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Professional
Development Opportunity in Science
Frequently
Asked Questions
Participation
Who
can participate in the study?
- 9 th and 10 th grade teachers
who teach science to students who will take the
Living Environment Regents Examination can participate
in this study.
How
do I enroll in the study?
- E-mail Alice Anderson at ABE-NY@edc.org
and let her know that you are interested. She will
contact you to begin the enrollment process.
I teach science to 9 th and 10 th grade
students who will take the Living Environment Regents
Examination, but I do not use the Living Environment
Core Curriculum. Do I qualify for this study?
- Yes. Teachers who have any number
of students who will be eligible to take the Living
Environment Regents Examination qualify for this
study, even if they do not use the Living Environments
Core Curriculum.
What
do I get for participating in this study?
- All teachers in this study receive
a free online professional development course and
a stipend for each year of participation.
How
much is the stipend?
- The stipend ranges from $200
to $600 depending on teachers' yearly tasks. Teachers
will receive a stipend every year of the study,
but the amount will vary each year based on the
number of research-related activities. For example,
if teachers are taking the online course in a particular
year, their stipend would be higher than the other
years when they will be collecting student data
and filling out forms.
Can
my colleagues also participate in this study?
- You are welcome to tell other
colleagues about the study. They must, however,
be a 9th or 10th grade science teacher whose students
take the Living Environment Regents Examination.
If they are interested, they should contact Alice
Anderson at ABE-NY@edc.org
.
How
long will the study last?
- Teachers' participation in this
study will begin in summer 2008 and end in either
May 2010 or May 2011, depending on which group they
are assigned.
How
much of my time will be taken up by participating in
this study?
- In the year that you take
the online professional development course, you
will:
- Take pre- and post- course
assessments (summer).
- Take the online course (summer).
- