CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NORTHRIDGE
PREVENTING THE CYBERBULLYING OF MALE EARLY ADOLESCENTS:
AN IN-SERVICE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS
A graduate project submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
For the degree of Master of Science in Counseling,
School Counseling
By
Jennilyn Danielle Kirkpatrick
May 2015
The graduate project of Jennilyn Danielle Kirkpatrick is approved:
__________________________________
Bruce Burnam, Ph.D.
_____________________________
Date
__________________________________
Shyrea Minton, Ed.D.
_____________________________
Date
___________________________________
Tovah Sands, Ph.D., Chair
_____________________________
Date
California State University, Northridge
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DEDICATION
This graduate project is dedicated to the memory of my grandfather, Dr. A. Edward
Profio. Although he is not with us today, my Grandpa Ed was my mentor and inspiration for
joining the field of education. As I transition my professional career from elementary school
teacher to school counselor, I strive to make him proud of me every day.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Throughout my graduate school experience, I have been fortunate to be surrounded by
many wonderful people who have supported and encouraged me. First, I would like to extend my
gratitude to my project committee: Dr. Tovah Sands, Dr. Bruce Burnam, and Dr. Shyrea Minton.
Each one of you provided valuable feedback and support in the creation of this graduate project.
To my amazing parents, Mark and Claudia Kirkpatrick, who continually stand by my side
and are my greatest cheerleaders in life. While I am sure you had reservations about another trip
to graduate school, you continued to love and support me throughout this entire journey. I love
you both very much and I am so fortunate to be your daughter!
To my wonderful friend, Marci Montanari, thank you for your friendship, support, and
laughter these past two years. Although I know I have made a friend for life, I will miss our
times in graduate classes with Cheez-its, Taylor Swift and Josh Groban videos, and endless
conversations about life in general.
To my other awesome friend, Zeneh Farhan, I want to thank you as well for your advice,
support, and friendship. I could always count on you to be there for me and I know we will stay
in touch as well. Thank you for understanding the true value of chip runs during class breaks!
To my fantastic fieldwork supervisors, Tom Mayer and Tisha Glassman, thank you for
providing me with the knowledge and skills to be an effective school counselor. You always
treated me as a colleague and I learned so much from both of you. I cannot thank you enough for
your mentorship and guidance this past year.
And last, but certainly not least, to Dr. Amer Karam. You truly saved my life back in October
of 2013. This project would clearly not have been possible without your surgical expertise and
exceptional care of me. I continue to thank you every day.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Signature Page
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Dedication
iii
Acknowledgements
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Abstract
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CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ………………………………………… ............................ 1
Statement of Need/Problem ………………………………… ........................................... 2
Purpose ….……………………………..... ......................................................................... 2
Significance…………………………………..................................................................... 3
Terminology….……………………………..... .................................................................. 3
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE ………………………………………… .......... 6
Early Adolescents/Middle School Development ………………………………… ........... 6
Physical Development ….……………………………..... ..................................... 6
Cognitive Development ….……………………………..... ................................... 7
Psychosocial Development ….……………………………..... .............................. 8
Middle School Environment………………………………… ........................................... 9
Middle School Counselors’ Roles and Responsibilities …...............................................10
American School Counselor Association [ASCA] Stance on Cyberbullying.......12
Middle School Families-School Counselor Collaboration……………………………... 13
Overview of Cyberbullying ………………………………… ......................................... 15
Cyberbullying Definition ….……………………………..... ............................... 15
Prevalence of Cyberbullying ….……………………………............................... 16
Characteristics of Cyberbullies and Cybervictims …………………………….. 17
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Cyberbullying and Self-Esteem of Victims and Offenders………….……..........18
Gender Differences in Cyberbullying ………….……......................................... 20
School Liability with Incidences of Cyberbullying ….……………………………........ 22
Key Legal Issues…………………………………………………………………22
Tinker Standard Encompassing Cyberbullying………………………………….23
Rules that Govern School Authority over Student Cyber Expressions….………24
School Measures for Prevention of Cyberbullying………………………………………25
School-Wide Assessment of Cyberbullying ……….……………………………25
Cyberbullying Prevention Programs…………………......………………………………27
Katz’s Five-Stage Cycle of Cyberbullying Prevention…………………………..27
Cyber Bullying: A Prevention Curriculum for Grades 6-12…………..............…31
RAISE Boys: Reduce Aggression, Increase Self Empowerment…...………...…31
School Counselors’ Role in Interventions…………………………………….................32
Conclusion ……………………………………................................................................34
CHAPTER THREE: PROJECT AUDIENCE AND IMPLEMENTATION FACTORS……… 36
Introduction ………………………………… .................................................................. 36
Development of Project ….……………………………..... ............................................. 36
Intended Audience………………………………… ........................................................ 38
Personal Qualifications………………………………… ................................................. 38
Environment and Equipment ………………………………… ....................................... 39
CHAPTER FOUR: CONCLUSION ………………………………………… ............................ 40
Summary ………………………………… ...................................................................... 40
Evaluation….……………………………..... ....................................................................40
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Discussion ………………………………… .....................................................................41
Future Work/Research………………………………… ...................................................44
REFERENCES ………………………………………… ............................................................ 45
Appendix A: Facilitator’s Guide for In-Service Presentation to Teachers………………………50
Appendix B: Outline of In-Service Presentation………………………………………….……. 54
Appendix C: Sample PowerPoint Presentation…………………………………………………..55
Appendix D: Sample School-Wide Assessment of Cyberbullying……………………………...68
Appendix E: Sample Student Peer Support Survey….………………………………………......73
Appendix F: Sample Lesson Plan on Cyberbullying Prevention Targeting Boys ………………74
Appendix G: Additional Cyberbullying Resources for Educators ……………………………...79
Appendix H: In-Service Presentation Evaluation Form………………………………………....87
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ABSTRACT
PREVENTING THE CYBERBULLYING OF MALE EARLY ADOLESCENTS:
AN IN-SERVICE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS
By
Jennilyn D. Kirkpatrick
Masters of Science in Counseling,
School Counseling
Research has identified cyberbullying as a growing danger on middle school campuses
for both male and female students. Although general guidelines and strategies for cyberbullying
prevention have been extensively researched and presented, there is a need for research-based
information and resources that specifically target male early adolescents attending middle school.
The problem being addressed in this graduate project is how to convey the importance of
cyberbullying prevention for male early adolescents to teachers with the assistance of middle
school counselors. By presenting a comprehensive in-service presentation to teachers, middle
school counselors can collaborate effectively with administrators in addressing cyberbullying
prevention in an age-appropriate and gender-specific manner at a school-wide level. Finally, the
project provides a thorough list of recently published books, lesson plans, and social media on
cyberbullying that may be utilized by teachers.
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Chapter 1
Introduction
… everything we do online becomes part of our public and permanent record, easily
recoverable by anyone who knows how to Google, and that there is no longer any
statute of limitation on our youthful indiscretions (Kite, Gable, & Filippelli, 2010,
p. 158).
Wong-Lo and Bullock (2011) assert that the topic of cyberbullying between
adolescents has gained significant attention in recent years. Since the majority of
adolescents now have frequent access to computers and/or cell phones, it is vital that
teachers are well-versed in strategies and programs that can help stop cyberbullying both
on and off school campuses. Diamanduros, Downs & Jenkins (2008) warn that “… as
educators embrace the options that open doors to new knowledge, it is important to
address the range of negative issues that are threaded throughout the utilization of
technology” (p. 693). As the applications utilized by adolescents rapidly changes (i.e.
Facebook to Instagram) with each year, it is important the most current research and
resources are made readily available to teachers with the assistance of school counselors.
As school counselors are leaders on middle school campuses, a school counselor
can be a strong advocate for cyberbullying prevention and intervention. In order to
address cyberbullying effectively, school counselors can be leaders in advising school
personnel and students of the appropriate uses of technology. Since the middle school
level of education (typically sixth through eighth grades) has been documented to have
the highest rates of cyberbullying claims in recent research, both preventive and
intervention measures must be routinely implemented on campuses. According to Stone
(2013), school counselors can assume the responsibility of encouraging practices that
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promote a safe and positive school climate. By taking a strong anti-cyberbullying stance,
this important issue affecting male adolescents in middle school can be curtailed with
appropriate school-wide measures.
Statement of Need/Problem
Froeschle, Mayorga, Castillo and Hargrave (2008) contend that while physical
and verbal bullying remain a significant issue on middle school campuses, cyberbullying
has increasingly become the more common danger. However, teachers are not fully
informed and knowledgeable about the effects that cyberbullying can have on both
victims and perpetuators (2008). There is a lack of emphasis on male early adolescents in
research-based bullying prevention programs available that specifically address
cyberbullying strategies that may be utilized by middle school teachers (Couvillon &
Ilieva, 2011). Despite the deficiency in cyberbullying supplemental curriculums targeted
for middle school male adolescents, Kowalski, Limber and Agaston (2012) have
identified middle school students in grades sixth through eighth as having the greatest
likelihood of being cybervictims.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to develop an in-service presentation on
cyberbullying prevention for middle school teachers to be presented by a school
counselor. This in-service presentation is designed to present teachers with concise
information and resources on appropriate preventive measures that can be immediately
utilized with a focus on early adolescent male students. With a collaborative effort
between middle school counselors, administrators, and teachers, cyberbullying can be
addressed in terms of prevention. By attending this in-service presentation, teachers can
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be given the knowledge and resources to contribute to anti-cyberbullying policies and
programs utilized on a middle school campus.
Significance
Middle school teachers will benefit from an in-service presentation that focuses
on preventive measures of cyberbullying for male early adolescents. As forms of
cyberbullying continue to evolve, it is a common misconception that this form of bullying
is conducted predominantly by female adolescents. In multiple recently published studies,
researchers have found that male and female adolescents in middle school are
cyberbullied at near equal rates (Li, 2006; Patchin & Hinduja 2010; Sbarbaro & Smith,
2011). Of most disconcerting note, a male adolescent is significantly less likely than a
female to report a cyberbullying claim to either his family members or a trusted adult on
their school campuses (Li, 2006).
Although this project will be specifically designed to be presented to teachers, all
information contained in the in-service presentation can be utilized by other groups in
education as well. For example, instructional aides, learning specialists, and other staff
members can all benefit from understanding how incidents of cyberbullying of male
adolescents can be prevented in middle school. With dedicated and trained staff
members, cyberbullying can be addressed appropriately and effectively at a school-wide
level.
Terminology

Bullies: “… ‘put-downers’ who harass and demean others, especially those they think
are different or inferior, or ‘get-backers,’ who have been bullied by others and are
using the Internet to retaliate or vent their anger” (Willard, 2007, p. 5).
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
Cyberstalking: “Repeated, intense harassment and denigration that includes threats or
creates significant fear” (Willard, 2007, p. 2).

Cyberthreats: “… are either direct threats or ‘distressing materials’ - general
statements that make it sound like the writer is emotionally upset and may be
considering harming someone else, harming himself or herself, or committing suicide
(Willard, 2007, p. 2).

Denigration: “Dissing someone online. Sending or posting gossip or rumors about a
person to damage his or her reputation or friendships” (Willard, 2007, p. 2).

E-mail: “… sending threatening e-mails and forwarding a confidential e-mail to all
address book contacts, thus publicly humiliating the first sender” (Wong-Lo &
Bullock, 2011, p. 66).

Flaming: “Online fights using electronic messages with angry and vulgar language”
(Willard, 2007, p. 1).

Harassment: “Repeatedly sending nasty, mean, and insulting messages” (Willard,
2007, p. 1).

Harmful Bystanders: “Those who encourage and support the bully or watch the
bullying from the sidelines, but do nothing to intervene or help the target” (Willard,
2007, p. 6).

Helpful Bystanders: “Those who seek to stop the bullying, protest against it, provide
support to the target, or tell an adult.” (Willard, 2007, p. 6).

Impersonation: “Pretending to be someone else and sending or posting material to get
that person in trouble or danger or to damage that person’s reputation or friendships”
(Willard, 2007, p. 2).
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
Instant/text messaging: “Text messaging of derogatory insults via cell phones or
personal digital assistant (i.e., BlackBerry and iPhone), with bullies showing the
message to others before sending it to the target” (Wong-Lo & Bullock, 2011, p. 66).

Physical Bullying: “involves repeatedly hitting, kicking, or shoving someone weaker
on purpose” (Phillips & Cornell, 2012, p. 125).

Targets: “The targets of the cyberbully, who in some cases may be the bullies at
school, and in other cases the targets” (Willard, 2007, p. 5).

