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CONSENT FORM FOR EDUCATOR SURVEYS

Study Title: PhET Interactive Simulations: Surveying educators' use, experiences, and perspectives

Principal Investigator: Katherine Perkins, UCB 390, Physics, CU Boulder 80309

Key Personnel:

Your participation in this research study is voluntary. Please think about the information below carefully. Feel free to email questions to anyone above before making your decision whether or not to participate. If you decide to participate, your consent is indicated by submitting this survey. A pdf copy of this consent form can be obtained from the linked file (click here).

1. Purpose and Background

   The purpose of this project is to investigate the use of PhET computer simulations by educators. Specifically, we are studying how and why educators use or do not PhET simulations, including factors that influence their choice to use or not use PhET and their perceived or measure impact on their teaching and students learning. We are also soliciting educator input in order to improve the PhET project in the future. You are being asked to participate in this study because we would like to learn about your experiences to help us understand and improve the way we design and disseminate future materials. Participation in this study is entirely your choice.

2. Study Tasks and Procedures

   You are being asked to respond to an online survey. You can complete the survey at your convenience. Your individual privacy will be maintained in all published and written data resulting from this study. You will be asked to include your name (optional), and some background information about your teaching and your institution. You can also optionally provide your email to participate in follow-up studies or to sign up for PhET emails.

3. Duration

   The survey will take less than 30 minutes of your time.

4. Study Withdrawal

   You have the right to withdraw your consent or discontinue participation at any time. You have the right to refuse to answer any question(s) for any reason.

5. Risks and Discomforts

   The risks to you are minimal since your individual responses to this survey will be kept confidential. No one except the researchers will have access to your responses with your identifying information. Identifying information (your name) will only be used to combine the survey answers with any future surveys, and will be deleted prior to any subsequent analysis. Institution names will also be kept confidential, unless you explicitly give permission in your survey responses to list your institution name among a list or map of institutions using PhET.

6. Benefits

   A possible benefit to you is the opportunity to learn about PhET interactive simulations and associated materials which you may find useful in your teaching. Other benefits to you are indirect and uncertain; information from this research study will contribute to the ongoing efforts to develop, implement, and disseminate new learning tools and teaching practices that improve the learning of and attitudes and beliefs about science.

7. Confidentiality

   Any written or printed out materials with identifiable information will be stored in a locked filing cabinet. Electronic data will be stored on password-protected computers. At the end of the project the materials will be stored for a period of 10 years and then destroyed. No names will be used in any published or publicly presented work. Institutional names will only be used if specifically permitted in the survey response. These are some reasons that we may need to share the information you give us with others:

   • If it is required by law.
   • If we think you or someone else could be harmed.
   • Sponsors, government agencies or research staff sometimes look at forms like this and other study records. They do this to make sure the research is done safely and legally. Organizations that may look at study records include:
     1. Office for Human Research Protections or other federal, state, or international regulatory agencies
     2. The University of Colorado Boulder Institutional Review Board

8. Compensation

   You will not be paid to participate in this study.

9. Participant Rights

   Taking part in this study is your choice. You may choose either to take part or not take part in the study. If you decide to take part in this study, you may choose to participate in only part of the study and/or leave the study at any time. No matter what decision you make, there will be no penalty to you in any way.

10. Contacts and Questions

    For questions, concerns, or complaints about this study, call Katherine Perkins at 303-492-6714.

    If you have questions about your rights as a research study participant, you can call the Institutional Review Board (IRB). The IRB is independent from the research team. You can contact the IRB if you have concerns or complaints that you do not want to talk to the study team about. The IRB phone number is (303) 735-3702.

11. Providing your Consent

    Your agreement to participate is indicated by completing and submitting this survey. Again, your participation is entirely voluntary. You may email any questions to the researchers listed above at any time. Your signature is not required on any document.