GuardingKids.com Blog

AERA Issues Report on Prevention of Bullying in Schools and Colleges

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:28:00 +0000

AERA Issues Report on Prevention of Bullying in Schools and Colleges

The American Educational Research Association (AERA) issued a new report titled Prevention of Bullying in Schools, Colleges, and Universities: Research Report and Recommendations.The report results from the work of a blue-ribbon AERA task force mandated to prepare and present practical short-term and long-term recommendations to address bullying of children and youth. Learn more

Download the Report

Review the Task Force Charge

Snapchat Photos Don't Actually Delete

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Fri, 10 May 2013 20:33:00 +0000

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/10/snapchat-photos-dont-delete-saved-on-phone_n_3248567.html

Cyberbullying in Higher Education

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:21:00 +0000

Bullying has extended beyond the schoolyard into online forums in the form of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is a growing concern due to the effect on its victims. Current studies focus on grades K–12; however, cyberbullying has entered the world of higher education. The focus of this study was to identify the existence of cyberbullying in higher education, reveal the existence of students bullying instructors, and determine its impact. Three hundred forty-six online instructors from the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs at the school of management at a large online university were surveyed. Of the respondents, 33.8% said they had been cyberbullied by students, 4.4% of respondents were unsure, and 61.8% said they had never been cyberbullied by students. Over 60% of the participants did not know what resources were available or felt that there were no resources available to help them should they encounter cyberbullying by students in the online classroom. Results indicated concerns about reporting cyberbullying, ranging from fear of not getting further teaching opportunities to dealing with it and decreasing the rate of student retention.

Full article here.

Teens and Technology 2013

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 02:07:00 +0000

Teens and Technology 2013

Source: http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Teens-and-Tech.aspx

by Mary Madden, Amanda Lenhart, Maeve Duggan, Sandra Cortesi, Urs Gasser

OVERVIEW

Smartphone adoption among American teens has increased substantially and mobile access to the internet is pervasive. One in four teens are “cell-mostly” internet users, who say they mostly go online using their phone and not using some other device such as a desktop or laptop computer.

These are among the new findings from a nationally representative Pew Research Center survey that explored technology use among 802 youth ages 12-17 and their parents. Key findings include:

78% of teens now have a cell phone, and almost half (47%) of them own smartphones. That translates into 37% of all teens who have smartphones, up from just 23% in 2011.
23% of teens have a tablet computer, a level comparable to the general adult population.
95% of teens use the internet.
93% of teens have a computer or have access to one at home. Seven in ten (71%) teens with home computer access say the laptop or desktop they use most often is one they share with other family members.

“The nature of teens’ internet use has transformed dramatically — from stationary connections tied to shared desktops in the home to always-on connections that move with them throughout the day,” said Mary Madden, Senior Researcher for the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project and co-author of the report. “In many ways, teens represent the leading edge of mobile connectivity, and the patterns of their technology use often signal future changes in the adult population.”

Perceived Peer Pressure and Need For Popularity as Predictors of Adolescents’ Use of the Mobile Phone for Making Hurtful Pictures and Videos of Peers and Teachers

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 17:16:00 +0000

Source: https://lirias.kuleuven.be/handle/123456789/397511

Perceived Peer Pressure and Need For Popularity as Predictors of Adolescents’ Use of the Mobile Phone for Making Hurtful Pictures and Videos of Peers and Teachers

Authors: Vanden Abeele, Mariek
Van Cleemput, Katrien
Vandebosch, Heidi

Issue Date: 21-Mar-2013

Conference: Youth 2.0 location:Antwerp date:20-22 March 2013

Abstract: In only 15 years, mobile phones have evolved from basic communication technologies to high-tech multi-media devices that are fully integrated into adolescents’ daily lives. Although appraised for the greater autonomy they bring to adolescents in the support of their social relationships (Ling & Yttri, 2006), these multi-media devices also afford them to engage in new, aggravated forms of bullying that rely on the production and distribution of hurtful pictures and videos. The extant literature on adolescent mobile phone use suggests that adolescents use their mobile phones to negotiate peer group dynamics (Caronia and Caron, 2004; Ling & Yttri, 2006). Socially and normatively deviant behaviors in particular (such as sexting or mobile porn use) have already been found to serve as a means to establish or enhance adolescents’ position in the peer group (Ling, 2005; Bond, 2010; Ringrose et al., 2012). The purpose of this study is to examine whether the practice of making hurtful pictures/videos of peers and teachers can also be explained from peer group dynamics.

