Learning setting
Saint Michael Catholic High School was started in 1989 in Ontario, Canada. It has a capacity of 940 students in total and it shifted to its present location in 2004. Currently, the school provides nearly 170 courses to its students. The courses offered comprise of four key programs in:
- Tourism and hospitality
- Horticulture
- Transportation
- Construction
Strategic Goals
- To stop cyber bullying among the students and the community at large
- To promote a positive school climate
- To assist in the improvement of academic performance of students
Overview
Cyber bullying denotes the self-willed and constant application of computers, mobile phones, or any other electronic communication gadgets to disturb and terrorize others. Some of the methods employed in cyber bullying include Instant messaging, electronic mails, and fake messages on web sites. Information technologies came with challenges to those who rely on them to accomplish their chores (McDavid & Hawthorn, 2006).
Although information technology has sufficient benefits to the learning processes, it poses challenges that would lead to depression and harm to some students (Hunter, 2012). Harassment and depression within a learning institution leads to low performance. Therefore, it is crucial for every learning institution to establish strategies to discourage cyber bullying and curb the threat of failure related to information technology.
For these reasons, as a teacher at St Michael High School in Canada and workplace educator, I developed a plan to discourage and curb cyber bullying in the learning institutions. In a bid to fulfill this task, I have used this proposal to present a systematic approach for problem resolution.
The proposal displays a strategy involved in resolving the problem. To start with, the students are provided with ways of reporting their concern to the educational institution, and when the staff members of the institution receive the report, they evaluate the information together with the parent or guardian. The evaluation classifies the case in different categories that could be addressed in distinct ways.
If the case is not cyber bullying, it is addressed in other ways. When the reported case is determined as cyber bullying, the staff members take a process of investigating by collecting evidences to support the allegation. When the school rules and regulations are violated, further institutional measures are addressed in the case. Performance of educational institutions determines their success (Hunter, 2012).
Preventing cyber bullying is one way of sealing the holes that weaken the learning process through distracting the conscience of students.
Proposed Program Logic Model
Inputs
Learning institutions must identify substantive strategies to eradicate cyber bullying. Low school performances are associated with depression resulting from cyber bullying (Hunter, 2012). People’s conscience works properly when there are no pressures exerted on the mind. However, a stressed mind causes low activity, which results to low performances (McDavid, & Hawthorn, 2006).
In order to perform well, students must remain within the learning process without distraction of the mind. Therefore, institutions must identify and establish strategies to assist in discouraging and eliminating cyber bullying in the learning institution. When working to achieve this objective, it is crucial to identify the resources required to make the process successful. The following are the identified resources.
Statement Form(s)
This is an official document to indicate that a student was bullied through modern information technology and it keeps records coupled with approving the bully if the student fails in his or her exams. It could be a form to enter the required information such as the student’s name, his/her age, and the suspected person among other details. The form should comprise of a student’s signature to prove that the student had recorded the information personally.
Counseling Personnel
In the attempt to facilitate low cases of cyber bullying in the institution, students should be guided about proper behaviors (Trolley & Hanel, 2010). They should be aware of the repercussions of failure to obey school guidelines. When they are convinced that the action deteriorates the school and personal performances, they would change their actions against the biased practices.
Therefore, we will require counselors to assist us with logistical approaches of mitigating the risk. The counselors will discourage cyber bullying utterly and ensure that a significant number of students change their attitudes on the problem.
Bullying Report System
Efficient strategies to counter cyber bullying must consider effective reporting system (Kowalski et al., 2008). In some cases, student could be bullied and fear to face the staff. However, some strategies could involve a confidential approach especially in sexual harassment, which requires the institution to determine the strategies of implementing confidential reporting system.
For instance, the students can submit the claims through the Internet or submit their filled forms through a confidential mailing box. These ways improve the standards of fighting cyber bullying at a high percentage since it ensure that many people are free to report.
Student’s Enlightenment
Awareness of the control strategies should be well known to the students. Therefore, it is vital to print materials that contain the procedures of action and the repercussions among other information that may be relevant to students. This document should act as the reference point for the student’s enlightenment. Therefore, the document should contain rules and impacts of violation.
