Appendix C
Student Permission Form
Dear HTH 10th Grade Student,
In addition to being a teacher at HTH, I am also a student in the High Tech High’s Teacher Leadership Master’s program. As part of this program I will be conducting a research study to learn more about how students experience inquiry based classroom environments. Inquiry learning is more student directed than traditional lecture based learning or scripted labs that are found in many high schools, and involves observing and generating questions about the natural world, creating experiments to test those questions, researching what other scientists have discovered and communicating discoveries with a broad audience. As part of class all students will be using inquiry skills to build inquiry related museum exhibits in conjunction with the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. I will be working closely with many HTH students in the study and would like to invite you to be a part of it. Below is some information to help you make an informed decision.
Why I’m doing this study:
I am interested in how students experience inquiry learning. Inquiry learning is a more authentic approximation of what scientists and engineers do in the real world, and I’m curious about how it may affect student motivation. I would like to talk with you about your experiences both using inquiry to explore scientific phenomena, and to develop inquiry based exhibits for the Fleet Science Center, how you measure your exhibits success and what skills you take away from the inquiry process. I will be using your reflections and feedback to try and make inquiry learning in my classroom even more relevant and motivating for students.
What will happen to you if you are in the study?
If you participate in this study, I’ll ask you to discuss your experiences with me. Some days, these discussions may take place in small groups outside of the in-class reflections that all students will be completing. I will audiotape these conversations so that I am sure to remember what you say. Also, as part of the project all students will be keeping reflective inquiry journals documenting their process. If you are part of this study, I may ask you questions about your reflections and share excerpts with other educators so they can understand your process too.
What are the risks and benefits to participating?
This study won’t hurt you in any way, and it may not help you either. However, it will provide a chance for you to think and talk about your experiences with the inquiry process as well as what motivates you. Your opinions will be useful in helping to design a better science program at HTH and into the future. This study will also give you a chance to offer me ideas and feedback on what works for you and what does not, so that I can adapt my teaching to meet your needs. Finally, I will share what I learn from you with other educators, so they can benefit from your opinions and your work as well.
Who will know that you are in this study?
At the end of this study, I will write an article or report based on the interesting things I have learned. I will post this on my digital portfolio and present what I’ve learned at conferences so that it can be useful to other teachers and viewed by the public. I would like to include excerpts from journals, video clips, survey data, and photos of finished student work from our work together in this report to give students more of a voice and to celebrate our learning together. Due to the nature of this data, it may be possible for people to identify who you are and things you said or did, even though I will not use your real name when writing about you. Before I publish any images or work that could reveal your identity to others, I will let you review it. If you feel that anything I have written is inaccurate or makes you uncomfortable, please tell me. You can ask me to make changes or to leave data that reveals your identity out of the report.
Do you have to be in the study?
No you don’t. No one will get upset with you if you don’t want to do this, and it won’t affect your grade. Just tell me if you don’t want to be in the study. You can also change your mind later if you decide you don’t want to be in the study anymore.
Questions?
You can ask questions at any time. You can ask now. You an ask later. You can talk to me or you can talk to your parents about this study at any time. My work telephone and email are:
Phone: 619-243-5000
Email: [email protected]
If you have concerns about this research, you can also contact my advisor, Professor Stacey Caillier, who will be supervising this research, at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Daisy Sharrock
To go ahead with this study, I need to know that you are willing to participate and that your choice to do so is entirely voluntary. Please review your rights at the bottom of the page and sign below if you agree to participate. You will be given a copy of this information to keep for your own reference.
IF YOU AGREE TO BE IN THE STUDY, PLEASE SIGN YOUR NAME BELOW.
Signature of Participant_____________________________ Date__________________
Signature of Teacher Researcher______________________ Date__________________
The rights below are the rights of every person who is asked to be in a research study. As a research participant, you have the following rights:
1. To be told what area, subject, or issue is being studied.
2. To be told what will happen to you and what the procedures are.
3. To be told about the potential risks or discomforts, if any, of the research.
4. To be told if you can expect any benefit from participating and, if so, what the benefit might be.
5. To be allowed to ask any questions concerning the study, both before agreeing to be involved and during the course of the study.
6. To refuse to participate in the study or to stop participating after the study starts.
7. To be free of pressure when considering whether you wish to be in the study.
Parent Permission Form
Parent’s Consent For Minor To Participate In An Action Research Study
High Tech High Graduate School of Education
________________________________________________________________________
Title of Study: Inquiry Learning and Motivation
Researcher: Daisy Sharrock
School Phone: (619) 243-5000
Email: [email protected]
Purpose:
Your child is being invited to participate in the above research study. The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of how students experience inquiry based science and how it affects their motivation. This project will involve 10th grade students and research activities will be embedded within the semester project. The study will not interfere with your family life or your child’s schooling.
Procedures:
If you are agreeable to having your child participate in this study, I may occasionally interview them, ask them to reflect on their work, or videotape their activities in class. I may also photograph or copy their work to use in the final publication of my findings.
Risks:
There are no known risks to your child for participating in this study.
Benefits:
There may or may not be any direct benefits to your child by participating in this study. What this study will do is provide your child with an opportunity to think and discuss about his/her experiences with inquiry learning and to reflect on aspects that affect his/her motivation and skill development in this area. The information from this study will be presented to other educators for the purposes of helping them improve science instruction.
Confidentiality:
Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, since research documents are not protected from subpoena. However, I will do my best to protect your child’s privacy and reputation. At the end of this study I will write an article or report based on the interesting things I have learned. I will post this on my digital portfolio and present what I’ve learned at conferences so that it can be useful to other teachers and viewed by the public. I may choose to include excerpts from journals, video clips, survey data, and photos of finished student work from our class’s work together in this report to give students more of a voice and to celebrate our learning together. Due to the nature of this data it may be possible for people to identify your child and things he/she said or did, even though I will not use his/her real name. Before I publish any images or work that could reveal your child’s identity to others, I will give you and your child the opportunity to review it. If either of you fell that anything I have written is inaccurate or makes you uncomfortable, please tell me. You can ask me to make changes or to leave data out of the report that reveals your child’s identity.
Cost:
There is no cost to your child beyond the time and effort required to participate in the activities described above. If interviews are to be conducted outside of our normal class time, they will be arranged at times that are agreeable to you, your child and her/his other teachers.
Right to refuse or withdraw:
Your child may refuse to participate in this study. If you allow your child to participate, your child has the right to not answer any questions I may ask. Even if you agree, you and your child may change your mind and stop participating at any point.
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact me at the phone number or email above. You can also contact my HTH GSE advisor, Stacey Caillier at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Daisy Sharrock
Teacher Leadership Masters Program, High Tech High Graduate School of Education
Your child’s rights
1. To be told what area, subject, or issue is being studied.
2. To be told what will happen to you and what the procedures are.
3. To be told about the potential risks or discomforts, if any, of the research.
4. To be told if you can expect any benefit from participating and, if so, what the benefit might be.
5. To be allowed to ask any questions concerning the study, both before agreeing to be involved and during the course of the study.
6. To refuse to participate in the study or to stop participating after the study starts.
7. To be free of pressure when considering whether you wish to be in the study.
Consent: Your signature below indicates that you have agreed to allow your child to volunteer as a research participant and that you have read and understand the information provided above. You will be given a copy of this information to keep for your own records.
Signature of Legal Guardian_____________________________ Date______________
Signature of Teacher Researcher_________________________ Date______________
Dear HTH 10th Grade Student,
In addition to being a teacher at HTH, I am also a student in the High Tech High’s Teacher Leadership Master’s program. As part of this program I will be conducting a research study to learn more about how students experience inquiry based classroom environments. Inquiry learning is more student directed than traditional lecture based learning or scripted labs that are found in many high schools, and involves observing and generating questions about the natural world, creating experiments to test those questions, researching what other scientists have discovered and communicating discoveries with a broad audience. As part of class all students will be using inquiry skills to build inquiry related museum exhibits in conjunction with the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park. I will be working closely with many HTH students in the study and would like to invite you to be a part of it. Below is some information to help you make an informed decision.
Why I’m doing this study:
I am interested in how students experience inquiry learning. Inquiry learning is a more authentic approximation of what scientists and engineers do in the real world, and I’m curious about how it may affect student motivation. I would like to talk with you about your experiences both using inquiry to explore scientific phenomena, and to develop inquiry based exhibits for the Fleet Science Center, how you measure your exhibits success and what skills you take away from the inquiry process. I will be using your reflections and feedback to try and make inquiry learning in my classroom even more relevant and motivating for students.
What will happen to you if you are in the study?
If you participate in this study, I’ll ask you to discuss your experiences with me. Some days, these discussions may take place in small groups outside of the in-class reflections that all students will be completing. I will audiotape these conversations so that I am sure to remember what you say. Also, as part of the project all students will be keeping reflective inquiry journals documenting their process. If you are part of this study, I may ask you questions about your reflections and share excerpts with other educators so they can understand your process too.
What are the risks and benefits to participating?
This study won’t hurt you in any way, and it may not help you either. However, it will provide a chance for you to think and talk about your experiences with the inquiry process as well as what motivates you. Your opinions will be useful in helping to design a better science program at HTH and into the future. This study will also give you a chance to offer me ideas and feedback on what works for you and what does not, so that I can adapt my teaching to meet your needs. Finally, I will share what I learn from you with other educators, so they can benefit from your opinions and your work as well.
Who will know that you are in this study?
At the end of this study, I will write an article or report based on the interesting things I have learned. I will post this on my digital portfolio and present what I’ve learned at conferences so that it can be useful to other teachers and viewed by the public. I would like to include excerpts from journals, video clips, survey data, and photos of finished student work from our work together in this report to give students more of a voice and to celebrate our learning together. Due to the nature of this data, it may be possible for people to identify who you are and things you said or did, even though I will not use your real name when writing about you. Before I publish any images or work that could reveal your identity to others, I will let you review it. If you feel that anything I have written is inaccurate or makes you uncomfortable, please tell me. You can ask me to make changes or to leave data that reveals your identity out of the report.
