Abstract:

In this study, pre-service teachers’ sensitivity to cyberbullying was investigated through different departments of education faculty. The research investigated whether pre-service teachers' sensitivity toward cyberbullying varied according to gender and department variables. The study group consisted of second-year undergraduate students studying in the departments of English Language Education, Mathematics Education, Primary School Education, and Turkish Language Education at Yıldız Technical University, Faculty of Education. A total of 252 pre-service teachers participated in the study. The research was conducted quantitatively using the descriptive analysis method. First, demographic information was obtained through a Personal Information Form created by the researchers. Subsequently, the "Cyberbullying Sensitivity Scale" developed by Tanrıkulu, Kınay, and Arıcak [5], was used to collect data regarding their sensitivity to cyberbullying. The Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the 13-item single-factor scale was found to be 0.87 [5]. Within the scope of this study, the Cronbach's alpha value for the scale's reliability was calculated as 0.93. The results of the research revealed that pre-service teachers' sensitivity toward cyberbullying was high and did not show a significant difference based on the departments they attended. Among all departments, students of Mathematics Education had the lowest sensitivity toward cyberbullying, while students of the Department of Primary School Education were found to have the highest sensitivity. In the analysis conducted according to the gender variable, the sensitivity levels of female students toward cyberbullying were higher than those of male students, and a statistically significant difference was found between them. In light of all data, when the cyberbullying sensitivity of pre-service teachers was examined, it was revealed that they possessed a high level of sensitivity with an average of 4.03 out of 5.

Keywords:

Cyberbullying sensitivity, pre-service teachers, faculty of education