Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) · 1st Year

Active learning ideas

Cyberbullying and Online Respect

Cyberbullying is a significant challenge in the digital lives of young people. This topic focuses on identifying cyberbullying behaviors, such as exclusion, harassment, and flaming, and understanding how they differ from face-to-face bullying due to their 24/7 nature and potential for anonymity. It aligns with the 'Connected' indicator, emphasizing the importance of positive online communities.

• NCCA Curriculum Specifications
• NCCA SPHE Specification Strand 1: Understanding Myself and Others (1.4)
• Junior Cycle Wellbeing Indicator: Connected

• 25–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 3 activities

Activity 01

• Role Play
• 30 min · Small Groups

Role Play: The Upstander's Response

Students are given a scenario of a mean comment in a group chat. They practice different ways to intervene as an upstander, from calling out the behavior to privately messaging the person being targeted.

What constitutes cyberbullying?

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 02

• Inquiry Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Inquiry Circle: Reporting 101

In groups, students explore the reporting tools on different platforms (TikTok, Instagram, etc.). They create a 'How-To' guide for their peers, explaining what happens after a report is made.

How is cyberbullying different from face-to-face bullying?

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Formal Debate
• 25 min · Whole Class

Formal Debate: Is online bullying worse than offline?

The class debates the unique impacts of cyberbullying, such as the lack of a 'safe space' at home and the speed at which content spreads. This builds empathy for the victims of online harassment.

What steps should I take if I or a friend is being cyberbullied?

• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Create
• Self-Management
• Decision-Making

A few notes on teaching this unit

---

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• Cyberbullying is just 'drama' and people should just ignore it.

  Students often downplay the emotional impact of online comments. Through structured debates, they learn that the scale and persistence of cyberbullying make it a serious issue that requires active intervention.

• If I 'like' a mean post, I'm not really bullying anyone.

  Many students don't realize that engaging with bullying content amplifies the harm. Peer discussions help them see that 'liking' or 'sharing' makes them a participant in the bullying process.

---

Methods used in this brief

• Role Play
• Inquiry Circle
• Formal Debate