Do you have to be in the study?
No you don’t. No one will get upset with you if you don’t want to do this, and it won’t affect your grade. Just tell me if you don’t want to be in the study. You can also change your mind later if you decide you don’t want to be in the study anymore.
Questions?
You can ask questions at any time. You can ask now. You an ask later. You can talk to me or you can talk to your parents about this study at any time. My work telephone and email are:
Phone: 619-243-5000
Email: [email protected]
If you have concerns about this research, you can also contact my advisor, Professor Stacey Caillier, who will be supervising this research, at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Daisy Sharrock
To go ahead with this study, I need to know that you are willing to participate and that your choice to do so is entirely voluntary. Please review your rights at the bottom of the page and sign below if you agree to participate. You will be given a copy of this information to keep for your own reference.
IF YOU AGREE TO BE IN THE STUDY, PLEASE SIGN YOUR NAME BELOW.
Signature of Participant_____________________________ Date__________________
Signature of Teacher Researcher______________________ Date__________________
The rights below are the rights of every person who is asked to be in a research study. As a research participant, you have the following rights:
1. To be told what area, subject, or issue is being studied.
2. To be told what will happen to you and what the procedures are.
3. To be told about the potential risks or discomforts, if any, of the research.
4. To be told if you can expect any benefit from participating and, if so, what the benefit might be.
5. To be allowed to ask any questions concerning the study, both before agreeing to be involved and during the course of the study.
6. To refuse to participate in the study or to stop participating after the study starts.
7. To be free of pressure when considering whether you wish to be in the study.
Parent Permission Form
Parent’s Consent For Minor To Participate In An Action Research Study
High Tech High Graduate School of Education
________________________________________________________________________
Title of Study: Inquiry Learning and Motivation
Researcher: Daisy Sharrock
School Phone: (619) 243-5000
Email: [email protected]
Purpose:
Your child is being invited to participate in the above research study. The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of how students experience inquiry based science and how it affects their motivation. This project will involve 10th grade students and research activities will be embedded within the semester project. The study will not interfere with your family life or your child’s schooling.
Procedures:
If you are agreeable to having your child participate in this study, I may occasionally interview them, ask them to reflect on their work, or videotape their activities in class. I may also photograph or copy their work to use in the final publication of my findings.
Risks:
There are no known risks to your child for participating in this study.
Benefits:
There may or may not be any direct benefits to your child by participating in this study. What this study will do is provide your child with an opportunity to think and discuss about his/her experiences with inquiry learning and to reflect on aspects that affect his/her motivation and skill development in this area. The information from this study will be presented to other educators for the purposes of helping them improve science instruction.
Confidentiality:
Absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, since research documents are not protected from subpoena. However, I will do my best to protect your child’s privacy and reputation. At the end of this study I will write an article or report based on the interesting things I have learned. I will post this on my digital portfolio and present what I’ve learned at conferences so that it can be useful to other teachers and viewed by the public. I may choose to include excerpts from journals, video clips, survey data, and photos of finished student work from our class’s work together in this report to give students more of a voice and to celebrate our learning together. Due to the nature of this data it may be possible for people to identify your child and things he/she said or did, even though I will not use his/her real name. Before I publish any images or work that could reveal your child’s identity to others, I will give you and your child the opportunity to review it. If either of you fell that anything I have written is inaccurate or makes you uncomfortable, please tell me. You can ask me to make changes or to leave data out of the report that reveals your child’s identity.
Cost:
There is no cost to your child beyond the time and effort required to participate in the activities described above. If interviews are to be conducted outside of our normal class time, they will be arranged at times that are agreeable to you, your child and her/his other teachers.
Right to refuse or withdraw:
Your child may refuse to participate in this study. If you allow your child to participate, your child has the right to not answer any questions I may ask. Even if you agree, you and your child may change your mind and stop participating at any point.
Questions
If you have any questions, please contact me at the phone number or email above. You can also contact my HTH GSE advisor, Stacey Caillier at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Daisy Sharrock
Teacher Leadership Masters Program, High Tech High Graduate School of Education
Your child’s rights
1. To be told what area, subject, or issue is being studied.
2. To be told what will happen to you and what the procedures are.
3. To be told about the potential risks or discomforts, if any, of the research.
4. To be told if you can expect any benefit from participating and, if so, what the benefit might be.
5. To be allowed to ask any questions concerning the study, both before agreeing to be involved and during the course of the study.
6. To refuse to participate in the study or to stop participating after the study starts.
7. To be free of pressure when considering whether you wish to be in the study.
Consent: Your signature below indicates that you have agreed to allow your child to volunteer as a research participant and that you have read and understand the information provided above. You will be given a copy of this information to keep for your own records.
Signature of Legal Guardian_____________________________ Date______________
Signature of Teacher Researcher_________________________ Date______________