The doctoral dissertation in the field of Social Work will be examined at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies at Kuopio Campus and online.
What is the topic of your doctoral research? Why is it important to study the topic?
My doctoral research examines how digital competence can be developed in gerontological social work education to prepare future professionals to support older adults in an increasingly digital society. Digital technologies can help older adults access services, maintain social connections, manage their health, and participate in community life. However, they may also create barriers, including unequal access, limited digital skills, privacy risks, and further social exclusion. This topic is important because future gerontological social workers need more than technical skills. They must be able to use digital tools ethically, safely, and inclusively, while recognising and responding to the challenges older adults may face. Existing research offers limited evidence on how this competence can be systematically developed in social work education. My study addresses this gap by designing, implementing, and evaluating a digital competence training course for gerontological social work students
What are the key findings or observations of your doctoral research?
The key findings of my doctoral research can be summarized in three areas. First, digital competence education for gerontological social work students should cover all five competence areas of the DigComp 2.2 framework and connect them with real-life ageing and social work contexts. The Smart Eldercare course therefore included topics such as searching for and evaluating digital information, using digital tools for communication and collaboration, creating digital content, addressing safety and ethical issues, and solving technology-related problems. Second, the findings showed that effective digital competence education was not a fixed course design. The Smart Eldercare course was developed through repeated teaching, evaluation, and refinement. Its content, learning tasks, instructional guidance, and technical support were adapted according to students’ learning needs, real-time feedback, and cultural contexts. In addition, clear instructions, step-by-step guidance, and technical support were crucial to incorporate the digital tools effectively. Third, students reported improvements in their digital competence after participating in the Smart Eldercare course. These perceived improvements covered all five DigComp 2.2 areas: information and data literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation, safety, and problem solving. At the same time, students also identified areas in which they still needed further practice and support.
How can the results of your doctoral research be utilised in practice?
The findings can be used by social work educators and programme designers to integrate digital competence into gerontological social work education. First, the structure, modules, learning activities, and materials of the Smart Eldercare course can inform the development of similar courses. Educators may adapt the cases, digital tools, and tasks to different student needs and teaching contexts. Second, the study identifies key areas for digital competence education, including evaluating digital information, creating AI-supported content, understanding digital safety and ethics, and applying digital skills in ageing-related social work practice. Third, the findings demonstrate how experiential and learner-centred methods, such as technology-based tasks, ageing-related scenarios, and intergenerational activities, can connect digital competence with practice. They also highlight the need for clear guidance and technical support when using digital tools in teaching.
What are the key research methods and materials used in your doctoral research?
The study used action research as its overall research approach. This made it possible to design, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve the Smart Eldercare course across different teaching rounds. The doctoral research consisted of three sub-studies and combined qualitative and mixed-methods research. Data were collected from students who participated in the course, professional stakeholders working in gerontological social work, and experts involved in a Delphi inquiry. The research materials included student questionnaires, students’ reflections, interviews with professional stakeholders, the instructor’s teaching journal, and expert responses collected through the Delphi inquiry. Together, these materials provided insights into the content of digital competence education, the implementation and development of the course, and students’ perceived learning outcomes.
The doctoral dissertation of Li Yaru, MSW, entitled Enhancing Digital Competence in Gerontological Social Work Education: An Action Research of Course Development will be examined at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies. The opponent will be Professor Heli Valokivi, University of Jyväskylä, and the custos will be Professor Honglin Chen, University of Eastern Finland. Language of the public defence is English.
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For further information, please contact:
Li Yaru, yaruli(at)student.uef.fi
