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Teacher Awareness and Perceptions of Social Media Use and
Teacher Awareness and Perceptions of Social Media Use and
Cyberbullying in Belize
Cyberbullying in Belize
Abbey Linderholm
Minnesota State University, Mankato
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Teacher Awareness and Perceptions of Social Media Use and Cyberbullying in
Belize
By
Abbey Linderholm
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Arts
In
Clinical Psychology
Minnesota State University, Mankato
Mankato, Minnesota
July 2019
i
Abstract
Teacher Perceptions and Awareness of Social Media Use and Cyberbullying in Belize
Abbey Linderholm
Minnesota State University, Mankato
2019
Intro: Cyberbullying and other problems related to social media are growing concerns
across the world with increased access to technology at home and in schools. Several
studies have suggested that although instances of cyberbullying have increased in
schools, teachers and other school staff members lack awareness of and training in
identifying and preventing instances of it from occurring. The current study investigates
school staff member awareness and perceptions of social media use and cyberbullying
across two districts in Belize.
Methods: A written 47-question survey regarding social media use and awareness and
perceptions of cyberbullying was given to voluntary participants across primary and
secondary schools in Belize.
Results: A total of 39 participants responded with 15 males and 24 female respondents.
Results indicated that teachers were “neutral” to whether cyberbullying was a problem in
their school and majority of participants indicated they had never encountered an instance
of cyberbullying. Almost all participants had never received training regarding handing
cyberbullying, but many participants indicated they thought school districts should train
staff in recognizing and treating instances of cyberbullying.
Discussion: The results of the current study provide preliminary information regarding
social media use and cyberbullying instances in Belizean schools. Teachers are lacking
ii
understanding, recognizing, and preventing cyberbullying instances in their schools and
this should be addressed further in future research.
Keywords: cyberbullying, bullying, social media, website, teacher
iii
July 9, 2019
Teacher Perceptions and Awareness of Social Media Use and Cyberbullying in Belize
Abbey Linderholm
This thesis has been examined and approved by the following members of the student’s
committee.
Dr. Daniel Houlihan
Advisor
Dr. Jeffrey Buchanan
Committee Member
Dr. Carlos Panahon
Committee Member
iv
Contents
Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. i
Introduction
………………………………………………………………………………………………..1
Method …………………………………………………………………………………………………….13
Results
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..15
Discussion ………………………………………………………………………………………………..19
References
………………………………………………………………………………………………..24
Appendix A ………………………………………………………………………………………………27
1
Teacher Awareness and Perceptions of Social Media Use and
Cyberbullying in Belize
Introduction
Cyberbullying is becoming a growing concern across the world with the
advancement and increased access to technology in schools. Anywhere from 10-42% of
students report being cyberbullied (Kasahara, Houlihan, & Estrada, 2019; Macaulay,
Betts, Stiller, & Kellezi, 2018). Although it is difficult to estimate exact prevalence rates
of cyberbullying as it varies throughout much of the world, one study estimated that
students aged 8-18 years old spend at last 7 hours a week on social media (Macaulay et
al., 2018). With 7 hours a week being the minimum time spent on social media, it is
assumed that this percentage is likely to increase as technology continues to become a
larger part of the daily lives of students. This could be amplified as technology use in the
classroom also continues to increase (Marees & Petermann, 2012). In addition to the
reports of being cyberbullied, studies conducted in the US and Britain have found that 1
in 5 students are involved in cyberbullying in some way, whether that be as a perpetrator,
victim, or bystander (Macaulay et al., 2018). Furthermore, studies report a range from
50% to 90% of students’ as witnesses of instances of cyberbullying on social media and
close to 20% being fearful to attend school due to what they saw online (Sezer, Yilmaz, &
Yilmaz, 2015; Strobel, 2016). With an abundance of research reporting cyberbullying as a
concern, it is important that teachers begin to understand how to intervene or prevent it in
their schools, but first, teachers must understand what cyberbullying is.
