Distance learning through the use of interactive television (ITV) has been a part of Social Work education for more than two decades. Amidst abundant proof of the overall successes of ITV programs, there are limited accounts of the pedagogical experiences and challenges encountered by faculty who are called upon to teach distant learning courses. This session describes a pedagogy of ITV teaching experience derived through a teaching circle in a rural undergraduate program.

Dr. Kala Chakradhar is an assistant professor in the Department of Community Leadership and Human Services, Murray State University, Murray, KY. Her primary teaching areas include research, substance abuse, health care and mental health, gerontology and international social work. She has been actively involved with community coalitions in substance abuse and mental health and the recent chronic disease self-management initiative. She has also garnered extensive experience in distance education (ITV and online). She earned an MSW from the University of Madras, Chennai, India, an M. Phil in psychiatric social work from The National Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bangalore, India, and a Ph.D in Social Work from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India.

 

Llena Chavis LCSW is a Lecturer of Social Work in the Department of Community Leadership and Human Services at Murray State University in Murray Kentucky. Originally from Chicago IL, She completed her MSW at Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids MI. and is currently completing a PhD at Southern Illinois University In Carbondale.  Llena has worked primarily in mental health including both outpatient and inpatient work with both children and adults. Currently teaching practice based classes in ITV, Llena also teaches introductory classes, and has taught health care and policy courses in social work. On the side, Llena is a mother of three (expecting her fourth child) and maintains a small private practice in addition to teaching.