Use Wix.Com to Build Your Research-Practice Integration Platform

Recent literature has suggested that technology-based interventions are being used in social-work education and research settings for enhancing applied learning and self-development (Dubus, 2014; Ramsey & Montgomery, 2014). Within a collaborative and innovative environment,social workers are motivated to work in a creative environment, and researchers are encouraged to use a technology platform to examine how to maximize learning and participation in scientific enquiries (Craig et al., 2014; Davis & Goodman, 2014). In this workshop, we will address technological challenges and suggest the use of wix.com, a free and upgradable software, to create research-practice integration platforms through which internet technologies are convenient means to illustrate practice methods, guide practice applications, and collect data to test the efficacy of these methods and applications in an efficient manner.

First, we will demonstrate a wix.com-designed platform, “Social Work Self-Care Center,” created and pilot-tested by the authors (n=45; pre/post mean difference +1.54, p=.029).  The goal of this center is to bridge practice and research, provide data for ongoing self-care research, and communicate nationally and internationally with social work educators, mental health professionals, and clients about the use of self-care techniques in practice and personal care. The flexibility of the wix.com format allows public participation without constraints on time or location, resulting in a large group of users who can participate and provide data for the evaluation of their self-care practice. With a few easy clicks, the center provides visual aids (video demonstrations and printable handouts) and self-paced learning modalities (with 15 self-care method choices) that aim to encourage participants to practice self-selected self-care techniques such as laughing yoga, towel exercises, hand/toe exercises, use of labyrinth, etc.

Second, we will engage the audience in experiencing a hands-on journey through the use of this “Self-Care Center.” This experience aims to integrate practice and research within a web-based environment. At the end of this short demonstration, the audience will be encouraged to fill out a practice evaluation through the link posted in the web-based center. The goal is to show how to integrate research-based innovations into a practice center.

Third, we will demonstrate the step-by-step process of setting up a wix.com account and tailor-making your own website through the following steps: 1) Set up a free account on wix.com; 2) Determine your website’s main theme and design style; 3) Post words and upload pictures and files to your website; 4) Upload videos to YouTube and link them to your website; 5) Link an online survey to your website for research data collection; 6) Add a contact page with contact information for communication purposes; 7) Publish your website for wide dissemination. You may also keep it “private” until ready.

The ultimate goal of this workshop is to stimulate creative ideas for utilizing wix.com not only to build research-practice platforms, but also to establish teaching-research profiles and practice corners. An example of a teaching-research profile for an individual educator will show its usefulness. The audience is encouraged to attend with an internet-connected device to follow the wix.com setup procedures.