Authors:
Cross D, Shaw T, Barnes A, Monks H, Pearce N, Epstein M.
Authors notes:
Les Dossiers des Sciences de l'Education. 2015;33:91-108.
Keywords:
cyberbullying, bullying prevention strategies, whole-school program, teacher capacity building
Abstract:
To prevent and manage students' cyberbullying, school staff must be aware of this behavior, be able to recognize it, and respond appropriately and skilfully.
Poor school staff responses are likely to lead to a school climate that tolerates or even exacerbates cyberbullying.
This cross-sectional study assessed the extent to which 229 staff from 51 Australian secondary schools were able to recognise the behaviors that constitute cyberbullying, whether they were aware of these behaviors among their students, and their self-perceived skills to reduce cyberbullying.
While most respondents reported their colleagues would recognise the described cyber behaviors as bullying, 43% perceived themselves as poorly or not skilled to deal with this behaviour.
Of further concern, few were aware of student cyberbullying behaviors in their schools, despite 25% of their students reporting cyber perpetration or victimisation experiences.
These findings indicate the need to build schools' and staff capacity to prevent and respond more effectively to cyberbullying.