Cyberbullying in Online Higher Education: Best Practices Donna DiMatteo-Gibson, PhD, Paula Zobisch, PhD Andree Swanson, EdD

Sample from the Online Classroom

Post on the Discussion Board To another student, O I have had the same vague responses when I asked for help in this class. I requested clarification on why I was marked down for APA errors back in week 1. O In the feedback I received it stated "some APA errors contact me if you would like to learn about the errors". So I asked why I was marked down and the response I received was "analyze it yourself" then "what did you find" and "what was your overall score". O This is my 11th class with Ashford and I have not been marked down for APA citations so I do not know what I did wrong. I still do not know what I did wrong. I was hammered again on our last paper. O Student did have many APA errors O When the instructor responded to her questions… O Student did not reply

Why We Did the Study

O Much literature and legislation on K-12 O Researchers chose an online business school O Evaluate if faculty had an adequate understanding of: O cyberbullying, O netiquette, and O understanding of the similarities and differences between the two. O How to respond to cyberbullying and poor netiquette O How to report cyberbullying

List of Best Practices O Created a list of best practices for implementing procedures and conducting training on cyberbullying and netiquette.

Literature Review

Misawa and Rowland (2015) O Misawa and Rowland (2015) O highlighted the different forms of academic bullying within the realms of adult, higher, continuing, and professional education. O In higher education there appears to be an “intersection of racism and homophobia” (p. 4). O Faculty-to-faculty bullying is also evident in the forms of gender, race, and just being mean phenomena.

Morgan (2012) O Morgan (2012) presented information on cyberbullying in schools. O The use of the Internet allows otherwise cowardice individuals to become brave and threatening to others. O Need for educational leaders to strategically plan for the inevitable attack.

Rivituso (2014) O Conducted an interpretive phenomenological analysis on cyberbullying victimization among college students. O Using Bandura’s Theory of Tradic Reciprocal Determinism and the General Strain Theory as a framework for this study, six themes emerged from the results of the study.

Rivituso (2014) (Continued) O The six themes were: 1) repeated instances leading to feelings of vulnerability and fear; 2) distrust of technology and mistrust of people; 3) the value of friends in college and their impact on victim self-esteem 4) self-control in response to lack of control over cyberbullying instances; 5) feelings of stress, depression, and embarrassment; 6) frustration leading to self-blame. (Rivituso, 2014, para. Abstract)

Multiple Authors O Very few studies have been conducted that assess cyberbullying at the higher education online level O 50% of the faculty members surveyed had experienced some form of cyberbullying O 17% to 30% of faculty had experienced some type of cyberbullying. (Eskey, Taylor, & Eskey, Jr., 2014a; Eskey & Eskey, Jr., 2014b; Smith, Minor, & Brashen, 2012).

Methods to Reduce Cyberbullying O Institutional training of faculty to cope with cyberbullying as well as addressing cyberbullying in a student handbook (Eskey et al., 2014a; Eskey & Eskey, Jr., 2014b). O Faculty training O how to identify cyberbullying O how to react O How to report the incident

Washington (2015) O “To date, 18 states have laws to address cyberbullying, compared with 49 states, all except Montana, having laws to address bullying (Hinduja & Patching, 2013)” (Washington, 2015, p. 24).

Cyberbullying Legislation For higher education

Cyberbullying Legislation O California O Colorado O Iowa

Methodology and Data

Q2: Are you full-time or part- time online faculty? O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q3: At what level do you teach? O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q3: At what level do you teach? O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q4: What is the highest degree that you have attained? O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q5: How many years have you been teaching online? O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q6: Gender O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q7: The National Crime Prevention Council (2010) defined cyberbullying as “similar to other types of bullying, except that it takes place online and through text messages" (para. 1). Cyberbullying includes the use of the Internet, cell phones, or other devices to send or post text or images where the intent is to hurt or embarrass another person, such as an online instructor. Based on this definition, have you ever been cyberbullied by a student while teaching online? O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q7: have you ever been cyberbullied by a student while teaching online? O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q8: Within the classroom , a student s all students to complain about your teaching methodology. You learn of this by either receiving a copy of the or being notified by other students. I recognize this as cyberbullying. O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q8: Within the classroom , a student s all students to complain about your teaching methodology. You learn of this by either receiving a copy of the or being notified by other students. I recognize this as cyberbullying. O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q9: You receive a threatening or text directly from a student. I recognize this as cyberbullying. O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q9: You receive a threatening or text directly from a student. I recognize this as cyberbullying. O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q10: A student posts a question in the classroom. Before the faculty can answer the question, several students respond to the initial question and post responses that accelerate the issue. These responses may include students who post messages that accuse the faculty of never answering questions, providing brief or incomplete responses, or even accusing the faculty of not knowing what they are doing. I recognize this as cyberbullying. O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

Q10: A student posts a question in the classroom. Before the faculty can answer the question, several students respond to the initial question and post responses that accelerate the issue. These responses may include students who post messages that accuse the faculty of never answering questions, providing brief or incomplete responses, or even accusing the faculty of not knowing what they are doing. I recognize this as cyberbullying. O Answered: 228 Skipped: 0

I recognize the improper use of netiquette and know how to report it at my institution.

Q14: I understand the difference between cyberbullying and netiquette issues.

Q15: I recognize cyberbullying and know how to RESPOND to it

Questions??