Addressing The Growing Concern of Cyberbullying in Schools

The usage of data and communication technology has not just carried points of interest to humankind. The rise and emergence of cyberbullying in schools has become a huge problem. Affecting all things considered, instructors and guardians, this kind of bullying is an expanding challenge for schools.

Initially, (Smit,2015) says that, bullying evokes visions of the customary schoolyard bully and the subordinate bullied individual. However , bullying is not only constrained to personal experience, having come to contain cyberbullying , which occurs in an indirect way over electronic media. Also, cyber platforms are increasing rapidly at an extremely rate, all drawing in the youth in immense numbers and representing the risk that they may end up subject to cyberbullying (Burton & Mutongwizo, 2009). Far from being constrained to the students experiencing cyberbullying , the effects of cyberbullying impact negatively to the learners collective, school atmosphere and the entire educational system.

Besides, Cyberbullying is a phenomenon that emerges in numerous arrangements and is used via a large number of ways (Marees, Nandoli & Peterman, 2012). Technology continues to increase quickly and is consequently evolving its ways of functioning in public. This carries new dimensions to teachers and instructors responsibilities. Also, with doors opening continuously, bringing more opportunities and simultaneously requiring everyone to re-examine the ethical usage of technology in schools.

In literature, what really establishes the act of cyberbullying is not always simple to explain. Generally, explanation of cyberbullying relies on the opinions of those that are characterising it. Willard (2003) defined cyberbullying as a language that is “defamatory, constitutes bullying, harassment, or discrimination, discloses personal information, or contains offensive, vulgar or derogatory comments”. For any cyberbullying policy to be set up and successfully improved by educational systems , individuals need to recognise and address issues identified with cyberbullying without separating the youth.

2. Social, emotional and behavioural issues with regards to cyberbullying are an elusive phenomenon, conniving and difficult to explain appropriately as times are evolving and so do the means by which hurt is inflicted upon other individuals. Therefore, this bullying behaviour is committed by the faint hearted and it’s more likely caused by a lack of self-esteem. To help solve the problem, individuals need to discover and treat the root ( Bennett-Johnson, 2008). One cannot plan to solve the issue by merely dealing with a matter only in the most superficial way. A research report combined on behalf of the Bureau of the Market Research University of South Africa shows that in recent years, cyberbullying in schools has increased to the point in which different newspaper reports about bullying related incidents are published every year.

However,, even though it is very crucial to understand what the different kinds of cyberbullying behaviours are, one needs to get a full comprehension of cyberbullying, also understand the bullies themselves and the cause of their actions. There are several reasons that learners may be part of these behaviours , which may be due to boredom, outrage, revenge and to arouse reactions from victims. The unknown idea of the internet makes it less complicated for people to cyberbully each other, particularly if they are socially outcasts themselves who have no courage to menace anyone in person. In different cases, a variety of people become part of cyberbullies due to the fact that they are trying to behave the same as the crowds they are engaging themselves with as they are trying to fit in (McCullum , 2019).

In addition, cyberbullying among learners in high school is a serious problem. A study by the University of S.A (UNISA) found that among students in grade eight to twelve , three-in 10 fall victims to this scourge. (Zulu, 2017) states that the South African youth is among the large number of consumers of social media, with many students accessing these social networks through their smartphones, ignoring the school policy which is against the usage of cell phones in the schoolyard. The study led by the Youth Research Unit of UNISA surveyed 3317 secondary school learners crosswise Gauteng found that four learners in 10 were aware of a peer exposed to cyberbullying.

Moreover, there is a critical necessity to dwell more on cyberbullying , as this has become a huge problem for most students. Numerous children who receive rude messages from their peers endure drops in their school grades, become miserable, have a low self-confidence and suffer from depression (Smit, 2015). A source from Web wise reveals that cyberbullying in addition can have sedated effects on the prosperity of a child and mostly these effects result to suicide and self-harm.

Nevertheless, the victims of cyberbullying tend to keep quiet and not inform any person about the bullying they undergo. Teachers need to talk about the safeness of online media platforms and bullying with learners regularly. Equipping learners with digital computerised skills can go far in hindering them from becoming cyberbullies (Rackdcn, 2015).

Nonetheless, in most cases cyberbullying tends to take place after classes, but however, the consequences penetrate the classrooms and hallways during the school hours. Thus, learners do not only encounter the tremendous levels of anxiety and stress, but also they cannot focus on school work (Emke, 2017). As a result, cyberbullying is instantly turning into a school issue that cannot be overlooked. This does not only affect the school atmosphere, but also learning is influenced.

In addition, numerous schools know about relatively events of cyberbullying and do consider cyberbullying to be a difficult trouble (Heidi, 2014). Most schools take it as their obligation to give information to learners about cyberbullying and assist in offering solutions to the ongoing occurrence of cyberbullying which involves learners, regardless of whether these incidents occur in the school grounds or outside of the schoolyard. Although many schools have organisations of concrete activities which concern cyberbullying , they are usually uncertain or ambiguous about how proper and adequate their actions are (Heidi, 2014). Evidence-based intervention programs that seemed to be speaking to learners’ lives were likely to be approved.

MESOSYSTEM THEORY (SCHOOL-COLLABORATION INTERVENTION)

The most crucial risk factors and protective factors in cyberbullying intervened the school and family of the learner. In order for cyberbullying to be dealt with effectively, there should be an establishment of connections in communities and the resources in communities need to be used in an appropriate manner (Violence , 2015).

• Take a full approach of both the entire school and development that will include promoting awareness of anti-cyberbullying interventions.
• Introduce educational content in the classroom which grant learners to understand cyberbullying and be able to establish social and emotional skills, both as a learner that is experiencing cyberbully and as an eyewitness.
• Implement assistance, reinforcement and reasonable professional development for the entire school on how best to strengthen comprehension, techniques and self-efficacy to dwell more on and put an end to cyberbullying behaviours.
• Establish systematic vision and assessment.
• Provide public awareness campaigns and form school assemblies, that essentially inform learners not to become cyberbullies. This decreases cyberbullying to an easy “NO” message that learners generally overlook.
• Using a language that learners do not react to. Learners normally characterise “cyberbullying” as a way of rejecting anything they do, however, the measures considered by parents as cyberbullying, they call “to start something” or merely “drama”.
• Explaining cyberbullying too closely, as an individual bullying a helpless person , when reality includes much more complicated relationships.

STRATEGIES AND PROGRAMS ADDRESSING THE CHALLENGE

Prevention of cyberbullying in schools is a full time job. In order to have change occur, there should be a transformation of the school culture (Li, 2010). However, this is not bewildering as it may sound. With continuous cyberbullying prevention programs , clear motive of a workplace and new set guidelines for how to deal with cyberbullying , parents and learners can be part of a peaceful culture.

• Implementation of classroom and school policy about cyberbullying that are shared to learners, parents and teachers.
• The illustration on notice boards and corridors that schools and classrooms are areas with non-occurrence of cyberbully and ensure learners treat each other with mutual respect.
• Establish strategies to perceive and honour positive social behaviour.
• Have a private chat with all involved in cyberbullying circumstances.
• Create intervention plans independently for cyberbullied children, those who engage as observers and those children who menace others. Other intervention plans are more likely to consist of steps to address incidents whereby a learner that has encountered cyberbullying also bullies others.
• Arrange class seating appropriately to develop positive role models and lessen access.
• Authorise occasionally class sessions and assemblies to remind learners of cyberbullying stoppage.
• Organise a meeting with parents of learners involved in cyberbullying circumstances and give out more information about cyberbullying and address the school’s bullying protocol.
• Implement policy for documenting events of cyberbullying and interventions.
• Assign all learners classroom partners and occasionally adjust chores or positions.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, cyberbullying is a major problem and it is similar to any kind of bullying , it can also result to lifelong effects on those who have experienced it. Especially with technology constantly becoming more and more part of our lifestyle. It is very necessary to recognise the effects of cyberbullying and to grasp precise steps to hinder it (Smit, 2015).

Moreover, learners, educators and parents are obliged to collaborate in order to put an end to cyberbullying and to better social media and be secure for all. Learners should be taught on what to engage in and where to seek assistance if they come across a cyberbully.

Lastly, parents ought to encourage schools to modernise the policy of the school to assist in the prevention of online cyberbullying circumstances. Collaboration between teachers, parents and learners can lessen the circumstances of cyberbullying and synthesise a more secure and satisfying online environment for all learners.

REFERENCE LIST

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5. Marees, Nandoli, Peterman Franz (2010). Bullying in German Primary Schools. School Psychology International- SCHOOL PSYCHOL INT. 31. 178-198-10.1177/0143034389352416
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