2
Cyberbullying versus Traditional Bullying
Before a formal definition of cyberbullying is stated, it is important to discuss the
similarities and differences between traditional bullying and cyberbullying. Several
studies have mixed perceptions about distinguishing between the two types of bullying,
and many perceive cyberbullying as a type of traditional bullying (Bauman, 2015; Burton
& Mutongwizo, 2009; Grumm & Hein, 2012; Van Marees & Petermann, 2012). A few
similarities that exist between the two forms of bullying include a repetition of harmful
behaviors, power imbalance and aggression towards another individual (Eden, Heiman,
& Olenik-Shemesh, 2013; Marees & Petermann, 2012; Redmond, Lock, & Smart, 2018).
One study even suggests that traditional bullying may be a precursor to cyberbullying,
but there is not enough clear evidence to support this claim (Grumm & Hein, 2012).
Though several similarities exist between the two forms of bullying (e.g., imbalance of
power), these differences manifest themselves in different ways.
For example, the power imbalance seen in traditional bullying is different from
that observed in cyberbullying because the power held in traditional bullying is typically
reliant on the perpetrator’s physical characteristics, popularity and proximity, whereas
with cyberbullying, these attributes do not matter (Bauman, 2015). In addition, the
aggression seen in traditional bullying typically takes the form of physical or verbal
aggression, whereas in cyberbullying, aggression towards the victim takes a more indirect
form of embarrassing or harassing others through technological domains (Macaulay,
Betts, Stiller, & Kellezi, 2018; Marees & Petermann, 2012; Murphy, 2014; Redmond et
al., 2018). Anonymity and accessibility are two additional differences when contrasting
traditional bullying from cyberbullying. Because cyberbullies can remain anonymous,
3
they may be less reserved in what they say or do when compared to bullying in-person.
Anonymity also has the potential to put more emotional distress on victims, because they
are unaware of who the cyberbully is and where they are (Burton & Mutongwizo, 2009;
Murphy, 2014; Von Marees & Petermann, 2012). Furthermore, cyberbullying is far more
accessible for many when compared to traditional bullying. If the perpetrator has access
to a cell phone, computer, tablet, or another electronic domain, they can cyber-follow
their victims to any place and during any time of the day (Burton & Mutongwizo, 2009;
Von Marees & Petermann, 2012). The two most prominent differences between
traditional bullying and cyberbullying is the use of technological devices and the absence
of a physical presence (Grumm & Hein, 2012). This makes cyberbullying less apparent to
observers and it requires an additional level of understanding, because it is not always
evident.
Cyberbullying Defined
All definitions of cyberbullying agree that there exists a power imbalance,
aggression, negative actions that are typically repeated, the actions cause harm to the
victim, and the actions are carried out by using technological domains (Eden et al., 2013;
Macaulay et al., 2018; Marees & Petermann, 2012; Redmond et al., 2018; Sabella, 2009).
Individuals engage in cyberbullying using technological sources such as websites,
cellphones, email, chat rooms, rating websites, and several other forms of technology to
intentionally harm others (Marees & Petermann, 2012; Murphy, 2014; Sabella, 2009;
Sezer et al., 2015). Research suggests that one of the most appealing aspects of
cyberbullying to perpetrators is that it is possible to remain anonymous through creating
fake profiles, email addresses, or usernames to block their true identity (Bauman, 2015;
4
Burton & Mutongwizo, 2009; Murphy, 2014). Likewise, some platforms such as kik®
have anonymity as a feature of the platform. However, some studies suggest that many
cyber victims are aware of their cyberbully, potentially arising from conflicts deriving
from peer groups at their school (Macaulay et al., 2018). Whether a cyber victim is aware
of their perpetrator or not, cyberbullying can have detrimental effects in school settings
for both perpetrators and victims involved.