Verbal Bullying: “involves repeatedly teasing, putting down, or insulting someone on
purpose” (Phillips & Cornell, 2012, p. 125).
In order to fully understand this issue, it is necessary to review previous studies
conducted on cyberbullying at the middle school level. The following chapter will
discuss recent scholarly literature pertinent to cyberbullying prevention that can involve
teachers, school counselors, administrators, and other school staff members.
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Chapter 2
Review of Literature
Introduction
This chapter will provide an orientation to early adolescent/middle school student
development, the school environment, the role of middle school counselors, and familiesschool counselor collaboration. It will then transition into a thorough examination of
recently conducted research on cyberbullying, including a general overview, school
liability factors, and school measures for prevention. In terms of an overview, the
following areas will be discussed: cyberbullying definition, its prevalence, characteristics
of both cyberbullies and victims, and finally gender differences in victimization and
reporting of claims to adults. This will be followed by an explanation of school liability
in regard to cyberbullying incidences including existing case law and legal mandates such
as the Tinker standard. The remainder of the chapter will focus on specific prevention
measures that are age-appropriate at the middle school level.
Early Adolescents/Middle School Development
Physical development. As children are promoted from elementary to middle
school, they are making the developmental transition from middle childhood to
adolescence. According to Papalia, Olds, & Feldman (2009), the period of adolescence
[approximately between the ages of 11 to 19 or 20] involves “… physical, cognitive,
emotional, and social changes and takes varying forms in different social, cultural, and
economic settings” (p. 354). An important physical developmental change is the start of
puberty, an important process that leads to sexual maturity. Due to the physical changes
that occur during puberty (i.e. acne, weight gain, breast enlargement), there may be
psychological ramifications for some adolescents. Most middle school students are
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concerned about their physical appearances, which among a few may lead to depression
or eating disorders (2009).
During early adolescence, boys in particular experience a dramatic growth spurt
that increases their strength, speed, and endurance levels. According to Berk (2012), a
boy’s athletic competence is strongly related to gaining the admiration of his peers and
building his self-esteem. When growing at the peak of their physical development, “…
boys add more than 4 inches and 26 pounds in a single year, [whereas] girls about 3.5
inches and 20 pounds” (p. 195). Due to their significant growth spurt, boys also
experience a voice change and growth of facial and body hair that is often not complete
until puberty is over. All of these physical transformations that occur in boys include
major changes in the brain as well (2012).
Cognitive development. In terms of the cognitive development of an adolescent
during their middle school years, the brain is still maturing according to imaging studies.
As emphasized by Papalia, Olds, & Feldman (2009), “dramatic changes in brain
structures involved in emotions, judgment, organization of behavior, and self-control take
place between puberty and young adulthood” (p. 360).. As the socioemotional network of
the brain is more active at puberty than in middle childhood, risk taking often occurs in a
group setting. According to Piaget’s cognitive-development theory, early adolescents are
entering the formal operational stage that begins around age 11 (Berk, 2012). During this
period of cognitive development, both boys and girls increase their capacity for abstract
or systematic thinking when faced with a problem. In addition, early adolescents can “…
evaluate the logic of verbal statements without referring to real-world circumstances”
(2012, p. 21).
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When comparing the sex differences that occur in cognitive abilities, there is
controversy among human development researchers. According to Belk (2012),
educational data consistently shows that girls attain higher scores on reading and writing
assessments than boys throughout their school years. A special concern among educators
is that in early adolescence, the achievement gap between the sexes significantly widens
in terms of writing ability. Although educational data shows that girls consistently
perform better in language arts assessments, boys start to outperform girls in math
concepts during early adolescence. For example, the gender difference is especially
evident on tests of complex reasoning and geometry. Finally, Belk (2012) also notes that
boys tend to spend more time on the computer than girls, and “… more often write
computer programs, analyze data, and use graphics programs” (p. 408).
Psychosocial development. Middle school students are easily influenced by their
peers. During the middle school years, both male and female students focus on
establishing their own identity and belief systems. To form their own identity, individuals
must find and commit to their own goals, values, and beliefs that may be different from
those of their family members. In Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development, middle
school students are leaving the industry vs. inferiority stage of middle childhood and
entering the identity vs. role confusion stage of adolescence (Papalia, Olds, & Feldman,
2009). Throughout this stage, adolescents are trying to determine their choice of
occupation, what values/beliefs will they lead their lives by, and their sexual identities by
establishing intimacy with a significant other. If an adolescent is struggling in any of
these areas, he or she may become intolerant of differences between him or herself and
peers (2009).
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In addition to Erikson’s psychosocial theory, it is important to note any gender
differences in Kohlberg’s theory of moral development. As emphasized by Belk (2012),
Kohlberg hypothesized that men stress justice and human rights, whereas women base
their morality on caring and responsiveness. However, Kohlberg’s theory was criticized
by Carol Gilligan, who pointed out that he based his theory solely on interviews with
males, and therefore does not accurately portray the morality of girls and women. During
the period of early adolescence, both boys and girls assert great concern with matters of
personal choice (i.e. friendships, clothes) as a method of strengthening their desire of
independence from their parents or guardians. When faced with stressful life events, Belk
states that early adolescent boys report higher levels of anxiety resulting from physical or
health problems, pressure from their parents or guardians to succeed in life, and romantic
involvements. Therefore, it is important to remember that boys are just as susceptible as
girls to depression and may require counseling in coping skills during adolescence
(2012).
Middle School Environment
Although historically junior high school consisted of seventh through ninth
grades, most modern American middle schools enroll students of sixth through eighth
grades. Therefore, the majority of adolescents are between the ages of 11 and 14 during
their middle school experiences. In order to assist sixth-graders with the transition from
elementary to middle school, the California Department of Education (2015) points out
that some middle schools organize their sixth–grade classes so there are two core
academic teachers – one for Math/Science and the other for Language Arts/History. In
addition, sixth-graders are given a choice of exploratory course (i.e. band, chorus,
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computer keyboarding) as well as physical education. For seventh and eighth grades in
most middle schools, each student has six separate teachers for each class period. As with
sixth-grade, these grades typically have a full-year exploratory course. One of the
challenges for middle school students is to become accustomed to a rotating schedule, in
which each instructional day starts and ends with a different class period (2015).
In order for a middle school to be successful, both academic achievement and
personal-social development should be at the forefront of the school’s mission statement
(Education World, 2011). Regarding academic achievement, administrators often depend
on school counselors to ensure that each student is enrolled in the correct coursework and
is progressing to be ready for the challenges of high school. Many middle schools also
offer free academic tutoring either before school, at lunch time, and/or after-school with
school personnel who donate their time to the benefit of the students. Finally, a positive
middle school community promotes a multitude of student clubs and activities that fosters
personal-social growth. These clubs and activities should reflect the current interests of
the student body, such as community service, arts and crafts, sports intramurals, robotics,
movies, and drama.
Middle School Counselors Roles and Responsibilities
A professional school counselor is a credentialed professional who collaborates
with multiple stakeholders (i.e. students, families, faculty, administration, and the local
community) on a regular basis. In order to qualify for a school counselor position at a
public school district, applicants must have a master’s degree (likely in counseling) and a
credential that enables them to provide direct services to pupils. For example, in the state
of California, according to the California Department of Education (2015), this credential
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administered is referred to as a Pupil Personnel Services credential or PPS. To receive a
PPS credential, the candidate must enroll in an accredited school counseling graduate
program at a university. In California, a total of six hundred supervised fieldwork hours
must be arranged at a minimum of two different levels of education (i.e. elementary,
middle, or high school). While conducting their internship hours, graduate students in
school counseling also enroll in courses such as theories of counseling and practical
applications (i.e. collaboration with families). Finally, for the master’s degree component,
each graduate student engages in a thesis, project, or comprehensive exam on a selected
topic that enriches the literature on school counseling (2015).
A middle school counselor has the specific responsibility of providing academic,
college-career, and personal-social services to students. Due to public school budget cuts,
in some states such as California, the majority of middle school counselors are currently
experiencing a case load of approximately five hundred students. With a large caseload, it
is difficult and time-consuming to reach out individually to all students. In order to
ensure that school counselors are engaging in effective practices, the American School
Counselor Association [ASCA] created national standards in 1997. According to ASCA
(2015), middle school counselors are essential for “… students to achieve optimal
personal growth, acquire positive social skills and values, set appropriate career goals and
realize full academic potential to become productive, contributing members of the world
community” (2015, para. 4).
Due to their influential roles in the school environment, middle school counselors
are in the unique position in that they can bridge connections between teachers,
administrators, parents, students, and the local community. In terms of
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teachers/educators, school counselors can be called upon for collaboration regarding such
important issues as student academic plans, guidance activities on study skills, and
assisting with parent communications. With a collaborative nature in place between
teachers and school counselors, the majority of school counselors conduct classroom
guidance lessons on career development, sexual harassment, and any other concerns that
may have the potential to affect the school community.
In addition, school counselors are highly trained and capable of leading in-service
presentations to educators, administrators, and other school staff. An in-service in a
school setting is typically a presentation of multiple hours in which a group gathers to
hear a speaker discuss an important academic or personal-social issue affecting the
education of the student body. In the majority of in-service presentations for educators,
individuals who attend can count these experiences towards their required professional
development hours to renew their teaching credentials. Thus, there is an incentive for
educators to attend such presentations. Since an instance of cyberbullying can affect a
student’s education, an in-service presentation is an appropriate method for school
counselors to discuss with middle school teachers.
American school counselor association [ASCA] stance on cyberbullying. In
order to provide an effective in-service presentation to teachers on the topic of
cyberbullying, professional school counselors should allocate preparation time to review
ASCA’s stance on cyberbullying. Due to the legal ramifications surrounding the issue of
cyberbullying, Stone (2013), a counselor educator and legal expert on school counselingrelated matters, suggests that counselors focus on spreading the word of safe use of
technological devices. For best anti-cyberbullying practices, a school counselor should
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focus on the following: collaborating with administration on the development of school
policies, assisting in the detection of at-risk behavior for cyberbullying, and
implementing digital citizenship (i.e. e-safety) lessons to the entire student body. In order
to stay current with the most recently-published information on cyberspace issues
affecting students, professional school counselors should seek and engage in regular
professional development opportunities. This professional development can be in the
form of traditional counselor conferences (i.e. ASCA) or appropriate digital webinars.
With this information in hand, as well as general expertise in human development of
adolescents, school counselors can effectively collaborate with both families and
educators on cyberbullying prevention and intervention (2013).
Middle School Families-School Counselor Collaboration
In reviewing the duties of a school counselor, the collaboration factor with
families cannot be overestimated in ensuring that every child is provided a quality
education. When a family member has an academic, personal-social, or college/career
concern for their student, it is typically the school counselor who acts as a liaison to
address the issue. For example, if a parent feels his or her child is being unfairly treated
by one of their teachers, a school counselor may intervene and provide a mediation
conference for the student, their parent(s), and the respective teacher to discuss the
concern. By collaborating with the respective parties, school counselors are leaders in
trying to achieve a satisfactory outcome in the best interests of the student.
Cassidy, Brown, and Jackson (2012) are educational researchers who conducted a
mixed-method study in British Columbia, Canada in which a component included 315
parents/guardians of middle school students filling out a cyberbullying questionnaire. It is
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important to note that the questionnaire was distributed directly to the homes of the
families who were living in predominantly middle to upper class communities, with only
a small percentage of low-income families. Upon completion, the parents/guardians were
asked to return their anonymous questionnaire to the school in a sealed envelope.
Towards the end of the questionnaire, there was space allocated for the parents to handwrite in examples of their child being involved in cyberbullying (either as a perpetrator or
victim). Of the 33 parents who included a description of their child being a cyberbullying
victim, “… only eight indicated that they informed the school, with only one of these
parents commenting that the school proved helpful in guidance and support” (2012, p.
424). Further, in the quantitative data survey results, “… approximately 41% (n = 108)
[of parents] said that the best way to prevent cyber bullying was to restrict computer use,
prohibit access to some sites, [and] tighten the controls…” (p. 425). Despite not
informing the school in the past, parents did provide commentary that they desired to see
their child’s school play a more active role with curriculum development and instruction
that promoted positive online behavior. In teaching students about the ethics of Internet
use and basic respect for others, parents further suggested that schools use contests and
awards to promote cyber kindness. For example, the school can implement a “caught
being good” system in which students are given tickets by school staff when they engage
in positive behavior and show empathy for others. At the end of the each school quarter,
school counselors can lead an assembly in which student tickets are drawn in a raffle for
special prizes. Overall, the parents felt that if the school fostered a “cyber kindness
community” and made it “something cool,” middle schoolers would be less likely to
engage in cyberbullying. Cassidy, et al. (2012) further suggest in their analysis that since
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most incidents originate from a home computer, parents themselves can play an
important role in preventing cyberbullying. In a hectic modern world, parents tend to
miscalculate the amount of time their adolescent may spend on a computer, smartphone,
or other technological devices. There can also be gender differences in Internet
supervision, as “… mothers have better knowledge of their child’s Internet use than
fathers, with mothers displaying more authoritative parenting styles” (2012, p. 418).
Keith and Martin (2005), professional instructors at the Crisis Prevention Institute
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, reemphasize that middle school counselors can garner parental
support against cyberbullying in numerous ways. For example, a school counselor can
provide a parent workshop with the latest data and recommendations on cyberbullying.
During the workshop, parents could be given the following list of “tips” that they could
exercise with their children: be attentive to how often and in what ways their children are
utilizing the Internet, install blocking or filtering software, limit their child’s time using
the Internet, and develop a family online agreement of what to do if they are being
cyberbullied or anything makes them uncomfortable via electronic means (2005).
Overview of Cyberbullying
Cyberbullying definition. Ford (2009) defines cyberbullying as “… the use of
information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile
behavior by an individual or group, [which] is intended to harm others” (p. 535). In
contrast to other forms of bullying, cyberbullying is intentional behavior that is carried
out repeatedly over time but with utilization of electronic devices (Patchin & Hinduja,
2010). Cyberbullying methods involve bullying through a variety of communication
technologies that include but are not limited to: e-mail, instant messaging (IM), text and
video messages sent using cellular phones, web pages, chat rooms, and discussion groups
15
(Holfeld & Grabe, 2012). With a variety of methods, Shariff (2009) postulates that
cyberbullies may also choose to “gang up” on one student by creating a derogatory
website inviting others to make comments. Another common method of cyberbullying
that has become popular among adolescents is forwarding a confidential e-mail to all
address book contacts in an attempt to embarrass the first sender (2009).
Prevalence of cyberbullying. Juvonen and Gross (2008), psychology professors
and researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), conducted an
anonymous Web-based survey with a total of 1,454 respondents of ages 12 to 17 years
old. The demographic sample of volunteer participants was predominantly female (75%)
and Caucasian (66%). Further, in terms of ethnicity, 12% were African-American, 9%
Mexican-American or Latino, and 5% Asian. Within the past year, 72% of respondents
reported at least one online incident of being a cybervictim, with 85% of these children
also being bullying victims at school. The most frequent forms of online and in-school
bullying involved name-calling or insults, and the online incidents most typically took
place through instant messaging. Juvonen and Gross state in their results that “…
contrary to common assumptions about the anonymity of cyberbullies, 73% of the
respondents were ‘pretty sure’ or ‘totally sure’ of the identity of the perpetrator” (2008, p.
501). Although the majority of the respondents were pretty sure the identity of their
cyberbully, most (90%) reported not telling adults about cyberbullying incidents. Of
astonishing note, the most common reason for not reporting cyberbullying was that they
believed they needed to “learn to deal with it themselves.” The psychological reason
behind their lack of reporting to a trusted adult “… is because they are concerned that
their parents might find out and restrict their Internet access” (p. 502). Thus, the authors
16
conclude that it is very important that adolescents are encouraged to report cyberbullying
incidents immediately without fear of losing their Internet access at either home or school
(Juvonen & Gross, 2008).
According to Willard (2006), one of the world’s leading legal researchers and
advocates of cyberbullying prevention, one concern with the prevalence of cyberbullying
among middle school adolescents is that there are no technologies or processes that can
ensure accurate age verification on popular teen websites. Although sites typically require
members to be at least 13 years old, it is simple for a child to lie about their age in order
to participate. With social pressure especially in the middle school years to join such sites
as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, it can be difficult for a child to resist engaging in
social media. However, due to their socio-emotional development, Willard notes that “…
teens simply do not have the brain development necessary to consistently make safe and
responsible choices, especially in an environment where actions are disassociated from
consequences and the social norms support inappropriate choices” (2006, p. 19).
Characteristics of cyberbullies and cybervictims. In order to assist with
prevention and intervention, it is very important that school counselors are aware of the
characteristics often demonstrated by victims and offenders. Johnson (2011), a school
counseling professor at Jackson State University, has indicated the warning signs of a
child acting as a cyberbully as: hiding or closing computer screens from others, using
computers or smartphones late at night, becoming agitated if he or she is denied to access
to a computer, displaying excessive laughter while using the computer, and not
discussing what he or she is doing on technological devices. In contrast, the victims of
cyberbullying may exhibit the following specific behaviors: anxiety when e-mail or
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instant messages appear on their computer screen, appearing upset or depressed after time
on the computer, might suddenly stop using a computer altogether, try not to engage in
conversations about their internet use, may become anxious about going out in public
including to school, and overall seems withdrawn from social and family support systems
(Johnson, 2011).
Cyberbullying and self-esteem of victims and offenders. Patchin and Hinduja
(2010) examined the relationship between middle school students’ experiences with
cyberbullying and their level of self-esteem as a result. In a random sample of 1,963
middle school students from approximately 30 schools in one of the largest school
districts in the United States, participants completed a self-report survey of their Internet
usage and any cyberbullying experiences as either a bully or victim. In the sample
demographic characteristics, the majority of the participants were White (40.6%)
followed by African-American (23.4%) and Hispanic (19.6%). There was an almost even
gender division in the sample population (female 50.1% and male 49.8%). The ages of
the participants ranged from 10 years old to 16 years old, the majority being 12 (29.5%)
and 13 (32.7%). Based on the results, it was found that students involved in
cyberbullying, both as a victim and an offender, had significantly lower self-esteem that
those who had little to no experience. The most common form of cyberbullying
victimization reported was “…receiving an upsetting e-mail from someone you know
(18.3%)” (p. 618). In addition, approximately 30% of respondents reported that they had
experienced one or more types of cyberbullying at least twice in the last 30 days of
completing their survey. Upon further analysis, the results suggested cyberbullying
victims who are “… males, non–Whites, and older middle school students tend to have
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lower levels of self-esteem than their peers [who have not been cyberbullied]” (p. 618).
Both academic and behavioral performances of these students are likely to be impacted as
a result of cyberbullying. However, the researchers did not have access to disciplinary or
academic data of the participants; therefore all data was self-reported by student
participants. As indicated by the results of this study, it is important that school
counselors, teachers, and administrators are trained in anti-bullying programs that can
reach out to all genders, ages, ethnicities, grade levels, and socio-economic backgrounds
(Patchin & Hinduja, 2010).
As an example of how cyberbullying can affect a teenager’s self-esteem, it is
important to look at the case of Rachael Neblett, a middle school girl from Kentucky.
According to Couvillon and Ilieva (2011), Rachael was having an enjoyable and
successful year. However, her life began to change when an anonymous ‘MySpace’ user
began e-mailing her malicious messages. In these messages, it appeared that the
cyberbully had information about her daily interactions and events at school. This
indicated to Rachel that the anonymous cyberbully was stalking her every move at
school. Unfortunately, “Rachael had confided her fears and concerns over this MySpace
user to her friends and did not share any information with her parents until months later”
(2011, p. 101). Her peers did not alert their parents or school officials, and Rachael
eventually committed suicide after receiving a message that the cyberbully was “going to
put her in a morgue” (2011).