Previous literature on offline bullying and aggression already points towards the importance of peer group dynamics in explaining the occurrence of these behaviors. Coercive behaviors towards peers, then, serve as a way of demonstrating social dominance over them and thereby achieving popularity (Ahn, Garandeau and Rodkin, 2010; Andreou, 2006; Closson, 2009; Hawley, 2003; Hoff et al., 2009; Robertson et al., 2010). In research on cyberbullying, the social contexts in which these practices occur remain largely unexplored (until recently, see: Festl & Quandt, 2011; Gradinger, Strohmeier, Schiller, Stefanek, & Spiel, 2012)). As it is more and more confirmed in research that cyberbullying occurs mostly between adolescents who know each other from pre-existing ‘real-life’ social contexts, taking into account peer dynamics is necessary to get a better understanding of this behavior. Moreover, little attention has gone out to the (cyber-)bullying of teachers. Previous studies on perceived popularity indicate, however, that perceived popular teens oftentimes display anti-authoritative behavior in the classroom and act defiantly towards teachers as a means to enhance their position in the peer group (de Bruyn & Cillessen, 2006). Peer group dynamics may thus also predict whether teens use the camera-capacity of their phone to bully their teachers.

In the current study, we examined two aspects of peer group dynamics in relation to the making and distributing hurtful pictures/videos of peers and teachers: adolescents’ need for popularity (H1) and perceived peer pressure (H2). We investigated our hypotheses by conducting a quantitative survey among 1943 adolescents (50.6% males, Mage = 15.28, SD = 1.89). We asked respondents how frequently they had used their mobile phone in the past 6 months to (1) make a picture/video of a peer to ridicule him/her, (2) to make a picture/video of a peer who is physically bullied/beaten, (3) to distribute this kind of picture/video over the Internet (e.g., via e-mail, SNS, youtube), (4) to make a picture/video of a teacher to ridicule him/her, (5) to distribute this kind of picture/video over the Internet (e.g., via e-mail, SNS, youtube). Perceived peer pressure (α = .75) and need for popularity (α = .77) were measured with validated scales (REF). Gender, age, school track, school attitude, academic self-concept, general self-concept and social self-concept were included as control variables.

Results generally supported our hypotheses for each of the five dependent variables: adolescents who perceive greater peer pressure (H1) and who have a greater need for popularity (H2) were significantly more likely to have made and distributed hurtful pictures/videos of their peers and of their teachers. Somewhat different profiles were found, however, for boys and girls, as perceived peer pressure did not predict these behaviors for girls. Moreover, the effect of adolescents’ school experiences on the outcome measures strongly decreased after entering perceived peer pressure and need for popularity into the equation, which suggests a possible mediation effect of peer group dynamics.

The findings of our study point towards peer group dynamics as an important factor in explaining this aggravated form of cyberbullying.
Publication status: published
KULeuven publication type: IMa

Appears in Collections: Leuven School for Mass Communication Research

Teen Dating Abuse and Harassment in the Digital World

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:11:00 +0000

Teen Dating Abuse and Harassment in the Digital World

The Urban Institute's study on teen dating and digital abuse surveyed 5,647 teens to better understand how many have been affected by abuse and harassment. One in four dating teens is abused or harassed online or through texts by their partners, according the largest survey to date on the subject. Victims of digital abuse and harassment are 2 times as likely to be physically abused, 2.5 times as likely to be psychologically abused, and 5 times as likely to be sexually coerced. New technologies—social networking sites, texts, cell phones, and e-mails—have given abusers another way to control, degrade, and frighten their partners. These tools haven’t pushed overall abuse rates up, but have allowed abusers to harass their victims anywhere and at any time, even when they’re apart.

How To Implement Suicide Prevention Strategies in High Schools

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:50:00 +0000

How To Implement Suicide Prevention Strategies in High Schools

Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools assists in designing and implementing strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health. It includes tools to implement a multifaceted suicide prevention program that responds to students' needs and cultures.

The toolkit will help schools:

Assess the ability to prevent suicide among students and to respond to suicides that may occur.
Understand strategies that can help students who are at risk for suicide.
Understand how to respond to the suicide of a student or other member of the school community.
Integrate suicide prevention into activities that fulfill other aspects of the school's mission, such as preventing the abuse of alcohol and other drugs.

Get Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools

Publications | SAMHSA News | Update My Profile | Unsubscribe | Contact Us

Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration
1 Choke Cherry Road | Rockville, MD 20857 | 1-877-SAMHSA-7 (1-877-726-4727) | http://www.samhsa.gov | Privacy

SAMHSA is a public health agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Its mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.

