Artificial Intelligence in Academic Education: An Opportunity for Social Work?

Social work education is grounded in knowledge, skills, and values, emphasizing evidence-based learning, the development of practical competencies, and a commitment to ethical principles and human rights. This study used a qualitative research design to examine the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in social work education, focusing on its impact on knowledge, skills, and values. Interviews were conducted with 78 academics from social work departments at universities across Turkey. The findings highlight AI's potential to enhance teaching methods by offering personalized learning experiences, providing content tailored to students' individual learning paces, and delivering automated feedback mechanisms. Additionally, AI-powered educational platforms, through simulations and virtual reality applications, can support skill development by allowing students to practice and solve problems in environments that closely mimic real-world scenarios. However, concerns were raised regarding AI's impact on research ethics and cultural competence, given the human-centered nature of social work. While AI offers innovative opportunities, its integration must be carefully managed to preserve ethical standards and professional values. This highlights the need for careful consideration of how AI can be integrated into social work education while preserving and enhancing knowledge, skills, and values in a holistic manner. Future research should explore the broader implementation of AI in social work education, with a focus on developing strategies to safeguard ethical standards, cultural competence, and professional values.