Sbarbaro and Smith (2011) conducted a cyberbullying study with a participant
sample of 106 middle school students of low socio-economic background in Northern
California. Each participant was asked to complete a self-survey entitled “Cyberbullying
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and Online Aggression Survey Instrument.” The results indicated that “… 89 (84.0%)
stated they had been bullied at some point, with a majority indicating that it occurred
occasionally (n=66, 62.3%) and most commonly at school (n=73, 68.9%)” (p. 146). Also,
the respondents claimed that one or more locations on school campuses were common for
bullying – i.e. cafeteria, library, lunch tables, classrooms, locker room, parking lot, etc. It
was also apparent there were a higher number of adolescents having seen others being
cyberbullied on their school campus as the grade level of participated increased. In fact,
“… ninth graders reported having observed cyberbullying several or many times (50.0%)
… compared to eighth (35.0%) and seventh graders (18.4%)” (2011, p. 148). Sbarbaro
and Smith further suggest that scholarly research is needed that examines potential
gender and ethnicity differences in both bullying [verbal and physical] and cyberbullying.
With further insight, researchers may be able to provide further understanding and
knowledge to school administrators on how cyberbullying occurs through electronic
means (i.e. chat rooms, text messages, e-mails) among students of low socio-economic
backgrounds in particular. Although it can be assumed that students from affluent
families would have more consistent access to electronic applications to perform
cyberbullying, it is a growing issue for all genders, ethnicities, grade levels, and socioeconomic backgrounds of the cyberbully or cybervictim (2011).
Gender differences in cyberbullying. According to Li (2006), an education
professor in Calgary, Canada, male students are more likely to be bullies and cyberbullies
than their female counterparts. In addition, female cyberbully victims are more likely to
inform adults than their male counterparts. These findings were derived from a surveybased study conducted with 264 [130 males and 134 females] from three middle schools
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in the Calgary area. In terms of ethnicity, the respondents were predominantly White
(75%), followed by 18% mixed-race and 6% Asian. When male and female students’
experiences were considered separately, “… it was found that over 22% of males
[respondents] and close to 12% of females [respondents] were cyberbullies. However,
“25% of males and 25.6 % of females reported that they were cyberbullied” (2006, p.
163). Of particularly disturbing note, almost half of the cyberbullies (including both male
and female) used electronic means to harass others more than a total of three times. In
addition, the results demonstrated that close to half of the students were bullying victims,
with about one in four having been specifically cyberbullied in the past year. Finally, the
quantitative data indicated that the majority of the cybervictims and bystanders [those
who witnessed cyberbullying, but were not actively involved] did not report the incidents
to adults. However, it is unclear if the participants instead reported their cyberbullying
victim experience to a peer or classmate at school (2006).
Katz (2012), an e-safety consultant and researcher in the United Kingdom,
conducted a three-year study with both males and females in middle school to find out
who was more likely to experience cyberbullying. However, Katz did not indicate any
further details about the demographics of the participants involved in the study.
According to results of a cybersurvey instrument that was utilized in all three years, girls
were more likely than boys to: “… report being cyberbullied, experience messages
containing threats, use chatrooms and have a Facebook, and receive e-safety advice from
parents” (2012, p. 48). However, the boys consistently reported that they avoid making
cyberbullying reports and stated that they were “not bothered” or “took it as a joke” by
the experience. As boys are more likely to be homophobically cyberbullied [i.e. accused
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of being or acting like a gay person], they may try to mask their emotional pain as a
“macho response.” By not reporting a cyberbullying incident to their school counselor,
administrator, or teachers, Katz believes boys are generally avoiding the label of being a
“cybervictim.” Despite the idea that boys may engage in physical bullying more often
than cyberbullying, it is a growing issue for both genders at the middle school level
(2012).
In reviewing the emotional impact that cyberbullying can have on a male student,
the case of Ryan Halligan, a 13-year old boy from Vermont, is a devastating reminder. As
reported by Hinduja and Patchin (2011), Ryan ended his life on October 7, 2003, as a
result of the pain and suffering he had experienced from his middle school peers.
Although Ryan suffered from learning disabilities, he was making progress academically
by the time he reached middle school. In addition, Ryan thought he had made a new
friend and that his social life was “taking a turn for the better.” However, the new friend
began to make physical threats against Ryan. It escalated further into cyberbullying when
the “…other student had [initiated] humiliation [tactics] and threats through instant
messaging conversations, which were shared with a number of other students through cell
phones and e-mail” (p. 78). With the physical and cyberbullying combined, it ultimately
led Ryan to ending his own life (2011).
School Liability with Incidences of Cyberbullying
Key legal issues. According to Hinduja and Patchin (2011), “… court history
seems to demonstrate that school administrators [i.e. principals and assistant principals]
have a legal obligation (notwithstanding a moral duty) to take action when harassment
(online or off) is brought to their attention” (p. 71). If cyberbullying has created a hostile
22
environment for a student, administrators and school counselors have the shared
responsibility to investigate the cyberbullying claim to see if the incident created a
‘substantial disruption’ to the cybervictim’s right to an education. For example, Hinduja
and Patchin noted a federal case in California that occurred in late 2009, in which an
eighth-grader was cyberbullied through the posting of a YouTube video created by a peer
denigrating her as “spoiled,” “a brat,” and “a slut” (J.C. v. Beverly Hills Unified School
District). When the victim reported the video to her school counselor, she indicated
strongly that she was too upset to attend school. In consultation with administration and
school district attorneys, the school counselor classified the behavior as “cyberbullying”
and thereby placed the cyberbully on at-home suspension for two days. Afterwards, the
researchers indicated the perpetrator’s family decided to sue the school district on the
grounds that their daughter’s First Amendment right to free speech had been violated. In
the federal court decision, the judge ruled that “…school authorities overstepped their
bounds, (ostensibly) on the basis of the fact that the school could not prove that the
offending speech and actions caused a substantial disruption of school activities” (2011,
p. 76). Although the cyberbullying victim claimed that she was emotionally unable to
attend classes, the judge felt that the school counselor did not have enough evidence to
warrant the suspension of the perpetrator. In addition, the judge also commented in his
ruling that adolescents are too “immature” and “unpredictable” to provide substantial
evidence of emotional distress due to cyberbullying (2011).
Tinker standard encompassing cyberbullying. School administrators and
counselors also need to be well-informed of the preeminent legal case regarding a
student's First Amendment right to free speech in Tinker v. Des Moines Independent
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Community School District. According to Trager (2009), “… the [federal] Court asserted
that ‘conduct by the student, in class or out of it . . . [that] materially disrupts class work
or involve[s] substantial disorder or invasion of the rights of others is, of course, not
immunized by the constitutional guarantee of freedom of speech” (p. 554). The United
States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit also held that Tinker does not require
certainty of disruption, "… but rather the existence of facts which might reasonably lead
school officials to forecast substantial disruption" (p. 555). Overall, it appears with the
Tinker standard that school officials may have greater authority to intervene before the
speech escalates to physical violence on campus. However, some have argued that Tinker
is not applicable to cyberbullying because the bullying only affects the cybervictim
directly (2009).
Rules that govern school authority over student cyber expressions. As court
decisions in regard to cyberbullying and how it affects the school environment seem to be
in conflict, Myers, McCaw, and Hemphill (2011) composed a list of rules for school
counselors and administrators to consider while investigating claims of cyberbullying. To
start, the First Amendment provisions apply to all public school children and adolescents;
thereby students have the right to free speech on electronic means. However, censorship
is permissible if the student expression reasonably suggests a “substantial disruption” to
school activities. A “substantial disruption” occurs when the cyberbullying action “…
actually interferes with the students’ rights to educational benefits or substantially
detracts from the learning environment” (p. 127). In addition, offensive language
(whether lewd, vulgar, or profane) is completely inappropriate in a school environment
and students can be suspended or expelled for using such language. When school
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property, equipment, or events are involved in the cyberbullying action, reasonable
regulations may be imposed. Finally, if true threats are made to a person’s life or any
other criminal activity is included in the cyberbullying expression, it may always be
regulated by administration and/or police officials (2011).
School Measures for Prevention of Cyberbullying
School-wide assessment of cyberbullying. In order to gain a full perspective of
how cyberbullying is impacting a school community, it may be best to start with a
school-wide assessment administered by teachers and later reviewed and analyzed by
school counselors. As stated by Kowalski, Limber, and Agatston (2012), one effective
method is having all students complete an anonymous survey or questionnaire about
bullying behavior they experience at school. If questions are also included that are
specific to cyberbullying, school counselors can take a leadership role by analyzing the
data and assist the faculty in gaining insight into the amount of cyberbullying between
students that is occurring both on and off campus. For example, Appendix B of this
project features an adaptation of a school-wide assessment created by educational
psychology professors Mark and Ratliffe (2011) at the University of Hawaii.
During the evaluation of the questionnaires that students take at school as a
measure of school-wide assessment of cyberbullying, Katz (2012) suggests that
representatives (i.e. school counselors and/or administrators) should check to see if
several “big questions” were answered as a result of the administration of a questionnaire.
For example, do the administrators and/or school counselors know the extent of
cyberbullying experienced by students? Are there are any changing trends that the faculty
should be aware of (i.e. are more males or females being affected by cyberbullying?)
How effective do students feel that the current anti-cyberbullying policies and strategies
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on campus? In addition, for a true school-wide assessment, questionnaires should also be
created and given to administrators, school counselors, teachers, and other staff members
to complete in an efficient manner. Finally, it is important to also incorporate a
questionnaire for families to complete at their respective households (2012).
Kite, Gable, and Filippelli (2010) conducted a study assessing middle school
students’ knowledge of the extent of cyberbullying with a total of 588 male and female
participants completing a “Survey of Internet Risk and Behavior” during a regularly
scheduled class period. Regarding the demographics of participants, the researchers noted
that “… the urban school population was 9% Asian American, 7% African American,
11% Hispanic, and 73% White” (p. 159). One of the notable results was that less than the
majority of the total student participants (44%) reported that they would tell an adult if
they were the victim of cyberbullying, while 10% indicated that they had experienced
being a victim of cyberbullying (2010).
Holfeld and Grabe (2012), education professors at the University of North
Dakota, distributed an anonymous survey to 665 middle school students asking about
experiences they may have had in regard to cyberbullying. In their findings, the authors
report that “… approximately one in five students reported being cyber-bullied in the past
year, with 55% of those students being repeatedly victimized within the past 30 days” (p.
395). Despite frequently reporting cyberbullying to their peers (64%), 50% of the
participants also reported cyberbullying to their parents/guardians. Of interesting note,
only 8% of respondents felt comfortable in reporting cyberbullying to their teachers.
Although the participants indicated that they had reported the incident in which they had
26
been cyberbullied, there was a general consensus that neither peers nor adults were
effective in assisting the victim with helpful advice or resources (2012).
Upon implementing a school-wide assessment of cyberbullying, it may be
advantageous to also include a ‘peer nomination bullying form’ or ‘student peer support
survey’ with all students on campus. During the school-wide assessment, an additional
form can be distributed asking students to anonymously write down the names of their
peers they know have been a victim of cyberbullying (Please see Appendix C for an
example of a student peer support survey). In their study, Phillips and Cornell (2012), an
education professor and doctoral student at the University of Virginia, employed ‘peer
nominations’ to identify student victims of bullying and relied on school counselor
interviews to confirm each victim’s status. In a sample of 1,178 middle school students,
participants were asked to complete a confidential ‘peer nomination form’ as part of a
bullying survey. If students received multiple nominations, school counselors were asked
to interview these students to confirm that were experiencing victimization. In the
interviews, it was found that “…the proportion of students confirmed as victims
increased from 43% for students with two or more nominations to 90% for students with
nine or more nominations” (2012, p. 123).
Cyberbullying Prevention Programs
Katz’s five-stage cycle of cyberbullying prevention. School counselors and
administrators can view cyberbullying prevention in terms of a five-stage cycle.
According to Katz (2012), the first stage is to raise awareness and consult with students,
parents, and the entire staff of the school regarding the importance of cyberbullying
prevention. School counselors and administrators can collaborate on forming an
27
“advisory group” that is fully representative of the different stakeholders at the middle
school level (i.e. parents/families, teachers, instructional aides, and other support staff).
Upon forming an advisory group, Stage 2 begins by planning school-wide policies and
strategies that are specific to the needs identified by the school-wide assessment. A
school-wide policy could include the acceptable user policy (AUP) for which websites
students and staff members can access from school computers on a daily basis. In
addition, the school’s anti-bullying policy, including procedures for cyberbullying claims,
should be updated or reviewed by all stakeholders in the advisory group. After policies
have been updated and reviewed by the advisory group, Katz asserts that school
counselors should collaborate with administrators in informing, training, and
implementing a peer mediation program as encompassed in Stage 3. A peer mediation
program at the middle school level is normally one in which older students (typically
eighth-graders) are given training by counselors and/or administrators on becoming
mediators to help their peers problem-solve issues between one another. For a peer
mediation session, one or more student mediators will assist the disputing students in a
safe and confidential environment. According to Katz, a peer mediation program can be
effective as an anti-cyberbullying measure, depending on the reliability, maturity, and
dedication of the peer mediators selected for the program (2012).
During this stage, Katz (2012) contends that universal e-safety sessions conducted
by computer teachers, school counselors, and/or administrators should be presented to all
students on campus by classroom presentations or an all-school assembly. For an
effective e-safety session, the instructor should model positive and exciting uses of
technology by polling students for the current internet trends and discussing their levels
28
of risk. In other words, these sessions should be an open discussion warning adolescents
that they may leave a “digital footprint” in which strangers can access their private
information if he or she is not careful with what they post online on different social
networking websites (i.e. Twitter, Instagram, Facebook). However, according to Katz
(2012), “… an immediate school-wide activity addressing cyberbullying can sometimes
be more successful at stopping cyberbullying than a confrontation with the perpetrator/s.
Within this activity you can state that you are aware of several examples of cyberbullying
going on in the school, year or class, and they are entirely unacceptable” (p. 129). Finally,
the school website can also be updated by a school administrator with a current posting of
the anti-bullying policy as well as district approved forms to report any instances of
bullying (2012).
By Stage 4, Katz (2012) postulates that prevention activities are in full swing at
the school campus in the form of workshops, assemblies, poster campaigns, award
assemblies for positive behavior, etc. For example, a middle school can implement a
workshop for families to learn about online behaviors and risk factors that affect
individuals when posting personal information on social networking sites (i.e. Facebook,
Twitter, Instagram). An assembly can be a general anti-cyberbullying campaign in which
students engage in role-play scenarios and/or watch appropriate YouTube educational
videos regarding cyberbullying A poster campaign is one in which students are
encouraged to design their own “Stop Cyberbullying!” posters to display in the hallways
on campus. And finally, an award assembly can be held that rewards for positive
behavior by special certificates or prizes for students that exhibit leadership and positive
social skills with their peers on a regular basis. In the final stage (Stage 5), all activities
29
and strategies are evaluated for effectiveness and adjustments are made as necessary upon
consultation with interested parties. For example, did the e-safety educators (whether it is
a teacher, school counselor or administrator) utilize the following criteria in the universal
e-safety sessions provided in Stage 3? Criteria would include: modeling positives uses of
technology, paying careful attention to the ages and genders of their audience, using
multiple learning techniques to engage students (i.e. drama skits, role play, songs,
designing e-safety posters), involving the students in feedback of what they have learned,
and polling students to keep up with the current internet trends for adolescents. Finally,
the e-safety educators/leaders on campus should strive to keep families aware of all esafety measures implemented on campus to ensure that a home-school connection has
been made for students involved in the e-safety sessions on campus (2012).
Since cyberbullying is a growing issue especially at the middle school level, it is
vital for teachers, school counselors, and administrators to collaborate on engaging in a
variety of methods or strategies in terms of prevention. Researchers have stressed that
both families and school faculties can find strategies to engage students that would appeal
to their developmental level in early adolescence. For example, Wong-Lo and Bullock
(2011) suggest incorporating popular youth technology (i.e. Instagram) to show students
how to utilize social networking sites to promote themselves in a positive manner that
would appeal to prospective college admission counselors, potential employers, and their
peers. In addition, “… teachers can develop lessons that teach students to appropriately
post their opinions on blogging sites using topics that engage youth such as the
environment, politics, and community service” (p. 68). By engaging students with
30
websites that are popular to their age group, they will be more likely to stay attentive and
understand how these sites can be beneficial in their lives (2011).
Cyber Bullying: A Prevention Curriculum for Grades 6-12. Limber,
Kowalski, and Agatston (2014) updated an eight-week cyberbullying prevention middle
and high school curriculum as an addition to the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.
Although this component of the program is not research-based, it draws upon the latest
cyberbullying prevention methods and strategies that have been shown to be effective
with middle and high school students. During the eight-week program, each lesson plan
is comprised of cyberbullying discussion and activities that are scheduled to last for
approximately fifty minutes. Instead of having a school counselor, administrator, and/or
teacher as the only facilitator, this program includes the training and participation of peer
student leaders. Therefore, this curriculum and training guide can be used to assist in the
guiding of a peer mediation program as described in Stage 3 of Katz’s five-stage cycle of
cyberbullying prevention. It is important to note that this curriculum does not specifically
target the male early adolescent population. Instead, it is designed for general
cyberbullying prevention information sessions that appeal to both genders in middle and
high school. Since this curriculum is to be implemented with peer student leaders, middle
school teachers should be asked to nominate their students that display excellent
citizenship and social skills (2014).
RAISE Boys: Reduce Aggression, Increase Self Empowerment. Upon a
thorough review of any middle school curriculums that address cyberbullying, The
Ophelia Project (2010) was the only organization found that features a single lesson with
only male participants. In “RAISE Boys: Reduce Aggression, Increase Self
31
Empowerment,” male early adolescents in middle school participate in a six-week
curriculum designed to increase their self-esteem and reduce incidents of relational
aggression. Relational aggression is defined in this curriculum as “... behavior that is
intended to hurt someone by harming their relationships with others” (p. 8). During the
final week of implementation, the boys focus on cyberbullying prevention with the
following objectives “… compare and contrast acts of aggression based on level of harm
towards the target, degree of anonymity, and size of the bystander audience; definitions
of anonymity and cyberbullying, and create a list of Cyber Rules for safe Internet usage”
(2010, p. 12). Although all male students should participate in universal e-safety sessions,
The Ophelia Project does provide a comprehensive lesson plan in cyberbullying
prevention that is meant to be specifically shared with male participants only. It can be
suggested that for those male early adolescents who received multiple nominations on the
‘student peer support surveys’ or ‘peer nomination forms’ are to be given priority
consideration in participating in The Ophelia Project curriculum (2010).
School Counselors’ Role in Cyberbullying Prevention
School counselors are integral staff members for any anti-cyberbullying program
at the middle school level. As promoted by Chibbaro (2007), “… awareness is one of the
keys in reducing or eliminating school bullying, and parental awareness of cyberbullying
can help aid school counselors' efforts to eradicate cyberbullying” (p. 67). Although
school counselors are not the only staff members responsible for student safety, school
counselors may be the best primary contact for parents and students seeking information
or help. Counseling and support should be provided to both cyberbullies and
cybervictims. For example, school counselors can provide support for adolescents who
32
are exhibiting cyberbully behaviors that includes alerting students to the consequences of
cyberbullying, developing young male adolescent’s self-esteem or self-concept, and
improving students’ personal-social skills in terms of anger management and having
empathy for others (2007).
According to Kowalski, Limber, and Agatston (2012), when a school counselor is
informed of a cyberbullying incident by the victim or by the victim’s teachers, parents,
and/or friends, it is time to look for evidence of traditional bullying measures and
whether the identity of the cyberbully is known. In these cases, school officials (i.e.
administrators) can impose consequences for bullying behavior occurring at school that
has accompanied the cyberbullying incidence(s). By following their school district’s
policies and guidelines for traditional bullying response, school counselors should take
sufficient time to determine the full extent of the bullying. In these situations, both the
perpetrator(s) and targeted student(s) must be interviewed individually, with a strong
message against further retaliation by either party (2012).
In order to gain school counselors’ perspectives on their roles in bullying
prevention, Jacobsen and Bauman (2007) utilized an Internet survey with 183 practicing
school counselor volunteer participants in Arizona. Participants reviewed vignettes
describing physical, verbal, and relational (including cyberbullying) bullying. The
majority of respondents had the least empathy for victims of relational bullying [hurting
someone’s reputation or relationships on purpose]. The school counselors who noted that
they had received previous anti-bullying training stated that they were more likely to
intervene in relational bullying than those without any training. It was particularly
disturbing for the researchers to find that school counselors suggested stronger
33
interventions for verbal bullying as opposed to physical and relational bullying. Since
