Our lab director Kenta Asakura, alongside Amedeo D’Angiulii have embarked on a new online simulation study, Online Assessment of Pandemic-Triggered Stress: Towards Developing Assistive AI Technologies. This study seeks to develop assistive technologies to support therapists in their online counselling sessions. More about this exciting project, as well as additional projects funded by the 杏吧原创 University Rapid Response Research Grant can be found .

The post Online Assessment of Pandemic-Triggered Stress: Towards Developing Assistive AI Technologies appeared first on SIM Social Work Research Lab.

While COVID-19 has interrupted our physical presence in the SIM lab, it has remained a busy time for our team.

Research
Our lab director Kenta Asakura has embarked on a new online simulation study, Online Assessment of Pandemic-Triggered Stress: Towards Developing Assistive AI Technologies, alongside Amedeo D鈥橝ngiulli. Funded by 杏吧原创 University鈥檚 COVID-19 Rapid Response Research Grant, data is being collected from therapists鈥� assessment of simulated clients on Speedix鈥檚 mobile app and employing various AI algorithms to identify verbal and non-verbal stress signals. This data will be used to lay the groundwork for designing assistive AI technologies for online therapies.

Additionally, this spring our lab鈥檚 co-director Sarah Todd alongside Kenta Asakura and Pamela Grassau were awarded a SSHRC Insights Grant for their project Knowing and Not Knowing鈥擭avigating Uncertainty in Social Work Practice. The team will use simulation and reflective data to explore when and how students and practitioners negotiate uncertainty; as well as the similarities and differences in how practitioners with varying levels of experience engage uncertainty. See the full story here.

Accolades
Our lab鈥檚 director, Kenta Asakura is a 2020 Excellence Award Winner, receiving the Faculty of Public Affairs Teaching Fellowship award. See the fully story here.

Personnel
This summer the team welcomed our newest research associate Karen Sewell. Karen is a new assistant professor with 杏吧原创鈥檚 School of Social Work with an extensive background in simulation research. Find out more about Karen here.

The post Summer Updates appeared first on SIM Social Work Research Lab.

On March 4, 2020, Clay Drinko of published an article highlighting how tenets of theatrical improvisation can help social workers co-create meaning with clients.

There are significant intersections between social work and improvisation, a crucial one being the fact that engaging in an improvisational structure allows social workers to better meet their clients where they are at. This framework of collaboration through improvisation is rooted in deep listening and reserving judgement.

According to Drinko, “Though social workers follow shared theories and methods, improv helps them adjust to a given situation when they find themselves interacting on-the-spot with their clients.” Improvisation collectives and workshops have been engaging in training social workers and therapists in using elements of improvisation to deepen their professional practice.

Co-Director of the SIM Lab and Director of 杏吧原创 University’s School of Social Work Sarah Todd emphasises the connections between improvisation and social work with regards to social worker training. When adding elements of improvisation in social work student training, Todd found that social work students were better prepared to construct meaning with clients rather than seeking forms of prescriptive truths.

According to Todd, 鈥淲hen our worries about uncertainty become loud in our head, we have a tendency to limit our listening and our exploring and instead push for solutions. I think if we wait longer, explore more, and listen more we create increased opportunities for the people we are working with to come up with their own solutions and to work collaboratively with us to create solutions that are a better fit with their reality and, thus, more sustainable.鈥�

Through improvisation, social workers can collaboratively create meanings and better meet clients where they are at.

• Read the full Psychology Today article .
• Read more about the value of using of simulation in teaching social work practice here and here.

The post Improvisation, Collaboration and Social Work appeared first on SIM Social Work Research Lab.

This spring our lab director Kenta Asakura was elected to the Council for The Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW). The “is the regulatory body for social workers and social service workers in Ontario”. Kenta brings to this position a rich background as a practitioner, social work educator and researcher. He looks forward to representing social workers and social service workers across Ontario, while working to protect the public interest through advancing professional and accountable practice of evidence informed social work at all levels.

Congratulations Kenta!

Official 2019 election results can be found .

The post Lab Director, Kenta Asakura Elected to OCSWSSW Council appeared first on SIM Social Work Research Lab.

Save the Date! We are planning to launch the Sim Social Work Research Lab March 29th 2019, and will post information when it becomes available. If you would like to receive an email update for the event, please send Katherine a note at katherine.occhiuto@carleton.ca

The post Save the Date: Lab Launch! appeared first on SIM Social Work Research Lab.

The building of the lab is in full swing. While this may not look like much, this is substantial progress. We have walls, and featured here is the cutout for the one-way mirror. Exciting times are shortly ahead. Stay-tuned!

The post We Have Walls! appeared first on SIM Social Work Research Lab.

The SIM Social Work Research Team had a great time last week-end at the Council for Social Work Education鈥檚 Annual Program Meeting. Kenta made three presentations on simulation based research, while Sarah and Katherine made two presentations on supporting evidence-based innovations across youth centres.

We also had the opportunity to meet others engaged in simulation based research, and look forward to future collaborations. If we did not get the chance to meet you, we would love to hear about your work in simulations by emailing our Director, Dr. Kenta Asakura.

The post SIM Research Team at the Council for Social Work Education’s Annual Program Meeting appeared first on SIM Social Work Research Lab.