Jobhunting and the Absence of Online Privacy

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:07:00 +0000

This presentation explains the importance of your online reputation, how to build it and how to protect it. Use the tips in this presentation to take your job hunting to the next level. And please, do pass it on to others that could use the advice.

Jobhunting and the Absence of Online Privacy from Jim Stroud

Questions About Social Media You Haven't Dared to Ask (or You Don't Know Who to Ask)

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 22:03:00 +0000

Questions About Social Media You Haven't Dared
to Ask (or You Don't Know Who to Ask)

A free webinar on March 27.

Join noted speaker and best-selling author Marcia Conner as she provides detailed how-to information about social media and the online world.

Social media has become a lightning-fast way to deliver ideas and connect with stakeholders. Are you utilizing these ever-changing tools to effectively communicate your messages?

Conner, author of three books, including The New Social Learning: A Guide to Transforming Organizations Through Social Media, advises executives in some of the world’s largest companies to unite collaborative technologies, analytics, and human energy. She is a member of Telefónica’s Disruptive Council, a fellow of the Darden School of Business, writes for Fast Company, and speaks at both public and private events throughout the year.

     Title: Questions About Social Media You Haven't Dared to Ask
              (or You Don't Know Who to Ask)

     Date: Wednesday, March 27, 2013

     Time: 3:30–4:30 p.m. ET

Space is limited. 
Reserve your Webinar seat now at:  www1.gotomeeting.com/register/960559961

After registering you will receive a confirmation e-mail containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements:
PC-based attendees 
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees 
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Clean Up Your Digital Footprint

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 21:19:00 +0000

Source: aplatformforgood.org via Russell on Pinterest

Enroll Your School and Take a Stand Against Bullying.

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:28:00 +0000

Enroll your school to participate in Stand 4 Change Day 2013. Fill out the fields below and we will email you everything you need to be part of this epic day.

http://www.defeatthelabel.com/stand.html

First government-supported “sexting” guidance published - 19 March 2013

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:42:00 +0000

“Sexting” the worrying practice of sending explicit pictures or video footage via mobile phones and the internet is all too common among some teenagers. Academic research and staffroom anecdote both point to girls facing pressure to provide sexually explicit images of themselves for others to share online.

Teachers are no doubt horrified by the trend, and concerned about the children who find themselves part of these images. But how do you start to address such a sensitive issue in the right way? Help may be at hand in the form of first government-backed guidance for school staff.

It was developed by former police detective Sharon Girling, working with Medway Council, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, the Lucy Faithfull Foundation child protection charity, and sponsored by online software company Securus.

The document promises practical support, including how to respond, how to help children involved, how to prevent further incidents and advice on whether teachers can search phones and computers. Its publication was welcomed by Russell Hobby, general secretary of the NAHT, who said it would “help schools deal with this contemporary threat appropriately”.

“Sexting” in schools: advice and support around self-generated images: What to do and how to handle it can be downloaded here.

Kerra Maddern

Source: http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=6325267&s_cid=tesmagazinehome

Webinar To Examine the Use of Restorative Justice Practices in School Discipline

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:04:00 +0000

Webinar To Examine the Use of Restorative Justice Practices in School Discipline

On March 20, 2013, at 4 p.m. ET, the U.S. Departments of Justice, Education, and Health and Human Services will present “Stemming the School-to-Prison Pipeline: Applying Restorative Justice Principles to School Discipline Practices.” This one-and-a-half hour Webinar, fourth in a series from the Supportive School Discipline Initiative, will address how school districts and schools can apply restorative justice principles (conflict resolution, fostering understanding and empathy, and building stronger relationships in schools and communities) to school discipline practices to stem the school-to-prison pipeline.

Resources:

Registration information is available online.
Get more information on the Supportive School Discipline Webinar series.

The Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention is a component of the Office of Justice Programs in the U.S. Department of Justice.

Browse past issues of JUVJUST and OJJDP News @ a Glance.

Peaceful School Bus Program

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 23:33:00 +0000

Order the program here. Check out this PDF.

