Cyberbullying in Primary Schools: understanding, preventing and responding

At the end of this course, you should be able to:

• define what cyberbullying is and gain a clear understanding of what constitutes cyberbullying
• describe the legal framework on cyberbullying including the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020 and examine the most recent research on cyberbullying in Ireland
• promote a preventative whole-education approach in addressing cyberbullying
• examine school policy which deals with cyberbullying, in particular, the Anti-Bullying Policy and the Acceptable Use Policy
• identify opportunities to teach about cyberbullying through the curriculum and whole-school community based initiatives
• recognise the roles and responsibilities that apply to school personnel when dealing with a cyberbullying incident
• address a cyberbullying incident and communicate with those involved
• use the resources available to get parents involved in supporting anti-bullying prevention.

There are three lessons in this course:

1. Understanding Cyberbullying

This lesson will explore what constitutes cyberbullying and the far-reaching effects it can have on individuals and the school community.

2. Preventing Cyberbullying

Lesson 2 looks at practical ways in which you can promote a preventative whole school approach to cyberbullying in your own school.

3. Responding to Cyberbullying

This lesson outlines the key steps involved in responding to and dealing with a cyberbullying incident and identifies the resources and supports available to teachers and school leaders.

Technical Requirements:

A good broadband internet connection and a laptop, desktop PC or tablet (with the latest version of Chrome, Firefox or Safari installed).

Participants need to access Padlet, a third party application, as part of the course. A Padlet account is not required. Please be aware of the Padlet privacy policy and terms of service.

A course certificate is provided upon completion of this course.

You may be able to consider this course for Croke Park hours, subject to school management approval, particularly in relation to up to ten ‘Croke Park’ hours that may be allowed for potential individual/small group use (Circular 0042/2016 Primary and Circular 045/2016 Post-primary).