Abstract:
ABSTRACTThe purpose of this multiple case study was to explore and describe the role of technology-based prevention and intervention services used to reduce bullying behaviors in areas that are unsupervised in middle schools. The framework that supported this study was the social-ecological model because it is a model of prevention which helps to explain violence on four levels: individual, relationship, community, and societal. This study was based upon these three objectives: (1) what technology-based prevention and intervention services are being used to help reduce bullying behaviors in areas that are unsupervised in middle schools; (2) how do school personnel assess the effectiveness of these services; and (3) how do school personnel describe their experiences with the technology-based prevention and intervention services used to help reduce bullying behaviors in areas that are unsupervised in middle schools? Twelve participants who work closely with students and who play a vital role in dealing with student discipline daily were selected from four middle schools. The qualitative data were analyzed using NVivo12 Plus. By exploring the environment of the school personnel through lived experiences and their perceptions, this qualitative case study provided a framework for future studies to gain valuable information. The data show bullying does exist in unsupervised areas in middle schools, awareness and use of technology-based prevention or intervention services were inconsistent, and technology was not the direct source of bullying or cyberbullying. Keywords: bullying, bully, culture, cyberbullying, technology, unsupervised areas, victim