Cyberbullying Impacting School Performance
Students that are perpetrators and victims of cyberbullying may experience
various impacts on their performance in academic settings. Research has indicated that
like traditional bullying, cyberbullying can affect students’ performance in schools, their
motivation to learn, and increase absence due to fear and embarrassment of what has
been posted on social media sites (Eden et al., 2013; Murphy, 2014; Strobel, 2016). One
study mentioned that cyber-harassment may also result in emotional problems and
difficulties focusing in the classroom (Beran, Rinaldi, Bickham, & Rich, 2012). Changes
in student behavior and motivation in the classroom can affect teachers as well, as these
students may suffer in their daily task performance at school and potentially fall behind in
the learning process (Eden et al., 2013). For these reasons, it is important that teachers
and students become aware and knowledgeable about the impacts cyberbullying may
have while on school grounds and in the classroom (Strobel, 2019).
Teacher Perceptions/Awareness of Cyberbullying in Schools
Teacher awareness and perceptions of cyberbullying is an area in need of research
and continued expansion. Several studies have suggested that teachers are aware of
cyberbullying and perceive it to be a problem at their schools, but most teachers lack the
5
training and knowledge required to address the problem (Cassidy, Brown, & Jackson,
2012; Eden et al., 2013; Macaulay et al., 2018). Studies have also indicated that teachers
want to receive more training to increase their knowledge regarding social media
platforms, to increase ability to address cyberbullying instances, to give input and
assistance to develop and implement school-wide policies to address cyberbullying, and
to help their students and their schools perform better in a changing environment
(Cassidy et al., 2012; Macaulay et al., 2018; Redmond et al., 2018; Von Marees &
Petermann, 2012).
One study conducted in Israel found that up to 86% of teachers wanted their
schools to develop a policy regarding cyberbullying, along with implementation of
school-wide activities to address the issue (Eden et al., 2013). In addition, the same study
found that almost 50% of teachers did not feel confident in addressing cyberbullying at
their schools and nearly 70% wanted to learn more about cyberbullying in order to
confront and prevent instances of it (Eden et al., 2013). Another study, conducted in two
large secondary schools in Canada, found that over half of teachers were “concerned” or
“extremely concerned” about cyberbullying in their schools and more than 80% of the
teachers determined prevention strategies as being “important” or “extremely important”
to implement in schools. However, there were no prevention strategies or policies
regarding cyberbullying in place currently (Cassidy et al., 2012). Furthermore, a
systematic review of 20 studies across the world regarding teacher perceptions and
awareness determined that more than half of pre-service teachers believed their college
program did not educate them in how to handle instances of cyberbullying and in
addition, up to 80% of teachers wanted to learn more about cyberbullying. Of this
6
sample, only about half of the participants had prior training in handling cyberbullying
and over 90% of teachers wanted to receive further training and education in handling it
(Macaulay et al., 2018). The Matrix Table depicts findings from several studies across the
world regarding teacher perceptions and awareness of cyberbullying.
Study
Purpose
Sample
Design
Main Findings
Cassidy
et al.,
2012
Assessed whether
teachers believed
cyberbullying was
a problem in
schools, their
familiarity with it,
policies in place,
and suggestions
for prevention.
17 educators
in Canada
across two
secondary
schools
Qualitative; interviews
(16 semi-structured
open questions);
quantitative; three
closed Likert style
questions
•
Educators most
familiar with email
and cell phone
technology
•
Cyberbullying
identified as
problematic in schools
•
No specific
cyberbullying policies
in schools
•
Majority believed
preventing
cyberbullying was
important
DeSmet
et al.,
2015
To assess how
secondary school
educators manage
cyberbullying
instances and how
their perceptions
impact their
actions.
451
secondary
school
teachers in a
region
(omitted)
Quantitative; online
survey; based on
Handling Bullying
Questionnaire (Bauman
et al., 2008)
•
Four clusters of
educators identified;
referrers (65%),
disengaged (14%),
concerned (12%), and
‘use all means’ (9%)
•
Educators more often
used recommended
forms of handling
cyberbullying
compared to non-
recommended forms
Eden et
al., 2013
To determine
teacher
perceptions,
beliefs and
concerns
regarding
cyberbullying and
how types of
teachers handle
cyberbullying
differently.
