Stop Cyberbullying, Promote Digital Literacy

We want to show our teachers ways of using digital media and the challenges they face. They should try out and get to know which tools are suitable for use in the classroom. The exchange of tried ...

We want to show our teachers ways of using digital media and the challenges they face. They should try out and get to know which tools are suitable for use in the classroom. The exchange of tried and tested methods and processes also serves to expand the skills and abilities of teachers and thus inevitably also of learners with regard to dealing with the virtual world. This increases their willingness to navigate the digital world and use it for their own purposes. Cyberbullying is a form of misuse of digital media, especially because it encourages anonymous use. We want to empower learners here and make them aware of the consequences and problems associated with the incorrect or inappropriate use of digital media. In addition, the aim is to respond preventively to possible dangers. Learners should be empowered and take care of themselves and their environment. This can only happen if they are sensitized to empathetic interaction with one another, with the aim of learning respect and tolerance.

The first meeting focused on digital citizenship and its definition. The digital footprint and the different variants of digital citizenship were examined in more detail. The difference between digital and physical identity was also discussed. The participants also looked at how to securely identify themselves digitally and how to act responsibly and respectfully in a digital group. The second meeting focused on Web 2.0 tools and how to use social media correctly and safely. Data protection in particular became a key topic here, as the partners receive different requirements from their authorities. The advantages and disadvantages of the different approaches were discussed. In the third meeting, the partners focused on incorporating the findings of the previous meetings into their lessons. Lesson plans were also developed. In the last meeting, the core topic was cyberbullying, how to recognize it, what forms it takes and how to deal with it. There was also a differentiation from similar patterns. In addition, material for lessons was created in the form of a survey to raise awareness of how to deal with cyberbullying.

Lesson plans have been developed that address the various aspects of the project and portray the results of the meetings. In addition, the surveys developed show what background knowledge students and teachers have and should have. They also show the different facets of cyberbullying and all the aspects that go with it, such as how to recognize, prevent and deal with it. In addition, the skills and abilities relating to digital citizenship and the digital footprint were taken as a basis or expanded. In this way, the knowledge gained could be passed on directly to the learners in order to supplement their skills in dealing with digitality. The lively exchange about data protection triggered a change in thinking among the participants. For example, many were unaware of what data is sent to the platforms used, such as Microsoft Teams or Google Education, when they are used in schools.