Indicators of violence against university teachers: cross-cultural consensus usingthe Delphi Technique

Abstract

Objective: to define indicators of violence against teachers in higher education by employing a cross-cultural approach. Method: This mixed-method study, guided by the modified Delphi technique, was conducted with 19 experts on violence in Brazil and Spain. The results were selected using the snowball technique. With support from the Welphi software, the Likert Scale with five response levels was used to reach a consensus on the answers. Results: Two rounds of Delphi were required to reach a consensus on violence, which showed similar response trends. After analysis, the items obtained were grouped into six categories for discussion: use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and violence (ICTs mediating violence); teacher suppression (exclusion of the teacher; ignoring the teacher in class); student autocracy (disrespectful speech by students against the teacher in class, such as personal insults, swearing, ridicule); reductionism of social values (aggressive actions repeated over a short period); homophobic motricity (manifestation of homophobia); and family coercion (family exerting violence against the teacher. Conclusion: The conclusion is that violence against teachers has been cross-culturally identified as any act of threat/attempt/actual aggression, disrespect, sexual harassment, homophobia,family coercion, and the utilization of ICTs to practice any of these actions.