Cyberbullying: An Introduction

Examining the topics from our previous editions of “Integrating Technology for Meaningful Learning” offers us a convenient way to monitor developments in the use of technology in K-12 settings. We can ask ourselves the questions - What topics are we addressing now that we did not address before and why is this the case? The term “cyberbullying” did not appear in the 5th edition of this textbook and now the topic seems a matter of great public and political interest. We can identify a few segments in our last edition in which we mention hostile comments, flaming, or possible causes of a lack of civility online, but at the time we felt no need to attach a label to such concerns. This is no longer the case. Educators need to be aware of cyberbullying and consider what their responsibilities might be both in preventing such behaviors and also in helping students and perhaps parents become more aware of the consequences of cyberbullying and what might be done about it.

We recently had the opportunity to work with a graduate student on a chapter attempting to describe the state of cyberbullying research in the United States (Holfeld & Grabe, 2012). The literature review necessary in preparing to write that chapter as well as the research we have conducted in collaboration with this student encourages us to say more on this topic here. The Primer was not the place for these extended comments, but for those of you interested in a more in-depth analysis of we offer this additional material.

The research on cyberbullying does not seem to be mature. We will describe what we mean by this statement at a later point. It is our opinion that one of the consequences of this lack of maturity is that there is a lot of speculation on this topic based on the self-reported descriptions of victims and perpetrators. We assume a need to take action, but practitioners are relying on descriptive data in speculating about what might be done to provide a safer online environment. To some extent, we are still relying on experience and professional judgment in explaining what we can describe and proposing what courses of action should be taken. We contribute to this speculation. We assume that the future will bring alternate ways of monitoring cyberbullying behaviors and methods for evaluating the effectiveness of specific interventions.

The context

Here are some observations related to the emergence of cyberbullying among young people and why it represents a difficult problem to address. These factors might be layered on top of other causes of insensitivity and thoughtlessness not unique to cyberbullying - racism, homophobia, and an insensitivity to the many variables responsible for people being different. Here are four factors for you to consider:

• Everyone is online. We have experienced a rapid increase in the number of adolescents who can access online services from a personal device they control for a substantial amount of time. In 2007, it was estimated that 80% of adolescents had access to a personal digital device (cell phone or computer) (David-Ferdon & Hertz, 2007). Whatever schools do, the reality is that most adolescents are online and have a substantial degree of independence in what they can do when online. They make personal decisions about their behavior and they share this reality with many of their peers.
• The attributes of online experiences we value in some settings are the same attributes that cause problems in other settings and it is very difficult to exert control over how some of the unique characteristics of online tools are applied. It seems that many of the characteristics of online access and activity we initially see as so positive have a dark side. For example, we may value the anytime, anywhere reach of technology as a way to contact our children or to create communication opportunities among students who would never have the opportunity to meet in person. However, these same any time, any place access make it impossible for the victims of cyberbullying to escape their tormentors. Even the victims of face to face bullying can hide out at home. The anonymity allowed by some online systems may encourage those who are too shy to compete for attention in a classroom situation to have a voice online also allows bullies to harass others without revealing their identity or to deal with what might be visible consequences of their actions. The same free service that allows creative expression and an authentic audience for the products of learning can be used to reveal embarrassing images.
• We want free. The companies offering many of these online services often do so without charging users. As a matter of efficiency, these companies desire a broad audience and seldom see K-12 students as providing a unique business opportunity. In other words, many of the tools we and others see as offering such great potential for learning were not developed to meet the specialized needs of the education environment. The desire for free often works against the opportunity to control which characteristics of the online environment will be available to specific users. It might be better to understand many online services as operating as a barter rather than as a free service. As consumers we trade our attention to ads or some information about us and our interests for access. It gets complicated when young people are put in this situation.
• Whatever schools are willing to do, the other factors listed here will apply outside of school. Cyberbullying is often perceived as a problem for educators to address. However, the major role of the school is that it establishes the social context through which students know each other. The reality is that most online bullying does not involve school equipment or occur during school hours.

You may disagree with some of these claims and we admit that the importance of these factors represents speculation on our part. However, if we are correct, we believe there are important implications of these observations. We believe attempting to control behavior within the school setting is largely pointless as it will do little to change behavior outside of school. Schools might play a more productive role, in collaboration with parents, by attempting to shape values, teach social skills, and sometimes to confront those responsible for inappropriate behavior.

Cyberbullying: The research process