Verizon and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) want to learn about how the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers Program may impact your child's knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Verizon and NACCE are working with an organization called Digital Promise, an education non-profit that works closely with school districts, edtech developers, and researchers to help build learning tools and solutions for educators and students. Digital Promise researchers will evaluate the summer STEMVerizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers program to determine if the program is meeting its goals. We are asking for your consent to ask your child to participate in a surveyquestions about their experience with STEM and the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers program through surveys given this summer during the program. The survey responses will be used to improve the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers Program. None of the information collected in connection with this study will include your child’s personal information. The responses themselves will be shared with Verizon and NACCE to improve the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers Program or other Verizon Innovative Learning programs.
We appreciate your consent; however Your child’s participation in the survey is completely voluntary. If you choose not to have your child participate in the surveys, they will still be able to register for, and participate in the Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers summer program. Your child may also choose not to participate or may choose not to answer survey questions.
Here are a few things you should know that will help you make your decision:
What are the possible benefits of this program evaluation?
There are no rewards or direct benefits from participating in this evaluation; however, it will help Verizon and NACCE learn more about how they can best increase students’ exposure to STEM through the STEM Achievers program.
What are the possible risks of this program evaluation?
There is no risk beyond what is normally experienced when a student goes to a summer program. The evaluation questions are about the experience in the STEM program. The questions are asked in ways that are similar to how questions are asked about students' experiences in regular academic school programs.
What will happen when my child takes part in this evaluation?
As part of this Verizon Innovative Learning STEM Achievers evaluation, your child will be asked to complete a 15 minute survey on their first day of the program and another survey at the end of the summer program. The surveys will ask questions about your child’s experiences and perceptions of the program.
Will information about my child be kept confidential?
None of the information that Digital Promise collects in connection with this study will include your child’s personal information. Any information collected about your child’s experience in the Verizon summer program will remain confidential and will be disclosed only with your permission or as required by law.
For further security, only the researchers from Digital Promise who are evaluating the program will have access to the information collected in the surveys or in the focus group. Confidentiality will be maintained by means of allotting a number to each student, and we will use this number instead of their names. Only the researchers will have the list of participants and the numbers given to them.
What are our rights if my child takes part in this study?
- You can choose whether your child participates in this study. Your child can also decide not to participate.
- You can withdraw your consent and end your child’s participation in this study at any time. Your child can also decide not to participate
- Whatever decision you make, there will be no reward or penalty to your child.
- Your child may refuse to answer any questions that they do not want to answer and still remain in the study.
- You have the right to review a copy of the questions asked of your child. If you would like to do so, please contact us to obtain a copy of the questions or materials.
