New Cyberbullying Prevention Package for Schools

January 22, 2009 – NSBA’s Technology Leadership Network has partnered with CyberSmart! to distribute their free Cyberbullying Package to schools nationwide.  The package was developed by examining all current research findings and best practices on cyber security, school violence prevention, and character education.  The materials in the package provide tools for schools to begin a dialogue with students and build a sustained cyberbullying prevention campaign, promoting behavior change and continually reminding the school community of the importance of safe and ethical online use.

The package includes materials that can easily be woven into the regular curriculum and uses a social constructivist learning approach to allow students/educators to build their own knowledge and define problems and issues surrounding cyberbullying, thereby, “owning” them.  The package also focuses on developing critical thinking and decision-making skills rather than teaching technologies that are constantly changing. 

In addition, the package recognizes that getting tough on bullies in not an effective intervention and that young people tend not to disclose online harassment to adults for fear that they might overreact and cut off online access.  Furthermore, it focuses on the critical role of the “bystander," i.e., students who do not want to identify themselves as either bullies or targets.

The package enables discussions with students which can be easily sustained throughout the school years; emphasizes the core character values of caring, honesty, fairness, responsibility, and respect for self and others; and recognizes that issues surrounding cyberbullying are intertwined with Internet safety, security, free speech, tolerance, and cyber citizenship. 

The package offers: 

• Nonsequential lessons and student activity sheets such as “The Power of Words” and “Cyberbullying: Who, Me?  Why Should I Care?”;
• Alignment with the ISTE National Education Technology Standards for Students; 
• “Home Connection” sheets that enable educators to inform parents/guardians and enlist their support by providing a framework for family dialogue on cyberbullying prevention;
• Prevention activities for schools, families, and communities such as “Start a no more cyberbullying club” and “Create a cyberbullying policy”; and 
• Direct links to over 90 individual web 2.0 tools to enhance collaboration, creativity, and information sharing.

To access the package, please click here.