This was part of a project for a Conflict Resolutions class I recently took. It is a comprehensive plan for school districts and schools to plan for educating students on cybersafety and handling any incidents. Here is the paper that goes with this presentation: https://www.dropbox.com/s/nuohirfzwgbkszt/School_District_Cybersafety_Plan_John_Woodring.pdf

1. Comprehensive District
Cybersafety Program
John Woodring
Liberty University

2. Comprehensive District Cybersafety Program
NEED FOR A CYBERSAFETY PROGRAM

3. According to Research
• 90% of youth aged 12-17 are online on a daily basis
(Snakenborg, Van Acker, & Gable, 2011).
• 23% of teens age 12-17 own a smartphone.
• 31% of teens age 14-17 own a smartphone.
• 8% of teens age 12-13 own a smartphone.
• 77% of teens age 12-17 own a cell phone (Lenhart, 2012).
• 23% of teens own a tablet computer (Rainie, 2012).
• Cyberbullying is most often done through mobile phones
(Toshack & Colmar, 2012).

4. While most cyberbullying incidents
take place outside of school,
incidents often originate in school
(Paul, Smith, & Blumberg, 2010).

5. College admissions staff and human
resource departments are asking for
access to personal web pages (or
searching for them) to view what the
applicant has posted (Dowell, Burgess, &
Cavanaugh, 2009).

6. Children’s Internet Protection Act
of 2012 (CIPA)
“Schools may not receive E-rate discounts unless they certify they
provide an educational program for students about appropriate
online behavior, including interacting with individuals on social
networking websites and in chat rooms, and Cyberbullying
awareness and response” (Federal Communications
Commission, 2013).

7. (Stauffer, Heath, Coyne, & Ferrin, 2012)
(Stauffer, Heath, Coyne, & Ferrin,
2012)
School Districts and Schools may
be held legally accountable for
failing to respond to cybersafety
violations if any harm is caused by
these violations.

8. Students need to be taught cyberbullying
safety strategies explicitly if they are going
to protect themselves when using
electronic devices (Toshack & Colmar, 2012).

9. Comprehensive District Cybersafety Program
UNDERSTANDING THE PROBLEM

10. While there are other cybersafety threats
such as identity theft and computer
viruses and malware, cyberbullying and
sexting pose the greatest threat to
disrupting the educational process.

11. Definitions
• Cyberbullying
• Using computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices to
commit willful and repeated harm to others (Hinduja & Patchin,
2011).

12. Definitions
• Sexting
• Sending or receiving of sexually explicit or sexually-suggestive
images or video via a cell phone or other electronic device.
• This could mean students taking and distributing nude or seminude photos of themselves.
• While photos are meant for a boyfriend or girlfriend, they can be
sent to unintended people.
(Hinduja & Patchin, 2010)

13. (Hinduja & Patchin, 2011)
Scope of the Problem: Cyberbully
Victims

14. (Hinduja & Patchin, 2011)
Scope of the Problem: Cyberbully
Offenders

15. (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010)

16. (Hinduja & Patchin, 2010)

17. Potential Harm: Cyberbullying
• Victims often have a variety of mental issues
such as:
• Depressed
• Sad
• Angry
• Frustrated
• Some victims have suicidal thoughts,
attempted suicide, or committed suicide.
(Hinduja & Patchin, 2011)

18. Potential Harm: Cyberbullying
• Show signs of physical illnesses.
• Low self-esteem
• Embarrassed or afraid to go to school.
• Family and academic problems.
• School violence or delinquent behavior.
(Hinduja & Patchin, 2011)

19. Potential Harm: Cyberbullying
• Cyberbullying has an anonymity factor that leads
to less social accountability (Sbarbaro & Enyear Smith,
2011).
• Cyberbullies develop a lack of empathy (Hinduja &
Patchin, 2011).
• Those who engage in cyberbullying often
become targets of traditional bullying or
cyberbullying (Accordino & Accordino, 2011).

20. Potential Harm: Sexting
• Shame
• Cyberbullied
• Harassed and bullied at school.
• Called derogatory names.
• Unwanted attention making someone feel
uncomfortable.
• Mental, physical, and emotional problems.
• Up to and including suicide.
• Belief no one cares.
(Hinduja & Patchin, 2010)

21. Comprehensive District Cybersafety Program
DISTRICT LEVEL

22. Challenges to a Cybersafety
Program
• Anonymous nature of Cyberbullying.
• Wider audience.
• Lack of supervision online.
• Easy and continuous access to technology.
• Rapid changes in technology.
(Pearce, Cross, Monks, Waters, & Falconer, 2011)

23. Cybersafety Student Survey
• The district and individual schools should know what
kind of cybersafety problem they have and how big it is.
• This information should guide district and school
administrators on an appropriate response and they type
of cybersafety education program needed.
• One instrument to use is the Cyberbullying and Online
Aggression Survey developed by Hinduja & Patchin
(2009) (Sbarbaro & Enyear Smith, 2011).

24. Select Appropriate Programs
• Programs should provide uniformity of
instruction but allow flexibility to address unique
school needs.
• Program should be appropriate and engaging for
• Elementary
• Middle School
• High School
(Ahlfors, 2010)

25. Select Appropriate Programs
• Programs such as the European
CyberTraining programcan train adults on
how to run a cybersafety program (Jager,
Amado, Matos, & Pessoa, 2010).
• Students should be consulted when
selecting a cybersafety program (Toshack &
Colmar, 2012).

26. Budgeting for Programs
• Ensure proper training and professional
development.
• Provide needed materials to schools.

27. District Cybersafety Coordinator
• Additional duty assigned by the district
superintendent.
• Coordinates school cybersafety programs.
• Researches latest trends in cybersafety.
• Trains school Cybersafety Coordinators.
• Helps set consequences and guidelines for
cybersafety violations.
• Ensures the district is compliant with E-rate
cybersafety requirements.

28. District Cybersafety Coordinator
(continuted)
• Speaks at parent and community functions but
cybersafety and district cybersafety initiatives.
• Works with law enforcement on cybersafety
issues when necessary.
• Readily available to the media to address
cybersafety issues in cooperation with district
public relations.

29. Comprehensive District Cybersafety Program
SCHOOL LEVEL

30. Implementation
• Cybersafety units must be taught in courses all students
are required to take.
• Elementary (Proposed)
• Technology classes or Homeroom periods.
• Middle School (Proposed)
• Health Classes
• English Language Arts assign an informative research
and writing assignment on a cybersafety topic.
• High School (Proposed)
• English classes have an informative research and
writing assignment on a cybersafety topic.

31. School Cybersafety Response Team
• Research does not show what happens after cybersafety
incidents are reported to administrators (Stauffer, et
al.).
• School administrator designated as School Cybersafety
Coordinator.
• Selected Guidance Counselor
• Receives special training in handling cybersafety issues
involving:
• Victims
• Offenders
• Parents

32. Staff Development
• Research shows students are not willing to
report cybersafety incidents to teachers (Accordino
& Accordino, 2011).
• Teachers need to understand the impact of
cybersafety violations on their students (Stauffer, et.
al., 2012).
• Understand the process of reporting cybersafety
violations to the school’s Cybersafety Response
Team.

33. Annual Presentation to Parents and
Community
• Schools must make efforts to inform and work
with parents about the dangers of cyberbullying
and sexting (Accodino & Accordino, 2011).
• Explain cybersafety issues
• Present information from cybersafety surveys.
• Explain school cybersafety initiatives.
• Explain what parents and community members
can do to promote cybersafety.

34. Parent-School Cooperation
• Parents often feel they are not able to effectively
respond to online dangers because they did not grow-up
in that environment (Hannah, 2010).
• Parents should be encouraged to follow cybersafety
recommendations provided by the school.
• Encourage parents to educate themselves about
technology tools and their uses.
• Offer classes if there is enough interest.
• Provide support and guidance to their children when
using technology.

35. References
Accordino, D. B., & Accordino, M. P. (2011). An exploratory study of
face-to-face and cyberbullying in sixth grade students. American
Secondary Education, 40(1), 14-30. Retrieved August 22, 2013.
Ahlfors, R. (2010). Many sources, one theme: Analysis of cyberbullying
prevention and intervention websites. Journal of Social Sciences,
6 (4), 513-520.
Dowell, E.B., Burgess, A.W., & Cavanaugh, D.J. (2009). Clustering of
internet risk behaviors in a middle school population. Journal of
School Health, 79 (11), 547-553.
Federal Communications Commission. (2013). Consumer guide:
Children's Internet Protection Act (United States, Federal
Communications Commission, Consumer and Governmental
Affairs Bureau). Washington: Federal Communications
Commission.

36. References
Hannah, M. (2010). Cyberbullying education for parents: A guide for clinicians.
Journal of Social Sciences, 6 (4), 530-534).
Hinduja, S., & Patchin, J. W. (2009). Cyberbullying and online agression survey
instrument 2009 version. Cyberbullying Research Center.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J.W. (2011). Cyberbullying identification, prevention,
and response. Cyberbullying Research Center, 1-5.
Hinduja, S. & Patchin, J.W. (2010). Sexting: A brief guide for educators and
parents. Cyberbullying Research Center, 1-4.
Jager, T., Amado, J., Matos, A., & Pessoa, T. (2010). Analysis of experts’ and
trainers’ views on cyberbullying. Australian Journal of Guidance &
Counseling, 20 (2), 169-181.
Lenhart, A. (2012). Teens, Smartphones & Texting. Pew Internet and American
Life Project. Retrieved February 16, 2013.

37. References
Paul, S., Smith, P. K., & Blumberg, H. H. (2010). Addressing cyberbullying in
school using the Quality Circle approach. Australia Journal of Guidance &
Counseling, 20 (2), 157-168. DOI: 10.1375/ajgc.20.2.157
Pearce, N., Cross, D., Monks, H., Waters, S., & Falconer, S. (2011). Current
evidence of best practice in whole-school bullying intervention and its
potential to inform cyberbullying interventions. Austrailian Journal of
Guidance and Counseling, 21 (1), 1-21. DOI:10.1375/ajgc.21.1.1
Rainie, L. (2012). Tablet and E-book reader Ownership Nearly Double Over the
Holiday Gift-Giving Period. Pew Internet and American Life Project.
Retrieved February 16, 2013.
Sbarbaro, V. & Enyart Smith T. M. (2011). An exploratory study of bullying and
cyberbullying behaviors among economically/educationally disadvantaged
middle school students. American Journal of Health Studies, 26 (3), 139151.

38. References
Snakenborg, J., Van Acker, R., & Gable, R. A. (2011). Cyberbullying: Prevention and
intervention to protect our children and youth. Preventing School Failure, 55 (2),
88-95. DOI: 10.1080/1045988X.2011.539454
Stauffer, S., Heath, M.A. Coyne, S. M., & Ferrin, S. (2012). High school teachers’
perceptions of cyberbullying prevention andintervention strategies. Psychology in
the Schools, 49 (4), 353-367. DOI: 10:1002/pits.21603
Toshack, T., & Colmar, S. (2012). A cyberbullying intervention with primary-aged
students. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counseling, 22 (2), 268-278. DOI:
10.1017/jgc.2012.31
Woodring, J. (2008, June 25). [Cyberbullying Ribbon]. Retrieved October 12, 2013.