Dissertation

Design Process II – Victoria Clegg – 20112067

Cyber bullying awareness -school campaign 

I have chosen to do a cyber bullying campaign for schools of children aged between 11 and 16 years as this is the age group most likely to be or be involved with online bullying. I will be trying to find out why well over half of students will not tell a parent or teacher about bullying and figure out why this age group is the most likely targets and if there is anything that can be done.

Too many children are harming themselves or even taking their own lives due to cyber bullying and suffering on their own. Only half of the students who took part in my research knew what to do and who to turn to if they know or are in fact themselves being bullied.

• I want to establish how often cyber bullying happens in high schools – Do the teachers and parents know how often it is?
• What social media sites this age group uses the most and how often? – My research found the worse for cyber bullying was Facebook and Ask FM
• Do we need to set higher age limits for these social sites? – Facebook has a restriction age of 13 years old, but younger kids are still able to sign up using made up details.  Should ID be shown to prove age?
• Why students that are aware bullying is taking place do not report it? – Are they afraid?
• Are they aware of the harm and effects bullying online causes? – Are they told and shown what the effects can be?
• What are the signs if any? – Is there signs or symptoms we can spot before something bad happens?
• Are parents/teachers and students missing vital signs or symptoms?

My daughters’ school, St Bede’s would be a great place to start with my campaign as last year the school experienced the effects of cyber bullying first-hand. A young girl in the year above my daughter took her own life due to online bullies. She was a very popular girl in the top sets with a great group of friends, but no one was aware that she was being bullied she never told her parents, her friends or any of her teachers, they didn’t know until it was too late. This had a huge effect on her family, the school, teachers and its students.

• 87% of people who took part in my research didn’t think enough was being done to prevent online bullying

I’d like to extend this research and see what the 11 to 16-year olds, the teachers and parents think of this.

• Only half were aware of what to do if someone is being bullied online

This amount astonished me, even if people wanted to report or stop bullying, they don’t know how or who to turn to. My teen also didn’t know about any online services available to them.

• 40% admitted they had been involved or been peer pressured into doing things by someone online.

I’d like to know what influence they have over them, why is it so easy to persuade someone to get involved?

• Some parents will not accept their child is a bully

This is another major issue, when a parent will not accept their child is bullying another child this then makes things more difficult to stop. Which in turn can make the bully think what he or she is doing is acceptable.

• Children deny bullying occurs and some are afraid of speaking up

Children do not want to tell over someone that the bullies as they do not want to be involved or for fear they may then turn on them.

I asked my daughter and some of her friends IF they did want to tell someone about a bully or someone being bullied, who would they tell? Most said no one but a couple said most likely their parents. I asked why they would not tell a teacher and all their replies were the same, ‘in case they were labelled a grass or were then a new target for the bully’.

My aim is to produce a PDF campaign that will be available for all schools to download, this will have information on all services, help and support groups that are available. I’m also wanting to put on a small wallet size card (maybe on the back of dinner or timetable cards) for each student which will fit in a blazer pockets or purse etc that has the same information on.

The campaign will also include interactive group activities, so that I can try get children to open up and answer some questions honestly whilst having fun. In the workshops I would like to do something along the lines of a ‘comedy roast’ but instead of hurling abuse at one another it will be to say something positive and nice to one and other. I think this will be a really fun exercise.

I’d like to do posters with what signs and symptoms to look out for when someone is being bullied and who to report bullies to if this occurs. I would need to visit some schools and set up workshops for any children that want to come along, this will help me further my research and maybe get children to talk about any issues, this will gain me more knowledge to start my campaign designs.

I’m hoping that I can raise more awareness of cyber bullying in schools and help children have a better understanding about bullying issues. I want to make students aware of their rights and what services are available online or in school when being bullied and to hopefully get more of them coming forward when bullying occurs. I want the services and help to be more accessible to students and for them to be confident enough to tell a parent or teacher or for them to be able to report such issues anonymously if they require.