Week 8 & 9: Cyberycrime

Essential Question: What effects might cybercrime have on education and/or the school environment?

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines cybercrime as “criminal activity (such as fraud, theft, or distribution of child pornography) committed using a computer especially to illegally access, transmit, or manipulate data” (1991). According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, “exploitation of children is not a new phenomenon, the digital age has exacerbated the problem and created more vulnerability to children” (Cybercrime: Protecting children, 2015). The fast pace of the border-less internet makes it difficult to create appropriate laws to protect children. 

While the examples given in that definition above are possible repercussions of misuse of technology, I found that our research for this week was leading us to really focus on cyberbullying and what we can do about it in schools. “According to Sameer Hindua and Justin Patchin authors of, School Climate 2.0: Preventing Cyberbullying and Sexting One Classroom at a Time, cyberbullying is defined as willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones, and other electronic devices” (Learners Edge, 2016). 

Bullying has been an issue in school for as long as I can remember, but with rapid access to each other through technology cyberbullying is an extreme version of bullying. We, as teachers, need to have an understanding of what to look for and how to respond so that we can make school a safe, positive place to be. 

According to a great article written by Miriam Clifford (2012), there are a several things we can do as educators to curtail cyberbullying:

1. Create digital citizens.
2. Raise awareness.
3. Teach students it’s okay to report abuse.
4. Establish firm policies.
5. Realize that younger generations identify more closely to their online presence. 
6. Create a positive school environment.
7. Team Building Exercises.
8. Encourage education for teachers, administrators, and counselors.
9. Get Parents Involved.

School is at the center of students’ lives and for many of our students, teachers are the only responsible adult role models they have. It is important that we make it a priority to learn about the technology they are using and protect them from cybercrimes. 

Here is the link to my personal journey.

Resources: 

Clifford, M. (2012, October 26). 15 Strategies Educators Can Use to Stop Cyberbullying. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.opencolleges.edu.au/informed/features/15-strategies-educators-can-use-to-stop-cyberbullying/

Cybercrime. 1991. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cybercrime

Cybercrime: Protecting children from online abuse and exploitation. (2015, July 9). Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/frontpage/2015/July/cybercrime_-protecting-children-from-online-abuse-and-exploitation.html

Learners Edge. (2016, October 20). How to Prevent Cyberbullying in Your Classroom. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.learnersedge.com/blog/how-to-prevent-cyberbullying