Last Monday, January 13, the EduTechCluster , the leading cluster in technology applied to education, held a meeting to prevent bullying and cyberbullying in classrooms, which included the participation of around fifty experts and the presentation of two digital solutions that seek to transform the approach to bullying and cyberbullying within educational environments.
Specifically, the V-Tools technological tool was presented, which allows students to experience the roles involved in a bullying situation first-hand. In this sense, V-Tools is an innovative tool based on virtual reality that promotes empathy, reflection and a change in attitudes among boys and girls. The BullyZero technological tool was also presented, which facilitates understanding from different perspectives, such as the victim, the aggressor and the observer. Along these lines, BullyZero is a digital simulator that reproduces real cases of bullying and provides practical tools to prevent and manage these bullying situations. The two workshops offered the possibility of experiencing first-hand how technology can transform the approach to bullying. Previously, an inaugural speech was given by Carmen Cabestany, president of the NACE (No to School Bullying) association, who shared her professional experience and put on the table ten strategies to identify, prevent and act in the face of bullying situations. Cabestany shared a striking analysis of the magnitude of the problem, specifying that more than two million students suffer bullying, of which nearly 200,000 students suffer high-intensity bullying. In order to combat these situations, Cabestany called for giving visibility to bullying within educational centers, incorporating emotional education from the early childhood stage, implementing effective and agile intervention protocols with the participation of external professionals, enhancing teacher training and the involvement of families and promoting awareness campaigns.