Negotiating Technology with your Child

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:36:00 +0000

Negotiating Technology with your Child
Adapted from GuardingKids.com: A Practical Guide to Keeping Kids Out of High-Tech Trouble
by Russell A. Sabella, Ph.D.
http://www.guardingkids.com/

Some things are simply not negotiable, such as letting a child cross a busy street by herself at the age of, let’s say, 5. And, even though she may already be a good driver as evidenced by her high scores on the Crazy Tax™ video game, you would probably just have to say “No” to letting your 9 year old take the family van out for a spin. What about getting a MySpace or facebook account? How about watching a movie rated “R” or chatting online? Should she really own her own cell phone? These questions are not as clear cut as the risk may not be as apparent. Yet, your child may have some logical and compelling arguments for doing these things that may be tough to debate. So when and how much do you give in? Here are some factors to consider and tips for deciding:

First, don’t give in just because it’s easier on you. Kids can wear you down although it’s important to stay in the game and continue focusing on what is right. If you are tired, delay your decision until later, catch your breath, and think it over. Make sure your spouse or partner is “on board.” If your child continues to engage, explain that asking more than twice is harassment and harassment is against the rules resulting in a default “No” and possible other consequences. If your child is not willing to wait for a decision, then again, the immediate answer is “No.” If he is willing to wait for you to “take the decision under advisement,” then negotiations may continue.

Second, realize that technology can be very powerful and extend our capabilities in incredible (and fun) ways. Let’s remember, however, that “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” It is true that your child can stay in constant touch with his friends and get the latest gossip before it hits the streets. It is also true that he can correspond with almost anyone in the world at any time -- although should he? One of the ways to determine this is evaluating the purpose that the technology serves. What is your child trying to achieve by using the technology? For instance, what is the purpose of having a facebook .com or other similar account? Ask questions such as, “What do you get out of being on facebook?” If the purpose is legitimate (having fun, for both kids and adults, is legitimate), then, ask yourself, “Is this the safest and most secure way to achieve this purpose?” If yes, then okay. If not, then the adult must help the child figure out how he or she can achieve their purpose in a better way. How about calling those would-be facebook “friends” on the phone? What about a more private e-mail directly to the friend? Could the same goal be achieved by meeting at the park to hang out? Can the child increase his circle of friends in the existing community to enhance his multicultural experience? What about a more secure and personal social network (e.g. www.groupsite.com)?

Perhaps your child’s rationale for having a social network account is to avoid being left out (i.e., “Everyone I know has one.”). Although not having something that others have can be uncomfortable or unpleasant, it is not fatal. In fact, not having a social network account actually gives your child something that the other children do not have – more time and focus for other important things such as studies and family activities. You get the idea ... What purpose does a cell phone serve for a 6th grader or elementary school kid? Usually, cell phone ownership can be justified by the peace of mind extended to parents who can communicate with their children almost instantaneously. I agree, this is a wonderful advantage. But what about the potential pitfalls of owning a cell phone such as cyberbullying, access to inappropriate content, and distraction from school to name a few? This is the part of negotiation that begs for a compromise, a situation where everyone gets some of what they want although has to give up a little as well. This can lead to a win-win outcome. In the case of cell phone ownership, remember, the goal is to give the child the capability of anytime and anywhere communication with her parent/guardian and members of the emergency response community. This can be achieved by a limited use cellular phone, one that restricts the types of outgoing and incoming calls and data.

In the course of negotiations, remember to be objective. Be careful not to allow sensational stories propagated by the media to skew your judgment. Do your homework. Investigate any technology by searching online and asking other parents. There are always both potential benefits and risks to using any technology. Remember that the value of technology is determined by its use, not the technology itself. A hammer can be used to build a house or commit a murder, depending on the user’s intentions. Assess the benefits versus the risks and whenever you deem it safe enough, do allow your child his or her request. Negotiating is never about control or the upper hand. Always keep in mind outcomes that are in the best interest of your child, and also how the negotiations can enhance your relationship.

I would also add that allowing your child to deal with some reasonable risk can be a valuable learning experience and allows her to demonstrate to you that she is responsible. Realize too that rarely is anything in technology a “black or white” situation. Instead, technologies can usually be customized which allows your child to use them with certain conditions. For instance, allowing the child to have a facebook account only if she shares with you the password or perhaps, at a minimum, “friends” you to allow access to her profile.

Third, as much as possible, focus more on what your child can do instead of what he cannot do. For instance, you may not allow your child to have their own cell phone although you may allow him to borrow yours now and then for special occasions. You may not allow your daughter to set up a facebook account although you may allow her to set up her own blog which you monitor. Chatting with strangers is a definite no-no although your kid may chat with school and community buddies using a secure application (e.g., Google chat, AOL Instant messenger).

Finally, the same message may be easier to “swallow” if it came from someone else. If you can get another child, a friend, or other respected adult to relay the same message, it may carry more weight than coming from you.

