Jennifer Parga
Associate Teaching Professor, Practicum Education
Emerging expert on identifying, integrating and harnessing technology opportunities to prepare students to improve their local communities.
Jennifer Parga
Associate Teaching Professor, Practicum Education
Emerging expert on identifying, integrating and harnessing technology opportunities to prepare students to improve their local communities.
Biography
Jennifer Parga transitioned from managing college access programs and community organizing in San Diego to full-time USC employee in 2012. She shifted to practicum faculty in 2015. In addition to teaching, from 2016-2018 she served as a course lead for all practicum liaisons assisting students nationwide. Since 2019, Professor Parga has led practicum and seminar course conversions, while supporting course instructors. Currently, she collaboratively manages virtual practicum, an evidence-based training opportunity where students can implement newly learned skills on a simulated client and receive feedback in real time.
As faculty member in the Virtual Academic Center, and based in San Diego, Professor Parga is acutely aware of the unique needs and opportunities which exist in creating virtual communities and integrating technology in social work education and social work practice. As current leadership on the Grand Challenge for Social Work: Harness Technology for Social Good, she hopes to identify and create pathways for MSW students to learn more about the benefits and ethical uses of technology in social work.
Most recently, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work was awarded $4.8 million as a apart of a California Health and Human Services Agency call for proposals through their Community-Based Organization Behavioral Health Workforce Grant Program. As a result, Professor Parga is a co-PI for the Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) Substance Use Disorder Earn and Learn grant-funded program.
Finally, Professor Parga provides strategic support and consultation to:
Trauma Informed LA whose mission is 'to foster resilient communities that promote healing and well-being through collaboration, education, and community engagement.
Teens4TeensHelp whose purpose is 'to empower teens who are suffering from emotional and mental health issues to choose their own recovery'. They do this by capturing teens stories of recovery through visual media and collaborating with schools to integrate Mental Health ToolKits into their Wellness Centers.
Journey Foundation for Caregivers whose aim is to support caregivers to navigate and thrive while caring for their chronically or terminally ill loved ones by responding to the unique needs of caregivers through home-based services, goods or respite.
Education
San Diego State University
MSW 2007
San Diego State University
BSW 2004
Area of Expertise
- Distance Education and Technology
- Data and Technology for Social Good
- Technology Integration in Education
- Non-Profit Administration & Management
- Board Development
- Community Organizing & Development
- Yoga and Meditation Intervention
- Change Management & Strategic Planning
Industry Experience
- Information Technology and Services
- Training and Development
- Program Development
- Education/Learning
- Health and Wellness
- Social Services
- Information Services
- Social Media
Grand Challenges
Great explanation on website: (copy and paste) http://grandchallengesforsocialwork.org/grand-challenges-initiative/12-challenges/harness-technology-for-social-good/ My particular interests is in catching the profession of social work up with the integration of technology to better serve our clients and communities. I also think it is important as faculty to educate future social workers about the impact of technology in the clinical and macro settings.
Affiliations
- National Association of Social Workers
- Online Learning Consortium
- Council on Social Work Education
Accomplishments
Grant Recipient
Diversity and Inclusion Through Testimony Grants– USC Shoah Foundation; Institute for Visual History and Education and USC Center for Excellence in Teaching
Articles & Publications
Parga, J. A., Bargar, K., Monte, S., Supranovich, R. A., & Brown, D. E. Behond the online versus on-campus debate: Leveraging technology in a col framework to enhance student and faculty presence in the MSW classroom. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 39 (4-5), 308-322.
George, S., Schwartz, S., Parga, J. The Evolution of Building Community Among Faculty on Virtual and Ground Campuses. Professional Development: The International Journal of Continuing Social Work Education.
Doyle, K., Parga, J., Wobbe-Veit, L. (R. Paul Maiden (Ed.). Cultivating Relationships with Agency Field Instructors: Collaboration in Online Education. The Transformation of Social Work Education Through Virtual Learning (265-282). Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
Supranovich, R., Cislowski, R., Parga, J. (2018) Spiraling Organizational Change: A Campus Conversion to Online Programing. The Field Educator.
Research Focus
Collaboration between Our Lady of the Lake University, Arizona State University, five remote faculty/administrators are interviewing others with IRB approval on their experience to becoming a remote faculty. One group are folks who chose to have remote positions and another group (post COVID) on how their remote transition has been.
Partnerships
As an all-volunteer grassroots organization since 2014 TILAs mission is to foster resilient communities that promote healing and well-being through collaboration, education, and community engagement. Their vision is a trauma-informed Los Angeles. I work with TILA specifically on strategic planning, facilitate working retreats, implementing participatory decision making practices, and really just supporting their steering committee in any way that I can because they are amazing human beings!
view moreCourses
This is our famous VFP (Virtual Field Practicum). A client simulation course where your receive instant feedback on your intervention implementation. Not only is the course structured to teach you evidence based interventions like Motivational Interviewing and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy but you are practicing in real time from the convenience of your own home. This is truly one of my favorite courses to teach and it is amazing to see both folks who are brand new to social work and seasoned to have life changing moments in class!
view moreCYF (Children Youth and Family) students will enhance core practice skills underlying social work services to children, youth, and families within a complex system. AMHW (Adult Mental Health and Wellness) students will enhance core practice skills underlying social work services within health, mental health, and integrated care settings with the adult population. SCI (Social Change and Innovation) students will enhance core practice skills underlying social work services to organizations, and business and community settings. Students will engage in critical thinking, focused dialogue, exploration of theory, examination of practice, and policy analysis utilizing department specific field experiences. In addition, this course will provide a forum for learning and building practice skills through interaction, self-reflection, role-play, case discussion, and other experiential exercises designed to encourage students’ creativity. Students will also have the opportunity to engage in activities that enhance professional communication. Therefore, collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and creativity will be the primary skills to be developed.
view moreThese courses serve as placeholders for your community based internship. My role in this course is to serve as your Field Liaison aka making sure you complete all your field assignments, are receiving the defined learning opportunities at your agency, track your hours, and support you and the agency during your placement.
view moreAvailability
- Moderator
- Panelist
- Workshop
- Host/MC
Testimonials
Grateful to have a great role model in you who shows compassion towards the students
Professor Parga is an excellent professor who allows students to debrief and talk about their experiences and is there for the students. She is always available and ensures that students get the best experience even as virtual students. She has made my experience at USC so much better. Thank you to professor Parga!!