328 teachers
in
elementary,
middle, or
high schools
in Israel
Quantitative; online
survey; adapted from
School Cyberbullying
for preservice teachers
(Li, 2008)
•
Teachers were more
concerned about
cyberbullying if they
were affected by it
•
Not confident in
ability to manage
cyberbullying
instances
•
Believe cyberbullying
to be an important
issue that needs further
study and discussion
•
Teachers who worked
with younger children
expressed more
concern for the issue
Green et
al., 2017
Address who
school staff
888 school
staff in New
Quantitative; online
survey based and
•
More teachers believed
traditional bullying
7
believe is
responsible in
addressing
instances of
cyberbullying.
Zealand
schools
adapted on Cross et al.,
(2009), Li (2008), and
Rigby (1997).
was a concern in
comparison to
cyberbullying
•
Teachers reported high
concerns of
cyberbullying in their
school
•
Disagreement on
teacher roles in dealing
with cyberbullying
instances
Murphy,
2015
“Explore
teachers’
concerns,
confidence levels,
beliefs, and
preparations on
cyberbullying
prevention and
intervention.”
231
preservice
teachers
enrolled in
P-12 teacher
education
program at
the
University
of Alabama.
Quantitative; used
‘Survey on School
Cyberbullying for
Preservice Teachers’
(Li, 2008); pre- and
post-test
•
Participants did not
feel prepared,
concerned, or
confident in ability to
handle cyberbullying
instances
•
Participants did not
believe cyberbullying
was a problem in
schools
•
Further training and
education about
cyberbullying is
needed to prepare pre-
service teachers
Redmond
et al.,
2018
Investigate pre-
service teacher’s
awareness and
perceptions of
cyberbullying
61 pre-
service
teachers
attending a
regional
university in
Australia
Qualitative approach
used; online discussion
posts; online scenarios;
used the Cyberbullying
Conceptual Framework
•
Teachers have
difficulty detecting
instances of
cyberbullying
•
Many participants
believed cyberbullying
to be a problem in
schools and the need
for further training and
awareness programs
Sezer et
al., 2015
Determine teacher
awareness of
cyberbullying and
precautions that
can be taken to
prevent
cyberbullying
instances.
184 teachers
working at
different
schools
across
Turkey in
2012-2013
Quantitative survey
method; used
‘Sensibility Scale on
Cyber Bullying’,
developed by Tanrikulu
et al, 2013
•
Teachers have a
moderate awareness of
cyberbullying, with
male teachers having a
higher awareness than
female teachers
•
Teachers who use
more technology have
a higher awareness of
cyberbullying
Stauffer
et al.,
2012
Examine the
beliefs and
attitudes of
teachers regarding
cyberbullying.
66 teachers
working at
an urban
high school
in the
Western
region of the
US
Quantitative/qualitative
online Qualtrics survey;
Likert-scale type
questions
•
Most participants
indicated that
cyberbullying has
long-lasting negative
effects on students
•
Many participants do
not feel it is their duty
to inform anyone of
8
Of the studies discussed (see Matrix Table), teachers are concerned about
cyberbullying in their schools, but teachers are lacking training and education necessary
to intervene and prevent cyberbullying instances from occurring. If teachers and other
school staff members can recognize, intervene, and provide preventative strategies when
cyberbullying occurs, they can work together to create a school climate in which
cyberbullying instances are no longer acceptable (Strobel, 2016). In addition to school
staff members having an awareness and understanding of cyberbullying, it is also
important that teachers recognize how students are using technology and ways in which it
can be used to harm others.
