A significant step in developing bullying awareness program in early childhood: Pilot study

Year 2023, Volume: 6 Issue: 1, 265 - 284, 31.05.2023

Şifa Kevser Çakmak , Aysel Çoban

https://doi.org/10.33400/kuje.1244246

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Bullying, which refers to intentional and repetitive aggressive behavior towards a person or group based on a power imbalance, takes place starting from an early age and is becoming a growing problem, especially among school-age children. It is not possible to know in which environments, when, or how bullying will occur. For this reason, starting from the pre-school period, regardless of whether there is bullying in the classroom environment, there is a need for programs that teach children skills such as friendship, communication, emotion management, and empathy, as well as methods of coping with bullying. In this context, this research aims to conduct the pilot implementation of the Bullying Awareness Program in Early Childhood (ZOYFA), which was developed based on a literature review and needs analysis, and to evaluate the realization of its achievements. The research was carried out using the case study pattern, one of the qualitative research designs. In the research, data were collected through the Bullying Awareness Child Interview Form and the Bullying Awareness Illustrated Scenario Child Interview Form, which were developed by the researcher to determine the realization status of the pilot study achievements. After the implementation, teachers were interviewed through the Bullying Awareness Program Pilot Study Teacher Interview Form. According to the results of the research, after the application, the correct expressions of the children for the definition of bullying and the examples of aggressive behavior towards physical, verbal, and relational bullying increased. Findings indicate that the Early Childhood Anti-Bullying Awareness Program (ZOYFA), which includes activities tailored to the developmental stages of preschool children, can help children distinguish between the concept of bullying and its types. The program may also assist children in better understanding the emotions experienced as a result of bullying, and according to teachers' opinions, the program activities can potentially raise children's awareness of bullying from the knowledge and comprehension stage to the application stage.

Keywords

early childhood, bullying awareness program, pilot study, case study

Erken çocuklukta zorbalığa yönelik farkındalık programı geliştirmede önemli bir adım: Pilot uygulama

Abstract

Bir kişi ya da gruba yönelik, güç dengesizliğine dayalı olarak kasıtlı ve tekrarlı şekilde gerçekleşen saldırgan davranışları ifade eden zorbalık, günümüzde erken yaşlardan başlayarak gerçekleşmekte ve özellikle okul çağı çocukları arasında giderek büyüyen bir sorun haline gelmektedir. Zorbalığın hangi ortamlarda, ne zaman, ne şekilde ortaya çıkacağını bilmek mümkün değildir. Bu sebeple sınıf ortamlarında zorbalık olup olmadığına bakılmaksızın, okul öncesi dönemden başlayarak çocuklara arkadaşlık, iletişim ve duygu yönetme, empati kurma gibi becerilerin yanı sıra zorbalıkla baş etme yöntemlerinin öğretildiği programlara ihtiyaç bulunmaktadır. Bu kapsamda bu araştırma, alanyazın taraması ve ihtiyaç analizine dayalı olarak geliştirilen Erken Çocuklukta Zorbalığa Yönelik Farkındalık Programının ilk iki haftasını içeren pilot uygulamanın yürütülmesini ve ilgili haftalarda yer alan kazanımların gerçekleşme durumunun değerlendirilmesini amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma nitel araştırma desenlerinden durum çalışması ile yürütülmüştür. Araştırmada, pilot uygulamadan önce ve sonra çocuklarla, araştırmacı tarafından uygulama kazanımlarının gerçekleşme durumlarını belirlemek amacıyla geliştirilen Zorbalığa Yönelik Farkındalık Çocuk Görüşme Formu ve Zorbalığa Yönelik Farkındalık Resimli Çocuk Görüşme Formu aracılığıyla veri toplanmıştır. Öğretmenlerle ise uygulamadan sonra Zorbalığa Yönelik Farkındalık Programı Pilot Uygulama Öğretmen Görüşme Formu aracılığıyla görüşülmüştür. Araştırmanın sonuçlarına göre pilot uygulamadan sonra çocukların zorbalığın tanımına yönelik doğru ifadelerinin yanında, fiziksel, sözel ve ilişkisel zorbalığa yönelik verdiği saldırgan davranış örneklerinin artmış olduğu görülmüştür. Bulgular, Erken Çocuklukta Zorbalığa Yönelik Farkındalık Programı (ZOYFA) okul öncesi çocukların gelişimlerine uygun olarak hazırlanan etkinlikleri ile çocukların zorbalık kavramı ve türlerini ayırt edebileceğini, programın çocukların zorbalığın yaşattığı duyguları daha iyi anlamalarına yardımcı olabileceğini ve öğretmenlerin görüşlerine göre, program etkinliklerinin çocukların zorbalığa yönelik farkındalıklarını bilgi ve kavrama basamağından uygulama basamağına taşıyabileceğini göstermektedir.

Keywords

erken çocukluk, zorbalık farkındalık programı, pilot uygulama, durum çalışması

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