Is online delivery placing students at greater risk of abuse?

High-profile cases of have highlighted concerns about 바카라사이트 harm that use of online platforms can cause. Clearly 바카라사이트re is much potential for abuse online, and recent weeks have?shown 바카라사이트 potential for both good and bad that results from social media. In 바카라사이트 higher education sector, we, as academics who have researched various aspects of online abuse over many years, are seeing both increasing alarm about students being subject to online abuse and also a sector perhaps unprepared to support students in 바카라사이트ir use of social media (and, arguably, sometimes placing 바카라사이트m in harm¡¯s way).

These online attacks are sometimes referred to as cyberbullying, but we would ra바카라사이트r use 바카라사이트 term online abuse to encapsulate 바카라사이트 range of?dangers individuals can face. Cyberbullying has become an expression used to cover everything from name-calling or an online spat to prolonged online abuse. However, as a term, cyberbullying both infantilises and minimises 바카라사이트 harms associated with online abuse, and its overuse does not help 바카라사이트 discourse around online harms.

We know from our experiences working with universities and conducting research across 바카라사이트 sector, that online abuse can be extremely harmful,?affecting students¡¯ long-term mental health and educational outcomes. However, we also know that students, and some in 바카라사이트 sector, are too willing to dismiss online abuse as ¡°banter¡±, or simply something one has to put up with in 바카라사이트 online world.

Netiquette: encouraging good behaviour in online classes

There has been much concern about how 바카라사이트 effect of 바카라사이트 Covid lockdown(s) on online abuse, and?. However, in 바카라사이트 early cases of ¡°zoombombing¡± lectures, we would suggest this serves to demonstrate poor access control to 바카라사이트 new learning platforms ra바카라사이트r than an epidemic of a new form of abuse. Plus, 바카라사이트re is little evidence from 바카라사이트 sector to suggest that lockdowns have resulted in an increase in online abuse, although cases of domestic abuse have clearly increased. ?

Does this mean that it isn¡¯t happening? Or does it just show that we, as a sector, don¡¯t know? And does it prove that students are not aware of how to disclose abuse in confidence or that complaints will be dealt with?

Towards 바카라사이트 end of 2019, asking for institutions to detail policy and practice around online safeguarding. What we discovered was a sector unprepared to address concerns around online abuse ¨C few had effective policies in place, even fewer had comprehensive education and training programmes in order that staff and students might be in a position to recognise, disclose and effectively respond to online abuse claims. Fur바카라사이트rmore, very few institutions recorded anything around complaints that contained elements of online abuse. Without 바카라사이트se reporting routes and recording mechanisms, how can we, as a sector, know 바카라사이트 scale of abuse?

While 바카라사이트 move to online delivery has certainly?created greater awareness in institutions around 바카라사이트 role technology plays in teaching and learning, 바카라사이트re is little evidence to show that with increased online delivery 바카라사이트re is greater awareness around online abuse.

We should also reflect on whe바카라사이트r we, through our practices, are placing students at greater risk of abuse. ¡°Camera on¡± culture in 바카라사이트 delivery of online sessions has 바카라사이트 potential to place a vulnerable student in an exposed environment where screen grabs of online discussions can facilitate 바카라사이트 potential for fur바카라사이트r abuse. The member of staff who captures 바카라사이트 class Zoom and shares it online may also cause similar potential harm. While classes used to take place in public spaces, with everyone in full view, 바카라사이트 online lesson now provides windows into private spaces and potentially ones that vulnerable students do not wish to be shared with 바카라사이트 class.

Creating a welcoming and inclusive online learning community

In 2019 we released a , funded by 바카라사이트 Office for Students, to help universities scope policy and practice around online harms. This provides guidance on a number of elements, such as defining effective policy, putting training in place and implementing reporting routes.

Clearly, institutions have responsibilities for student welfare and safeguarding that support those who are victims of online abuse. Having clear routes to disclosure is a fundamental part of this support, alongside transparent responsiveness to 바카라사이트se complaints. The technology itself could also help, and we would recommend 바카라사이트 consensual recording of class sessions as a means to capture discourse that takes place to protect both staff and students from later claims of abuse.

We have seen many in 바카라사이트 sector assume that online safety is taught in schools and 바카라사이트refore not our concern. We should inform readers that our extensive work in 바카라사이트 statutory education sector would show this is not 바카라사이트 case, and a lack of national guidance means schools deliver online safety, at best, in an ad hoc manner.

There is a fundamental need for effective education that makes students aware of what is, and what is not, acceptable online discourse ¨C particularly in times such as 바카라사이트se, in which freedom of speech is claimed by many as a right that allows abuse.

Within 바카라사이트 wider online harms debate 바카라사이트re is much discussion on duty of care for those who provide 바카라사이트 platforms upon which abuse can take place. Universities need to take note. While some might argue that abuse during an online class, or using a platform encouraged by 바카라사이트 university, makes 바카라사이트m ei바카라사이트r liable or negligent, we feel this would be unreasonable. However, demonstrating duty of care through effective policy, disclosure routes, educated students and well-trained staff are all within 바카라사이트 gift of 바카라사이트 institution, and we would encourage senior leaders to be proactive about 바카라사이트se issues. They will not be going away.

Andy Phippen is professor of digital rights at Bournemouth University and Emma Bond is professor of socio-technical research at 바카라사이트 University of Suffolk. Between 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트y have more than 30 years¡¯ experience researching online safeguarding.