-205-52421-1



---------------------------------------



Title: Social Work with the Aged and Their Families: Third Edition

Author: Roberta R. Greene

Publication Date: October 2007

Publisher: Aldine Transaction

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-202-36182-9

ISBN 13: 978-0-202-36182-6



---------------------------------------



Copyright © 2008 R.R. Bowker LLC. All rights reserved. Bowker® and Books

In Print® are registered trademarks and The Bowker logo,

booksinprint.comT, BookwireThese titles relating to Social Work have been ordered and should appear in the library catalog (reviews from Books In Print booksinprint@bowker.com have been included whenever possible):




Title: Better but Not Well: Mental Health Policy in the United States

Since 1950

Author: Richard G. Frank

Publication Date: July 2006

Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-8018-8442-X

ISBN 13: 978-0-8018-8442-9



Choice

April 1, 2007 0-8018-8442-X; 978-0-8018-8442-9



Frank (health economics, Harvard) and Glied (health policy and

management, Columbia Univ.) look closely at changes in the social

conditions and treatment of those affected by varying types and degrees

of mental illness. They chronicle the waning political and economic

influence of state-run mental health agencies, which oversaw mental

institutions that relied heavily on custodial care but had only a

skeleton staff of professional workers. The authors observe that in the

last 50 years an increase in the number of skilled mental health

professionals has combined with access to therapeutic psychotropic drugs

to give individuals suffering from mental illness (e.g., depression,

anxiety disorders) a greater variety of treatment options. In addition,

enrollment in public, private, and entitlement-based insurance coverage

has increased, giving these entities more political clout and a greater

say in policymaking decisions in a deregulated, market-driven

environment. But despite this systemwide progress, many homeless and

indigent individuals still fall between the cracks and are ignored.

Block grant funding to states has been ineffective, since it covers only

a fraction of what is required. The authors include detailed data on

these issues in this carefully researched study. Summing Up:

Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates through faculty and

professionals; general readers. D. J. Winchester Yeshiva University



SciTech Book News

December 1, 2006 0-8018-8443-8; 978-0-8018-8443-6



Mental health policy in the US is often based on erroneous ideas about

the recent history of policy and practice, say Frank (health economics,

Harvard U.) and Glied (health policy and management, Columbia U.), so to

improve the quality of that policy making, they trace changes over the

past half century in the lives of people with mental illnesses, and

assess the factors that generated these changes. The deficiencies of the

present, they argue, must be seen as incomplete improvements rather than

as impediments. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

(booknews.com)

---------------------------------------



Title: Engaging Children in Family Therapy: Creative Approaches to

Integrating Theory and Research in Clinical Practice

Contributor: Catherine Ford Sori

Publication Date: June 2006

Publisher: Routledge

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-415-94981-5

ISBN 13: 978-0-415-94981-1



---------------------------------------



Title: Family Abuse and Violence: A Social Problems Perspective

Author: JoAnn L. Miller

Publication Date: September 2006

Publisher: AltaMira Press

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-7591-0800-5

ISBN 13: 978-0-7591-0800-4



SciTech Book News

0-7591-0801-3; 978-0-7591-0801-1



For undergraduate and graduate students, Miller and Knudsen (sociology

and women's studies, Purdue U.) provide a text that addresses the

problem of family abuse and violence in the US, analyzing child,

partner, and elder abuse. They first present a conceptual framework that

integrates research in subfields with research studying them as

dimensions of a single problem, calling it the Family Abuse and Violence

Episode perspective, which integrates social theories and represents a

new method for examining intragenerational and intergenerational abuse.

Their method concentrates on the social context and considers historical

studies and types of abuse. Other chapters address medical, legal, and

social problems, child sexual abuse and exploitation, definitions and

perceptions of victims and perpetrators, dating and intimate partner

violence, and neglect. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

(booknews.com)



Choice

July 1, 2007 0-7591-0801-3; 978-0-7591-0801-1



Purdue sociologists Miller and Knudsen examine the various dimensions of

inter-and intragenerational family abuse and violence, focusing on

historical and contemporary conceptualizations of child and spouse

abuse. They present a conceptual framework: the "Family Abuse and

Violence (FAV) Episode," which integrates social science theories and

highlights the social context in which family problems occur. Based on

data gathered from their original research, the National Survey of

Violence against Women and Men, and newspaper reports, the book analyzes

physical, emotional, and sexual abuse from the medical, legal, and

social problems perspectives. The authors discuss the medical and legal

responses to victims and perpetrators, the public perception of what

constitutes appropriate responses to FAV problems, and how they

correspond to prevailing practices. The study looks at the consequences

of intra- and intergenerational abuse and violence on children, spouses,

partners, and elders, and examines some controversies and emerging

debates in the field. The concluding chapter summarizes the current

state of knowledge and the extent of success in reducing family abuse

and violence, emphasizing the need for academics, practitioners, and

community leaders to work together to diminish this social problem.

