Module 3: Cybebullying

This wide-ranging module includes videos with anti-bullying ambassadors sharing experiences and advice on how to approach the issue of cyberbullying. Learn about how the internet has changed different forms of bullying, and how you can take a stand against it.

In this module, you will:

• Hear from anti-bullying ambassadors and online safety experts. 
• Learn more about the European Network Against Bullying in Learning and Leisure Environments (ENABLE)
• Understand how to develop social and emotional learning skills. 
• Discover how to set up an effective peer support scheme. 
• Discuss with others your own role. 
• Think about your own well-being and that of others online.

3.1 Different types of (cyber-) bullying

Anti-Bullying Ambassador of the Diana Awards Alex Holmes defines the term cyberbullying and addresses most common questions, such as:

• What should you do if you suspect your pupil/child is cyberbullying someone?
• What can you do as a teacher and/or parents if your child is being bullied?

(Cyber-) bullying is any behavior that repeatedly makes someone feel upset, uncomfortable and/or unsafe. This is usually deliberate, and can take forms such as verbal, indirect and physical. 

Cyberbullying is the intent to offend, threaten, block or harass others by using technical devices such as the internet and mobile phones. The perpetrator - also called "bully" - is seeking a victim who cannot defend himself against the attacks. Therefore, there is an imbalance between the offender and the victim, which is exploited by the perpetrator, while the victim is socially isolated. Cyberbullying takes place on the Internet (e.g. in social networks, video portals, etc.) and via smartphones (e.g. by instant messaging applications like WhatsApp). Often, the bully is anonymous, so the victim does not know from whom exactly the attacks are coming. Cyberbullying among children and adolescents, however, is often associated with the personal “offline” environment, such as the school, the residential district, the village or the ethnic community. Hence, the victims are therefore usually suspicious about who is behind the threats.

Moreover, cyberbullying is often accompanied by bullying in the offline world – in some cases bullying starts online and continues offline in school, or vice versa. Therefore, in most cases, bullying and cyberbullying cannot be seen as separate issues.

ACTIVITY

Padlet "What we think about (cyber-) bullying"

My post on Forum: Cyberbulling at my school [24/04/17]

I often hear about cyberbullying because kids written to each other unfriendly comments or phone messages, press the unlike  button on facebook account. In my school  for several years is implemented Olweus Bullying Prevention Program and it is actively help to stop bullying among children. With my students we are discussing about the damage bullying, watching movies, children are playing situations and discuss them. It is actually work.
http://www.olweusinternational.no/home/bullying/

Karl wrote an amazing feedback about my post. Thanks!
Thanks a lot for sharing this Jolanta. It's good to hear that it is working effectively in your school. I think it's really important that we have preventative work going on in schools and that we don't simply wait until something happens before reacting.
There are some excellent materials out there - not sure if you've seen this guide for schools -http://www.childnet.com/resources/cyberbullying-guidance-for-schools
Hope you're finding the mooc useful and thanks again for sharing!
Kind regards Karl

More resourses:

https://www.helpguide.org/articles/abuse/cyberbullying.htm 

https://nobullying.com/what-is-the-olweus-bullying-prevention-program/

3.2 How does the internet change bullying?

Cyberbullying differs in some important aspects from bullying offline:

• Intervention into private life around the clock: Cyberbullying does not end after school or work. Because cyberbullies can access the internet around the clock (24/7), the threat continues remotely, when victims are at home or away from the school environment. 

• The audience is immeasurably large and content is spreading extremely fast: Posts, which are sent electronically, are difficult to control - as soon as they are online. Therefore, the reach of cyberbullying is greater than that of offline bullying. For example, content, which may have been forgotten for a long time, can often be retrieved or discovered at a later date and therefore, will make it more difficult for victims to get over it.

• Bullies can act anonymously: Not knowing who the perpetrators are can be scary and unsettle victims, because they do not know who exactly is bothering them. As perpetrators can potentially hide their identity, this can often give them a false sense of security (they think they will never be caught) and sometimes lead to them being more and more unpleasant to their victim. 