Teacher Familiarity with Technology
There is no doubt that there exists a generational gap in technology education
between teachers and students (Cassidy et al., 2012). In fact, as technology changes and
becomes more prevalent, so does the gap in familiarity with technology, with teachers
falling further behind students in knowledge of new technology and its uses. This gap in
technology can lead to inadequate supervision at school and/or home, which potentially
enables students to involve themselves in inappropriate acts online, including
cyberbullying (Cassidy et al., 2012). Additionally, if teachers are unfamiliar with certain
aspects of technology or social media used by students, students are less likely to
cyberbullying besides
school administrators
•
Most participants
agreed that parental
involvement and
warning about
consequences were the
most important in
preventing
cyberbullying
9
approach teachers or staff members for help if they find themselves in a cyberbullying
situation (Kasahara et al., 2019). In fact, one study in the US discovered that up to 90%
of students aged 12-17 did not seek help from an adult about cyberbullying instances
(Kasahara et al., 2019). In addition to the technology gap, social media usage may look
very different for teachers than it does for students. Teachers who lack computer self-
efficacy may struggle to provide help or intervene if a student approaches them with a
cyberbullying instance due to a lack of confidence (Strobel, 2016). Even if teachers have
a solid understanding of cyberbullying and feel comfortable helping students out in those
instances, another topic of concern is the fact that very few schools have training or
prevention techniques in their policies that are specific to cyberbullying (Cassidy et al.,
2012; Grumm & Hein, 2012: Macaulay et al., 2018; Murphy, 2014; Stauffer, Heath,
Coyne, & Ferrin, 2012).
Teacher and Staff Member Training and Prevention
Few studies have investigated whether teachers and staff members have received
appropriate training and prevention training in cyberbullying (Macaulay et al., 2018;
Murphy, 2014; Sezer et al., 2015). A study done across almost 1,600 schools in the US
found that less than 5% of pre-service teachers’ state curriculums included information
on cyber education. The same study noted that 75% of teachers did not feel comfortable
having conversations regarding cyberbullying and under 30% felt they could help a
student in a cyberbullying instance (Murphy, 2014). Another study conducted with pre-
service teachers found that up to 60% of participants did not believe their educational
program prepared them to deal with instances of cyberbullying. In addition, in a sample
of almost 900 teachers, only about 50% of teachers had attended a training program on
10
preventing cyberbullying (Macaulay et al., 2018). Results from these studies
predominantly done in the USA suggest that many teachers are not being trained in
addressing instances of cyberbullying and prevention in their educational program. There
is a need for further understanding of how teachers approach these problems at a global
level. Educational programs should ensure curriculum covers cyberbullying and training
should be made available for current teachers who lack knowledge and awareness of
cyberbullying.
Student Concerns with Cyberbullying
The lack of training and awareness school staff members have regarding
cyberbullying is concerning for students in schools globally because educators need to be
aware of what goes on in their classrooms and schools. An educator’s ultimate goal
should be to create a welcoming and safe environment for all students, but this is not
always the case, especially if teachers do not feel it is their place to intervene (Cassidy et
al., 2012).
A study conducted by Kasahara et al. (2019) looked specifically into student use
of various technology domains in Belizean schools, along with cyberbullying. Results of
the study indicated that over 60% of students thought that cyberbullying was a problem in
their schools and knew someone who had been bullied on social media. In addition, 66%
of students knew someone who had bullied others through online domains and 15% of
students reported being cyberbullied themselves through a social media website. When
the students were asked how they would respond to cyberbullying situations, a majority
of them indicated that they would either “ignore it, report it, or block the individual.” In
support of these findings, other studies have found that due to lack of trust in school
11
faculty, fear of escalation of the event, and fear of electronic devices being confiscated,
students are less likely to approach school staff members for help when instances of
cyberbullying occur and rather seek out other ways in handling the cyberbullying
situation (Macaulay et al., 2018; Murphy, 2014; Strobel, 2016).
Statement of the Problem
Previous research has established that teacher knowledge, awareness of and
training in handling and preventing cyberbullying is lacking and is a concern in schools
worldwide (Cassidy et al., 2012; Eden et al., 2013; Macaulay et al., 2018). In addition,
studies have shown that although teachers’ may be aware of cyberbullying and find it
concerning, they are lacking a complete understanding of what cyberbullying is and how
it is affecting their students (Macaulay et al., 2018; Murphy, 2014). Even if teachers do
show concern about it, many do not believe that it is their problem to address and would
rather leave it for the parents to deal with, or simply hope the situation works itself out.
