The effects of technology on bullying

Abstract

I chose this topic for inquiry because I have personal experience with bullying, and I wanted to know what I can do to combat bullying when I am an elementary teacher. Through an online survey and personal interviews, research has been conducted to answer the question whether or not the increased availability of technology to students in, and out, of the classroom has an impact on bullying. My data collection, through the use of an online survey and personal interviews, has led me to believe that the increased availability of technology does have an impact on the number of cases and severity of bullying. The second question that I set out to answer is what can teachers do to recognize and prevent bullying in their classroom. In a twenty-first century classroom, students need to be educated on how to safely use the Internet. This could include administering a digital citizenship course to students. Teachers must also be aware of the warning signs of bullying in order to recognize when it is happening and stop it in its tracks. The best way that teachers can combat bullying is to educate themselves, and their students about the dangers of bullying. As a future teacher, this information is important for me because it will allow me to do more to combat bullying in my classroom.