Almost encyclopedic in nature, this book is a major contribution to the

field of family abuse and violence. Summing Up: Highly recommended.

Upper-division undergraduates and above. D. A. Chekki emeritus,

University of Winnipeg



Reference & Research Book News

February 1, 2007 0-7591-0800-5; 978-0-7591-0800-4



For undergraduate and graduate students, Miller and Knudsen (sociology

and women's studies, Purdue U.) provide a text that addresses the

problem of family abuse and violence in the US, analyzing child,

partner, and elder abuse. They first present a conceptual framework that

integrates research in subfields with research studying them as

dimensions of a single problem, calling it the Family Abuse and Violence

Episode perspective, which integrates social theories and represents a

new method for examining intragenerational and intergenerational abuse.

Their method concentrates on the social context and considers historical

studies and types of abuse. Other chapters address medical, legal, and

social problems, child sexual abuse and exploitation, definitions and

perceptions of victims and perpetrators, dating and intimate partner

violence, and neglect. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

(booknews.com)



---------------------------------------



Title: Gerontological Practice for the Twenty-First Century: A Social

Work Perspective

Author: Virginia E. Richardson

Publication Date: December 2005

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-231-10748-X

ISBN 13: 978-0-231-10748-8



Choice

June 1, 2006 0-231-10748-X; 978-0-231-10748-8



Over the past century, the number of Americans over age 65 has increased

tenfold, making social services to older adults more significant and

necessary than ever. Social work professors Richardson (Ohio State

Univ.) and Barusch (Utah College) have compiled a well-organized,

exhaustively researched work covering all aspects of gerontological

social work. Divided into four parts, the book covers various theories

of aging and stages of gerontological social work services; common

concerns of older adults, such as depression, anxiety, isolation,

bereavement, dementia, and substance abuse; therapeutic interventions

commonly used by gerontological social workers; and sociopolitical

issues of older people, such as poverty, health insurance concerns, and

end-of-life care. Packed with practical intervention strategies and

realistic case examples, the chapters flow neatly and end with useful

discussion questions appropriate for undergraduate and graduate-level

students. Throughout, the authors give equal attention to micro

(individual) and macro (policy-based) concerns and interventions, and

organize their ideas into a clear framework for working with older

adults. This book would serve well as required reading for all levels of

gerontological social work coursework, and as supplemental reading for

health sciences and nursing students. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended.

Upper-division undergraduates and above. J. K. Downey California State

University, San Bernardino



---------------------------------------



Title: Handbook of Prevention and Intervention Programs for Adolescent

Girls

Contributor: Craig Winston LeCroy

Publication Date: December 2007

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-471-67796-5

ISBN 13: 978-0-471-67796-3



Reference & Research Book News

February 1, 2008 0-471-67796-5; 978-0-471-67796-3



Thirty American academics, researchers, and practitioners contribute 11

chapters describing exemplary programs from throughout the U.S. that

were designed to promote and strengthen positive functioning and address

problematic realities of adolescent females. Among these examples are

programs suitable for developing and implementing in various settings:

schools, YWCAs, youth camps, after-school programs, mental health

agencies, and youth agencies. The issues they address include universal

prevention, friendships and peer relationships, eating disorders,

depression, HIV prevention among African American girls, leadership

training for young Latinas, family treatment, and mentorship. It is the

editor's hope that the book will inspire more efforts to develop new

programs, involve more young girls, and generate enough force over time

to change their future. For researchers and practitioners including

social workers, psychologists, teachers, school principals, and youth

development professionals. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland,

OR (booknews.com)

---------------------------------------



Title: Helping Students Overcome Substance Abuse: Effective Practices

for Prevention and Intervention

Author: Jason J. Burrow-Sanchez

Publication Date: Not Supplied. Contact publisher for more

information

Publisher: Guilford Publications, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 1-59385-454-4

ISBN 13: 978-1-59385-454-6



Reference & Research Book News

November 1, 2007 1-59385-454-4; 978-1-59385-454-6



Two professors at the University of Utah explore adolescent substance

abuse prevalence, assessment, prevention, group interventions,

individual interventions, and the referral process. Intended for school

mental health professionals, the guide outlines the major substances of

abuse, the steps in the screening process, research-based prevention

programs, the developmental stages of therapy groups, and an action plan

for community-based services. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc.,

Portland, OR (booknews.com)



---------------------------------------



Title: Hope Springs Maternal: Homeless Mothers Talk about Making Sense

of Adversity

Author: Jill Gerson

Publication Date: July 2007

Publisher: Richard Altschuler & Associates, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 1-884092-71-3

ISBN 13: 978-1-884092-71-8



Choice

March 1, 2007 1-884092-67-5; 978-1-884092-67-1



Gerson (sociology/social work, Lehman College) provides a qualitative

study of 24 mothers living with children in New York City homeless

shelters. Based on in-depth interviews and the life history approach,

her book allows readers to experience the living reality of homeless

mothers, mainly through their own voices. The life histories of these

young single mothers of color are poignant and profound, heartrending

and instructive. The author asks why mothers with children become

homeless. After presenting biographical portraits of the mothers, Gerson

focuses on their past lives and pathways to the shelter, and their

perceptions and assessments of the shelter system. She analyzes their

present lives inside the shelter system, their views on parenting and

family, the multiple stressors they face, and how they cope with them.

Gerson also explores the mothers' futures: how they envision their

futures beyond the shelter, and their expectations and dreams for their

children and themselves. The author offers recommendations for how

social policies and laws could be used to best solve the problem of

homelessness in the US. A timely, important contribution to the study of

homeless mothers. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All

levels/libraries. D. A. Chekki emeritus, University of Winnipeg



---------------------------------------



Title: The Inner World of a Suicidal Youth: What Every Parent and

Health Professional Should Know

Author: Millie Osborne

Publication Date: November 2007

Publisher: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-313-34855-3

ISBN 13: 978-0-313-34855-6



SciTech Book News

March 1, 2008 0-313-34855-3; 978-0-313-34855-6



Osborne (psychiatry and behavioral sciences, George Washington U.) is a

practicing psychiatrist with 20-plus years of experience in the

profession. She presents an edited diary of a young American woman who

committed suicide in her early 20s. Written over a seven-year period and

discovered only after her death, the diary provides a uniquely in-depth,

longitudinal first-person account of the evolution of self-esteem and

the suicidal process. In addition to a detailed transcription of the

diary, the text includes Osborne's commentary and analysis based on the

diary's contents, discussions with family and friends and treating

professionals, a review of medical and clinical records, and several

encounters with the victim. The text offers health care professionals,

aspiring professionals, and parents insights into the adolescent mind

and the changes needed to develop more effective suicide prevention and

treatment strategies. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

(booknews.com)



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Title: International Perspectives on Social Work: Global Conditions and

Local Practice

Author: Karen Lyons

Publication Date: November 2006

Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan

Market: United States

ISBN: 1-4039-3951-9

ISBN 13: 978-1-4039-3951-7



Choice

April 1, 2007 1-4039-3951-9; 978-1-4039-3951-7



These original essays, while brief, give a sharp picture of

international social work, a new and growing arena of professional

practice in the early 21st century. From local community conflict to

natural and forced migration and the explosive issue of child

exploitation (including loss, social justice, human rights, and, at most

wrenching, commercial child sexual exploitation), through the worldwide

spread of disease, the authors give a picture of new and necessary

large-scale opportunities to intervene on behalf of some of the world's

most vulnerable populations: victims of war, migrants, and those

suffering from poor physical and mental health. Like most edited

volumes, the book becomes more representative as it develops. Part 1

covers core themes--globalization as fact or fiction, poverty,

inequality, the universality of loss--and the theoretical underpinnings

of international social work. Part 2 demonstrates the interconnected

knowledge and policy debates on, for example, the causes of migration,

the expansion of civil and cross-border conflict, and the exacerbation

of racial and ethnic strife. The book ends with a wonderful chapter that

proposes a new vision for globally minded social work professionals.

^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All academic levels/libraries. E. A.

Danto City University of New York Hunter College



---------------------------------------



Title: Listening to Battered Women: A Survivor-Centered Approach to

Advocacy, Mental Health, and Justice

Author: Lisa A. Goodman

Publication Date: October 2007

Publisher: American Psychological Association

Market: United States

ISBN: 1-4338-0239-2

ISBN 13: 978-1-4338-0239-3

Binding Format: Trade Cloth



Choice

April 1, 2008 1-4338-0239-2; 978-1-4338-0239-3



Both specialists in domestic violence, Goodman (psychology, Boston

College) and Epstein (law, Georgetown Univ.) provide a

multidisciplinary, feminist review of responses to domestic violence.

