STRENGTHENING CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL TO MINIMIZE

CYBERBULLYING AMONG GRADE 8 STUDENTS

Child Protection

An Action Research

Gretelou L. Sugano
Teacher III
Manticao National High School
Manticao District
Deped Division of Misamis Oriental page ii

APPROVAL SHEET

This action research entitled “Strengthening Co-curricular Activities in

School to Minimize Cyberbullying in Grade 8 Students”, conducted and submitted by
Gretelou L. Sugano, Teacher III, Manticao National High School, Manticao District,
this Division, in fulfillment to the requirements in the conduct of research has been
examined and recommended for approval and acceptance.

JENEFEIR B. DENQUE
District Research Coordinator

DISTRICT PANEL OF EXAMINERS

Approved by the District Research Commiittee on Oral Examination with

grade of ___________ on _____________________.

__________________________ ________________________
Member Member

__________________________ ________________________
Member Member

______________________________
Chairman
 I. Context and Rationale

The increased accessibility to social media sites using cellular data with

smartphones has become the source of bullying nowadays, especially among high

school students. This only proves that modern technology is continuously evolving,

and in recent times, it has manifested itself in a very serious social problem, namely

cyber bullying.

The victims, under great emotional stress, are unable to concentrate on their

studies, and thus their academic progress is adversely affected (Juliana, 2010).

Unfortunately, little attention is given to this problem by school, teachers, parents

and emergency service providers. The depressive effect of cyber bullying prevents

students from excelling in their studies and worst result leads to SARDO’s (Students

At Risk of Dropping Out (Lauren, 2011).

Co-curricular activities are a great way to provide students with opportunities. It lets

learners follow their interests and be involved in activities outside the classroom. Whether

it’s sports, arts, cultural and faith-based groups or other programs, youth can learn new

skills through hands-on practice, creative projects, and teamwork. They can also

experience growth, friendship, mentorship, and character building.

This action research study measures whether learners will encourage in coming

to school when given opportunities to co-curricular activities and will determine if

school will strengthen the co-curricular activities for learners will minimize the

cyberbullying among grade 8 students.

 School bullying takes many forms, but in general, it describes when students face

peer judgments and ridicule for their race, socioeconomic status, social conflicts,

appearance, sexual identification, religious beliefs, and, more recently, gender

identification. Most schools has undocumented incidents of bullying within schools.

In the latter part, there has been growing concern with the effects of bullying among

students, as increased violence associated with bullying has resulted in more death

and suicide (Hymel & Swearer, 2015). With the advancement and popularization of

internet technology, new forms of communication have emerged that allow users to

communicate on a larger scale and change the way people interact with each other.

One of the consequences from this revolution in social communication is the

emergence of cyberbullying as a new form of bullying, whereby students are

victimized in front of larger audiences, often by adolescents the victims themselves

do not know or have not interacted with. Contributing to the complexity of

cyberbullying is the fact that social media is constantly evolving and to create new

forums for communication online.

This action research study will focus to grade 8 students since research revealed

that 80% of Filipino teenagers aged 13 to 16 are still experiencing cyberbullying

(Takumi, 2016). Thus this ages are the learners’ transition into their new school

environment exhibiting a lack of school engagement, insufficient motivation in

academic work, and challenging behaviours. Further, school demonstrate that Grade

8 transition students experience difficulty meeting teachers’ expectations and peer

pressure report feelings of stress and anxiety as a result.

Before mobile technology became a major mode of communication, school

administrators handled incidents of traditional bullying through face-to-face, direct

interaction between the perpetrator and victim. According to a traditional definition of

bullying, “a student is being bullied or victimized when he or she is exposed,

repeatedly and over time, to negative actions on the part of one or more students

and the student who is exposed to negative actions has difficulty defending him- or

herself” (Olweus, 1993, p.4). While traditional bullying may involve groups of

participants, its scope is limited to those participants within a particular location, such

as a school or local community.

