I took the denotation of the word “blog” from Mariam’s
dictionary to mean, “a personal website or web page
on which an individual records opinions, links to other sites, etc. on a
regular basis”. The blog site that I
played with most was my district’s e-chalk web page because we have discussion
boards on the web page and every individual teacher has their own. The reason I am interested is because I have
created a program that I would like to implement in my district for my
dissertation that would allow counselors to blog with students regarding issues
that they may be facing.
Blogs differ from the normal
discussion page or how discussion boards are currently implemented on e-chalk
because discussions are organized into topics by 'threads', anyone in the
community can start a thread on a topic of their choosing, all participants
have an equal voice, posts require someone to reply for a discussion to take
place, and you can follow through a thread on a particular topic. Moreover, discussion boards are primarily
used to conduct class discussion or debate, for questions and answers, role
play, help forums, social forums, and online icebreakers. Bogs, on the other hand are author centered, posts
are made by the blog's author only (may be a group), posts are usually opinion
pieces and written in the authors voice, readers can add comments to the
author's post( if approved by the author), usually blogs are organized in
reverse chronological order so the most recent posts show on the entry page,
and the blog usually reflects the authors identity in the tone, look and feel
and content. Blogs are used like learning
reflections, journal writing, book reviews, resource reviews, software reviews,
editorial style articles, personal publishing, travel diaries, and news.
Because our counseling corner doesn’t allow for counselors
to have either a blog or a discussion board I think that in the age of
technology, to help and reach students that are reluctant to ask for help or
seek out assistance from counselors, this would be beneficial.
As a learner, bloging allows some anonymity and allows more
free thought to flow. It differs form
other technologies because anything and everything said or posted in most
circles can come back to haunt you, however when you blog the reflective
writing is done as a healing process, one that in my profession used to be done
on paper. I believe that is necessary on
a secondary not only to post discussions on discussion boards, but to blog as
well so that the healing process can take place and be up to date with today’s
technology.
Content-What
content or learning objectives or content standards could you address? What is
the desired level of thinking in the objectives/standards according to the
categories detailed in Blooms Revised Taxonomy of educational objectives?
I propose a program I
have co-designed titled Cybervation specifically
to help students who are suffering from harassment, bullying, cyber harassment,
and cyber bullying. Stakeholders will carefully
evaluate their individual situation and assist them in improving their quality
of life. The Cybervation program will be conducted by Corpus Christi
Independent School District, headed by the license specialist in school
psychology department, in conjunction with Texas A&M University Corpus
Christi, counseling and psychology department, and the National and Community
Service, local offices known as Communities in Schools.
Stakeholders across a desired school district will benefit
from the Cybervation program over the next few years because it will provide
educators with the tools to identify students who may be bully victims,
students who may be victimizing others, and students who may not be able to
recover by themselves. Because secondary levels do not have a pull out counseling
system like those in the elementary, students who may need to see a counselor
or go through group therapy sessions are overlooked and consequently never
treated.
Pedagogy
Studies by Dr. Martin Teicher have shown, secondary students, or teens, need to have their victimization
treated or the repercussions can be irrevocable. Dr. Martin Teicher conducted a
study examining the neurological impact of verbal abuse on childhood brain development.
Dr. Teicher subjected teens who had been bully victims to brain scans where he
was able to see the physical differences in their living brain tissue,
specifically in the corpus callosum, in comparison to the neurological
structures of teens who had never been victimized by bullying.
The Boston Globe reported, that bullied
teens “had observable abnormalities in a part of the brain, corpus callosum,
and had less myelin, a coating that speeds communication between the
cells--vital in an organ like the brain where milliseconds matter in visual
processing, memory, and more.” This caused a slow transference of information
went from one hemisphere of the brain to the other. The myelin acted, as if the
brain was trying to protect itself from what it was processing.
Cyber
bullying has been brought to the forefront of importance because of the
neurological damage it can cause. Using the joint effort of National and
Community Service, a specified school district and a local University/College, along with the experience and knowledge of our local
stakeholders, creates a powerful tool that can fit the individual needs of our students.
The Cybervation
program will help students analyze their immersion in cyber bullying or cyber
harassment so they can make informed decisions regarding their future and
choices. In addition to individualized salvation planning assistance, Cybervation
will offer workshops and other educational programs to help educators improve
their ability to recognize students who may be suffering from cyber bullying or
cyber harassment.
An Independent School District: will train stakeholders to identify students who may be
suffering from cyber harassment or cyber bullying. School counselors will be
used in the initial process of confirming a victim or bully, will further
assess if the student is psychologically at risk because of his or her
victimization, and will make the necessary contact for the student’s betterment
Technology--
An Independent School District will mandate that all stakeholders attend
the training given by Communities in Schools. Administrators will provide
stakeholders with the necessary means to anonymously report victims or bullies,
punish violators, and offer help to both victims and bullies. District school
counselors will provide the initial counseling procedures necessary for
students that have been victimized or are bullying. If pullout programs are not
feasible for the secondary students or if further counseling is needed, the
school counselor will recommend said student to a university caseworker. Moreover, the district will provide each
counselor with a counseling corner that will include a discussion board and blog
page.
Obstacles
Ethical
Implications: when dealing with abuse cases, such as cyber bullying
and cyber harassment, there are periods of age where children are more
susceptible. Between the ages of 7 and
17, children are developing a sense of self and can easily have that
self-perception damaged by their family, peers, or anyone they look-up to or
value. This abuse changes one’s
self-perception because it affects the brain development. The problem with peer abuse, like other abuse
cases, is that there can be a silent period.
A silent period is when years pass before someone deals with the pain of
abuse. A study conducted by Dr. Martin Teicher
showed that there is usually an average of nine years for a silent period. (Teicher,
2009)
Cybervation and
its professionals would have to follow the law while conducting its counseling
services and report to the law, when necessary, a potential problem with a
participant. The licensed professional may also want to refer the participant
to a psychologist.
As a school administrator, one must assume
responsibility for providing professional leadership in the school and
community. This responsibility requires the school administrator to ensure the
well-being of students as the fundamental value in all decision making and
actions. By ignoring cyber bullying and
cyber harassment, an administrator can be considered a bystander (one observing
abuse, but not stopping the abuse), thus neglecting the students’ needs and
failing to maintain a safe environment for all students. Administrators need to take preemptive roles
in the development of student’s minds, not just through the curriculum they are
given and taught, but in the development of the brain and the effect of the
environment on that development. In
order to stop tragic school shootings, suicides, and retaliating events
administrators can no longer ignore the studies about child brain development
and the affect verbal abuse from peers is having. Administrators must unify and ask for a
program like Cybervation because it may be someone’s salvation.