Cyberbullying is different from traditional bullying in that teachers do not typically see
physical evidence of it. This is a universal aspect of cyberbullying, which may make it
more likely to go unchallenged in schools across the world.
Gayle, Hampton, and Morris (2016) in their book noted the rapidly changing
young male social culture in urban Belize and its role in the proliferation of violence in
Belize. Advances in technology and communication capacity is like pouring gasoline on
what Gayle et al. (2016) call a rapidly spreading “brush fire.” For cyberbullying
concerns in Belize specifically, Kasahara et al.’s (2019) research has identified Belize
schools as having a problem with cyberbullying, but there have been no studies to our
12
knowledge that have investigated Belize teachers and staff member awareness and
perceptions of cyberbullying.
Based off Kasahara et al. (2019), students in Belizean schools indicated that over
half (62%) believed that cyberbullying was a problem in their school(s) and 15% of these
students indicated they had been cyberbullied on a social media site before. In addition,
most students accessed Facebook daily (75%). With the students’ high usage of social
media and their belief that cyberbullying is a problem in their schools, it is crucial to
know and address how teachers and other staff members view aberrant social media use,
cyberbullying, and how they believe schools in Belize should try to prevent or remediate
it.
There are several purposes to the current study. Regarding social media usage, the
researchers want to know teacher (a) familiarity with social media and student use of
social media. In addition, the researchers sought to obtain information regarding teacher
(b) awareness of cyberbullying, (c) whether they view cyberbullying as a problem at their
school, and (d) whether they have received training on how to address and/or prevent
cyberbullying instances. Lastly, we want to know (e) whether their school has specific
policies regarding social media use or cyberbullying. The current study hoped to address
the following research questions: (1) How familiar are teachers with social media and
student use of social media?; (2) Are teachers aware of cyberbullying? (3) Do teachers
perceive cyberbullying as a problem in their classroom/school?; (4) Have teachers ever
received training on recognizing, addressing and/or preventing cyberbullying instances?;
and (5) Does their school have specific policies regarding social media use or
cyberbullying?.
13
Method
As noted by the Ministry of Education (2011-2012), there are 570 schools in
Belize, 59 of which are public secondary schools. Because of the greater likelihood of
children’s exposure to social media at this age, those teachers working with these
children in secondary schools are the focus of this study. In Belize, secondary education
is divided into four forms. Completion of these class levels would then allow for the
potential of moving into the tertiary education system (analogous to junior college in the
USA). According to Naslund-Hadley, Alonzo, and Martin (2013), only 45% of the
secondary-aged children in Belize go on to secondary education. They also note the cost
of an education at this level to a family as being in excess of $4000 BZE, which is a
significant portion of a typical Belize family budget. Achieving adequate training for
teachers, and equity in opportunity for education within Belize has been a noted difficulty
(Curry, L. Sabina, K. Sabina, Mania-Singer, & Richardson, 2018). This study focused on
the level of concern regarding an emerging problem (social media abuse), and the level of
training teachers have to deal with this emerging problem.
Setting
The current study took place in secondary schools across the six districts of
Belize. The researchers received completed surveys from the districts of Toledo and
Belize, with the majority of responses coming from the Toledo district. Because we did
not ask specific questions regarding which schools teachers came from, we are unsure of
how many schools were involved, however, there are 59 secondary schools across the six
districts of Belize, including both public and private.
Participants
14
Participants were recruited for this study if they were a teacher, counselor,
administrator, or staff member at one of the secondary schools across the six districts of
Belize. The current study wanted responses from a diverse group of participants in
schools to see if there were differences among positions held in Belizean schools and
their perceptions and awareness of cyberbullying and social media use. However,
majority (89.7%) of participants in this study were teachers at public Belizean schools
(97.4%). In addition, the research sample consisted of 41% males and 59% females. The
majority of the respondents were teachers at public schools in the district of Toledo, who
taught mostly 1st or 3rd form.
