Internet Safety and Cyberbullying

The students leaders of our district are constantly being recognized for their accomplishments at the local, state, and even national level. Our district is an exemplary district that is an example to many others throughout the state. For this reason, I have found that it is necessary that we set the tone for other districts as well by also preparing our students for all the dangers that come along with all of the online technology that they are engaged in.
Our schools, along with most others, are using computers and the internet for their coursework, requiring students to submit work online. Many students have arranged study groups through Facebook for their classes.  



Title- Provide a clear, brief title that describes your Action Research Project. This title should describe what you are trying to find out, not what you think you will find.

 The internet safety and cyberbullying  issues facing students

Needs Assessment – – Indicate how the need for an improvement was determined. Note the data collected to support the need. Present the data in a disaggregated manner in terms of ethnicity, and gender.

After watching the news day after day regarding how students are affected by the negative side of  technology, I felt that this issue must be addressed by our district. We, as educators seem to assume that we can teach our students and we can expect them to utilize all of the technological equipment available to them; however, we do not prepare them for the problems that they could face when they do use all of these tools. There are many dangers that lurk within the technological world and our children must be made aware of them, as well as how to protect themselves from them.

Objectives and Vision of the action research project. (ELCC 1.1) – After completing the needs assessment, develop a vision relating to the improvement needed and develop an action research project that includes measureable objectives in terms of expected results.

The objective of this Action Research Project is to empower students so that they have the knowledge to make the right choices when they are online. This is in line with our districts’ vision and mission of having our students be lifelong learners except that we also need to have them ready to face any challenge that they may encounter while they are on the internet, whether they are at school or anywhere else.

Review of the Literature and Action Research Strategy – Apply Best Practice to Student Learning (LCC 2.3) – Review recent literature related to the topic of your research project. The research should support why your action research plan would be described as a best practice or possible solution to improving achievement or culture. The review of the literature should be written in APA style with a reference page listing the sources. Explain the decision making process for implementing the action research project. Who was involved? What was considered? What decisions were made?

According to all of the research that I have been studing, students need to have internet safety training as part of their curriculum in school. In addition, the teachers, staff, parents, and community, should also be trained to be aware of the dangers associated with the technology age including cyberbullying.

There are several sources that I will be including in my project, but one great source is the website on cyberbullying that offers such training: http://www.cyberbullying.us/aboutus.php.  In addition, my actual Action Research Project will include a reference page citing all of my sources using APA style as mentioned in this course.

Articulate the Vision (ELCC 1.2) –  Describe how you communicated the vision of the action research project to staff, parents, students, and community members.

The vision of South Texas Independent School District is to engage students in a focused, challenging curriculum within a small, caring community of learners. The mission of South Texas Independent School District, a public, open-enrollment magnet school district, is to nurture and develop life-long learners by providing challenging, focused educational experiences.

Manage the organization (ELCC 3.1) – Describe the strategy used for organizing the implementation of the project noting responsibilities given to self and others and how you managed any monies, time, materials, and people. Give examples of how you put a priority on student learning and safety.

Most of the responsibility was given to me as the one implementing the project.  Student learning and safety is always our number one priority at South Texas I.S.D.. Our students are technology geniuses, but we need to find a way to manage training safety precautions into their curriculum that would fit into the teachers schedules as well.

Manage Operations (ELCC 3.2) – Describe the strategy used to lead the operations of the project and set priorities. Include a brief description of how you used the needs assessment, data, group process skills, built consensus, communicated, and resolved conflict.

I am predicting that managing the operation of this project might take some considerable amount of time. Being able to build consensus with my fellow educators will take some time as well. I will use the statistics and data to support my work.

Respond to Community Interest and Needs (ELCC 4.2) – Describe how the action research project will serve the needs of students with special and exceptional needs and students with diverse backgrounds (cultural, ethnic, economic, or special interest groups) Elaborate on methods used to address   any specific needs of the school or community.

There is a great need in our community especially since our district is in an economically disadvantaged area. Many of our students are also economically disadvantaged as well as minorities. The people in our area depend on the schools to educated their children and technology is part of this education. We as educators, cannot expect to assign a child homework online without the necessary online training. If the child is going to be doing any schoolwork at home, then the family also needs to be educated regarding online threats.