Quest for the Golden Rule: An effective social skills promotion and bullying prevention program

Enhancing Children’s Social Emotional Functioning Through Virtual Game-Based Delivery of Social Skills Training

“…While ITS software programs have prospered in a variety of academic domains over the last decade (Graesser et al 2011;Graesser 2013), including basic mathematics (e.g., AnimalWatch: Beal et al 2010), reading (e.g., READ 180: Haslam et al 2006), and statistics Evidence suggests adaptive games can be an effective route to improving prosocial knowledge and behavior, including awareness of how to cope with bullies and the respectful treatment of friends, as well as greater selfcontrol and appropriate timing when engaging with peers (Fenstermacher et al 2006;Rubin-Vaughan et al 2011;Sanchez et al 2014).…”

Fourth Graders Confront an Injustice: The Anti-Bullying Campaign—A Social Action Inquiry Project

“…Vaughn and Obenchain examined classroom and school anti-bullying programs (Bickmore 2011;Brown, Low, Smith, and Haggerty 2011;Hunt 2007;Flanagan, Hoek, Ranter, and Reich 2012;Marshall, Caldwell, and Foster 2011;Rubin-Vaughan, Pepler, Brown, and Craig 2011;Smith, Howard, and Thompson 2007). To remediate the oppressive acts of bullying, several different approaches have been taken, including a multitude of character education programs that emphasize the reinforcement of moral behaviors Marshall, Caldwell, and Foster 2011), such as respect, honesty, and responsibility (Westheimer and Kahne 2004), while enforcing punitive measures for students who do not abide by these socially normative behaviors (Smith et al 2007;Walton 2011).…”

“…To remediate the oppressive acts of bullying, several different approaches have been taken, including a multitude of character education programs that emphasize the reinforcement of moral behaviors Marshall, Caldwell, and Foster 2011), such as respect, honesty, and responsibility (Westheimer and Kahne 2004), while enforcing punitive measures for students who do not abide by these socially normative behaviors (Smith et al 2007;Walton 2011). In addition, social skills interventions (Albayrak, Yildiz, and Erol 2012;Hunt 2007;Smith et al 2007) and even Web-based bullying prevention games have been implemented (Rubin-Vaughan et al 2011). While these programs and approaches have been inconsistent and ineffective Hunt 2007;Smith et al 2007;Walton 2011), they also deprive students of developing problem-solving and conflict resolution strategies (Bickmore 2011;Flanagan et al 2012;Griffin, Brown, and warren 2012) necessary in the development of critical, democratic citizens (Westheimer and Kahne 2004).…”

Games for Empathy for Social Impact

“…Three modules have been designed each addressing a different topic related to bullying prevention: Bark Academy, Mission to Mars and Ghoul School. Students with fun and interactive way have a collective experience that helps them have a healthy social development, practice social skills and foster empathy [29].…”