Shelters, hotlines, protective orders, and improved arrest, prosecution,

and therapeutic responses have revolutionized services to battered women

and go far beyond services offered during the early years, when women

were encouraged to leave not only their abuser but also their community

and support network. Such a "one-size fits all" mentality is not only

unsuitable for impoverished, immigrant, or minority women, it also does

not confront issues of gender and trauma at the core of domestic

violence nor respect women's voices and empowerment. In addition to

recommending domestic-violence training for all health care, justice,

and advocacy providers, the authors urge the mental health system to

reach out to disenfranchised/impoverished women and the justice system

to be sensitive to individual women's voices and not automatically usurp

the women's control. Goodman and Epstein argue that services need to

coordinate to provide a response that respects the woman, adjusts

services to the women's needs, and recognizes the influence of poverty

and gendered society on this problem. Summing Up: Highly recommended.

All readers, all levels. S. M. Valente University of California, Los

Angeles



Reference & Research Book News

February 1, 2008 1-4338-0239-2; 978-1-4338-0239-3



It is time to move the response to intimate partner abuse beyond the

one-size-fits-all model that marginalizes women's particular situations

and perspectives, say Goodman (counseling and developmental and

educational psychology, Boston College) and Epstein (law, Georgetown

U.), especially women of minority cultures or racial groups, those in

same-sex relationships, and those who choose to remain in abusive

relationships. The series presents studies by psychologists working on

social issues from a feminist perspective that are accessible to lay

readers, and longer than journal articles but shorter than full texts.

Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)



Doody's Reviews

January 1, 2008 1-4338-0239-2; 978-1-4338-0239-3



This is a realistic and detailed discussion of the unfortunate

occurrence of intimate partner violence that affects so many lives. The

purpose is to emphasize the need for increased responsiveness to the

particular concerns of women and the design of practices that not only

work but take an individual rather than a one size fits all approach.

The purpose is also to educate the reader to where we have been, where

we are, and where we need to go in terms of addressing the needs of

abused women and their families. The book exceeds expectations. This is

a must-read for anyone involved or interested in working with victims of

domestic violence. Counselors, clinicians in mental health and general

medicine, public service officials, first responders, and relatives of

victims will find this to be an insightful book. The authors are both

credible and tireless individuals working for the betterment of abused

victims. The book smartly takes the reader on a historical exploration

of past practices in a number of chapters to emphasize how far we have

come and what is still needed for victims of domestic violence. It then

provides an in-depth discussion of the various responses from advocacy

groups, the mental health system, and of course the justice system.

Readers are made fully aware of the complexity, the contradictions, and

the difficulty of reporting abuse and the lack of services currently in

place for domestic violence victims. The book delves into learned

helplessness, the inability of abuse victims to escape the cycle of

abuse, and the power their abusers have over them. The book rounds out

these excellent discussions with a chapter on recommendations for future

reform. This is the quintessential book for a realistic and an

authoritative update on domestic violence. This is a weekend read that

will stimulate and empower those working with domestic violence victims.

Nicholas Greco IV, M.S., BCETS, CATSM(College of Lake County). Copyright

2008, Doody Enterprises, Inc.



---------------------------------------



Title: Making Contact: The Therapist's Guide to Conducting a Successful

First Interview

Author: Leah M. DeSole

Publication Date: October 2005

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-205-41935-6

ISBN 13: 978-0-205-41935-7

---------------------------------------



Title: Mental Health Care in the African-American Community

Contributor: Sadye M. L. Logan

Publication Date: December 2007

Publisher: Routledge

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-7890-2611-2

ISBN 13: 978-0-7890-2611-8

Binding Format: Trade Cloth



Doody's Reviews

May 1, 2008 0-7890-2612-0; 978-0-7890-2612-5



This book addresses various factors affecting mental healthcare among

African-Americans and is written from a life course perspective, given

each individual's unique experiences of stability and change over time.