• Victimisation of the victim is not directly perceived: The responses of the victim to a hurtful statement, a disrespectful image, etc., are usually not visible to the offender online. In this way, perpetrators are often not fully aware of the extent of their actions and can often lack any empathy.

Different forms of bullying:

In addition, have a look at further resources below and find more information and advice on how to tackle this issue:
Cyber-Bullying First Aid App
The #Up2Us Anti-Bullying Kit
Cyberbullying Guidance by Childnet

Furthermore, have a look at the video below. ‘Let’s fight together’ is an award winning film resources for 11-15 year olds created by Childnet, it helps to sensitise people to the hurt and pain that can be caused by cyberbullying. The film shows ways in which cyberbullying can occur, who it involves, how it can affect different people, and what can be done to prevent it and respond to it.

ACTIVITY. Voiting

How do you address issues related to cyberbullying at your school?

1. We have developed a whole-school anti-bullying policy, which everyone is aware of.
2. We have a designated staff member responsible for overseeing all bullying issues, but are still developing our policy in this area.
3. We have just started to develop our policy in this area, and are engaged in various conversations with staff, parents and pupils in this regards.
4. We don’t have a formal policy yet, but just deal with issues on a case-by-case-basis.

Go to www.menti.com, vote and see the results below! (Code: 52 97 32)

3.4 How to set up an effective peer-support scheme?

How prevalent is bullying in schools? What makes an effective anti-bullying programme? What is the evidence for social and emotional learning? To answer these questions and provide an overview of the wealth of work in this area, ENABLE partners have produced a report highlighting key studies, accompanied by a series of data sheets. Download summary report here.

Moreover, in the following video, learn from Ellie Cooper of the Diana Awards about how to set up an effective peer support scheme in your settings.

ACTIVITY

When talking about cyberbullying with your students some aspects might appear more challenging than others. Look at the list below and think about which of the item(s) on the list is the most challenging for you and why? Share your answer in the Padlet below. 

1. Worry about my students asking me something I don’t know about. 

2. Encourage my students from speaking their minds when the topic is quite sensitive. 

3. Switch from lecturing to discussing with my students. 

4. Finding the right resources and ideas for activities to start the discussion with my students. 

My answer is:

Bullying children often hide and do not want to talk about it publicly. During the meeting it is difficult to encourage my students to speak your mind when the subject is quite sensitive to. Sometimes we'd acted sketches in which children reveal their feelings.

Padlet with Peer Support

3.5 My well-being and yours online

Bullying will not go away if we do nothing!

In order to stand up against cyberbullying the Irish Safer Internet Centre (Webwise) launched the awareness raising initiative ‘Watch Your Space’, targeting teenagers. It is devoted to promoting safe, effective use of the internet among young people through awareness raising resources and campaigns.

Watch the following campaign video called ‘The Promise’ and take a stand against bullying:

https://youtu.be/Etobm4hnwcQ

Moreover, in order to mark Safer Internet Day 2017, the Web We Want and ENABLE projects have joined forces against bullying and launched a new resource for children and young people: "My well-being and yours: Respect begins with me!". 

This new resource is a compilation of exercises, within twelve pages, children and young people are able to carry out a variety of self-assessments as well as engage in interactive group work with their classmates and friends. Teachers will also be able to integrate the suggested exercises into their daily curriculum.

"Internetas kokio norime" (lietuvių k.)

Have a look at the booklet here below:

ACTIVITY

 Opinion 1. 

Did your students like the exercise? Were they responsive? What feedback did they give? • How about you? Was it easy to introduce the exercise? Was the outcome helpful for you?

I liked this exercise, and I want tested it with my students.

Opinion 2. 
If you can’t do this activity with your students, do it yourself! Fill in the questionnaire and share your outcome and feedback with us on the Padlet below.