Cyberbullying

Just finished my article for Issue 3 of GEMS Family Magazine, due out in January...

Cyberbullying

In this edition, we look at the important issue of cyberbullying and hopefully provide some useful information and tips for parents, as well as links to websites for further reading. Together, we can keep our children and teens safe and happy in the online world.

What is Cyberbullying?

According to stopcyberbullying.org, "Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. It has to have a minor on both sides, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor. Once adults become involved, it is plain and simple cyber-harassment or cyberstalking. Adult cyber-harassment or cyberstalking is NEVER called cyberbullying.”

Examples of cyberbullying include posting rumours, false or hurtful information about others online, direct messaging intended to harm others, posting embarrassing photographs or videos of others without their real consent, making threats directly or indirectly and any attempt to isolate a child socially. 

Why is it important that we raise our awareness of the issue and take steps to tackle cyberbullying?

The effects of bullying can last a lifetime and there is growing evidence suggest that it can lead to serious mental health issues, both in childhood and later in life. Cyberbullying is a particular concern for many reasons. Children who are cyberbullied:

·         are prone to an increased risk of stress, anxiety and depression

·         suffer a higher risk of suicidal thoughts

·         make less academic progress than their peers

·         are more likely to play truant or be unwilling to attend school

·         often also experience face to face bullying

·         are more likely to become cyberbullies themselves

·         in extreme cases, may go on to attempt suicide

Unlike face to face bullying, cyberbullying can take place anytime, anywhere, and there is often no safe haven for the victim. The bullying is also often far more public.  This can lead to a feeling of helplessness that can rapidly deteriorate into depression or worse. 

So what is the risk?

A recent study in the UK found that 35% of 11-17 year olds said they had experienced some form of cyberbullying, more than twice as many as in the previous year.  In other research, two-thirds of teachers surveyed said they had seen evidence of their students being bullied online. Similar statistics are common around the world so, not only is this is a very serious issue, it actually seems to be getting worse.  Another finding from repeated research suggests there is a huge gap between parental knowledge and concerns on the one hand and the reality of what their children are actually doing online. There is a ‘not my child’ belief among many parents, which is often not borne out when the children themselves are surveyed.  Accordingly, we should all take time to improve awareness of cyberbullying and renew our efforts to understand, support and guide our children’s online behaviour.

Why do children bully others online?

There are many reasons why a child may bully others online. Often, cyberbullies have low self-esteem and are trying to improve their own social standing or simply to feel better about themselves by putting others down. They may be motivated by revenge for a real life incident that has occurred, or they may just think they are being funny and their actions will make them more popular. Sometimes, children who are bullied can find that, in fighting back, they actually become the bully. Similarly, a child may begin retaliating on behalf of a friend, but this can quickly escalate – there are better ways to be an ‘upstander’.

How can I tell if my child is being bullied online?

A child who is being cyberbullied may display one or more of these behaviours:

·                     Becomes withdrawn

·                     Is moody or agitated, especially when using devices

·                     Shows signs of depression

·                     Is aggressive or defensive

·                     Doesn’t want to go to school / performance dips / starts getting into trouble at school

·                     Loses interest in hobbies or activities

·                     Becomes secretive or protective about use of devices

·                     Is spending significantly more or less time than usual online or stops using devices altogether

·                     Change in friendship groups

·                     Change in sleeping habits

·                     Self-harming

What should I do if I think my child is being cyberbullied?

The most important thing parents can do in this situation is offer support and comfort to their child.  Talk to them and let them know that, whatever they are going through, it is not their fault and that you are there to help them.  Relating your own experiences of bullying from childhood can help to bring out the facts. Once your child opens up, it will be easier to take the steps necessary to deal with the situation and start collecting evidence.  It is also important to ensure that your child breaks off all online contact with the perpetrator as soon as you have seen evidence of the bullying. Responding online will only make things worse.  Take screenshots of the evidence and do not delete anything, but do not add fuel to the fire by fighting back on behalf of your child. Parents should never confront other families directly unless they are close friends and they are confident that the matter can be resolved amicably. 

