Unit 1: What is Cyberbullying?
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What is Cyberbullying?
The big question here is what is Cyberbullying?
Unfortunately, the growth of the Internet has rise to endless new ways to threaten, harass, abuse, insult, and bully others through “cyberbullying,” defined as “the willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices.” High-tech bullying, which ranges from barrages of teasing texts to sexually harassing group Websites, is a growing issue. While cyberbullying may occur separate from real-life interaction between bully and victim, it often only extends and exacerbates harassment that occurs on playgrounds and in school hallways. Cyberbullying allows perpetrators to threaten victims both face to face and electronically. (“When I see you at school tomorrow, my friends and I am going to beat you up.”) Even if Cyberbullying does not produce acting-out behavior that results in bruises and lacerations, it is just as harmful to the psyche of the victim as traditional types of bullying" it still creates fear and emotional distress.
Learning Objective
· Participants will watch a Youtube video for information about Cyberbullying
· Participants will take a Cyberbullying quiz which will activate their prior knowledge
· Participants will read informational packets on Cyberbullying for increased information
· Participants will actively collaborate with peers on an interactive discussion page
· Participants will learn about The Dignity For All Students Act (DASA)
Unit Overview and Expectations
In this unit participants will learn about Cyberbullying and the harmful effects it leaves on people. Participants will watch informative videos for understanding the high number of people who are being harassed each day. The lesson will continue with detailed information from the Dignity For All Students Act (DASA) website. All teachers are now required to complete a 6 hour DASA training workshop before they are able to become certified. Participants will become knowledgeable about the laws that are implemented for people who are being bullied.
Participants will be expected to collaborate with their peers about their results from the interactive quiz. They will also be able to use the information learned from the DASA website to help with organizing and developing their Cyberbullying skit that they will videotape.
Learning Activities
Lesson 1: Engaging the participants about Cyberbullying:
Participants will be asked the following questions:
- What is Cyberbullying?
- Do you know the laws about Cyberbullying?
- What would you do if you knew that someone was being Cyberbullied?
The lesson will begin with a Youtube Cyberbullying video which will be provided as a visual for participants. This video will make the viewer feel the true feelings of people being Cyberbullied. They will truly understand how devastating and hurtful it is to have a constant empty feeling over you. Often people feel so much hurt and pain that they feel like their only way out is to hurt themselves or some even commit suicide. This is an ongoing problem that educators must be aware of. They must also make it their responsibility to become educated on the facts and know what to do in case they know of anyone being bullied. Click here to access the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_FFgMtyOI0
After viewing the video the participants will take an interactive online quiz to see what they know about Cyberbullying. Please click here to access the link to the quiz: "http://cyberbullying.us/quiz-research/"
Once the quiz is completed the participants will be guided to the discussion page where they can collaborate with their peers and engage in the following questions:
- What did you learn from taking the online quiz?
- Do you feel that technology makes it easy for students to bully other students?
- List 2 things you have learned from taking the online quiz
Click here to access the Discussion Page
Lesson 2: Informational Reading and learning about the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA):
Participants will be given an informational reading on Cyberbullying. These readings will provide further knowledge and provide information which can be discussed in groups as well as written journals. The readings can be found at: "http://www.andrews.edu/library/car/cardigital/Periodicals/Journal_of_Adventist_Education/2010/jae201073023705.pdf"
In addition to the readings, one of the most important resources for information on Cyberbullying is the DASA website. You can access the the website by clicking the link http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/
The participants will spend alot of time looking through the Dignity for all Students Act (DASA) website. They will gain knowledge about the laws of Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a crime and if anyone engages in it they will be punished by law. As per the New York State law all educators must attend the six hour DASA workshop. It is a teachers duty to report any Cyberbullying behaviors or instances that they are aware of. After careful review of the DASA website participants will join another discussion group where they will disscuss what are some instances that should be reported. These discussions are great for collaboration and group learning. The question that will be discussed is:
- List 2 things you have learned from the DASA website?
- What are some things that are reported under the DASA law?
Click here to access the DASA Law Discussion
The assessment will be the responses to the discussions as well as an understanding of what Cyberbullying, what the law is and what is reportable.
Links
Continue to: Unit 2: Cyberbullying Scenario and video tape skit. Continue to: Unit 3: Create a Weebly website to upload video skit.
Unit References
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_FFgMtyOI0
Hinduja, Sameer. (December 23, 2014) Cyberbullying Quiz - What the Research Says
retrieved from "http://cyberbullying.us/quiz-research/"
Taylor, M., Susan. (December 2010/January 2011) Cyberbullying., p. 37-41 retrieved from "http://www.andrews.edu/library/car/cardigital/Periodicals/Journal_of_Adventist_Education/2010/jae201073023705.pdf"