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Bullying in School - EDU00056H

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  • Department: Education
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Nathalie Noret
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2023-24

Module summary

The aim of this module is to introduce and discuss core concepts and contemporary debates related to the academic study of bullying in school. The module will cover contemporary debates regarding the definition of bullying, roles in bullying, different types of bullying, the impact of bullying, and anti-bullying interventions.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 1 2023-24

Module aims

The aim of this module is to introduce and discuss core concepts and contemporary debates related to the academic study of bullying in school. The module will cover contemporary debates regarding the definition of bullying, roles in bullying, different types of bullying, the impact of bullying, and anti-bullying interventions. The module will cover the application of research to anti-bullying policy and interventions, at school and in the broader community

Module learning outcomes

Subject content:

  • Students will understand and be able to explain the definition of bullying and discuss the contemporary debates regarding the definition of bullying.
  • Students will be be able to discuss the different forms of bullying and understand variation in the nature of bullying, and the different roles evident in in bullying behaviour.
  • Students will explore and critically evaluate how theories and empirical research have informed our understanding of bullying in school, and how best to intervene in the behaviour.
  • Students will apply theoretical knowledge and understanding to a topic relating to bullying in school.

Academic and graduate skills:

  • Students will be able to synthesise and evaluate evidence when discussing a contemporary issue in bullying.
  • Students will draw upon a range of evidence to develop a well justified argument.
  • Students will apply knowledge learnt through the module to evaluate a range of interventions, supporting their arguments with appropriate academic evidence.
  • Students will be able to communicate a well justified argument, and contribute to debates on bullying in both written and oral forms.

Module content

The following provides an indicative list of session content for the module:

  1. Defining Bullying.
  2. Roles in bullying and the bullying circle.
  3. The socio-ecological approach to bullying.
  4. Types of bullying: Direct bullying, Indirect bullying, and Cyberbullying.
  5. Homophobic, racist and disabilist bullying.
  6. Sibling Bullying
  7. The relationship between bullying and mental health.
  8. Anti-bullying interventions 1: Anti-bullying policies and the whole school approach
  9. Anti-bullying interventions 1: Bystander Interventions

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay - 3000 words		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Additional assessment information

The essay will focus on a contemporary issue in bullying and the implications of the issue for intervention. Students will be introduced to this material in the lectures and in their independent reading. Students will be provided with the opportunity to discuss these issues in sessions where they will be provided with in session feedback. The formative assessment consists of an essay plan to inform the development of the summative assessment (an essay).

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay - 3000 words		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Students will receive feedback on their formative essay plans within three weeks of submission.

Students will receive written feedback on their summative assessments within 4-6 weeks of submission. Additional feedback will be provided in supervision meetings, and in meetings with the module lead if required.

Indicative reading

Espelage, D., & Swearer, S.M. (Eds) (2011). Bullying in North American Schools. Routledge.

Olweus, D. (1993). Bullying at School: What We Know and What We Can Do. Blackwell.

Rigby, K. (2008). Children and bullying: How parents and educators can reduce bullying at school. Blackwell Publishing

Rigby, K. (2021). Multi-perspectives on School Bullying: One Pair of Eyes is Not Enough. Taylor & Francis.

Rivers, I. (2011). Homophobic bullying: Research and theoretical perspectives. Oxford University Press.

Shetgiri, R. (2015). Practical strategies for clinical management of bullying. Springer.

Smith, P.K., (2018). The Psychology of School Bullying. Routledge.

Smith, P.K., Bauman, S., & Wong, D. (2019). Interventions to Reduce Bullying and Cyberbullying. MDPI-Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute.

Smith, P.K., & O'Higgins Norman, J. (2021). The Wiley Blackwell Handbook of Bullying: A Comprehensive and International Review of Research and Intervention. Wiley Blackwell.

Smith, P. K., Sundaram, S., Spears, B. A., Blaya, C., Schäfer, M., & Sandhu, D. (Eds.). (2018). Bullying, cyberbullying and student well-being in schools: Comparing European, Australian and Indian perspectives. Cambridge University Press.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.