school counselors often do not see the same students every day, it is often difficult to
detect a pattern of cyberbullying among their assigned students. Due to not observing a
clear pattern of incidents or consequences, school counselors did not feel that relational
bullying required an intervention. Therefore, the majority of the participants in this study
also responded that they were “… more reluctant [in relational bullying cases] to inform
parents or report to a higher authority when working with victims of bullying” (2007, p.
7). However, as school leaders, it is imperative that school counselors are thoroughly
trained in anti-bullying programs (particularly with new additions in cyberbullying) and
recognize the need for collaboration with both parents and administrators. By working as
a collaborative team, the number of cyberbullying claims can significantly decline over
the course of a school year. Therefore, when a cyberbullying claim is made in the
counseling office, it is the school counselor’s obligation and duty to their students to find
out the circumstances and then provide age-appropriate counseling upon consultation
with administration and/or teachers (2007).
Conclusion
As a result of this discussion and review of literature of the multiple facets of
cyberbullying prevention, it is concluded that a comprehensive in-service presentation
focused on male early adolescents would be appropriate and is needed for middle school
counselors to present to teachers. By engaging teachers with knowledge and resources
from recent research studies, school counselors can work with school administrators to:
implement a variety of preventive measures, observe common characteristics of
cyberbullies and victims, and ultimately provide the necessary referrals to the counseling
34
office for students exhibiting the behavior of cyberbullies and cybervictims. The
following chapter will discuss the implementation factors for this graduate project.
35
Chapter 3
Project Audience and Implementation Factors
Introduction
Cyberbullying is rapidly becoming a prevalent issue on middle school campuses
affecting students of all genders, ages, ethnicities, and socio-economic backgrounds.
With a lack of research-based supplemental curriculums on cyberbullying targeted at
male adolescents, there is a need for a thorough in-service presentation for middle school
teachers to become engaged in cyberbullying prevention (especially for their male
students). The cyberbullying in-service for this graduate project was developed based on
recent research reviewed in Chapter 2 (Review of Literature). The in-service is intended
for a professional school counselor to present, but it should be in collaboration with
administrators. Therefore, the in-service presentation will vary depending on the specific
circumstances and needs of each middle school campus.
Development of Project
Throughout my school counseling internships at two separate middle schools in
Ventura County, California, I noted several incidences of cyberbullying among the
student body. Despite a strict no cell phone usage policy enforced on both campuses,
cyberbullying still affected the students on a regular basis. Overall, it seemed that
cyberbullying occurred more frequently with seventh and eighth-grade female students. It
was not uncommon for these female students to request to see their school counselors for
personal-social counseling. However, I never witnessed a male student requesting
counseling for a cyberbullying incident. If a cyberbullying report was made by a female
cybervictim in the counseling office, the school counselor(s) referred it to administration
for further action. Since I was not privy to administrative actions as an intern, I felt that
36
school counselors had a very minimal role in cyberbullying prevention and intervention.
Therefore, I began to focus on researching all recently-published scholarly work to see
how school counselors could become leaders in combating cyberbullying at the middle
school level, particularly with male adolescents.
By conducting a lengthy literature review, it was apparent that the majority of
cyberbullying case studies did not start to be published in school-related professional
journals until approximately 2005. In addition, I was unable to find any research-based
curriculums on cyberbullying that targeted male early adolescent participants attending
middle school. Although there are several bullying research-based curriculums readily
available to educators (i.e. Second Step, Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, Steps to
Respect), none of these programs have revised their program materials to specifically
address male students. In addition, I only found one non research-based relational
aggression curriculum that contained a single lesson focused on cyberbullying prevention
for male participants in middle school (The Ophelia Project, 2010). Without a specific
supplemental curriculum in cyberbullying for male adolescents to test during my
internships, I decided instead to bring together all of my research to create a PowerPoint
presentation intended for a middle school teacher audience for this graduate project.
During the development of my in-service presentation, I chose to focus on
providing middle school teachers with an overview of cyberbullying (i.e. prevalence,
characteristics of cyberbullies/cybervictims, etc.) and school measures that they could
personally become involved in to help prevent male adolescents from becoming
cybervictims. In order to organize the section on cyberbullying prevention, I utilized Katz
(2012)’s five stage cycle. I also included a vignette of a male middle schooler (Ryan
37
Halligan) who was a cybervictim who committed suicide to place a face on how
cyberbullying can ultimately affect this population of students. Finally, I also felt it was
important to include tangible resources that could be effective for school counselors to
distribute to teachers on their school campuses. For example, a school-wide assessment
of cyberbullying (adapted from Mark & Ratliffe, 2011), a sample student peer support
survey created by myself, and a list of additional resources (i.e. books, articles, lesson
plans, social media) were all included as part of the general presentation.
Intended Audience
For the purposes of this in-service presentation, the population I am targeting is
middle school teachers. Although I chose to focus on middle school as it has the highest
rates of cyberbullying claims, all of the information contained in the presentation can be
utilized at the elementary and high school levels as well. However, in terms of
elementary education, the school-wide assessment would need to be adapted to meet the
learning needs and developmental stages of their students. As stated previously, this
presentation could be modified to assist instructional aides and other school staff in
joining the cause to stop cyberbullying. Finally, this presentation would be beneficial for
the families of students to receive detailed information about cyberbullying and the
school-wide measures that are being utilized on campus as well. If families are included
in the presentation, all information will need to be translated effectively into Spanish and
other languages as necessary.
Personal Qualifications
The professionals who will lead this in-service will be credentialed school
counselors. However, school counselors will need to collaborate closely with
administrators and seek to engage their participation as well in the presentation. In order
38
to be qualified to teach this presentation, the individual(s) must be proficient in
understanding all areas of cyberbullying prevention. If approved by school district
officials, it may be appropriate to ask the school district legal counsel to attend the inservice, so that they may add to any discussion on any legal ramifications that school
district employees have in addressing cyberbullying appropriately at the middle school
level.
Environment and Equipment
This in-service presentation should be conducted in a private space such as a
classroom or conference room in a middle school campus. Due to the amount of material
to be covered during the course of the presentation, it would be beneficial to have
comfortable seating arranged for the presenter and audience members. If any of the
parties are Deaf or hard-of-hearing or are more fluent in another language, interpreters
must be arranged prior to the start of the presentation as well. In terms of necessary
equipment, the PowerPoint presentation will require a laptop or desktop computer
connected to a projector to be displayed on a screen in the room. If the PowerPoint
presentation is printed onto handouts with spaces for note-taking, pens and/or pencils will
need to be distributed to participants.
39
Chapter 4
Conclusion
Summary
The purpose of this graduate project was to illustrate the need for an in-service
presentation to middle school teachers regarding the importance of cyberbullying
prevention of early male adolescents. In Chapter Two, the review of literature examined
early adolescent/middle school student development, a general overview of
cyberbullying, school liability factors, and school measures for cyberbullying prevention.
Chapter Three provided a description of project development, the intended audience, a
description of the qualifications of the intended facilitator (i.e. a professional school
counselor), and suggested environment and equipment for the in-service presentation. A
two-hour in-service presentation on cyberbullying prevention specifically for early male
adolescents was developed for middle school teachers. As presented by professional
school counselors, “Preventing the Cyberbullying of Early Male Adolescents: An InService for Middle School Teachers” was designed with the intention of advocating for
school counselor, administration, and teacher collaboration on this important issue.
Evaluation
For this graduate project, two school counselors and one assistant principal all at
the middle school level were asked to provide feedback on the effectiveness of the inservice PowerPoint presentation and facilitator’s guide. All three evaluators are employed
on a full-time basis in the Moorpark Unified School District (MUSD) located in Ventura
County, California. In terms of experience, the school counselors each had over 20 years
of experience in counseling at the middle school level. After 10 years as a high school
Spanish teacher, the assistant principal has been an administrator for the last five years.
40
All three evaluators were asked via both in-person and written cover letter for their
voluntary participation in reviewing this graduate project.
Upon their consent to be an evaluator, each individual was given a hard copy of
an evaluation survey, facilitator’s guide (Appendix A), and sample PowerPoint
presentation (Appendix C). The evaluation survey included six statements about the inservice presentation and utilized a Likert scale to rate each statement with the following
responses: strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree. The evaluative
statements included: 1) the content of the presentation is informative and current to
cyberbullying prevention measures, 2) the PowerPoint presentation length seems to be
reasonable for an in-service presentation, 3) the handouts will be helpful and appropriate
to the middle-school level, 4) the in-service presentation could add to your prior
knowledge regarding cyberbullying, 5) I plan to utilize the handouts with my male
students accordingly in the future, and 6) I would recommend this in-service presentation
to other educators in the future. The evaluation survey also included an open-ended
section in which evaluators were asked to provide any and all additional comments to
assist in the improvement of the in-service presentation for middle school teachers. Upon
thoroughly reviewing the facilitator’s guide and PowerPoint presentation, each evaluator
returned their survey in a sealed envelope.
Discussion
It was very insightful to receive feedback on the PowerPoint presentation and
facilitator’s guide. The first evaluator was an elementary/middle school counselor with 20
years of experience. On all six statements presented on the survey, she selected “strongly
agree” for each one. Although the elementary/middle school counselor did not have any
specific comments on what could be improved or changed with the project materials, she
41
commented that the presentation was “fantastic and informative” and that “all educators
need to hear it.” The evaluator further stated that staff members (i.e. teachers) need to be
reminded that “… males are bullied just as much as females but don’t speak up about it.”
Finally, she reiterated that cyberbullying of males is a very important topic to address at
the middle school level.
The second evaluator was a male full-time school counselor with over 34 years of
experience in education. After teaching for nine years at the middle school level, he
became a school counselor. In reviewing his survey, the evaluator selected “strongly
agree” for the presentation being current and informative, the Power-Point presentation
length is reasonable, the information contained in the PowerPoint could add to one’s prior
knowledge regarding cyberbullying, and that he would recommend this presentation to
other educators in the future. However, he only “agreed” to the handouts being
appropriate and helpful at the middle school level and that he planned to utilize the
handouts with his male students accordingly in the future. Although the school counselor
stated that there was great information contained on the handouts, he stated “I would
select a few key handouts for students but all of them might be overwhelming for the
average middle school student.” He also commented that “teachers may not have time to
complete all of the questionnaire.” However, the school-wide assessment/questionnaire
(Appendix D) is meant for middle school students (6th, 7th, or 8th grade) only to complete.
A separate questionnaire for teachers and other school staff to complete would need to be
created or adapted in future research. Finally, the school counselor complimented the
overall project with “the information on the PowerPoint and hand-outs is very thorough
and up-to-date! Excellent work!!”
42
The third and final evaluator was a middle school assistant principal with 15 years
of experience in education as both a teacher and administrator. As an assistant principal,
the evaluator is in charge of many disciplinary issues, including those that involve acts of
cyberbullying. For his survey, he chose “strongly agree” in the content of the
presentation, the presentation length being reasonable, the handouts being helpful and
appropriate to the middle school level, and that he would recommend the in-service
presentation to other educators in the future. Since he has researched cyberbullying
thoroughly as well, he selected “agree” for the presentation adding to his prior knowledge
on the topic. Finally, he noted a “N/A” in using the handouts with his male students in the
future, as he is not a teacher or school counselor. In terms of additional comments, the
evaluator stated “I really like the layout and understandability of the presentation. This is
a very hot topic … the PowerPoint effectively addresses the problem we are currently
facing in schools, specifically with cyberbullying on the rise.”
In addition, the assistant principal suggested including a slide on an anonymous
“bully box” for middle school students to use without the stigma of being called a “tattle
tale.” He noted that the bully box can effectively work for male students, as they are often
more hesitant to say anything when there is a problem. At his middle school, the “bully
box” is displayed prominently in the main office for students to drop their notes into
without being seen by their classmates. However, male students may still feel
uncomfortable reporting being bullied by using an anonymous note to be placed in the
“bully box.” They could worry that the school secretaries or other staff could spot them
reporting being a cybervictim. Therefore, there may be a need to place additional boxes
throughout the campus where a male student may feel more comfortable using it.
43
Future Work/Research
By completing this graduate project, I learned that cyberbullying is a quickly
evolving topic that is continues to be on the rise at the middle school level. In conducting
the literature review, it was apparent that scholarly research published even five years ago
that is focused on MySpace use for example is outdated. It appears that every month there
is a new website or application that adolescents are utilizing to engage in acts of
cyberbullying. For future work, I believe there needs to be more of an emphasis for
preventative cyberbullying measures that specifically address male early adolescents.
Although there has been an abundance of relational aggression curriculum for young
girls, the Ophelia Project (Appendix F) is the only organization found during the research
of this project that focused on a cyberbullying lesson for males.
In terms of future research, researchers should conduct both qualitative and
quantitative studies that specifically select male early adolescents as participants. There
needs to be a greater emphasis on finding out the emotional, psychological, and social
reasons why a male student is significantly less likely than a female to report being a
cybervictim. By finding out more about the gender differences, future research can
inform anti-cyberbullying curriculums or programs that are appropriate for male students
attending middle school. Finally, although this project focused on middle school teachers,
all adults on campus should be aware of the latest cyberbullying research and key ideas.
Therefore, the in-service presentation contained in this project (Appendix C) could be
adapted or modified for use with school psychologists, instructional aides, custodians,
and any other staff member who is regularly in contact with male early adolescents at the
middle school level.
44
References
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Berk, L.E. (2012). Infants, children, and adolescents (7th ed). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
California Department of Education (2015). Rotating block. Retrieved March 7, 2015
from http://pubs.cde.ca.gov/tcsii/ch3/rotatingblock.aspx.
Cassidy, W., Brown, K., & Jackson, M. (2012). "Making kind cool": Parents' suggestions
for preventing cyber bullying and fostering cyber kindness. Journal of
Educational Computing Research, 46(4), 415-436.
Chibbaro, J. S. (2007). School counselors and the cyberbully: Interventions and
implications. Professional School Counseling, 11(1), 65-68.
Couvillon, M. A., & Ilieva, V. (2011). Recommended practices: A review of schoolwide
preventative programs and strategies on cyberbullying. Preventing School
Failure, 55(2), 96-101. doi:10.1080/1045988X.2011.539461
Diamanduros, T., Downs, E., & Jenkins, S. J. (2008). The role of school psychologists in
the assessment, prevention, and intervention of cyberbullying. Psychology in the
Schools, 45(8), 693-704.
Education World. (2011). School mission statements: Where is your school going?
Retrieved March 7, 2015 from
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin229.shtml#sthash.VeRlqu
cc.dpuf.
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Ford, A. (2009). School liability: Holding middle schools liable for cyber-bullying
despite their implementation of internet usage contracts. Journal of Law &
Education, 38(3), 535-543.
Froeschle, J. G., Mayorga, M., Castillo, Y., & Hargrave, T. (2008). Strategies to prevent
and heal the mental anguish caused by cyberbullying. Middle School Journal,
39(4), 30-35.
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2011). Cyberbullying: A review of the legal issues facing
educators. Preventing School Failure, 55(2), 71-78.
Holfeld, B., & Grabe, M. (2012). Middle school students' perceptions of and responses to
cyber bullying. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 46(4), 395-413.
Jacobsen, K. E., & Bauman, S. (2007). Bullying in schools: School counselors' responses
to three types of bullying incidents. Professional School Counseling, 11(1), 1-9.
Johnson, L. D. (2011). Counselors and cyberbullying: Guidelines for prevention,
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Juvonen, J., & Gross, E. F. (2008). Extending the school grounds?—Bullying experiences
in cyberspace. Journal of School Health, 78(9), 496-505. doi:10.1111/j.17461561.2008.00335.x
Katz, A. (2012). Cyberbullying and e-safety: What educators and other professionals
need to know. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Keith, S., & Martin, M. E. (2005). Cyber-Bullying: Creating a culture of respect in a
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Kite, S. L., Gable, R., & Filippelli, L. (2010). Assessing middle school students’
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APPENDICES
49
Appendix A: Facilitator’s Guide for In-Service Presentation to Teachers
Preventing the Cyberbullying of
Male Early Adolescents:
An In-Service for
Middle School Teachers
Facilitator’s Guide
Jennilyn D. Kirkpatrick
May 2015
50
Welcome Presenter(s)!
Purpose
The purpose of this in-service presentation is for you, the professional school counselor,
to present teachers with concise information and resources on appropriate preventive
measures they can immediately utilize with early adolescent male students. In a
collaborative effort between middle school counselors, administrators, and teachers,
cyberbullying can be addressed in terms of prevention. By attending this in-service
presentation, teachers can be given the knowledge and resources to contribute to anticyberbullying policies and programs utilized on a middle school campus.
Overview
The “Preventing the Cyberbullying of Male Early Adolescents: An In-Service for Middle
School Teachers” is to be presented by a professional school counselor with collaboration
from administrative staff. The in-service is designed as one two-hour long presentation
intended to be a part of a faculty meeting on a professional development day.
In this single in-service presentation, you will review with middle school teachers an
overview of cyberbullying (i.e. its definition, prevalence, characteristics of cyberbullies
and cybervictims, etc.) followed by prevention measures that focus on male early
adolescent students. Each of these measures is organized around the five stages of
cyberbullying prevention modeled by Katz (2012).
This guide will provide you with sample handouts and lesson plans that can be used to
conduct the in-service presentation, as well as presenter’s notes to follow along for each
slide of the PowerPoint presentation.
Specific Directions for Developing the In-Service Presentation at Your School Site
Prior to presenting this in-service presentation, you will need to collaborate with your
administrative team to discuss how to accomplish the following tasks:
1. How will the school-wide assessment of cyberbullying (Appendix D) be
distributed to the entire student body? Will it be distributed by the middle school
51
teachers during a homeroom/advisory period or first period on a pre-selected day,
etc.?
2. How will the “Peer Support Survey” be utilized by the teachers? Should it only be
distributed one time alongside the school-wide assessment? Or should teachers
have it prominently displayed in their classrooms at all times throughout the
school year?
3. For the peer mediation program, what will be the process for teacher referrals of
appropriate peer mediators and students in need of mediation? Also, how often
should the school counselor facilitate this program?
4. And finally, how often should this in-service presentation be presented? When
will be the follow-up meetings between school counselors, administrators, and
teachers to address this specific issue of cyberbullying prevention for early male
adolescent students?
Materials
 Sample Outline/Agenda for PowerPoint Presentation
 Sample School-Wide Assessment of Cyberbullying (Mark & Ratliffe, 2011).
 Sample Student Peer Support Survey
 Sample Lesson Plan on Cyberbullying Prevention Targeting Boys (The Ophelia
Project, 2010).
 Additional Cyberbullying Resources for Educators
 Sample In-Service Presentation Evaluation Form
List of suggested items for in-service presentation that are not provided in this guide:
 A conference room that will comfortably accommodate the audience
 A desktop or laptop computer with internet access (Wi-Fi connection)
 Audio speakers for the YouTube “Student Peer Support Survey” video
 An LCD projector and white screen
 Pens and Pencils for note-taking during in-service presentation
 Access to a copier for handout distribution
52
Modifications by School Level
For this in-service presentation, the target audience is middle school teachers. Although
the middle school level was chosen as it has the highest rates of cyberbullying claims, all
of the information contained in the presentation may be utilized at the elementary and
high school levels. However, in terms of elementary education, the school-wide
assessment would need to be adapted to meet the learning needs and developmental
stages of their students. This presentation could also be modified to assist instructional
aides and other school staff in joining the cause to stop cyberbullying. Finally, this
presentation would be beneficial for the families of students to receive detailed
information about cyberbullying and the school-wide measures that are being utilized on
campus as well. If families are included in the presentation, all information will need to
be translated effectively into Spanish and other languages as necessary.
Suggestions for Facilitator Implementation
Prior to conducting the in-service presentation, please review all materials provided and
suggested in this guide. If you are a professional school counselor, you will need to
collaborate with your principal and/or assistant principals to ensure that the strategies and
programs presented will be supported by administration. With administrative approval,
please thoroughly review all slides of the PowerPoint presentation and edit as necessary
so that the presentation is completed within your allocated time-frame. The presentation
is intended to last two-hours, but could run longer with teachers’ discussions and
questions.
Once you have acquired the materials, received administrative approval, and scheduled a
date/time that best meets the needs of your teaching staff, announce the presentation via a
mass e-mail to all teachers, an addition to the weekly staff bulletin, and flyers in the
teacher’s mailboxes and on any bulletin boards in staff rooms.
You are now ready to implement this in-service presentation. Good luck! An evaluation
form has also been provided to receive feedback from your audience that will assist in the
planning of future presentations on cyberbullying prevention.
53
Appendix B: Outline of In-Service Presentation
Preventing the Cyberbullying of Early Male Adolescents:
An In-Service for Middle School Teachers
AGENDA
 Objectives

