I feel that the assignment for this week is also my reflection. This week we learned about cyberbullying, what it is, who is affected, the consequences for victims and perpetrators and how to educate teens, teachers and parents. Education is the key to preventing cyberbullying. All parties must be informed of what it is and how it affects students. Adults do not realize that cyberbullying is 24/7, unlike when we were kids and we could go home at the end of the day to have a break from it. The anonymity of cyberbullying makes it easier for students to attack others online. Although possible through their IP address, it is not easy to identify perpetrators immediately.
In today’s teen society, cyberbullying is an issue that needs to be dealt with. “We define cyberbullying as, “...willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones and other electronic devices.” (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015) There are many types of cyberbullying: spreading rumors, flaming, posting pictures and videos, captions, commenting and messages, photoshopping, confession pages, information spreading, impersonation, tagging and untagging, cyberstalking, self-cyberbullying, and physical threats. However, the key word in the definition of bullying is “repeated”. The harm must be inflicted repeatedly to be classified as bullying. Teens are mainly affected by cyberbullying. “However, research has also consistently noted that adolescent girls tend to participate in more indirect , less visible forms bullying. It makes sense that most studies show that girls are just as likely, if not more likely, to be involved in cyberbullying, both as a target and as a perpetrator.” (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015) In several ways, cyberbullying is much easier than traditional bullying. Mainly due to anonymity. The fact that teens believe that no one will find out it is them being the bully gives them a sense of authority over their victims. What these bullies do not understand is that they have an IP address that leaves a footprint on whatever they do online. Teens also do not realize the impact cyberbullying has on their victims. This is why it is so important to teach appropriate digital citizenship at an early age. Students need to learn that their posts have consequences and sometimes grave ones. According to Hinduja & Patchin one of the first steps in preventing cyberbullying is education. Teachers, students and parents need to be educated on what cyberbullying is and how to recognize and prevent it. One way to educate is to hold staff meetings discussing cyberbullying, completing an assessment of students to find out if there is cyberbullying in your school. Using relatable stories is a good way to educate students about cyberbullying. “Stories should be shared with students to constantly remind them about the reality of fallout from unwise electronic communication.” (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015) We also need to teach students to think before they post. Students need to understand the impact their words have and that they need to assess whether or not their posts are going to be hurtful. We need to teach our students how to show empathy and compassion. “Students should be exposed to cyberbullying prevention programming through signage at school, assemblies with compelling and vetted speakers, the dissemination of interactive materials, and with creative strategies to combat hate among peers and promote a healthy and respectful school climate.” (Hinduja & Patchin, 2015) References Hinduja, S., Patchin, J. W. (2015). Bullying beyond the schoolyard preventing and responding to cyberbullying. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin.
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AuthorSecond Grade teacher and lifelong learner. Graduate student at Lamar University. Archives
April 2019
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