Recruitment Process
The recruitment process was conducted during a staff meeting at various schools.
The director of counseling and a principal at one of the larger schools were involved in
the recruitment process. During the meeting, the director of counseling introduced the
study, the purpose of the study, what types of questions would be asked, and allowed
teachers and other staff members to voluntarily be a part of the study. Those who
volunteered to participate in the study were provided a packet that contained two copies
of the consent form, one to keep and one to send back to the researchers at Minnesota
State University, Mankato, along with a paper copy of the survey to complete.
Participants were given the opportunity to complete and turn in the survey during the
staff meeting.
Survey
Data and items from Kasahara et al., (2019) and Murphy (2014) influenced the
construction of the survey. The survey included 47 questions regarding social media use
15
and awareness and perceptions of cyberbullying. Questions asked were in several
formats, including ranking items, yes or no, rating items on a 5-point scale, check all that
apply, and a few qualitative questions. The original survey is located in Appendix A. The
researchers anticipated receiving 150 completed surveys and received 42 completed
surveys from staff members.
Results
Surveys received from Belize were inputted into a statistics software program
called IBM SPSS®. If a participant did not complete at least 90% of the survey, they were
excluded from the analysis. The data presented below was determined by frequency data
to obtain percentages.
Social Media Sites
Whatsapp® was the most familiar app to teachers, with 71.8% of teachers stating
they were “very familiar” with the application. Facebook was the next application that
staff members were most familiar with, with over 50% stating they were “very familiar”
with the application. However, Twitter, Snapchat, and kik were the most unfamiliar
applications with a range from 50%-92.3% claiming they had “never used” the
application before. See Table 1 for additional information.
Table 1
Teacher and Administrator Familiarity with Social Media Applications and Websites
Site/App
Very
Familiar
Familiar
Sometimes
Use
Seldom Use
Never
Use
Whatsapp
71.8%
15.4%
0%
12.8%
0%
Facebook
53.8%
25.6%
10.3%
5.1%
5.1%
Instagram
23.1%
7.7%
2.6%
15.4%
51.3%
Snapchat
5.1%
2.6%
7.7%
7.7%
76.9%
KiK
5.1%
2.6%
0%
0%
92.3%
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Site/App
Very
Familiar
Familiar
Sometimes
Use
Seldom Use
Never
Use
Twitter
2.6%
2.6%
2.6%
7.7%
84.6%
Of the teachers and administrators surveyed, 82.1% believed that students used
social media sites “very often” or “often”. Teachers perceived that students used
Facebook the most (69.2%), followed by Instagram (43.6%), Snapchat (33.3%), and
Whatsapp (33.3%). Twitter was reported mostly as a “seldom used” application (33.3%)
and Kik Messenger was reported mostly as “never used” (35.9%). An important element
to note is that there was an error in the survey that affected the response rate for the
WhatsApp portion of the question. Due to this, responses were received from only about
half the participants for this item. This could have skewed our data and the current
percentages for WhatsApp may not be representative of actual perceived use.
Additionally, teachers and administrators reported that students use their
smartphones most often (87.2%) for web access in comparison to computers and
iPads/tablets. For the number of times per day that teachers saw students use a smart
phone, computer, and iPad tablet, teachers reported that they saw students accessing their
smartphone 6 or more times per day (33.3%), followed by a computer three times per day
(25.6%), and lastly, accessing an iPad or tablet once per day most commonly (30.8%).
These findings are consistent with the finding that teachers perceived students using their
smartphones most often for web access in comparison to other devices. See table 2 for
further clarification.
