Create A Safe Space In The Online Classroom

The ability to properly communicate with others
Online in a succinct and polite manner is extremely
important to a student’s success. In the article
Create a Safe Space in the Online Classroom, Pam Van Londen stresses the importance of practicing proper communication skills and creating a safe space online. Van Londen states “when you communicate online, you cannot provide eye contact and body language to help explain yourself, so your message may be misunderstood” (Van Londen 2017). Misunderstandings can waste time and affect people negatively. It is crucial to support others’ opinions and feelings in order to maintain civility and the integrity of the online safe space.

With the rise of social media, Cyberbullying has become a serious

problem for many teens and adults. In the article Understanding Cyberbullying in College, Claire Hall breaks down the facts about Cyberbullying and how Cyberbullying can be stopped. Cyberbullying is defined as “‘willful and repeated harm inflicted through the use of computers, cell phones and other electronic devices’” (Hall, 2017). It is reported that 70% of people between 13 and 22 have experienced Cyberbullying first hand. LGBT youth, however, are three times more likely to be Cyberbullied because of their sexual orientation. If Cyberbullying occurs, it is imperative to keep the evidence, to not respond, and to, most importantly, report the person’s actions to the school or to the authorities.

The topic of Cyberbullying has created a controversial debate regarding the extent Free Speech among Americans. The article Online Harassment 2017, written by Maeve Duggan, expounds on this debate. A survey was conducted and found 45% of Americans sided with Free Speech, while 53% said Free Speech does not protect against online harassment or Cyberbullying.