To provide an overview of cyberbullying, including its definition, prevalence,
characteristics of both cyberbullies and cybervictims, and gender differences.

To review school measures for cyberbullying prevention that middle school
teachers can become involved with to assist in the curtailing of male early
adolescent students becoming cybervictims. This review will encompass five
stages of cyberbullying prevention (Katz, 2012): 1) Raise Awareness and Consult,
2) Plan Policy and Strategy; 3) Inform, Train, and Implement; 4) Prevent,
Respond, and Monitor; and 5) Evaluate and Adjust.
 Overview of Cyberbullying
o The Story of Ryan Halligan
o Forms of Bullying
o Cyberbullying Definition
o Specific Types of Cyberbullying
o Prevalence of Cyberbullying
o Characteristics of Cyberbullies and Cybervictims
o Gender Differences (Li and Katz Studies)
 School Measures for Prevention of Cyberbullying
o Cycle of Bullying Prevention: A Five-Stage Program
•
School-wide Assessment of Bullying/Cyberbullying Behavior
•
Student Peer Support Survey
 Additional Cyberbullying Resources for Educators
54
Appendix C: Sample PowerPoint Presentation
Slides 1 and 2: Introduction
Presenter’s Notes: 1) Introduce yourself and any other presenter(s), 2) Thank the middle school
teachers for attending the in-service presentation, 3) Introduce the in-service presentation by
reminding the teacher audience of its purpose: cyberbullying prevention measures focused on
male early adolescents.
Presenter’s Notes: This slide addresses the common misconception that cyberbullying is “girl
drama” – it’s NOT: it affects male and female students on an equal basis, and be sure to
emphasize that males are significantly less likely than females to report cyberbullying. The slide
concludes with the goal for the presentation – engaging middle school teachers in cyberbullying
prevention for male students.
55
Slides 3 and 4: Agenda and Objectives
Presenter’s Notes: These slides address the agenda for the in-service presentation (have agenda
printed on a separate handout and placed on top of each audience’s packet). The agenda will also
have listed the objectives listed on Slide 4 of the PowerPoint presentation. Remember this
presentation is twofold – first a general overview of cyberbullying, followed by an in-depth fivestage cycle of cyberbullying prevention aimed at male adolescents in middle school.
56
Slide 5: Overview of Cyberbullying
Presenter’s Notes: This is a section header slide to introduce the first component of the
presentation – a general overview of cyberbullying. Prior to starting the following slides, it may
be appropriate to stop and ask the audience if they have any questions regarding the agenda of the
presentation or its objectives.
Slide 6: The Story of Ryan Halligan
Presenter’s Notes: This slide is an upsetting real life story of a middle school male student (Ryan
Halligan) who was cyberbullied to the point that he committed suicide. It provides a sobering
reminder why cyberbullying prevention must focus on male adolescents in middle school as well,
as these boys are not likely to report their experiences to trusted adults.
57
Slide 6: Cyberbullying Definition
Presenter’s Notes: Be sure to note that technologies can include cell phones, desktop/laptop
computers, tablets, e-readers, and any other technological device with the ability to send and
receive information between parties. References: Ford, A. (2009). School Liability: Holding
middle schools liable for cyber-bullying despite their implementation of internet usage contracts.
Journal of Law & Education, 38(3), 535-543. Patchin, J.W. & Hinduja, S. (2010). Cyberbullying
and self-esteem. Journal of School Health, 80(12), 614-621. doi:10.1111/j.17461561.2010.00548.x
Slide 7: Prevalence of Cyberbullying
Presenter’s Notes: Note that males are close to or have higher rates than females on different
cyberbullying rates. References: Patchin, J.W. & Hinduja, S. (2010). Cyberbullying and
self-esteem. Journal of School Health, 80(12), 614-621. doi:10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00548.x
58
Slides 9 and 10: Characteristics of Cyberbullies and Cybervictims
Presenter’s Notes: These slides list general characteristics of the behaviors that cyberbullies and
cybervictims exhibit during these incidents. Please emphasize that middle school teachers should
closely supervise students and look for these characteristics for possible cyberbullying when their
students are using computers or tablets in their classrooms or student computer labs.
References: Johnson, L. D. (2011). Counselors and cyberbullying: Guidelines for prevention,
intervention, and counseling. Retrieved from
http://counselingoutfitters.com/vistas/vistas11/Article_63.pdf.
59
Slides 11 and 12: Gender Differences (Li and Katz Studies)
Presenter’s Notes: These slides compare two studies that focused on gender differences in regard
to cyberbullying. Reemphasize that both studies showed that males were less likely than females
to report cyberbullying. In addition, males are more likely to claim that they aren’t bothered by
cyberbullying as a form of macho response.
References:
Katz, A. (2012). Cyberbullying and e-safety: What educators and other professionals need to
know. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Li, Q. (2006). Cyberbullying in schools: A research of gender differences. School Psychology
International, 27(2), 157-170.
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Slide 13: School Measures for Prevention of Cyberbullying
Presenter’s Notes: This is a section header slide to introduce the second component of the
presentation – school measures for prevention of cyberbullying. Prior to starting the following
slides, it may be appropriate to stop and ask the audience if they have any questions regarding the
overview of cyberbullying that was just presented.
Slide 14: Cycle of Bullying Prevention: A Five-Stage Program (Katz, 2012)
Presenter’s Notes: This graphic displays a visual diagram of how school-wide cyberbullying
prevention can be conducted following a five-stage process that is continually on-going – it is not
an issue that should be addressed one time – continue to seek improvements to your current anticyberbullying strategies/programs. Reference: Katz, A. (2012). Cyberbullying and e-safety:
What educators and other professionals need to know. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
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Slide 15: Stage 1 – Raise Awareness and Consult
Presenter’s Notes: Describe the first stage – Raise Awareness and Consult. Middle school
teachers can assist with this process by distributing the anonymous school-wide assessments and
student peer support surveys. **NOTE: You will need to consult administration prior to the
presentation on the logistics of implementing the school-wide assessment. For example, will
it be distributed during homeroom, English classes, etc. What month(s) will the survey be
implemented as well??** Both of these assessments will indicate the degree that cyberbullying
is affecting the male population.
Slide 16: School-Wide Assessment
Presenter’s Notes: At this time, review the handout entitled “Sample School-Wide Assessment
of Cyberbullying.” Discuss how the assessment can be distributed to students by teachers in an
efficient manner. **NOTE: You should plan in advance who will analyze the results and
direct the staff on next steps.** Reference: Mark, L., & Ratliffe, K. T. (2011). Cyber worlds:
New playgrounds for bullying. Computers in the Schools, 28(2), 92-116).
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Slides 17 and 18: Student Peer Support Surveys
Presenter’s Notes: These slides support the inclusion of “Student Peer Support Surveys” with the
school-wide assessment discussed in the previous slide. To start, you must have an internet
connection and audio speakers to show the “Peer Survey: Do You Care?” YouTube clip from an
organization called “Safe Schools Healthy Students.” The clip is 2 minutes 46 seconds in length.
Once the YouTube clip has completed, discuss the actual survey on the following slide. All
teachers should have a handout of this as well following the school-wide assessment. **NOTE:
Please consult administration on how often this survey will be distributed to the student
body or should it always be made available in all classrooms??**
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Slide 19: Stage 2: Plan Policy and Strategy
Presenter’s Notes: This slide details Stage 2 of the five-stage cycle. For this slide, teachers can
just generally be asked (if appropriate) to consider joining administrators on an “advisory
council” or “school leadership team” that reviews and modifies the anti-bullying and acceptable
use policies (AUP) that need to be addressed at every middle school campus.**NOTE: It is
highly suggested that an administrator presents this slide to the teacher audience.**
Slide 20: Stage 3: Inform, Train, and Implement
Presenter’s Notes: This slide details Stage 3 of the five-stage cycle. Note that this slide includes
guidelines for universal e-safety sessions that can be attended by both male and female students.
It may be the most advantageous for a computer teacher to be asked by administration to handle
these types of sessions for students, but you may ask for other teachers (who are technologically
savvy) to help implement e-safety sessions as well.
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Slide 21: Peer Mediation Programs
Presenter’s Notes: This slide further details a component of Stage 3 of the five-stage cycle. If
your school is looking at implementing a peer mediation program, this would be a good time to
ask middle school teachers how they might envision the process to suggest male students who can
be successful at being a peer mediator – such as those who exhibit strong personal-social and
leadership skills. The curriculum mentioned on this slide could be implemented for a total of
eight weeks, so peer mediators must be adolescents who can remain dedicated to a task for a
considerable amount of time. It is highly recommended that either a school counselor or
administrator organize and implement your school’s peer-mediation program.
Slide 22: Stage 4 – Prevent, Respond, and Monitor
Presenter’s Notes: This slide details Stage 4 of the five-stage cycle. Note that teachers can help
encourage students to participate in anti-cyberbullying measures with poster campaigns and
bulletin boards that address digital citizenship.
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Slide 23: RAISE Boys – Reduce Aggression, Increase Self Empowerment
Presenter’s Notes: This slide further details Stage 4 of the five-stage cycle in terms of a nonresearch based curriculum from “The Ophelia Project” (2010). Please note that this was the only
curriculum found at the time this presentation was created that specifically targeted boys in a
cyberbullying prevention lesson. With the endorsement of administration, ask teachers to
consider if they have any male students they feel would benefit from attending a one-day morning
workshop of this lesson plan. Prior to your presentation, school counselors should consult with
school administrators regarding specific logistics of a one-day workshop. This workshop would
be preferably conducted by a school counselor.
Slide 24: Stage 5 – Evaluate and Adjust
Presenter’s Notes: This slide concludes the final Stage 5 of Katz’s (2012) five-stage program.
Note this asks teachers to redistribute the school-wide assessments to see if the prevention
measures have been successful in reducing the number of cyberbullying incidents. The time
period for the redistribution could be a couple of months or at the end of the school year.
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Slide 25: Cyberbullying Resources for Educators
Presenter’s Notes: This slide is a simple statement that the handouts included in-service
presentation include a list of cyberbullying resources for educators including books, websites,
media, and other general lesson plan ideas addressing this important topic.
Slide 26: Final Slide, Questions, and In-Service Evaluations
Presenter’s Notes: The final slide thanks the audience participants for their time in attending the
in-service presentation. Please allot ample time to encourage the teachers to ask questions they
may have about presentation content, make suggestions, and discuss this important topic. Also,
make sure to distribute the in-service presentation evaluation handout to allow the audience
members to rate the presentation and offer suggestions for future implementation. **NOTE:
Consult with administration prior to presentation to determine dates and logistics to followup with teachers regarding the content and procedures for program implementation
discussed at the in-service. **
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Appendix D: Sample School-Wide Assessment of Cyberbullying
(Adapted from Mark, L., & Ratliffe, K. T. (2011). Cyber worlds: New playgrounds for
bullying. Computers in the Schools, 28(2), 92-116).
Directions: Please read the definition of cyberbullying in the box below and honestly answer the
following questions about your experiences with cyberbullying in and out of school in the last
school year.
Definition: CYBERBULLYING occurs when someone purposely tries to embarrass, hurt,
threaten, or intimidate another person using modern technology, like the Internet, e-mail,
Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, chat rooms, Blogs, Instant Messenger, cell phones, etc.
PLEASE CHECK ONE:
1. Grade Level: __ 6th Grade
__7th Grade
__ 8th Grade
2. Gender: __ Male __ Female
3. Do you have a computer with Internet access at home? __ Yes __ No
4. Do you have a cell phone? __ Yes __ No
5. Do you text-message or send photos on your cell phone? __ Yes __ No
6. How many times do you go on the Internet to check your e-mail, visit chat rooms,
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Instant Messenger, etc.?
o Never
o 1-3 Times a Month
o Once a week
o Every other day
o Every day
7. How many times do you use a cell phone to call, text-message your friends, or to take
pictures?
o Never
o 1-3 Times a Month
o Once a week
o Every other day
o Every day
8. Have YOU ever been embarrassed, hurt, threatened, or intimidated by someone
through the use of modern technology (cyberbullied)?
o Yes (please answer questions 9 through 16)
o No (skip to question 17)
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Questions 9–16: Think about the times when YOU WERE CYBERBULLIED. . .
9. Estimate how many times YOU were cyberbullied in the last year. (write the number
of times)→ ________
10. What technology was used when you were cyberbullied? (check all that apply)
__ E-mail __ Blogs __ Chat room __ Website (i.e. Instagram) __ Cell phone
__ Other, specify:
11. What technology was used THE MOST when you were cyberbullied? (check one)
__ E-mail __ Blogs __ Chat room __ Website (i.e. Instagram) __ Cell phone
__ Other, specify:
12. Who cyberbullied you? (check all that apply)
__ One student from my school
__ An adult
__ More than one student from my school
__ I don’t know who it was
__ One student NOT from my school
__ More than one student NOT from my school
__ Other, specify:
13. The person or people who cyberbullied me was/were: (check all that apply)
__ Male
__ Female
14. Where were you cyberbullied? (check all that apply)
__ In a classroom
__ At school, but NOT in a classroom or library
__ Other, specify:
__ In the school library
__ At home
15. How did you feel when you were cyberbullied? (check all that apply)
__ I felt angry
__ I felt sad
__ I felt embarrassed
__ I felt afraid
__ I missed school because of it
__ I switched schools because of it
__ My grades went down
__ Other, specify:
16. How did your cyberbullying situation end? (check all that apply)
__ A teacher helped to stop it
__ A parent helped to stop it
__ A friend helped to stop it
__ It stopped on its own
__ It still has not stopped
__ Other, specify:
........................................................................
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∗Questions 17–25: Think about the times when YOU CYBERBULLIED
SOMEONE. . .
17. Have YOU ever purposely embarrassed, hurt, threatened, or intimidated someone
using modern technology (cyberbullied)?
o Yes (please answer questions 18 through 25)
o No (skip to question 26)
18. Estimate how many times YOU cyberbullied someone in the last year (write the
number of times) → ______
19. What technology was used when you cyberbullied someone? (check all that apply)
__ E-mail __ Blogs __ Chat room __ Website (i.e. Instagram) __ Cell phone
__ Other, specify:
20. What technology did you use THE MOST to cyber bully someone? (check one)
__ E-mail __ Blogs __ Chat room __ Website (i.e. Instagram) __ Cell phone
__ Other, specify:
21. Who did you cyber bully? (check all that apply)
__ One student from my school
__ An adult
__ More than one student from my school
__ I don’t know who it was
__ One student NOT from my school
__ More than one student NOT from my school
__ Other, specify:
22. The person or people you cyberbullied was/were: (check all that apply)
__ Male __ Female
23. Where did you cyber bully someone? (check all that apply)
__ In a classroom
__ In the school library
__ At school, but NOT in a classroom or library
__ At home
__ Other, specify:
24. Why did you cyber bully someone? (check all that apply)
__ I didn’t know it was wrong at the time
__ I wanted to fit in with my friends
__ I wanted to get back at someone
__ I didn’t think it would harm anyone
__ I thought it was funny
__ I don’t know why I did it
__ Other, specify:
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25. How did the cyberbullying situation end? (check all that apply)
__ A teacher helped to stop it
__ A parent helped to stop it
__ A friend helped to stop it
__ It stopped on its own
__ It still has not stopped
__ I got in trouble
__ I realized it was wrong, so I stopped it
__ I got bored/tired of doing it
__ Other, specify:
........................................................................
CYBERBULLYING AWARENESS
26. (A) Do you know someone who has been cyberbullied? (check one) __ Yes __ No
(B) If you answered “Yes” to 26A: when someone you know was being cyberbullied, did
you tell adults?
__ Yes __ No ___ N/A
27.(A) Do your teachers, counselors, principal, or vice principal know that cyberbullying
occurs at your school?
__ Yes __ No ___ I don’t know
(B) If you answered “Yes” to 27A: when adults in your school hear about a
cyberbullying incident, do they try to stop it?
__ Yes __ No ___ I don’t know
28. (A) Do your parents know that cyberbullying occurs at your school?
__ Yes __ No ___ I don’t know
(B) If you answered “Yes” to 28A: when your parents hear about a cyberbullying
incident, do they try to stop it?
__ Yes __ No ___ I don’t know
29. If you were being cyberbullied, would you tell your parents?
__ Yes __ No ___ I don’t know
30. If you were being cyberbullied, would you tell your teachers?
__ Yes __ No ___ I don’t know
31. If you were being cyberbullied, would you tell your friends?
__ Yes __ No ___ I don’t know
32. What programs does your school have to prevent cyberbullying? (check all that
apply)
__ Anti-bullying policies
__ Assemblies about bullying/cyberbullying
__ Student helpline
__ Class lessons about bullying/cyberbullying
__ Staff takes bullying seriously
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__ Strict computer and cell phone rules
__ Support groups
__ Counseling
__ I don’t know of prevention programs
__ Other, specify:
33 What do your parents do to try to protect you from cyberbullying and Internet
dangers? (check all that apply)
__ They use computer software to prevent me from accessing unsafe sites
__ They monitor my computer use
__ They monitor my phone use
__ They monitor my Instagram/Twitter/Facebook page(s)
__ They monitor my e-mail
__ They keep the computer in a family area of the house
__ They talk to me about online safety
__ They talk to me about cyberbullying
__ Other, specify:
34. (A) Do you know what to do if another student bullies you using a computer or cell
phone?
__ Yes, I know what to do __ No, I don’t know what to do
(B) If you answered “Yes” to 34A: where did you learn about Internet/cyberbullying
safety strategies? (check all that apply)
__ My parents ___ My school __ By Myself __ The Internet
__ Other, specify:
∗ If you have experienced cyberbullying first-hand or if you have witnessed it happening
to another person, briefly describe the event(s) in the space provided or on the back of
this page).
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Appendix E: Sample Student Peer Support Survey
CYBERBULLYING occurs when someone
purposely tries to embarrass, hurt, threaten, or
intimidate another person using modern technology,
like the Internet, e-mail, Instagram, Twitter,
Facebook, chat rooms, Blogs, Instant Messenger, cell
phones, etc.
Who is being cyberbullied at our school???
Help us STOP the cyberbullying!!
Directions: Based on the definition of cyberbullying above, please write down
the names of any students who you know have been cyberbullied during this
school year. If you aren’t sure of the student’s full name, please help assist us in
identifying them by writing down their first name, one of their teacher’s names,
their bus number, and/or grade level, etc.
NOTE: This is a serious matter. Please do not write down someone’s name as
a joke. It is important we reach out to the students at our school who are
actually in need of help.
Names of Cyberbullying Victims
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
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Appendix F: Sample Lesson Plan on Cyberbullying Prevention Targeting Boys
(Adapted from The Ophelia Project. (2010). The Ophelia project presents: RAISE boys:
Reduce aggression, increase self empowerment. Retrieved March 6, 2015 from
http://www.opheliaproject.org/BoysRA/BoysMS.pdf)
Introduction: Cyberbullying, the newest form of relational aggression, is the use of
modern communication technologies (e.g., Internet and cell phone) to embarrass,
threaten, hurt, or intimidate. Examples of cyberbullying include creating forums for
harassing an individual on a website; sending harassing or hurtful messages via texting,
emailing, or instant messaging; digitally editing someone’s image and posting it online to
embarrass him or her; and spreading rumors on a social networking site. Computers and
cell phones are wonderful tools, but young people are frequently not taught guidelines to
use them safely for social networking.
Teaching about cyberbullying is extremely important, as social networking through
technology is an important part of the social lives of most teenagers. Anonymity is a key
concept in cyberbullying. While technology users leave a “footprint” that allows their
identities to be traced, aggressors often assume that their messages and postings are
anonymous. Middle school adolescents who forward hurtful texts or comment or mean
posts may or may not realize the impact of their actions on targets.
Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, boys will be able to…
1. Compare and contrast acts of aggression based on level of harm towards the
target, degree of anonymity, and size of the bystander audience.
2. Define anonymity
3. Define cyberbullying
4. Create a list of Cyber Rules for safe Internet usage.
Assessments:
 Boys will compare and contrast acts of aggression in the Comparing Continuums
activity. (Objectives 1, 2, 3)
 Boys will provide examples of the terms anonymity and cyberbullying and properly
use terms throughout the lesson. (Objectives 2, 3)
 Boys will create and sign a contract for cell phone and Internet usage in the Internet
and Cell Phone Contracts activity. (Objective 4)
 Boys will determine a list of rules for guiding online behavior in the Cyber Rules
activity. (Objective 4).
Materials:
 Embarrassing Moments Cards– make three copies on cardstock and cut out cards
 Tape
 2 colored pieces of paper labeled “Least Harmful to Target” and “Most Harmful to
Target”
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