However, cyberbullying involves indirect interaction and more people than the

victim and the perpetrator (Stoel, 2011). Human Rights of the Philippines (2016)

defined cyberbullying as “the process of using the internet, cell phones or other

devices to send or post text or images intended to hurt or embarrass another person”

(p. 2). Cyberbullying does not always involve a repetitive act of harassment, but its

actions reach a larger number of people in a short amount of time, and its effects are

just as significant, if not more (Kowalski, Limber, & Agatson, 2012). Technology

applications focused on reaching multiple recipients such as social media increase

the scope of the impact when a perpetrator harasses a victim, as these applications

enable perpetrators to create and act behind false personas. This anonymity

contributes to barriers for local authorities and school administrators in their

investigations of incidents of inappropriate communication and harassment on social

media platforms. Given these unique features of social media, school administrators

cannot handle incidents of cyberbullying with the same approachesas they do with

traditional bullying (Smit, 2015). Notar, Padgett, and Roden (2013a) reported that in

the early 2000s, the term “cyberbullying” did not exist, but now that almost all

students use the internet and social media, the need to use technology responsibly

has become a growing issue.

 To narrow the focus of the research on strengthening co-curricular activities in

school to minimize cyberbullying among grade 8 students. Literature review is an

essential component to developing effective action research because it identifies

experts in the field of my inquiry and provides a background of the problem and the

studies that have been conducted. Further, by identifying a gap in the research, my

review of the literature review can substantiate the need of the present study (Craig,

2009).

II. Innovation, Intervention and Strategy

Planning started with a survey among grade 8 students to identify those students

who were victims of cyberbullying and suffered anxiety as a result. That was to seek

assistance and raise support for the program. The commitment of teachers and

parents of the respondents were the top priority. The researcher wanted to know the

results in strengthening co-curricular activities in school to minimize cyberbullying

among grade 8 students.

Students will be given various physical fitness and recreational activities that will

engaged them in sports, arts, cultural and faith-based groups or other programs, that can

learn new skills through hands-on practice, creative projects, and teamwork that will give

provide them opportunities to explore their tslent, skills and self-confidence to

minimize cyberbullying. Respondents will be given with free snacks every session

and in-kind reward for the best performance rendered.

A. Participants and/or other Sources of Data Information

 The following research question was developed to investigate the problem of

cyberbullying among grade 8 students, and it was formulated to directly address the

inappropriate use of social media that negatively affects one’s peers. This research

question ascertained in strengthening co-curricular activities in school to minimize

cyberbullying among grade 8 students.

Specifically, this study expects to answer the following question:

RQ1: What are the co-curricular activities in school to minimize cyberbullying

among grade 8 students?

RQ2: What is an ideal intervention if the school will strengthen co-curricular

activities in school to minimize cyberbullying among grade 8 students?

B. Data Gathering Methods

From the group of grade 8 students to be collected quantitative data through a

pre- and post-presentation student survey-questionnaire. The initial questionnaire,

will administer prior to the presentation social media engagements, experience in

cyberbullying and interest in co-curricular activities. It will be collected their personal

views and opinions about how this co-curricular activities in school will minimize

cyberbullying among grade 8 students.

Active engagement to co-curricular activities correlates with minimizing

cyberbullying among grade 8 students. This research will be conducted over a period

of 6 monhts. The results of this action research will also assist educators in

continuing efforts to determine the benefit of strengthening co-curricular activities in

school to minimize cyberbullying among grade 8 students.

C. Data Analysis Plan

 The purpose of this quantitative action research study was to investigate the

possible influence of strengthening co-curricular activities in school to minimize

cyberbullying among grade 8 students. The problem of practice for this action

research study is the influence of strengthening co-curricular activities in school to

minimize cyberbullying among grade 8 students. Specifically, incidents reported to

school administrators, teachers, and parents often involve students participating in

cyberbullying (Educators’ Handbook, 2016; PowerSchool, 2009). To address this

problem, I designed this study to strengthen co-curricular activities in school to

minimize cyberbullying among grade 8 students to open opportunities among victims

of cyberbullying and to minimize SARDO (Students At Risk of Dropping Out) who

suffered trauma and anxiety because they are not taken actions among educators

and school administrators. In this way, when learners are more engaged by the

opportunities given with the co-curricular activities, they will not just improve their

performance in school but also become the assets of the various that they can learn

new skills through hands-on practice, creative projects, and teamwork. They can also

experience growth, friendship, mentorship, and character building.

