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This study explores the impact of information and communications technology (ICT) use on rural child welfare practice using a technology‐in‐practice framework to derive the social structures that are instantiated by rural child welfare workers (CWWs) and to examine their agency as actors. ICT use was tracked, and interviews were conducted with rural CWWs who work with children and families to gain an understanding of and describe their day‐to‐day ICT use at the practice level. Findings demonstrate that CWWs enact social structures along four frames: bureaucratic structure, family centricity, ICT context and information–documentation culture. In terms of agency, CWWs not only are constrained by but also exert some influence on the social structures they enact through facilities (material resources), norms and interpretive schemes. These findings have implications for how ICT can be used to facilitate the CWW–client relationship and the need in rural areas for increased infrastructure to support CWWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main goals of this article are to promote the use of the experience sampling method (ESM) in library and information science education and research, by describing its origin in flow theory and demonstrating its use in a study of information and communication technology (ICT) use (i.e., electronic record-keeping systems, email, text messaging, social media, online meeting tools, apps) among rural child welfare workers. This article reviews the methodological considerations of ESM and demonstrates, step by step, how to structure such a study and approach data analysis. Findings, conclusions, and implications of the rural child welfare worker study are also reviewed. This paper will be of use in courses on theory, research, information behavior, information practices, technology adoption and use, and the assessment of information programs and services. It can be used to further orient students to theory, to help them make the connection between theory and method, and to promote critical thinking about research findings and conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Child welfare workers primarily use email, text, and phone for communication. • Perceived comfort with a technology predicts use in the field. • Experience sampling method is useful for quantifying subjective experience. • Child welfare workers find the technology they use comfortable and useful. • Discomfort was most common talking with caregivers over the phone. This study explores information and communication technology (ICT) use among rural child welfare workers. The experience sampling method (ESM) was used to collect data at five random times a day for one week from ten welfare workers. Workers reported using email, text messaging, or phone almost exclusively in their day-to-day work lives. This study demonstrates the usefulness of ESM in capturing the nuances of technology use in the day-to-day work lives of child welfare workers. Results highlight the need for agencies to explore the use of new types of ICT that may improve efficiency and expand opportunities for client contact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]