2 colored pieces of paper labeled “Known Aggressor” and “Anonymous Aggressor”
2 colored pieces of paper labeled “Small Bystander Audience” and “Large Bystander
Audience”
Stickers or highlighters
Chart paper or poster board
Vocabulary:
 Anonymity: the state of being unknown or unacknowledged
 Cyberbullying: the use of modern communication technologies (such as the Internet
and cell phone) to embarrass, humiliate, threaten, or intimidate individuals in an
attempt to gain power and control over them; bullying over the computer or cell
phone.
Activities:
I.
Comparing Continuums
1. Tell boys that they will be examining several acts of peer aggression that have the
goal of embarrassing or shaming the target.
2. Hang the colored pieces of paper labeled “Least Harmful” and “Most Harmful” on
the board or wall with enough space between them to line up all of the anonymity
cards.
3. Read each of the Embarrassing Moments Cards aloud, and ask boys where on the
continuum each card should fall. Encourage healthy discussion between boys to
determine the severity of each of the actions.
4. Once all of the cards have been ranked along the continuum, lead a discussion using
the following processing points:
• How did you decide which acts were more or least harmful?
• Do any of the more harmful acts have anything in common?
• Can you make a general statement regarding the trends from least to most harmful
acts? (Example: The actions towards friends were more harmful than those to just
classmates. The actions using technology were less harmful than the ones done in
person. Each group may produce a different continuum which may produce
different generalizations!
5. Introduce the vocabulary term anonymity. Now create a continuum directly above
the one just created with “Known Aggressor” (above “Least Harmful”) and
“Anonymous” (above “Most Harmful”). Using another set of anonymity cards, rank
the acts of aggression again based on the degree of anonymity the aggressor
maintains.
6. Lead a discussion using the following processing points:
 Can you make a general statement regarding trends from known aggressor to
anonymous aggressor?
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

