CYBERBULLYING

Josie FraserEducational Technologist

Approaching Cyberbullying

Consultation methodology: Safe to Learn: embedding anti-bullying work in school

• Understanding how technology has changed

• Securing online safety through awareness and education

• Producing practical and accessible advice

Understanding Cyberbullying

What is Cyberbullying & how common is it?

“the use of information communications technology (ICT), particularly mobile phones and the internet, deliberately to upset someone else”

Introducing the Technology

• Mobile Phones

• IM and VoIP

• Chatrooms and message boards

• Email

• Webcams

• Social Networking sites

• Video-hosting sites

• Gaming sites, consoles and virtual worlds

Forms that Cyberbullying can take

• Threats and intimidation

• Harassment or stalking

• Vilification/defamation

• Ostracising/peer rejection/exclusion

• Identity theft, unauthorised access and impersonation

• Publicly posting, sending or forwarding personal or private information or images

• Manipulation - Tech Abuse in Teen Relationships

How is Cyberbullying Different?

• 24/7 and invasion of personal space

• Audience

• Anonymity

• Profile of bully and target

• Evidence

Preventing Cyberbullying

Taking a whole-school community approach:

• Understanding and talking about cyberbullying

• Updating Existing Policies and Practices

• Making reporting cyberbullying easier

• Promoting the positive use of technology

• Evaluating the impact of prevention activities

A whole-school community approach

• Shared understanding & definition

• Cyberbullying can affect everyone

• Coordinating responsibility

Understanding & talking about cyberbullying

• Promoting awareness, keeping bullying a live issue

• Publicising sanctions

• Providing information about out of school support

Updating existing policies and practices

• New technologies, new practices - for example video hosting sites - asking students!

• Logging incidents

• Acceptable use policies

Make reporting easier

• Review and publicise existing routes

• Explore new routes

• Signpost external routes

Promote the positive use of technology

• Importance of teachers awareness of good examples & can act as good role models

• - Or even better, can support their students in modeling good practice!

Evaluating the impact

• Surveying, student & parent satisfaction

• Celebrate success & innovation

Responding to Cyberbullying

• Cyberbullying is a form of bullying

• Support for the person being bullied

• Investigation

• Working with the bully and applying sanctions

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying

• Cyberbullying is about behavior and harm - primarily a disciplinary and pastoral issue

• Drawing on existing anti-bullying and behavioral policies

• Awareness of differences

Support for the person being bullied

• Emotional & cultural support

• Online empowerment

• Containing the incident

Investigation

• Preserve evidence

• Identifying the bully

Working with the bully and sanctions

• Appropriate and proportionate sanctions

• Unintentional cyberbullying

• Cyberbullying as retaliation

Resources

• The guidance

• Overview document

• Online campaign

• Cyberbullying film and teacher support materials

• Digizen

Digizen

Thank you!

Josie Fraser

josie@josiefraser.com