Gender differences and cyberbullying towards faculty members in higher education

Abstract

This chapter offers a gendered analysis of experiences with cyberbullying reported in a sample of 331 faculty members from four Canadian universities. Cyberbullying in higher education can be situated on a continuum between cyberbullying in K-12 education and cyberbullying in the workplace. Numerous commonalities exist between these environments; however, in this chapter, we focus on the power dynamics that characterize the postsecondary context. We also discuss faculty members’ vulnerability to cyberbullying, the impacts they experienced, their perceptions of the problem, and recommended solutions. Results from our online survey showed that 25 % of faculty members had experienced cyberbullying either by students (15 %) and/or by colleagues (12 %) in the last 12 months. Gender differences were apparent, as female respondents were more likely to be targeted by students as well as by colleagues. Females also expressed greater concern about the problem, reported more negative impacts if victimized, were more likely to report the incident, and argued more strenuously for more effective and transparent policies to address cyberbullying on campus. The findings promote a gendered understanding of vulnerability to cyberbullying, which is closely tied to power imbalances among members of the university community. Cyberbullying at the postsecondary level is an understudied area, particularly in terms of cyberbullying towards faculty members.