Welsher 1 Cyberbullying and the Adolescent Classroom Introduction One can hardly scan the news without reading

a story about the horrific results of cyberbullying (CB). It is a pervasive problem that strikes in schools throughout the nation regardless of the schools socioeconomic status. Since CB is the repeated harassment through an electronic medium, the rate at which CB occurs has grown exponentially alongside the rapid growth of technology. While I find the occurrences of CB are on the rise, the reaction of schools is lagging. Many schools seem to be reacting to CB as they would traditional bullying. However, the two are very different. It is important to look at the way schools are handling cases of CB. Firstly, does the school have a CB policy? How are teachers handling CB? If there is a policy, how do teachers methods interact with existing policies? As a teacher or a parent, one wants to be assured that their children are safe in the school environment. This requires that the teachers and parents should have confidence in schools ability to intervene or prevent the perpetration of CB. The main issue with cyberbullying is that unlike traditional bullying, the victim does not get a reprieve. A child often has an electronic device at their fingertips that is capable of connecting to others instantly. This allows for the victim to be constantly harassed, both in and outside of school. CB has the potential to consume a students life. That is why it is crucial that students and parents have confidence in a schools administration to take action against CB. This is why I want to look at schools policies CB in relation to teachers in class methods.

Welsher 2 I plan to interview teachers. The interviews will allow me to gauge teachers ideas about CB and the effectiveness of their schools policy. It is teachers who are closest to the students; therefore they are the ones who would need to bring the policy into action. If the teacher lacks faith in the effectiveness of a schools CB policy, they are likely to stray from it as much as the feasibly can. As pre-service teachers I maintain significant connection to this study.

Setting/Participants I plan to take a qualitative approach to my study. My goal is to interview three to six teachers from separate schools in the area. I will conduct the interviews in a mutually comfortable setting, preferably one of the participants choosing. Due to the sensitive nature of this topic I want my participants to feel at ease while talking to me. Also since my questions deal with the teachers opinions on their schools, the interviews will take place outside the school environment. I aim to have the interviews last 30-45 minutes, depending on the length of participants responses. A list of open-ended questions about their opinions on cyberbullying (CB), their experiences with it, and their schools policy concerning CB will be asked by the researchers.

Literature Review Cyberbullying (CB) has proven to be a growing problem in many countries. Numerous studies have been performed to gain more information on the many facets of the new and complex form of bullying. Recently, a Belgian study attempted to apply the

Welsher 3 theory of planned behavior (TPB) to CB (Heirman&Walrave, 2012). The goal of this study was to find the factors that are most closely associated with those that perpetrate cyberbullying. By surveying many of the commonly regarded factors used in TPB, over a three month period, Heirman and Walrave were able to isolate many of these factors that appear to play a significant role in creating perpetrators of CB. They concluded that students with who had a more positive attitude towards CB as well as the easier the students felt CB was to perform, the more likely they were to perform it themselves. These key indicators are important to consider, but another phenomena has been addressed by the research into CB. Some sources state that children that are victims of CB tend not to report it for reasons spanning from guilt to fear. A study performed in Toronto, Canada hoped to shed some light on factors that helped or hindered [children] telling parents and other adults about their victimization (Mishna & Solomon, 2009). It was almost unanimously decided by the children in this study that they did not tell parents both for the fear that they will have their technology taken away, but also that even if they did tell, the parents would be unable to identify the bully due to the anonymity inherent in much social media. Sometimes this fear comes simply from thinking that if they tell their parents, their cell phones, computers or other devices will be taken away (Erb, 2006). Patchin and Hinduja (2006) reported that more 40% of victims of CB told no one about their experience (as cited in Erb, 2006, p. 2). So perhaps part of the methods for prevention should stem from increasing awareness and helping children to feel more comfortable about sharing their experiences with CB. Being something that affects such a significant amount of young adults and children, society as a whole should be more aware of the issue than it is.