Are there any comparisons between the levels of anonymity and the degree to which
an act is harmful?
Why does an anonymous act have the potential to be more harmful towards the
target?
7. Finally, create one more continuum above the Known/Anonymous Aggressor
continuum using the papers labeled “Small Bystander Audience” and “Large
Bystander Audience.”
8. Using the final set of anonymity cards, rank the acts of aggression based on the
potential number of bystanders in the act. Note: It may be necessary to remind boys
that forwarding messages increases the amount of bystanders exponentially based on
how many times it is forwarded and the potential for bystanders online is pretty much
infinite!
9. Lead a discussion using the following processing points:
 Can you make a general statement regarding trends from small bystander
audience to large bystander audience?
 Can you make any broad‐based comparisons among the three levels? (Examples:
Large bystander audiences tend to be more harmful. The higher the degree of
anonymity, the larger the bystander audience, and the more harmful the act can
be.)
10. Ask boys to put a sticker, or highlight aggressive acts that use technology. Introduce
the vocabulary term cyberbullying. Lead a discussion using the following processing
points:
 Do acts of cyberbullying using technology (cell phones or the Internet) fall in a
particular area on the continuums with consistency?
 Is there a limit to the number of bystanders in a cyberbullying situation?
 What risks does a cyberbullying incur?
II.
Online Activity: Internet and Cell Phone Contracts
1. Visit http://www.cyberbullying.us/cyberbullying_internet_use_contract.pdf and
http://www.cyberbullying.us/cyberbullying_cell_phone_contract.pdf.
2. Ask boys if these contracts are reasonable or unreasonable. Discuss the benefits of
having a contract like this with your parents. Are there any drawbacks?
3. Have students write up a contract for using Cell Phones and the Internet within the
school and then sign it. Encourage students to use the contracts shown on the website
at home with their parents.
III.
Cyber Rules
1. Remind boys that cyberbullying can be anonymous, which can make it easier for an
aggressor to attack a target. Also, cyberbullying acts can be reproduced, or viewed
any number of times through forwarding, blogging, Tweeting, or leaving posts on a
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Facebook or MySpace page. For these reasons, cyberbullying can be harder to trace,
stop, or avoid once it has begun.
2. Break boys into three or four groups, and ask each group to come up with five rules
they think they could follow that can prevent cyberbullying, or stop it once it has
started.
3. Once each group has five rules, bring groups together to share what they have come
up with. Then, create a master list on a sheet of chart paper or poster board that can be
hung up in a public area.
4. Examples of cyber rules can include:
a. Do not forward harmful e‐mails or text messages.
b. Do not post inappropriate pictures online or with your cell phone.
c. Do not provide an “honesty box,” “anonymity box” or other such applications on
Facebook or MySpace page.
d. Only represent yourself online – never pretend to be someone else.
e. If you witness cyberbullying, tell someone – a friend, an adult, or even the target.
Sometimes cyber targets don’t even know they are being bullied online!
Closure:
1. Lead a discussion using the following processing points:
 How can you tell the difference between a joke and cyberbullying? Is there a
difference?
 How is cyberbullying different from bullying in “real life?”
 How does the role of a bystander change in a cyberbullying situation as opposed
to bullying in person?
2. Have boys write a personal mission statement to reduce cyberbullying and help
cybertargets. Examples:
 I will not take part in cyberbullying. If I witness acts of cyberbullying I will report
it to a parent, teacher, or if necessary to the police.
 I will not allow myself or my friends to be cyberbullies. I will seek help if I am
cyberbullied or see my friends become targets of cyberbullying.
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Appendix G: Additional Cyberbullying Resources for Educators
Books:
Bullying and Cyberbullying: What Every Educator Needs to
Know by Elizabeth Kandel Englander (2013). Kindle Edition.
Per Amazon.com: Englander dispels pervasive myths and
misconceptions about peer cruelty, bullying, and cyberbullying.
Written in an accessible, conversational tone and informed by
careful research, this timely book is an essential guide for
educators. Key takeaways include the impact of technology on
social behavior, a framework for responding effectively to
bullies—including innovative ideas about the role of social peers—
and suggestions for working with parents.
Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding
to Cyberbullying by Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin (2008).
ISBN-10: 1412966892
Per Amazon.com: Focusing on the way technology can facilitate
or magnify bullying behavior, this resource offers educators
information, guidelines, and resources to give students the
protection they need. This groundbreaking book offers the voices
of youth affected by or involved in real cyberbullying incidents
and includes: Tips for identifying cyberbullies or targets,
“breakout boxes” highlighting hundreds of anti-cyberbullying
strategies, a review of current research and legal rulings, strategies
for responsible social networking, follow-up reflection questions in
each chapter, and guidelines for working with parents and law
enforcement.
Confronting Cyber-Bullying: What Schools Need to Know to
Control Misconduct and Avoid Legal Consequences by
Shaheen Shariff (2009). ISBN-10: 0521700795
Per Amazon.com: This book is directed to academics, educators,
and government policy-makers who are concerned about
addressing emerging cyber-bullying and anti-authority student
expressions through the use of cell phone and Internet
technologies. The author analyzes government and school
responses by reviewing positivist paradigms. Her review of a range
of legal frameworks and judicial decisions from constitutional,
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human rights, child protection, and tort law perspectives redirects
attention to legally substantive and pluralistic approaches that can
help schools balance student free expression, supervision, safety,
and learning.
Cyberbullying: Bullying in the Digital Age by Robin M.
Kowalski, Susan P. Limber, and Patricia W. Agatston (2012).
ISBN-10: 1444334816
Per Amazon.com: The second edition of Cyberbullying offers
the most current information on this constantly-evolving issue
and outlines the unique concerns and challenges it raises for
children, parents, and educators. Authored by psychologists
who are internationally recognized as experts in this field, the
text uses the latest research in this area to provide an updated,
reliable text ideal for parents and educators concerned about
the cyberbullying phenomenon.
Cyberbullying and Cyberthreats: Responding to the
Challenge of Online Social Aggression, Threats, and
Distress (Book and CD) by Nancy E. Willard (2007). ISBN10: 0878225374
Per Amazon.com: In this book, the author provides school
counselors, administrators, teachers and parents with cuttingedge information on how to prevent and respond to
cyberbullying and cyberthreats. It covers challenging issues
that occur as students embrace the Internet and other digital
technologies such as: *Sending offensive, harassing messages
*dissing someone or spreading nasty rumors online
*Disclosing someone's intimate personal information
*Breaking into someone's e-mail account and sending
damaging messages under that person's name * Excluding
someone from an online group *Using the Internet to
intimidate.
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Cyberbullying: What Counselors Need to Know by Sheri
Bauman (2010) ISBN-10: 1556202946
Per Amazon.com: This informative book offers complete, upto-date coverage of the growing problem of cyberbullying.
Written for counselors, teachers, school leaders, and other
professionals who work with children and teens, Cyberbullying
addresses the real-life dangers students face on the Internet,
including offensive, confrontational, and harassing messages;
the disclosure of inappropriate personal information;
intimidation; social exclusion; and cyberstalking. In a readerfriendly style, Dr. Bauman discusses the tools, strategies, and
resources necessary to provide quality services to clients and
students involved in, or concerned about, cyberbullying
Teen Cyberbullying Investigated: Where Do Your Rights End
and Consequences Begin? by Thomas Jacobs (2010). Kindle
Edition.
Per Amazon.com: Judge Tom Jacobs presents a powerful
collection of landmark court cases involving teens and charges
of cyberbullying, which includes: sending insulting or
threatening emails, text, or instant messages directly to
someone; spreading hateful comments about someone through
emails, blogs, or chat rooms; stealing passwords and sending
out threatening messages using a false identity; and building a
Web site to target specific people. Each chapter features the
seminal case and resulting decision, asks readers whether they
agree with the decision, and urges them to think about how the
decision affects their lives. Chapters also include related cases,
important facts and statistics, and suggestions for further
reading.
The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: From Preschool to
High School - How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the
Cycle by Barbara Coloroso (2009). ISBN-10: 0061744603
Per Amazon.com: It's the deadliest combination going: bullies who
terrorize, bullied kids who are afraid to tell, bystanders who watch,
and adults who see the incidents as a normal part of childhood. All
it takes to understand that this is a recipe for tragedy is a glance at
headlines across the country. In this updated edition, which
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includes a new section on cyberbullying, one of the world's most
trusted parenting educators gives parents, caregivers, educators—
and most of all, kids—the tools to break the cycle of violence.
The Bullying Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You Deal
with Social Aggression and Cyberbullying by Julia Taylor and
Raychelle Cassada Lohmann (2013). Kindle Edition.
Per Amazon.com: The workbook is made up 42 step-by-step selfhelp activities designed to help you learn anti-bullying tips and
strategies; manage emotions such as anxiety, fear, anger, and
depression; and learn constructive communication skills to help
you express your feelings. With this workbook as your guide, you
will also learn how to identify toxic friendships, how to build your
own self-confidence, and importantly, how to ask for help when
bullying gets out of control or if you are feeling suicidal. The
exercises in this book are designed to be useful in everyday
situations, so that you can combat bullying or cyberbullying in
your life.
Media:

Adina’s Deck: Heimowitz & Azicri [Producers & Directors], (2007, 2008). A group
of three videos that are designed as a series of mysteries related to online behaviors.
Episode 1 involves a case of cyberbullying, Episode 2 on online predators, and
Episode 3 features online plagiarism. A teacher’s guide is available on
adinasdeck.com, a website for the series.

American Teen: 57th & Irving [Producer] and Burstein [Director], (2008). An
independent documentary that follows four teenagers throughout their senior year of
high school. Early in the film, there is an instance of cyberbullying that provides a
realistic example for both adults and teens to witness.

Cyberbully: ABC Family Original Movie, Charles Binam [Director], (2011).
Common Sense Media gave the film a 4 out of 5 star rating, stating "Cyberbully is a
great jumping-off point for talking to teens about the very real dangers that exist
online. The movie does a good job of working in most of the hot-button issues related
to this topic, including the anonymity that exists online, the legal loopholes that
enable cyberbullying, the social pressure on teens to partake in digital relationships,
and the emotional devastation that bullying inflicts on its victims and their families.”
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
Cyberbullying: ABC News Primetime, (2006). An informative program on
cyberbullying hosted by Diane Sawyer. Introduces the topic for an adult audience, but
is still appropriate for viewing by teenagers.
Other Lesson Plan Ideas:
 Brain Pop Cyberbullying: Third – Sixth Grade. In this BrainPOP movie, Tim and
Moby take on cyberbullies, those not-so-lovable types who use cell phones, email,
instant messaging, and the Web to make you feel terrible. You’ll learn about some of
the different techniques online bullies use to get inside their victims’ heads. You’ll
also find out what makes bullies tick, and how some of them may not even realize
that they’re doing anything wrong.
http://www.brainpop.com/technology/computersandinternet/cyberbullying/preview.w
eml
 Cyberbullying: Understanding and Addressing Online Cruelty: Fifth – Ninth Grades.
The purpose of this lesson is to increase awareness among middle school students
about the problem of cyberbullying and provide them with strategies to deal
effectively with the social pressure that encourages them to participate in online
cruelty. Through a public service announcement and case studies, students consider
why cruelty is so common in an online forum and use this insight to build empathy,
explore personal motivations and devise positive alternatives for online
communication.
http://archive.adl.org/education/curriculum_connections/cyberbullying/cyberbullying
_lesson_2.html
 Cyber Mentors Cyberbullying Lesson Plan: Elementary and Secondary Levels. This
lesson plan that separates activities for both primary and secondary students in terms
of an icebreaker, discussion of the definition of cyberbullying, explanation of the
dangers of online use, how to keep cybersafe, and finishing with a “stamp out
cyberbullying!” game.
http://archive.beatbullying.org/pdfs/lesson-plans/BB-Cyberbullying-LP.pdf
 Digital Citizenship Rocks: Second – Sixth Grade. A set of seven posters to launch a
conversation about digital citizenship! They can be posted in the room as a constant
reminder. There are also student notebook pages for students to complete.
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Digital-Citizenship-Rocks-1106461
 “New and Improved” Digital Citizenship Kit: Kindergarten – Eighth Grade Students.
A suggested list of items to form a kit in order to show students to think about their
online behavior. Example: A mirror- Imagine having the mirror attached to your
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computer/device. If you looked in it and saw someone in the reflection, would they
approve of what you are doing or saying online?
http://comfortably20.blogspot.ca/2013/08/the-new-and-improveddigital.html?spref=tw
 Stand Up to Cyberbullying!: Upper Elementary – Middle School Students. A short
video that would be useful as part of a guidance lesson, particularly as an introduction
to the topic. ttp://www.youtube.com/watch/?v=lN2fuKPDzHAh
Websites:

Anti-Defamation League Bullying/Cyberbullying Outreach:
http://www.adl.org/education-outreach/bullying-cyberbullying
o ADL's A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE® Institute is a leader in developing antibullying and anti-cyberbullying training, curriculum and resources for youth,
educators, youth providers and adult family members ADL also provides
interactive for administrators and other educators on cyberbullying in either a
half-day or full-day format. The direct link to their three different workshops
addressing cyberbullying is: http://www.adl.org/assets/pdf/educationoutreach/Understanding-and-Addressing-Cyberbullying-Flier.pdf

Common Sense Media: http://www.commonsensemedia.org
o This informative website features reviews of websites, online games, and other
media with advice for parents and educators. It has several excellent short videos
(for example, information on Facebook, Club Penquin, and Webkinz) to utilize in
presentations. For example, here is a YouTube link to “Emma’s Story” – a
fourteen year old girl who is cyberbullied by a former friend:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/videos/emmas-story-cyberbullied-by-a-bestfriend

Cyberbully411: http://www.cyberbully411.org
o An excellent site that provides online support to victimized youths in the “Share
Your Story” and “Discussion Forum” sections. It also contains some factual
information including research findings that is presented in a way to appeal to
adolescents.

Cyberbullying.org: http://www.cyberbullying.org
o The website of Bill Belsey, who is credited with creating the term
“cyberbullying.” He includes a “Facts and News” link that contains many
publications in regard to cyberbullying. In addition, his “Talk the Talk” features a
list of common acronyms and emoticons that are typically used in electronic
communications.
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
Cyberbullying Research Center: http://www.cyberbullying.us
o This website is led by noted cyberbullying researchers Justin Patchin and Sameer
Hinduja. It features resources, research, a blog, and a section where youths can
share their stories of cyberbullying. The website is updated frequently, and one
can provide an e-mail address to receive notifications of any new material.

Define the Line: http://definetheline.ca/dtl/
o This website is a research program directed by Dr. Shaheen Shariff, an
international expert who has pioneered research on cyberbullying. According to
Dr. Shariff, “Our aim is to share our research findings and expertise with
policymakers, educators, and jurists to help them understand the complex nature
of cyberbullying and address the existing policy vacuum on the legal and ethical
limits of online expression. Effective policymaking, which is grounded in an
understanding of digital natives and prioritizes education over legislation, will
help to reduce occurrences of cyberbullying and foster digital citizenship in youth
from a young age.”

Digizen.org: http://www.digizen.org
o An amazing British website that has an online video entitled Let’s Fight This
Together. It provides a downloadable teacher’s guide and lesson plan. In addition,
it has an interactive feature based on the film that allows viewers to make choices
and see the outcome. Finally, there is a booklet on supporting school staff
members who may be targeted by cyberbullies.

Generation Safe: http://generationsafe.ikeepsafe.org
o Generation Safe™ helps the whole school community navigate the digital
environment by providing a comprehensive set of resources for all stakeholders:
professional development (online videos), incident management, and a
comprehensive self-assessment. Note: This website requires a subscription by a
school district official. Upon registering, a representative contacts the designated
person for subscription pricing.

I-Safe: http://www.i-safe.org
o With an endorsement by the U.S. Congress, this site helps schools comply with
the Protection Children in the 21st Century Act by providing information on how
to demonstrate compliance. There are separate sections on the site dedicated to
students, parents, educators, and law enforcement. Finally, I-Safe offers training
and certification for those who complete their online program, and then are
eligible to “spread the word.”
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
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children: http://www.netsmartz.org
o A must-see electronic workshop for parents, educators, law enforcement, and
children of all ages. The educators’ section includes videos, lesson plans, and
safety presentations in both English and Spanish. The teen section has animated
cartoons that use humor to provide instruction on such topics as “profile penalty”
– how material you post on your virtual accounts can cause you harm (i.e.
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram).

National Crime Prevention Council: http://www.ncpc.org/topics/cyberbullying
o This informative website contains several direct links to key cyberbullying areas,
including: professional training for youths and adults, products and publications
related to cyberbullying, rapid response outreach tools, and a cyberbullying
podcast series.

Pew Research Internet Project – Cyberbullying 2010: What the Research Tells
Us http://www.pewinternet.org/2010/05/06/cyberbullying-2010-what-the-researchtells-us/
o Per website: Amanda Lenhart’s talk draws upon the work of the Pew Internet
Project, UNH’s Crimes Against Children Research Center, the work of Internet
Solutions for Kids as well as research by professors Sameer Hinduja and Justin
Patchin. Amanda unpacks both what current research can tell us about
cyberbullying as well as where the gaps in our understanding of this issue lie.

Stop Cyberbullying: http://www.stopcyberbullying.org
o This website has descriptions of four types of bullies: vengeful angel, powerhungry or revenge of the nerds, mean girls, and inadvertent cyberbully. There are
sections separated for children of ages 7-10, 11-13, and 14-17; however there is
also information for parents, educators, and law enforcement. Finally, it describes
a teen angels program for youths aged 13-18 years who are trained to create and
conduct presentations and workshops both in-person and via electronic methods.

Wired Safety: http://www.wiredsafety.org
o An expansive website with many downloadable videos and public service
announcements available at no cost. You can also duplicate their English and
Spanish booklets with permission. Finally, this site contains the “Megan Pledge,”
which means agreeing not to cyberbully in memory of victim Megan Meier.
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Appendix H: In-Service Presentation Evaluation Form
Preventing the Cyberbullying of Male Early Adolescents:
An In-Service for Middle School Teachers
Evaluation Form
Presenter(s): ______________________________
Date: __________________
Based upon this in-service presentation, please rate the following statements by circling
your choice:
Strongly
Disagree
1
Disagree
Neutral
Agree
Strongly
Agree
5
2
3
4
1. The content of the
presentation was
informative and current to
cyberbullying prevention
measures
1
2
3
4
5
2. The presenter was wellprepared and
knowledgeable of the topics
addressed.
1
2
3
4
5
3. The information conveyed
in the presentation was
organized and clear
1
2
3
4
5
4. The handouts distributed
were helpful and
appropriate to the middleschool level.
1
2
3
4
5
5. The in-service presentation
added to my prior
knowledge regarding
cyberbullying
1
2
3
4
5
6. I plan to utilize the
handouts with my male
students accordingly
1
2
3
4
5
7. I would recommend this inservice presentation to
other teachers
Comments:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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