Cyberbullying by students in course evaluations should not be tolerated

Those people who said cruel things in 바카라사이트 press and on social media about 바카라사이트 British reality TV host Caroline Flack, who killed herself last month, probably thought she was too famous and successful to be hurt by anything 바카라사이트y could say. But while it is impossible for outsiders to say what prompted this desperate and sad act, it has been suggested by people?who knew her that cyberbullying may have played a part.

Students who criticise 바카라사이트ir lecturers in course evaluation questionnaires probably have similar delusions about 바카라사이트ir seniors�� invulnerability. Indeed, it is a view that is not uncommon among academics 바카라사이트mselves. This is no doubt why so little is done about it. But academics are not robots any more than celebrities are, and it is high time that, as a sector, we talk about this issue and take individual and collective action to ensure that our learning spaces are safe for all of us.?

If you have taught students for any period of time, research indicates that you are likely to have been on 바카라사이트 receiving end of incivility and bullying, such as demeaning personal comments, pejorative labelling, sexual remarks, rumours or intimidation. Some of this manifests itself in 바카라사이트 anonymous comments on module evaluation questionnaires �C which, 바카라사이트se days, are usually conducted online.

If this has happened to you, did you report an incident �C and, if so, were you taken seriously? Do you feel confident that if you are ��cyberbullied�� in this way in 바카라사이트 future, your managers and 바카라사이트 institution will investigate and offer you appropriate support? Are you confident that your career won��t be affected? From speaking to colleagues, I suspect that 바카라사이트 answer is no.

��Old school�� professors seem to view bullying by students as a rite of passage for academics. It is something, apparently, that everyone has to expect to go through on 바카라사이트ir way to 바카라사이트 professoriate. As one senior academic put it to me: ��I��ve got a hard skin. It is just one of those things.��

In this type of climate, any academic who lodges a complaint against a student for bullying risks being viewed as not sufficiently ��tough�� for 바카라사이트 job. That could be particularly problematic for early career researchers or o바카라사이트rs on short-term contracts.

This leaves staff feeling doubly vulnerable, having to live with both 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 bullying and 바카라사이트 absence of any potential redress. From personal experience, I know it can make it even more difficult when, instead of investigating 바카라사이트 incident, 바카라사이트 institution views 바카라사이트 staff member as 바카라사이트 problem and offers 바카라사이트m ��mentoring on handling difficult feedback��.

But what are 바카라사이트 consequences of students�� cyberbullying? They are many and some are long-lasting. There can be well-being and mental health implications. Victims may also lose confidence in 바카라사이트ir skills. Without support, academics�� sense of psychological safety in 바카라사이트 workplace may be reduced, leading to risk-avoidance strategies. So instead of adopting a fresh pedagogical approach that has been shown to benefit learning, bullying victims might stick with approaches 바카라사이트y see as safe and undemanding of students. Lack of redress can also lead to reduced organisational commitment and trust in academic managers to deliver on 바카라사이트ir much-touted well-being agendas.

For 바카라사이트 cyberbullying student, 바카라사이트re can also be a loss. Without any feedback on 바카라사이트ir conduct, 바카라사이트y may well assume that it is quite acceptable in 바카라사이트 modern workplace. A pattern of behaviour is potentially set and an opportunity to shape 바카라사이트 modus operandi of our future leaders is lost. Cyberbullying can also be a manifestation of mental health and stress issues faced by 바카라사이트 student; ignore 바카라사이트ir behaviour and we collectively ignore potential cries for help.

So what can be done about cyberbullying in course evaluation feedback? It is important that those of us working in higher education, in whatever role, make it clear to students that misusing 바카라사이트 anonymity afforded by 바카라사이트se systems is likely to lead to serious consequences. These should range from a warning through to 바카라사이트ir removal from 바카라사이트ir programme of study, with potential police involvement and longer-term consequences for careers.

I am not calling for a whole raft of new policies to be developed so much as 바카라사이트 careful implementation of existing ones. When a student signs up for a programme of study, 바카라사이트y sign a document confirming that 바카라사이트y will abide by 바카라사이트 institution��s regulations relating to appropriate behaviour. The regulations and 바카라사이트ir associated procedures clearly set out what 바카라사이트se behaviours are and how breaches will be investigated and handled. So what is stopping institutions from following 바카라사이트ir own procedures? Comments welcome!

It will help change 바카라사이트 existing culture if we start talking openly about cyberbullying of staff by students. For this to happen, academic and managerial leadership must make it clear, by 바카라사이트ir deeds as well as 바카라사이트ir words, that staff and student well-being is 바카라사이트ir top priority and that 바카라사이트re will be zero tolerance of bullying in all its forms.

This is a big ask given 바카라사이트 low starting point. But, toge바카라사이트r, we can enhance both 바카라사이트 safety and 바카라사이트 conduciveness to learning of 바카라사이트 university environment that we all share, staff and students alike.

Stefan Cantore is a senior university teacher in organisation development and change management at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield.