Dennis R. Falk Home Page

This home page serves two purposes. First, it provides information about Dennis (Denny) Falk's interests and activities. Secondly, it provides links to internet resources for those with interests similar to Denny. This page is in the process of development, and comments and suggestions are most welcome.

Current Positions

Professor, Department of Social Work

Faculty Fellow for Strategic Planning, Chancellor's Office

Project Associate, Alworth Institute for International Studies

Background

Teaching

Denny teaches primarily graduate level courses in the Masters of Social Work Program at UMD. Within this program he currently teaches courses on research (SW 8101 Introduction to Research, SW 8102 Advanced Research, SW 8103 Project Seminar I, and SW 8104 Project Seminar II) and human behavior (SW 5101 Human Behavior in the Social Environment). He also helped develop the Plan B Masters Research handbook.

Denny also teaches some courses at the undergraduate level. Each spring semester he currently teaches a course or two on global issues from among the following: SW 1210 Global Issues; SW 1211 Freshman Seminar: Global Issues; and SW 1212 Global Issues Honors Seminar. During Spring Semester 2005 he taught SW 1210 Global Issues, SW 1619 Race, Class, and Gender in the United States, and IntS 1066 Introduction to Britain in the UMD Study in England Program at the University of Birmingham in Birmingham, England.

The following resources are related to Denny's teaching interests:

• Social Work Access Network
• Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors
• World Wide Web Resources for Social Workers
• Columbia University Social Work Library
• Council on Social Work Education

Research

Denny's current research interests center around global citizenship and program evaluation. Previously, he worked with Melanie Shepard on evaluating the Enhanced Domestic Abuse Abuse Intervention Program in Duluth from 1996-2000. This evaluation resulted in a major Project Report and several articles and presentations. Other recent evaluation activities included working with the Ely Community Resources Program and the Superior Babies Program of St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services. He previously served as a researcher/progam evaluator for St. Louis County Social Services, the Cook County Higher Education Project, and the adult foster care program in Carlton County.

Previous research interests included the effective use of technology in teaching and learning. Multimedia in Higher Education: New Tools for Interactive Teaching and Learning, a book he co-authored with Helen L. Carlson, was published in 1995 by Information Today, Inc. Denny has authored approximately a dozen articles on developing and using interactive videodiscs and multimedia. He has also made numerous presentations on educational technology at several conferences, including a number of presentations at the SALT Conferences in Orlando, Florida and Washington, D.C. Other previous research focused on group dynamics and interpersonal communication.

Service

Denny is involved in a variety of service activities, both within the University and in the community. His primary service activity within the Department of Social Work is serving as Director of Graduate Studies. Previously, he was the founding director of the UMD Center for Regional and Tribal Child Welfare Studies, which is a program focused on improving the knowledge and skills of social workers working with at risk children and their families. Denny also currently serves on the Graduate Policy Committee in the College of Education and Human Service Professions.

In the community, Denny has consulted and provided training and presentations for a number of human service and educational organizations, including St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services, Northeast Regional Corrections, and several local school districts. He served on the Boards for the Duluth Affiliate of Habitat for Humanity, First Witness Child Abuse Resource Center, and for United Campus Ministry. Denny is active in Pilgrim Church in Duluth, where he served as Moderator and on the Board of Christian Outreach and the Pilgrim Fund Distribution Committee.

Personal Interests

Denny's personal interests include spending time with his family, reading, engaging in a variety of sports, outdoor activities, and traveling.

The following resources are related to Denny's personal interests:

Links

The following links to Web-based resources are included because they have been helpful to Denny: