Digital Communication
This Webpage focuses on digital communication, more specifically cyber bullying. The Webpage gives an overview of what digital communication is, cyber bullying on social networking sites, what is cyber bullying, how cyber bullying can be prevented or stopped, a lesson for teachers, and Acceptable Use Policies.
What is Digital Communication?
Digital communication can be defined as the electronic exchange of information. It can be in the form of cell phones, social networking, instant messaging, emailing, blogging, video conferencing, wikis, and much more. All these are fast and easy ways to communicate that have many benefits. There is though risk of cyber bullying, sexting, electronic cheating, etc. Cyber bullying on social networking Websites such as Facebook and Twitter will be the main focus of this Webpage.
Cyber Bullying on Social Networks
In today’s digital age, social networking is the way of life. Millions of people spend hours each day on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter. These Websites are especially popular with high school students. They are constantly updating their status, writing on walls, instagramming, and tweeting; spending hours a day on them. They are doing this wanting the world and their friends to see what they are thinking or doing. In fact, many students perceive it as if their life or popularity depends on it, without it they think they are nothing; that they couldn’t live.
With such a high dependency and popularity, social networking does have benefits but it also has risks. These risks can be very threatening for a high school student. In today’s digital age, cyber bullying is becoming more and more common. School ends at 3 p.m. but the Internet is available all the time. In fact, nearly 42% of kids have been bullied online and almost one in four have had it happen more than once ("11 facts about," 2012). These numbers are unacceptable. Students need to learn how to identify cyber bullying, how to prevent it, and how to properly use social networks.
With such a high dependency and popularity, social networking does have benefits but it also has risks. These risks can be very threatening for a high school student. In today’s digital age, cyber bullying is becoming more and more common. School ends at 3 p.m. but the Internet is available all the time. In fact, nearly 42% of kids have been bullied online and almost one in four have had it happen more than once ("11 facts about," 2012). These numbers are unacceptable. Students need to learn how to identify cyber bullying, how to prevent it, and how to properly use social networks.
What is Cyber Bullying?
Cyber bullying refers to bullying through digital communications such as social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. Cyber bullying is becoming more and more common, out growing the typical bully. Like mentioned before, almost no one can escape from the Internet. Nearly all of us can be contacted 24/7 via the internet or our mobile phones. According to Chris Webster, "Home is no longer a refuge from the bullies. Children can escape threats and abuse in the classroom, only to find text messages and emails from the same tormentors when they arrive home.” Below is a list of resources providing more in depth information on the harmful effects of cyber bullying.
This video provides students with facts about cyber bullying and its harmful effects.
This video was made by a student showing how fast cyber bullying can occur and its harmful effects it can have on an individual.
This video was created by a group of students showing how cyber bullying can spread via Facebook and Twitter.
Additional Links to Resources
11 Facts About Cyber Bullying - This Website offers facts about Cyber Bullying.
Cyber Bullying Facts - This Website provides both facts about cyber bullying and warning signs of being bullied.
Cyber Bullying Facts - This Website provides both facts about cyber bullying and warning signs of being bullied.
How Can Cyber Bullying Be Prevented or Stopped?
Like any other type of bullying, cyber bullying can be prevented or stopped. To do this, students must first learn the proper way to digitally communicate with others through technology such as social networks. Schools must also spend the time and resources available to educate the students on becoming responsible digital citizens. Below is a list of resources providing ways to prevent or stop cyber bullying.
This video provides information on how to prevent cyber bullying and how to stop it once it occurs.
This is a horrific story told from a dad who lost his son because of cyber bullying.
This video educates students and parents about how to identify and stop cyber bullying among teens and children.
Additional Links to Resources
Stop Cyber Bullying - This Website gives information on how to prevent and stop cyber bullying.
Students Take On Cyber Bullying - This Website provides viewers with a video of students discussing why cyber bullying occurs and how to prevent it. These are real life stories from students just like those who attend St. Georges.
National Crime Prevention Website - This Website provides information for students on how teens are cyber bullies, how they react, how to prevent it, and other ways to stay safe online. It also provides audio files from McGruff speaking about cyber bullying.
Students Take On Cyber Bullying - This Website provides viewers with a video of students discussing why cyber bullying occurs and how to prevent it. These are real life stories from students just like those who attend St. Georges.
National Crime Prevention Website - This Website provides information for students on how teens are cyber bullies, how they react, how to prevent it, and other ways to stay safe online. It also provides audio files from McGruff speaking about cyber bullying.
A Lesson for the Teachers
In today's schools, millions of students are using social networks each day as way of communication. These social networks include Websites such as Facebook and Twitter. There are many benefits to both of these but there are also many risks that students need to become familiar with. This Internet safety lesson teaches students about the harmful effects of social networking. More specifically, about how cyber bullying can occur on social networking Websites such as Facebook or Twitter. To introduce cyber bullying, students will first complete a You Think You Know about facts and stories of cyber bullying. Students will collaborate to check their solutions using multiple Websites and videos. Students will then participate in a Think, Pair, and Share activity thinking about the benefits and problems teens can encounter on social networking Websites. As a class, we will watch a video a high school class made about how cyber bullying occurs and spreads via Facebook and Twitter. Groups will then be given different cyber bullying scenarios where they will have to analyze the situation. They will have to identify the problem, think about the situation, and identify solutions to this problem. A Google Docs PowerPoint will be used to summarize their findings. Finally, after groups present, students will individually analyze a cyber bullying scenario. The next day in class, we will collaborate and create a list of 10 safety tips for students using social networks.
Internet Safety Lesson - Click here to download the Internet Safety Lesson.
Acceptable Use Policy
In all schools today, an Acceptable Use Policy must be written an enforced. An Acceptable Use policy is a policy that a network access user, such as a student or teacher, must agree to in order to be provided network access. At St. Georges, all students and teachers must read it and agree to follow the policy by signing a consent form. The problem is though that many students and also teachers sign it without even reading it or understanding it. At St. Georges, the current Acceptable Use Policy is very long and hard to comprehend. To make up for this difficulty, I decided to create an Acceptable Use Policy pamphlet for students. This pamphlet is is easy to understand for students, summarizing each policy. Along with the polices are the consequences for technology misuse.
Acceptable Use Policy Pamphlet - Click here to download the Pamphlet.
Digital Citizenship by Kevin Stark is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.