Welsher 4 In 2011, a study found that approximately 9% of teens from 12 to 17 experienced bullying via text. The same study, by the Pew Research Centers Internet & American Life Project, found that an additional 8% experienced CB via email, social networking or IM (Farber et al., 2012). At nearly one fifth of adolescents having reported being a victim of CB, it is a miracle that more is not done to keep such a thing at bay. And what is disturbing about this statistic is that many of these victims have likely become a perpetrator of CB themselves. A study performed in Belgium by Heirman and Walrave (2012) concluded that one of the main factors that lead to someone becoming a cyber bully is having been a victim. In a study of around 1,000 student participants there were 54 self-reported victims of CB. Of those 54, 29 admitted to have perpetrated CB during the three month time frame between the surveys used in the study. These results are a bit startling. Data such as this indicates the possibility for exponential growth of the amount of cyberbullies and therefore their victims. CB is a completely new breed of bullying. As children in the study by Mishna and Solomon (2009) have stated, now bullying is not limited to the schoolyard or lunchroom, it can happen almost anywhere; anywhere including the comfort of ones own home. Some of the children have gone so far as to say that it is not only the amount of bullying, but the mystery of the true perpetrator that makes CB so unique. Because CB eliminates all face-to-face contact, the perpetrator can be anyone, even someone next door (Mishna & Solomon). And because these people are not face-to-face, the effects of their actions are not appreciated. A child in Mishna and Solomons study stated that it is easier to perpetrate CB because sometimes you don't like to say things to people's faces but

Welsher 5 when you do it for revenge on MSN or something, it might be easier to do because you do not see how much they are hurt by it. It is as if the internet communication makes the cyberbullies numb to the consequence of their actions, they perhaps feel a level of invincibility; invincibility not shared by the victims of their actions. In September of 2013, Ryan Broderick of Buzzfeed.com, a popular online news source, reported on the suicide deaths of 9 teenagers over the previous 11 months. The deaths are all strongly believed to be associated with their interactions with others on the social networking site Ask.fm, a fast-growing site that is still not even regarded amongst the top ten social networking sites by news.discovery.com and other sources. The oldest of these victims, Daniel Perry, was only 17 years old at the time of his death. The youngest and most recent, Kyra Sedwick, was only 12 years old when she jumped to her death from an abandoned cement silo in Lakeland, Florida.

Worldview/Epistimology I consider myself to be most strongly aligned with the pragmatic worldview. As Creswell (2014) states, pragmatists believe that the truth is what works at the time. CB is a relatively new phenomenon that has no concrete method of prevention. Educators and schools have dealt with what would be considered a conventional style of bullying based on Olweus criteria of repeated and intentional harmful behavior (Heirman & Walrave, 2012). Heirman and Walrave cite a more refined definition stating that CB is an aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of contact, repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend him or herself. But even with a clear definition of what CB is, it is not clear how to fight against

Welsher 6 it. It is also unclear where an educator or schools jurisdiction lies in punishing those that perpetrate CB. I consider that CB is an issue that is so unique to our current culture, has grown so quickly and is so alien to previous generations that, in so being, it needs an equally unique and rapid method of prevention. The pragmatist researcher, as discussed by Creswell (2014), look[s] to the what and how to research based on the intended consequences. Based on this, I hope to discover what methods have been used effectively and ineffectively in opposition to CB while also examine the broad scope of CB as a presence in our society. What is also important to me is seeing to what extent CB must be perpetrated and/or the context of said perpetration that brings schools and educators in as defenders to those victimized as well as to what extent can their actions prevent CB. To truly examine CB as it functions in society today, I believe that social, historical, political and other contexts must be considered (Creswell). A qualitative approach will be necessary to discover what methods have been effective and ineffective for educators so far and how they may need to be adapted. This will be strongly dependent on the context of the CB perpetration and the perceived motivation of said perpetration. Methods of control and prevention of CB will likely be different for areas with different racial diversity, socioeconomic statuses and media exposure. I hope that this experiment will serve as a foothold into the methodology of prevention and treatment of CB as it exists today.

Ethical Concerns Cyber bullying can be a sensitive topic. It has become a hot topic in the media in relation to multiple suicide deaths and harassment controversies and therefore might elicit

Welsher 7 some strong emotions. This is also true since I will be asking about personal experiences and/or stories to the interviewee. I will need to stray away from prying or pushing the people I plan to interview. Additionally, the potential teachers I interview need to be assured that their identity and all information will be kept confidential since they will be answering questions about their employer (see appendix A). I do not want to jeopardize their careers. I may need to ask permission from the school principals to interview teachers. It is important to respect the chain of command when coming as an outsider.

Limitations Time is a huge limitation with this study. I will be going to a university full time and hold a job. Also one semester is not a great deal of time. I have considered starting to gather data over the winter break, only when given the permission to do so. Another time constraint to consider is that of the teacher I may interview. They too lead busy lives between school, advising for clubs, coaching, and their many other possible responsibilities. It is important to point out that I have constructed an ideal schedule of coding and analyzing data that may not actually occur as such. Interviewees may be influenced to act or to respond in a particular manner since they will be aware that the interviewers are recording them. Something along the lines of the observation paradox, which simply states that by observing something, you have changed its actions and therefore the results produced from aforementioned observation. The researchers own opinions about cyberbullying may influence them to choose teachers whose opinions align with their own, or pressure the interviewees into answering how the interviewer intends them to.

Welsher 8

Validity As with all research, particularly qualitative research, there is a question of how this study can be considered trustworthy. My primary source of information will come from interviews with teachers that have experienced cyberbullying (CB) in their classrooms and/or are aware of official procedure in place at their school in regards to CB in particular. To ensure accuracy of my data analysis and conclusion, I will use the method of member checking. This will entail follow ups with my participants in order to clarify that the information I extrapolated from their interview answers is accurate to their position on the matter of CB. Since my participants answers, positions, and experience are crucial to reliable results, I must respect the participants opinions and be sure that I are representing them with as little ambiguity as possible. If my conclusion were to divert from the intentions of the participants not only would my final result be inaccurate, but also it would devalue the opinions of my participants. Although I plan to keep the identity of my participants confidential, it is my responsibility as researchers to respect their opinions in the interest of ethics and the accuracy of my study. By following up with my participants and clarifying their opinions, I can triangulate my data and come to a more concrete conclusion.

Methodology I am proposing a qualitative approach. my goal is to conduct face-to-face interviews with three to six local teachers. This range of participants should yield sufficient data to compare and contrast within group and with previous research. If there is more time or

Welsher 9 my data produces interesting results, I aim to have follow up interviews. The follow up interviews, I realize, may not be possible with scheduling and the researchers may opt to interview an additional teacher. But I hope to do this in lieu of the method member checking, which I hope will validate the opinions of my participants in relation to my conclusions drawn from the interviews. Participants will be asked to allot a time slot of 30-45 minutes for the interview. I surmise that the interviews may last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. This time frame gives the researchers and participants flexibility. The interviews will be recorded on both researchers cell phones. This will be done as a precaution incase one cell phone does not function properly. This also allows the researchers the option to analyze and/or code data independently. At the interviews, I will start by explaining my research topic. It is at this point I will ask the participant to sign out consent form, which clearly reiterates the purpose of the study. After each interview, I will transcribe and code the data. I am hoping to plan each interview around ten days apart to allow time for transcribing and coding. It is important to point out that this is an ideal schedule and may not actually occur as such. This time lapse between interviews permits me to alter my questions if need be or if something intriguing emerges and warrants further investigation. I want to gather and analyze my data concurrently as much as possible. After all interviews have been conducted, transcribed, and coded, I will reexamine the data to see if any patterns emerge- I believe there will be some. I will compare how closely the teachers opinions/experiences are supported/reflected in their schools CB policy, if one exists. I want to also compare the interviews and policies with existing research findings.

