Virtual communication for field education placements in a global context

Increasing reliance upon information communication technology is one of the major factors in the current student profile which challenges the traditional concept of professional field education. In Australia the involvement of a growing minority of students in international field education highlights the value of communication via different technological methods. Drawing upon the experience of students at one university in Australia who undertook international placements over a three year period, with particular attention to those engaged in group placements in Orissa, India, this chapter presents the different placement structures and the application of ICT and pedagogical factors requiring critical attention. Another longer term field education challenge has been the increasing demand for human service field placements in an environment of decreasing resources. A common electronic data base, developed by the schools of social work, in one state in Australia presents an approach aimed at promoting co-operation in a competitive situation.