This action research study posed the following research question: “What are the

co-curricular activities in school to minimize cyberbullying among grade 8 students?

What is an ideal intervention if the school will strengthen co-curricular activities in

school to minimize cyberbullying among grade 8 students?” with the intent of

improving the school environment by creating a safe learning environment for all

students.
 The post-presentation survey will be collected as quantitative data on student

inclinations toward cyberbullying after attending all of the presentations on onb the

attended co-curricular activities and if cyberbullying is already resolved. Participants

responded to questions, providing answers on a Likert scale ranging from strongly

agree, agree, neutral, disagree, and strongly disagree. A summary of participants

responses to the post-presentation survey.

V. Action Research Work Plan and Timelines

Material Person Expected
Activities Objectives Time Frame
Resources Involved Output

a. Planning Stage Discuss the September Self – Class Action Plan,

1. Conference/ activities on – October assessment adviser, Letter of
Survey students who 2023 tool, guidance Commitment,
among are victims of personality counselor, of
students cyberbullying test Principal and strengthenin
through the g co-
survey Respondent curricular
s activities in
school to
minimize
cyberbullying
among grade

Understand 8 students
Video Class
2. Preparation the context of November presentation adviser,
of the strengthenin 2023 guidance
conduct of g co- counselor,
the study curricular Principal and
activities in the Pre-
school to Respondent assessment
minimize s among
cyberbullying
 among grade respondents
8 students

b. Implementation December Multi-media Class Attendance Positive

Stage 2023 presentation adviser, sheet response
 orientation on the social guidance among
media and counselor, respondents
cyberbullyin Principal and
g the
Respondent
Videos and
 Conduct situations s
December – about co- Complied
test and self curricular Class
January consolidated
assessment activities in adviser,
2023 school to results about
, guidance
minimize the
cyberbullyin counselor,
g assessment
Principal and
the
Record Respondent
Allow
 Implication shared
February s
experiences respondents
and Crafting
2023 on co- to create
of curricular
activities in solution from
Enrichment
school to their
Program
minimize
experiences
cyberbullyin
g among
grade 8
students
VI. Cost Estimates

Activities Time Nature of Expenses Amount Total

Frame Needed
Item Unit Cost
Production October *2 realms of *280.00 750.00
and Printing 2023 A4 Bond
of survey Paper
questionnaire *450.00 1,800.00
*Epson 220
to parents’
printer ink #
respondents
001 ( 1 set
of 4 bottles)

*1 box
Stapler. #35 *60.00 60.00
Dissemination November Domestic *500.00 1,000.00
of survey 2023 Travel from
questionnaire home to
as to parents school, vice
respondents versa (2
days
interview)

*50.00/day 1,000.00
*Food
allowance
of the
respondent
s of the day
(2 days)
Interpret the December
gathered data 2023
Crafting of January
enrichment 2023
program
Sub-total 4,610.00
VII. Plans for Dissemination and Utilization

The results of this action research will be disseminated through existing

mechanisms of the Department of Education (DepEd) such as School Learning

Action Cell Session, In-Service Trainings, Enhanced School Improvement Plan

(eSIP) of the school, and even in the division, regional, national and

international research colloquium. The study will also be disseminated through an

official research journal at the Regional or Division Level.

When it comes to utilization, the results of the study may be utilized in the

decision-making process of the school with which this study concerned with. This

may also be utilized in making and revising the department’s policies related to the

study undertaken.
VIII. References

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Ahn, J. (2015). The effect of social network sites on adolescents’ social and
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Bernstein, J. (2013, November 6). Social media in 2013: By the numbers. Social
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Carroll, J. A. & Kirkpatrick, R. L (2011). Impact of social media on adolescent

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Hymel, S., & Swearer, S. M. (2015, May/June). Four decades of research on school
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