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Table 2
Teacher and Administrator Perceptions of Student Social Media Usage
Site/App
Very
Familiar
Familiar
Sometimes
Use
Seldom Use
Never
Use
Facebook
69.2%
17.9%
5.1%
7.7%
0%
Instagram
43.6%
33.3%
2.6%
12.8%
5.1%
Snapchat
33.3%
30.8%
15.4%
7.7%
7.7%
Whatsapp
33.3%
7.7%
2.6%
5.1%
5.1%
KiK
10.3%
12.8%
10.3%
20.5%
35.9%
Twitter
7.7%
15.4%
17.9%
33.3%
12.8%
Cyberbullying Awareness and Perceptions
Over half of respondents (51.3%) answered that they were “neutral” of the fact
that cyberbullying was a problem in their school. Additionally, only 30% of the
participants agreed that cyberbullying was a problem in their school. However, though
many teachers showed “neutral” concern for cyberbullying in their schools, over 50%
indicated they “agreed” that students were affected by cyberbullying and 46.2% indicated
they “agreed” that they were concerned of the negative effects on students from
cyberbullying. Approximately 75% of teachers had never encountered an instance of
cyberbullying, however 41% indicated they “strongly agreed” that they were able to
recognize when an instance of cyberbullying occurred. See Table 3 for further
information.
Table 3
Teacher Opinions of Cyberbullying
Question
Strongly
Agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
Cyberbullying is a problem in my
school.
2.6%
30.8% 51.3%
12.8%
2.6%
It is my opinion that children are
affected by cyberbullying.
33.3%
56.4% 10.3%
0%
0%
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Question
Strongly
Agree
Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly
Disagree
I am concerned about the negative
effects on children of cyberbullying
38.5%
46.2% 12.8%
2.6%
0%
I am confident in my ability to
recognize the occurrence of
cyberbullying.
41.0%
33.3% 23.1%
2.6%
0%
When asked if cyberbullying was most likely to occur before school, after school,
during break times, and during class times, majority (87.2%) of staff members responded
that cyberbullying would most likely occur after school, followed by during break times
(79.5%).
Need for Training
Almost 100% of teachers had never received specific training for addressing or
preventing instances of school bullying or cyberbullying. Although there existed a lack of
training, 92.3% of respondents indicated they “strongly agreed” or “agreed” that school
districts should train staff regarding recognizing, intervening, and preventing
cyberbullying instances. In agreement, majority of teachers and administrators also
indicated that they thought students needed more guidance on how to appropriately use
and interact with others on social media, but majority did not think it should be the
school’s responsibility to do so (87.2%).
Policies for Social Media in School
Most respondents indicated that social media use by staff members was not a
problem in their school (79.5%). In line with these results, participants reported that
majority of their schools did not have a social media policy for staff members (87.2%).
However, 51.3% of teachers and administrators indicated that student use of social media
was a problem in their school, but majority of participants reported that they did not have
19
a social media policy for students at their school (69.2%). All respondents (100%)
“strongly agreed” or “agreed” that schools should have or develop policies on
cyberbullying, but majority also stated “no” when asked if schools should discuss with
students how to appropriately interact with others on social media (87.2%).
Discussion
There were several research questions posed by the current study and most of
them were able to be answered with the results. First, teacher and administrator
familiarity with social media and student use of social media. Results determined that
teachers and administrators themselves were most familiar with WhatsApp and
Facebook. Similarity, our participants perceived students as using Facebook most often,
followed by Instagram. Teachers believed that student use their smartphones to access the
web most often when compared to computers and iPads/tablets. This finding is consistent
with Kasahara et al. (2019), with discovering that up to 67% of students had access to
smartphones in surveying students from schools in Belize. In addition, students
reportedly are seen using their smartphones most often, being on them an average of six
times or more per day. This finding seemingly supports the results from Macaulay et al.,
(2018) that reported children accessing social media sites at least 7 hours per week on
average globally. However, this study did not obtain information on specific duration of
student’s being on their devices.
The second question addressed if teachers and administrators were aware of
cyberbullying occurring in their school(s) and if they perceived it to be a problem.
Almost 75% of our participants reported never encountering an instance of cyberbullying,
over half felt “neutral” about cyberbullying being a problem in their school, and only
