At first glance, technology and Social Work appear to be two subject areas that do not have much in common. However, Social Work is always closely linked to technological progress, as this always leads to transformation processes of living environments.

Social Work is challenged by technological progress on several levels: It is confronted both with its own organizational mechanization and with the mediatized lifeworlds of its addressees as well as socio-technical interactions between humans and machines. In addition, Social Work is faced with the question of how it can accompany technologically induced transformation processes to protect human rights and needs. Despite the diverse processes of technologization, digitalization and mediatization in Social Work, research into the influences and consequences, potentials and limits of digital-technological transformations in Social Work as well as the teaching of these topics are underrepresented in university curricula.

The research network therefore focuses on promoting and focusing research into technologization, digitalization and mediatization in the discipline and profession of Social Work. The research network was founded by the Potsdam University of Applied Sciences, the Catholic University of Applied Social Sciences Berlin, the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg and the Center for Constructive Education Sciences e.V.

There will be an open discourse on the topics with an online lecture series/colloquium in which insights from theory and practice will be discussed. The network members will supervise theses across universities, test cooperative seminars and publish an anthology to reflect the current discourse on the topic. The network will also be expanded beyond the founding members.

• Implementation of an online lecture series(dates)
• Supervisor of inter-university theses
• Implementation of cooperative seminars
• Publication of an anthology (Digitalization in Social Work)
• Expansion of the research network