Lend a Hand School Bus Bullying Prevention

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 22:34:00 +0000

Source: http://www.embracecivility.org/be-a-friend-lend-a-hand/

Special Offer – Be a Friend ~ Lend a Hand School Bus Bullying Prevention

We really want schools to try out the Be a Friend ~ Lend a Hand approach because we think that once you find out how effective a positive norms approach is, you will be very interested in the entire program. So for a time, we are providing a reduced version of this program – free of charge – for schools to use to address school bullying problems. Try it out this Spring 2013, then you can decide if you want to use the full school program next fall.

Be a Friend ~ Lend a Hand School Bus Bullying Prevention Plan
School Bus Bullying Prevention Posters Demonstration in PDF. (These posters are in Pages, the Mac word processing program. They simply will not transfer effectively to Word, so you will have find a Mac to revise the posters. Nor can they be uploaded because of the file size of the graphics. So if you want the posters, you will have to email us at

When teachers are the bully's target

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 17:22:00 +0000

Read the story here: http://schoolsofthought.blogs.cnn.com/2013/03/11/when-teachers-are-the-bullys-target/

Gangs Recruiting through Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:41:00 +0000

Source: http://www.abc24.com/news/local/story/Memphis-Gangs-Recruiting-through-Facebook/VMbqNnGbZU-NWLTs5rN2WA.cspx

Measuring Bullying Victimization, Perpetration, and Bystander Experiences

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 15:53:00 +0000

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/ViolencePrevention/pub/measuring_bullying.html

Measuring Bullying Victimization, Perpetration, and Bystander Experiences: A Compendium of Assessment Tools

Bullying, particularly among school-age children, is a major public health problem. This compendium provides researchers, prevention specialists, and health educators with tools to measure a range of bullying experiences: bully perpetration, bully victimization, bully-victim experiences, and bystander experiences. Some researchers continue to examine the risk and protective factors associated with bullying experiences. Others are working to design, implement, and evaluate bully prevention interventions aimed at reducing bully victimization and perpetration, as well as increasing prosocial bystander involvement in bullying situations. The ability to measure bullying experiences broadly and completely is crucial to the success of these activities. This compendium represents a starting point from which researchers can consider a set of psychometrically-sound measures for assessing self-reported incidence and prevalence of a variety of bullying experiences.

View, download or print Measuring Bullying Victimization, Perpetration, and Bystander Experiences: A Compendium of Assessment Tools [PDF 21MB]

Order a hard copy

How U.S. kids are taught about cyberbullying, online safety

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:03:00 +0000

Children in the US are required to learn about online safety due to changes to CIPA, the bill that governs Internet Safety for kids. One classroom in San Francisco let media in to observe the lesson plan.

What Makes Teenagers Stand Up for Bullying Victims?

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 16:31:00 +0000

What Makes Teenagers Stand Up for Bullying Victims?

By Mihiri Udabage - 20th February 2013

To bully, 'bystand' or 'upstand'? This is the question that adolescents who witness bullying behaviour are processing at the time of an incident. New research from theHarvard Graduate School of Education discovers why teens at school don't always stand up for bullying victims, even though they want to.

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:40:00 +0000

How to Talk to Your Kids about Bullying

http://aplatformforgood.org/blog/entry/how-to-talk-to-your-kids-about-bullying

To This Day Project - Shane Koyczan

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:21:00 +0000

Shane Koyczan "To This Day" http://www.tothisdayproject.com Help this message have a far reaching and long lasting effect in confronting bullying. Please share generously.

Find Shane on Facebook - http://on.fb.me/Vwdi65
or on Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/koyczan

I send out one new poem each month via email. You might like to join us. http://www.shanekoyczan.com

Toolkit for Working with Men and Boys - Expect Respect: A School-Based Program Promoting Safe and Healthy Relationships for Youth

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 19:11:00 +0000

Toolkit for Working with Men and Boys - Expect Respect: A School-Based Program Promoting Safe and Healthy Relationships for Youth:

The Expect Respect program at SafePlace in Austin, Texas has been providing school-based services since 1988 in response to requests from school counselors seeking support for girls in abusive dating relationships

Video games are kind of like breakfast cereal

noreply@blogger.com (RS) — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 21:07:00 +0000

Source: http://www.guardingkids.com/

... video games are kind of like breakfast cereal – there are plenty to choose from and some are healthier than others. The whole family can enjoy them and they are an important part of an overall sensible and well-balanced lifestyle. Balance and moderation is key. Like all technology, I believe that the benefits and risks of video gaming among children must be ultimately determined by their caretakers and, as a result, have an impact on how they parent.

Read more: http://www.education.com/reference/article/gaming-video-benefits-disadvantage/