It is very likely that such bullying originated from school peer groups so parents should contact the school as soon as there is good reason to believe cyberbullying is the cause of a child’s distress. Every school has a Child Protection Officer who will know how to help and will investigate the matter. Cyberbullying is a community issue and families need to know that schools are there to support them – no one should suffer in silence.

What can I do to prevent my child being cyberbullied?

Parents should look to create a climate of openness and trust, whilst modelling good digital etiquette at all times.  In this sense, the online world is not all that different to the world in which we were raised and family values can be applied to technology use just as they are to all aspects of how we raise our children. Taking time to familiarize yourself with the devices, apps and websites your children use is essential so that you are able to have open conversations about the benefits, risks, privacy issues and, of course, what to do if things go wrong. Talk to your children regularly about the sites and apps everyone in the family is using and set rules together for the use of these tools, making it clear that those rules are necessary to keep everyone safe.  

Finally, make sure you are aware of what the school is doing to educate your children about staying safe and acting responsibly online. A consistent message, education and support through a strong home-school partnership, built on shared values, is the best way to keep our children safe in today’s digital world.

Where can I find out more?

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/cyberbullying/most-popular

https://www.fosi.org/good-digital-parenting/

http://stopcyberbullying.org/index2.html

http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/talk/cyberbullying.html

http://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/

SMART LEARNING - more questions from Gulf News...

• What initiatives have you undertaken to integrate smart technology in your classrooms?  

All GEMS schools are equipped with cutting edge learning technology and technical infrastructure, including industry-standard hardware and secure, high speed Internet access for students, teachers and guests.  Also, research shows that learning improves significantly when students have ownership of the devices they use every day, as well as the content held on those devices and in the cloud.  Accordingly, students in our schools are reaping the benefits of successful ‘Bring Your Own Technology’ schemes, empowering them to learn anywhere, anytime and resulting in deeper, more meaningful learning experiences.   Effective use of such technology is preparing our students for the world of work, as they learn to become responsible digital citizens and capable, independent, adaptable learners and innovators.  It is important that we recognise the role of parents in supporting such initiatives which can, at times, seem something of a bridge too far.  Through the GEMS Parent Engagement Programme, we work hard to ensure that our parents are aware of the aims of such innovations and that we provide the necessary information and support to empower them to engage with their children’s learning. 

I was privileged to attend an event at GEMS Winchester School recently, where the school was judging the winners of its annual ‘Technobizad’ event, a competition which challenges GEMS students to design and market a new product or service.  The judging panel included representatives from the digital technology industry, which provided further authenticity to the competition, as well as cementing valuable connections with the UAE business community.  The high quality of the finalists’ innovations was matched by the stunning creativity on show.  For example, two 12-year old students, ________ and __________ demonstrated the original concept of a fully integrated mobile application designed to provide visitors to Dubai Expo 2020 with a seamless experience, both at the exhibition and around the city, from the airport ePass, to paying for taxis, the show guide, smart pay at retail outlets and so on.  The concept was perfectly aligned with the goals of the Dubai Smart Government initiative and I have no doubt that such an app will be a commercial reality when the time comes. I would like to think that the students who came up with the concept will play a major role in its eventual launch.

·         Does it involve special training for teachers?  

Recent history has demonstrated that simply throwing technology into schools has little or no impact on learning and can, in fact, be detrimental to student achievement.  As U.S. Secretary for Education, Arne Duncan puts it, “Technology alone isn’t going to improve student achievement. The best combination is great teachers working with technology to engage students in the pursuit of the learning they need.” Professional development is a vital component of digital transformation and GEMS has a team of digital learning advisors working across its schools to provide the necessary support and quality assurance, based on a clearly defined set of Digital Standards.  In addition, every school has a designated Digital Learning Leader, a highly-skilled teacher who is responsible for ensuring outstanding practice throughout the school.  As technology becomes more intuitive, we are now seeing less of a focus on training with regard to specific tools and more on how technology is transforming the teaching and learning process.  This clear and sustained focus on learning and student achievement is the key to ensuring that we optimize the positive impact of technology in our schools.

• Does it require a complete overhaul of the curricula to appropriately integrate smart learning tools in the education system?

Not necessarily a complete overhaul, but integrating technology effectively certainly requires schools to take a step back and to re-evaluate the outcomes they are trying to help their students achieve.  It is important to recognise that we shouldn’t be re-inventing the curriculum just to integrate the available technology.  Rather, we must look to the desired outcomes we want for our children and provide a curriculum which meets their needs.  Only then should we consider how technology can help them achieve these new goals.  This re-evaluation is already having a transformational impact on how learning is organised.  Examination results are still very important, of course, but there is now widespread acceptance of the fact that we need to be giving our students so much more if they are to flourish in a digitally-driven, global community where the only certainty is uncertainty.   Skills, values and personal attributes are now key components in the curriculum of forward-thinking schools, as educators and policy-makers strive to provide our young people with the toolkit they will need after graduation.  ‘Learning to learn’ has been part of most curricula for many years and now ‘learning to learn digitally’ is beginning to establish itself as a key skill being taught in schools. 

• What, according to you, are the challenges of implementing smart learning in schools?

Infrastructure, the cost of devices, professional development and the time needed to step back and re-design the curriculum are all major challenges, but not insurmountable.  The main barrier to change, indeed, the elephant in the room, is the outdated public examination system we still see almost everywhere.  There is a damaging disconnect between the knowledge, skills, values and attributes most educators and industry leaders believe our students need to acquire and how the students are, in fact, ultimately assessed – for the most part by way of handwritten examinations, sat alone and in silence.  It does not have to be this way.  Denmark is leading the way with open-Internet exams and educational institutions there are finding that the level of challenge actually increases significantly in this model, as students are pushed to be more creative, to think more critically and to solve real problems, whilst demonstrating a far greater depth of learning than seen previously.  And the assessment system matches the modern and relevant curriculum.   In most systems, however, the results of largely handwritten final examinations remain the passport to higher education.  If smart learning is to really take off in schools, I suggest there needs to be a concerted effort in partnership with policy-makers, examination boards, universities and industry, to develop authentic assessment models which reflect the outcomes we really want for our students.  

·         How can schools effectively use technology and other digital media as tools for learning without exposing children to the inherent risks of smart technology?

One thing we know for certain is that banning anything simply sends it underground and makes it more dangerous.  As an educator, I believe that the best way to protect our children from such risks is education.  We teach our children to swim, cross the road, ride a bicycle and, eventually, drive a car safely.  It is, I believe, also our duty, as educators and parents, to teach them how to navigate the digital world safely and to become responsible and effective users of digital technology and media, including social media. This is why GEMS schools, as a key component of their transformation to smart learning organisations, are running comprehensive, fully assessed Digital Citizenship programmes.   For example, Common Sense Media, a US-based nonprofit organization dedicated to helping children and families thrive in a world of digital media and technology, provide a full K-12 Digital Citizenship curriculum.  Over the past six months, we have seen a growing number of our schools gain certification as ‘Common Sense’ institutions, demonstrating their commitment to the digital safety and well-being of the children in their care.  All GEMS schools are delivering this curriculum, or equivalent programmes, and it is something we take very seriously.  Again, the partnership with parents is vital and we are working closely with our communities to ensure that we give a consistent message to our young learners.   We have partnered with Common Sense Media to have all of the parent resources accompanying the curriculum translated into Arabic and these are being distributed to our Arabic-speaking families as the students cover the relevant topics in school. 

• Is it possible to have an education technology revolution with strong privacy protections for students? 

As part of our schools’ Digital Citizenship education, students are taught how to take necessary steps to keep their identities, passwords and personal information private in the online world and also how to build a positive online presence.  Student data is stored in secure systems and we are working to further improve our provision in this area, with the introduction of enhanced digital systems across all GEMS schools. 

Recent events have shown that, as an absolute ideal, privacy is a luxury that has arguably been lost as a result of sophisticated technology.  If one country’s security services can listen into the telephone calls of other world leaders and hackers can leak celebrity photos from the cloud, then we should indeed be wary of trusting any security system.  It may be that the best way to protect ourselves is to ensure that our online, or virtual persona, matches our real life behaviours - and that we have nothing to hide.  In short, and thanks to technology, it’s more difficult to be a bad person these days – and that surely has to be a good thing!