ABC's of Education

Created by Dr. Vivian H. Wright, Associate Professor of Instructional Technology, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, and Dr. Joy J. Burnham, Associate Professor of Counselor Education, Department of Educational Studies in Psychology, Research Methodology, and Counseling. This scenario, "Mark Goes to the Counselor," was created to help raise awareness and to generate discussions regarding cyberbullying prevention. The scenario development was informed through research, led by The University of Alabama's Drs. Vivian H. Wright and Joy J. Burnham. The researchers collected survey and focus group data in middle schools, where the literature has indicated cyberbullying escalates. Following the data-informed scripting, the scenario was created within Second Life, a virtual community, using avatars instead of real people to act out the cyberbullying scenario. The scenario's video was then captured for offline viewing. The scenario focused on a student’s visit with the school counselor to discuss how a “joke” that was posted online got out of hand, leading to misunderstandings among middle school-aged students. The researchers hope that the scenario will engage students, teachers, counselors, administrators, and service providers in conversations about cyberbullying awareness and prevention.