Critical Analysis Essay Sample

Critical Analysis: Cyberbullying

Introduction
Developments in the realm of technology have brought along both negative and positive impacts on our society. Though the positive impacts of technology in the electronic world are more apparent compared to the negative impacts, it is of the essence to denote that negative impacts do exist and should be dealt with. Cyber bullying is one among many forms of destructive behaviors executed in regards to the aforementioned. For this reason, the research incorporated in the article, that will be scrutinized within sought to investigate Rates of cyber victimization and bullying among male Australian primary and high school students. The participants of this research encompass both the primary and secondary school male students from Sydney and Brisbane aged between 6-18 years of age.

Analysis: Article 1: Rates of Cyber Victimization and Bullying Among Male Australian Primary and High School Students

Subsequent to the completion of this research, evidence were well articulated and arguments well aligned based on the results that had been retrieved in the aftermath. From the results retrieved from this research, 87 percent of the participants reported that they could easily access the internet and its chat lines. Additionally, an outstanding 77.3 percent of the participants confirmed they could access email over the internet (Sakellariou, Carroll, & Houghton, 2012). The evidence above ascertains that internet use and vulnerability to victimization is at a very high rate among these students because they can easily access the internet and mail, in particular. Another factor that make these students susceptible to victimization and cyber bullying is the fact that an outstanding 89.9 percent of them reported having access to mobile phone (Sakellariou, Carroll, & Houghton, 2012). In essence, if in case cyberbullying is highly prevalent, it will be easy to retrieve evidence now that a majority of these students can access electronics that foster the exchange of messages through a certain medium.
Considering that a majority of these students could access internet and electronics that support chat lines and mails, obtaining evidence on rates of victimization and cyber bullying was much easier. The results in regards to the rates of cyberbullying and victimization confirmed that 90 percent of the participants had not experienced any form of cyber bullying. Among those that reported having experienced victimization and cyber bullying, it was evident that internet is the most common mode of cyberbullying. 11.5 percent of the participants reported having experienced cyberbullying through the internet during their school year (Sakellariou, Carroll, & Houghton, 2012). Abuse through mail followed with 8 percent of the participants’ conforming to have experienced victimization through this mode, while 6.6 percent attest to have experience cyberbullying through SMS (Sakellariou, Carroll, & Houghton, 2012).
Though this research focused on male students particularly, it is of the essence to denote that these results have apparent implications to other children, parents and allied professionals. To the parents, evidence of cyberbullying through the numerous media arrays will act a wake-up call making them take responsibility to reduce instances of victimization. Additionally, professionals will research on ways to do further research and establish ways of reducing instances of the same.
Though deemed effective, evidence retrieved from this research institute the need for further research and evidence in regards to the arguments presented in this research. A wide gap in evidence of the evidence retrieved does exist. Apparently, this research omitted a considerable number of items that could have been helpful in retrieving critical and insightful research. To begin with, the research made comprehensive conclusions, even though, the research focused solely on male students. The implications of this research were applied to female students as we. This, in essence, make the evidence indistinct and superseded. Secondly, though the research focused on Brisbane and Sidney, evidence retrieved were used to make wide-ranging conclusions of the entire country (Vandebosch, Poels, & Deboutte, 2014). This creates a wide gap and calls for further research into this area.

Relationship between Articles

In the article entitled “The Impact of Homophobic Bullying during Sport and Physical Education Participation on Same-Sex Attracted and Gender-Diverse Young Australians’ Depression and Anxiety Levels” the researchers sought to establish the relationship that exist between homophobic verbal abuse in sports and mental health and well-being. Though not directly related to the article scrutinized earlier in this paper, evidence retrieved from this article supports and concurs with the evidence retrieved from the article. From the preceding article, it was established that cyberbullying is often accomplished through the many arrays of electronic media via mails and chat mails (DeSmet, et al. 2014). In concurrence, this other article makes apparent that homophobic verbal abuse is more prevalent than physical abuse, more particular sport (Symons, et al. 2013). In essence, the high prevalence of abuse and victimization via the various media arrays of media is reflected in the increased homophobic verbal abuse in sport and other expenses (Van et al. 2015). I totally agree with the fact that increased homophobic verbal abuse is a clear reflection of increased cyberbullying. Apart from using verbally abusive words, students now express their destructive and hateful thoughts through mails and chats online using phones and computers a fact that foster victimization and cyber buying.
Apparently, research retrieved from the two articles have profound implications for the education system, teaching practice and professionals in this field. In regards to the education system, the results and conclusions made in the two articles have profound implications. To begin with, the increasing rates of cyberbullying more particularly among students of primary and secondary schools, necessitate the need for introducing peer education in regards to victimization and cyberbullying. The education system should introduce subjects that will teach students ways on how to evade and contain victimization executed through the various electronic mediums. To the teaching practice, they ought to put much consideration on homophobic verbal abuse among students and teach them principled and ethical behaviors that will alienate them from executing cyberbullying activities (Symons, et al. 2013). To the professionals, they ought to conduct research and establish ways that will, in essence, reduce the prevalence of cyberbullying among students. In this way, incidence related to abuse will be at the minimal, be it in the extra curriculum activities or even in the electronic mediums.
In conclusion, evidence from the two articles suggests that students are now fond of homophobic verbal abuse. Levels of verbal abuse and victimization have been fostered by the various arrays of electronic media. Through a research conducted in Sydney and Brisbane, evidence and arguments confirmed an increased prevalence of abuse and victimization via the electric media. Gaps that can be filed by extensive research in these areas still exist.

References

DeSmet, A., Bastiaensens, S., Van Cleemput, K., Poels, K., Vandebosch, H., & De
Bourdeaudhuij, I. (2014). Applying the Intervention Mapping Protocol to the design of a serious game against cyberbullying among young adolescents. In 28th Conference of the European Health Psychology Society (EHPS 2014).
Sakellariou, T., Carroll, A., & Houghton, S. (2012). Rates of Cyber Victimization and Bullying
Among Male Australian Primary and High School Students. School Psychology International, 33(5), 533-549.
Symons, C., Borkoles, E., Andersen, M., & Polman, R. (2013). The Impact Of Homophobic
Bullying During Sport And Physical Education Participation On Same Sex Attracted And Gender Questioning Young Australians' Depression And Anxiety Levels. Psychology.
Van Royen, K., Poels, K., Daelemans, W., & Vandebosch, H. (2015). Automatic monitoring of
Cyberbullying on social networking sites: From technological feasibility to desirability. Telematics and Informatics, 32(1), 89-97.
Vandebosch, H., Poels, K., & Deboutte, G. (2014). Schools and Cyberbullying: Problem
Perception, Current Actions and Future Needs. International Journal of Cyber Society and Education, 7(1), 29-48.