Welsher 10

Data Analysis As this is primarily a qualitative study based on interviews, a significant amount of attention will be paid to the delivery of participants answers in regards to inflection and annunciation. All audio recordings and notes will be transcribed in a Microsoft Word document. I will be sure to include notes on inflection and annunciation in the interview transcription to maintain continuity. After the interviews and notes have been transcribed, I will analyze each interview and attempt to correlate experiences, methods and feelings towards cyberbullying and its affect on the classroom. I will also analyze data in the research I have used as a basis for my study in an effort to correlate the findings of previous research with the experiences of my participants. My study will essentially be analyzed in three stages: synthesis of previous research and documentation, analysis/correlation of interview transcripts (which will include follow-ups with the participants to ensure their opinions are represented properly) and correlating my findings with previous research. This method of triangulation should ensure that my data is concise and accurate. Summary The study aims to explore current policies on cyberbullying and teachers methods for successfully intervening CB situations. As pre-service teachers it is my responsibility to be aware of current and evolving issues in the school environment. In particular, the dramatic effects CB has on my students and the classroom. CB is an ever evolving problem that continues to plague schools worldwide. Developing more efficient policies for the prevention and intervention of the perpetration of CB should be a priority in

Welsher 11 schools considering it is a growing problem. By conducting this study I can prepare myself for the seemingly inevitable future of classroom environments as related to CB.

References Creswell, J.W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publication, INC. Erb, T. (2006). The Editor Reflects: Cyberbullying: A Growing Threat to Young Adolescent Well-Being. Middle School Journal , Vol. 38, No. 2. pp. 2, 22. Farber, B. A., Shafron, G, Hamadani, J., Wald, E., & Nitzburg, G. (2012). Children, Technology, Problems, and Preferences. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 68(11), 1225-1229. Heirman, W., & Walrave, M. (2012). Predicting adolescent perpetration in cyberbullying: An application of the theory of planned behavior. Psicothema, 24(4), 614-620. Mishna, F., Saini, M,. Solomon, S,. (Dec. 2009). Ongoing and Online: Children and Youth's Perceptions of Cyber Bullying. Children and Youth Services Review, 30(12), 1222-1228.

Welsher 12

Welsher 13

Appendix A Interview Consent form The intent of this study is to examine cyberbullying as it appears in the classroom and school environment. I would like to look at the personal experiences of teachers with the perpetration of cyberbullying and how it has affected their classrooms. I would also like to know what actions is being taking by the administration in regards to policy on handling the cyberbullying. My hope is to see what effective, or ineffective, methods teachers and schools are doing to prevent or remedy this growing issue. The interview process will entail inquiry into teachers specific personal experiences. As the issue of cyberbullying is a controversial and often times emotionally charged topic, all participants will be allowed to stop the interview at any time, withdraw from the study or refuse to answer questions that create discomfort. Interviews may be performed at a location of the participants choosing. Any reference to persons or places will be codified and kept strictly confidential. Interviews will be audio recorded for clarity and reference. I (please print)_________________________________ have read the above information and understand the purpose of this study. I hereby consent to participation in the study by participating in an interview approximately 30-45 minutes in length. By signing this, I understand the following: At any time I may request to be withdrawn from the study and receive any and all

information collect on me.

Welsher 14 I may refuse to answer any question. I will not be identified by name or by the school I am affiliated. I may choose the location the interview is held. Any names or places brought up in the interview will be codified and kept

confidential Interviews will be audio recorded for clarity and reference.

________________________________________________________________________ Signature Date

Any questions in regards to the study can be directed to my e-mail: Daniel Welsher: dan.welsher@gmail.com Contact via phone may be done by request and at the discretion of both the researcher and participant.