Exploring virtual pathways of immersive experiences in social work through extended reality technology

Ethical, practical, privacy, confidentiality and professional concerns have impeded the broader use of technology in social work practice. The de-humanizing effects associated with technology also raise concern due to the human connections that the profession values. Arguably, these issues have contributed to the narrow focus on technology use in social work curricula and social work education. Since the lived experiences of service users that social work seeks to empower are unfolding within a growing digitized society, efforts to bridge these dilemmas, which include retaining human connections in digital interactions are crucial. Using a scoping review literature search strategy, this article explores existing literature on the use of technology such as XR to create virtual pathways of experiences in social work and how these immersive and interactive tools are discussed from an intersectionality lens in social work. It calls attention to the potential value-added components of immersive experiences and the role of social work education in moving the profession beyond current reservations about broader use of technology such as XR. In conclusion, the article emphasizes the need for social work to integrate technology courses in its curriculum and adopt an involved-stakeholder approach to better compete in a rapidly growing digitized society.