Activities
Strategic implementation of the processes that aim at reducing cyber bullying relies on proper arrangement of the activities. When we identify concise activities, we improve the chances of evaluating the constituents without leaving some unattended. Therefore, it is necessary to identify what should be performed to support the system effectively. According to McDavid and Hawthorn (2006), proper organization is the stem of high performance.
For this reason, program constituents must be organized to warrant successful results. Identifying and planning the activities are ways of ensuring program organization. Therefore, I will evaluate the program to determine the areas that require the establishment of the following activities.
Information Dispersion
It is crucial to create awareness and a strong foundation when the program initiates. Otherwise, if the pace of the program seems weak at the initial stages, students might assume or ignore the seriousness of the issue. The administration must be ready to enforce the program into action.
Probably, it can arrange for a meeting with parents/guardians, students, and staff. This meeting could target on enlightening them about the program and warning those who bully others about the impacts of their actions.
Materials Distribution
The implementation of the program must consider planning how program materials will reach the intended people. One way of distributing the materials is by supplying them during the meeting mentioned in the previous paragraph. In this way, parents/guardians will have copies of the program details.
Students can receive copies of the materials in classes. This activity of distributing the materials will warrant that the entire school is aware of the restriction made by the administration, which will lead to low cases of cyber bullying and high performance in school.
Initial Assessment
The other activity will involve assessing the level of cyber bullying in the school. It could be done by using questionnaires to assess bullying incidences. The questionnaires can be presented to students during class proceedings. The school management has to evaluate its steps and actions to prevent the emergence of fatal consequences (Andras, 2011). Therefore, it is vital to evaluate its status before handling new cases.
Reception and Provision of Materials
Once the three steps are performed, materials that will be used to report new cases can be made available to students. The materials could be statement forms that students will fill information of the bullying cases they have experienced. After filling, students will return the forms to a discipline department where appropriate measures will be enacted.
Outputs
When a program is well established, it should provide allowances to return what was invested during its initiation (McDavid & Hawthorn, 2006). I expect a number of outputs that will have advantages to the school proceedings. These outputs will provide the school with opportunities to expand and develop at a fast rate. Evaluating the output is crucial in enlightening the administration about the potential parts of the program.
Possibly, the administration will consider enacting the program due to its outputs. Investments that are meant to establish a program should have some returns. In my case, I will identify the long-term outputs of the program by listing the outputs and giving their description.
School Popularity
Educational institutions that have unique qualities tend to become popular and enroll high numbers of students. If the institution will flourish successfully, it will be an opportunity to expand into higher levels in the education sector. Therefore, the institution might become popular and bring many advantages with it.
High Intakes of New Student
The number of school admissions can rely on the category and familiarity of the school. When a school is popular, it tends to draw more students for admission. Therefore, I expect higher intakes than in the previous periods.
Achievement
Low cyber bullying results to significant achievements in the educational institutions (Hunter, 2012). Therefore, many achievements will be made due to the program. For instance, when the number of students increases, there will be facilitation of the sports sector.
Some students will have qualities to play games, which will provide human resources during competition with other playing groups or schools. Additionally, sports department will be funded to buy resources since the school will have attained high economies of scale. Desire could be the driving force that will lead this program to achieve prosperity.
Percentage Increase in Performance
Performance of the students will appreciate, which will establish an incredible foundation for students in their future endeavors. This output will boost confidence of students in the learning institution. In return, the aspect will lead to the school establishment since performance is the root to popularity.
Outcomes
The goal of establishing a program to fight and reduce cyber bullying was to improve the performance of the institution. The outcomes of initiation and establishment of the program will be positive or negative. The management of a learning institution must evaluate its activities and proceeding to ensure that the student’s education is not affected (Andras, 2011).
The administration should check the outcomes of the school proceedings. In my cases, I will evaluate the possible outcomes that could result from program evaluation. Identification of the results will arm the administrator into understanding the techniques of handling issue arising due to the program. The following is a list of possible outcomes and their effects in the school environment.
Awareness and Familiarity
Students, parents/guardians, and teachers will be aware of the program, which will result in holding of meeting with them. Additionally, students and parents will familiarize with the rules and regulations set to regulate the problem, which will lead to further guidance of the problem by the parents. These incidences will thus mark a continuous control for some time.
The tradition of cyber bullying will be expected to transform into an action that students cannot practice within the school. When new students join the institution, they will learn the behavior of students who joined earlier and avoid bullying.
Reluctance to Comply
Hunter (2012) speculates that some individual bully others as a norm. They feel that they cannot change from it. Accepting changes is usually an issue of discussion, which is worse in cases where students are bound to change their strategies drastically. In this case, it could be expected that many student will be caught and punished during the initial stage when they have not adapted to the new program.
Repercussions and Justice
The students who do not comply with the regulations will face the consequences of their actions. The victims of bullying will report their cases to the authority, and the case will be assessed according to the flowchart and the respective repercussions will be enacted.
High Performance
The targeted expectation will also be one of the outcomes. I expect the school to have fewer cases of depression. Disrupted minds have low activity and thus lead to low perception. Undisrupted minds have high perception and can lead to high performance (McDavid and Hawthorn, 2006). High performance will cause higher intakes in the school.
Impact
Students who encountered cyber bullying (the victims as well as the culprits) experienced a poorer school climate when compared to the ones who had not been involved in cyber bullying. Students that have been involved in cyber bullying did not enjoy schooling, did not feel secure at school, or did not consider that their teachers were of help to them (Smith et al., 2008). When cyber bullying is stopped and no student is affected, the outcome will be a positive school climate.
Excellence for all
The possible impact of school transformation to create perfect learning situations and excellent academic results will signify a total renovation of the education structure in affected countries to ensure that students get the chance and capacity to excel to their maximum ability.
Overall rejection of digital abuse
Providing students with schemes to stop cyber bullying will ultimately assist in curbing any form of digital abuse by all. Everyone will keep off from digital abuse and new media of cyber bullying will be screened as they come up.
Economic growth of a country
Stopping cyber bullying will initially begin as a process of individual change and progressively involve all the students. Since students will ultimately excel in their studies, they will stand high chances of getting white-collar jobs (Smith et al., 2008). When they are supported in their capability to advance inventiveness and active contribution in their respective societies, the overall impact will be economic growth of a country.
Use of Evaluation Results
The results of the evaluation will be used in assessing the following.
- The academic performance of the students since the education against cyber bullying
- Whether the partnership between the school and the parents was effective or there is need to partner with the government as well as other different schools
- Whether the students and the school community have received adequate learning on responsible use of Internet (Smith et al., 2008)
- Whether there is a positive school climate, which stresses on the significance of schooling, respect, and decorum
- Whether there is a reduction incases of cyber bullying
- If the anti-cyber bullying campaign has spread to other regions and the impact it has
Timeline for Evaluation Cycle
Complete school change cannot be achieved within a short period and inadequate resources. In this regard, school leaders should set time from other activities and demonstrate their dedication by using their own time after the normal teaching hours as part of the evaluation committee (Smith et al., 2008).
This schedule should happen regularly and the first evaluation should take place after a period of 1 to 3 years, the second one after 4 to 6 years, and the third evaluation after 7 to 10 years. Where required, outside resources should be sought to ensure collective effort for success.
Conclusion
Effective formulation of strategies to fight and eradicate cyber bullying will reach its productive stage after which students will study with mere influences from cyber bullying. Consequently, it will lead to high performances for the 9th grade students, which will lead to flourishing of the institution and attainment of institutional goals.
Learning institutions must take the role of reducing cyber bullying at all cost in the institutions. Evaluating the outputs shows the potential capabilities of the program. Therefore, this evaluation will play an incredible role in the establishment of the program. Determining the outcomes was thus a vital step to avoid surprises after initiating the program.
Reference List
Andras, P. (2011). Research: metrics, quality, and management implications. Research Evaluation, 14(3), 90-106.
Hunter, N. (2012). Cyber bullying. Chicago, IL: Heinemann Library.
Kowalski, R. M., Limber, S., & Agatston, P. W. (2008). Cyber bullying: bullying in the digital age. Malden, MA. Blackwell Pub.
McDavid, J., & Hawthorn, L. (2006). Program evaluation & performance measurement: An introduction to practice. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Smith, P. K., Mahdavi, J., Carvalho, M., Fisher, S., Russell, S., & Tippett, N. (2008).
Cyberbullying: Its nature and impact in secondary school pupils. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 49(4), 376-385.
Trolley, B., & Hanel, C. (2010). Cyber kids, cyber bullying, cyber balance. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.