According to the editors, "The purpose of this book is twofold. First,

it will provide a critique and analysis of the history, philosophy,

policies, research, and practice modalities that undergird mental health

care in the Black community. Second, the book will use a life course

perspective and evidence-based practice not only to frame this critique

and analysis but also to suggest new and expanded ways of

conceptualizing the mental health needs and care of the Black

community." It is intended to serve "not only as a resource guide for

the lay community but also as a textbook for the professional

community," according to the editors. It also appears appropriate for an

undergraduate course in psychology and/or social work, but I question

whether the professional community will benefit, only because the book

seems rather basic. The editors have published extensively in the area

of social work and the contributors work in social work or counseling

departments at universities across the United States. The book covers

historical factors, mental health interventions, public policy issues,

and holistic approaches underlying mental health care with

African-Americans. Because it covers so many topics, it would be well

received as an introductory text in an undergraduate setting. However,

trying to cover so much ground over 396 pages is difficult and the

material is often superficially treated. Since I work with females in a

correctional setting, I was especially interested in the well written

chapter that addresses this area and includes results of an interview

study of 13 women returning to their communities in Chicago from prison.

In general, the subtopics are interesting but short. I found myself

wanting more information, but realized that I would have to find it

through the sources in the reference list. Most chapters include

conclusions, summaries, discussion questions, and group/classroom

activities. A few include case studies and exhibits/figures. However,

the life course perspective advertised in the introduction is not so

obvious in all the chapters and the chapters are short, making it

necessary for readers to seek out other sources of information. This

book does an excellent job of presenting the salient issues underlying

mental healthcare in the African-American community. However, it doesn't

cover the material quite as well as another book in the field, Black

Families in Therapy: Understanding the African American Experience, 2nd

edition, Boyd-Franklin (Guilford Press, 2003). In general, as a resource

for the general public or as a text for undergraduates, this book would

be very useful, especially given the discussion questions and classroom

activities. Authors must always balance the priorities of covering many

topics superficially or a few topics rather thoroughly. As a

professional in the field of mental health, I was mildly disappointed

because I wanted more information. Gary B Kaniuk, Psy.D.(Cermak Health

Services). Copyright 2008, Doody Enterprises, Inc.



SciTech Book News

March 1, 2008 0-7890-2611-2; 978-0-7890-2611-8



Twenty-four American academics and practitioners contribute 20 chapters

critiquing and analyzing the history, philosophy, policies, research,

and practice modalities that undergrid mental health care in the Black

community. The text uses a life course perspective and evidence-based

practice to frame the critique and analysis and to suggest new,

nontraditional and expanded ways of conceptualizing the mental health

needs and care of the Black community from a social work perspective.

Included are chapters on mental health care for specific segments of the

population and conditions: group homes and foster care, women and

depression, incarcerated women, substance abuse, poverty, ADHD, girls,

suicide and young males, the elderly, rural inhabitants, kinship care,

and multiethnic families and children. For students, researchers,

educators, and practitioners in the helping professions, and mental

health consumers and their families. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc.,

Portland, OR (booknews.com)



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Title: The Other Philadelphia Story: How Local Congregations Support

Quality of Life in Urban America

Author: Ram A. Cnaan

Publication Date: September 2006

Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-8122-3949-0

ISBN 13: 978-0-8122-3949-2



Choice

September 1, 2007 0-8122-3949-0; 978-0-8122-3949-2



As a professor of social welfare and scholar of religion, Cnaan (Univ.

of Pennsylvania) uses a unique, thorough field study of nearly 2,000

congregations in Philadelphia to probe the issue of social service

delivery through religious institutions. He argues persuasively that

these groups are more numerous, better positioned in neighborhoods where

service needs are greatest, and more trusted and integrated into the

lives of people than any other service providers. However, he also

clearly documents that religious congregations are more highly segmented

by race and social class than almost any other institution, so that

congregations facing the greatest needs for information and services

paradoxically also have the fewest resources to deliver (and vice

versa). Transferring external government resources through these

congregations could redress this lack of fit between needs and

resources, but might thereby drown personalized, informal network

connections in formal bureaucracy--there are no easy answers here. The

book will be useful for graduate courses in social welfare and religion,

and to scholars in both fields. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Most

levels/libraries. E. Carlson Florida State University



---------------------------------------



Title: Professional Communication Skills in Social Work

Author: Nancy Sidell

Publication Date: September 2007

Publisher: Allyn & Bacon, Incorporated

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-205-52421-4

ISBN 13: 978-0-205-52421-1



---------------------------------------



Title: Social Work with the Aged and Their Families: Third Edition

Author: Roberta R. Greene

Publication Date: October 2007

Publisher: Aldine Transaction

Market: United States

ISBN: 0-202-36182-9

ISBN 13: 978-0-202-36182-6



---------------------------------------



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