Institutional Review Board
1000 Univesity Center Lane
Lawrenceville, Georgia 30043
678.407.5xxx
www.ggc.usg.edu/irb
email:
Human Subjects Research Form[1]
For Research with Human Participants
Title of research: Evaluating Student Attitudes and Outcomes in a Hybrid Introductory Computing Course
Date research will begin: August 1, 2008 Expected completion date: August 1, 2010
If proposal is for external funding: Agency: Deadline:
You agree that you have read the University's "Assurance of Compliance with HHS Regulations for the Protection of Human Research Participants" and agree to provide for the protection of the rights and welfare of the participants that participate in this research as outlined in the Assurance. You also agree to submit any significant changes in the procedures of your project to the IRB for prior approval.
Name of Investigator(s): Nannette Napier, Stella Smith
Department (include mail drop #): School of Science and Technology, C 1210
Student Faculty Other (please describe)
Phone: 678-524-1511 Date: 7/08/2008 Email: ,
FOR RESEARCH CONDUCTED BY STUDENTS OR NON-FACULTY STAFF: This research involving human participants, if approved, will be under the direct supervision of the following faculty advisor:
Faculty Advisor:
Department (include mail drop #):
Phone: Date: Email:
1. Have you submitted research on this topic to the IRB previously? Yes No
If yes, list the date, title, name of investigator, and study number, if known:
2. Description of research
a. Purpose of research: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the ITEC 1001 Introduction to Computing taught in a hybrid format. While traditional courses deliver instruction primarily through face-to-face, hybrid courses significantly reduce face-to-face instructional time by substituting online learning experiences. This investigation will assess student and faculty attitudes about the course, student preferences for learning modes (online versus face-to-face), as well as student achievement of learning outcomes. These assessments will take place during the class for ITEC 1001 students that are in both the traditional and hybrid sections. In addition, focus groups with randomly selected students that have completed ITEC 1001 will assess student perceptions after 1 or more semesters.
b. Nature of data to be collected:
· Student performance on classroom assessments that are a regular part of the ITEC 1001 curriculum
· Online survey of current and former ITEC 1001 students
· Transcripts of student focus group sessions with former ITEC 1001 students
c. Data collection procedures:
· Student performance on common ITEC 1001 classroom assessments (e.g. multiple-choice questions and selected software exercises) will be collected as a regular part of the curriculum. Each instructor that participates in the study will provide assessment data for individual students that agreed to participate in the study. When reporting this information, names will not be associated with the grades. Instead, a unique ID will be provided for each student. The Principal Investigators will aggregate the data from all participating sessions for analysis.
· Surveys will be delivered online to students through either WebCT or Classroom Climate
· Focus groups with directed discussion using a list of open-ended questions
d. Instruments to be used:
· Survey of initial student attitudes about and experiences with information technology (IT) and various instructional strategies
· Survey regarding student attitudes about and experiences with IT, instructional strategies, and effectiveness of the ITEC 1001 course (both traditional and hybrid)
· For focus group: list of questions to seed discussion and digital audio recording device
e. Method of selection/recruitment of participants:
· To get opinions of current students in ITEC 1001, all ITEC 1001 students will be invited to participate in online surveys during class.
· To get opinions of former students that took ITEC 1001, students in follow-on ITEC courses (Digital Media and Introduction to Programming) will also be asked to participate in online surveys during class. This survey will ask students if they are interested in being contacted for focus group to further talk about their experiences with the course.
· All GGC faculty that have taught ITEC 1001 will be invited by email to participate in a focus group consisting of other faculty members
f. Participant age range: Greater than 18 Number: 400-1000 Sex: M & F
g. Incentives, follow-ups, compensation to be used: No compensation or incentives will be provided for participation in surveys. However, students will be made aware that that they have an opportunity to influence the development of the ITEC 1001 course design.
3. Risk. Describe in detail any psychological, social, legal, economic or physical risk that might occur to participants. Note that all research entails some level of risk, though perhaps minimal.
No known risk Risks include:
4. Benefit. University policy requires that risk from participation be outweighed by potential benefits to participants and/or humankind in general.
a. Identify benefits to participants resulting from this research: There is no immediate benefit to volunteers; however, this is a unique opportunity to influence the design and development of the ITEC 1001 course.
b. Identify benefits to humankind in general resulting from this research: Student responses will assist GGC faculty in improving the design and effectiveness of the ITEC 1001 course. GGC experiences will be written up for disseminated at conferences and journals for IT educators.
5. What is the consent process to be followed in this study? All studies must include informed consent. Consent may require signature. Include form(s) to be used. If deception is necessary, please justify and describe, and submit debriefing procedures. There is no deception. Participants must read and sign a consent form to participate in the study (see attached).
6. Minors and other vulnerable participants. If minors or other vulnerable participants are involved, please outline procedures to be used in obtaining their agreement (assent) to participate, in addition to the consent of their authorized representative such as parent or guardian. If you do not wish to include minors, it may be useful to include related language in the cover letter or consent form. Informed consent form will state that minors should not participate in the study.
7. Future risk. How are participants protected from the potentially harmful future use of the data collected in this research?
a. Describe measures planned to ensure anonymity or confidentiality.
· For surveys and student assessment data: Each instructor that participates in the study will provide data for individual students that agreed to participate in the study. When reporting this information, names will not be associated with the data. Instead, a unique ID will be provided for each student. The Principal Investigators will aggregate the data from all participating sections for analysis.
· For focus groups: The audio recording will be transcribed and then destroyed. Identity will be coded and the transcripts will be kept in a secured, limited access location. If information about respondents is published, it will be written in a way that they cannot be recognized. However, research records may be obtained by court order.
b. Describe methods for storing data while study is underway. The data will be immediately removed from the recording device and stored on a secured drive. The transcribed data will be stored in a secured folder on the secured drive.
c. List dates and plans for destroying data and media once study has been completed. Audio recordings will be destroyed as soon as transcription is completed. The transcripts will be held for five years to provide basis for further research.
d. If audio, videotape or other electronic data are to be used, when will they be erased? Audio recordings will be destroyed as soon as transcription is completed.
8. Illegal activities: Do the data to be collected relate to any illegal activities? Yes No
If so, please explain.
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[1] This form was adapted from Kennesaw University’s Institutional Review Board Approval Request Form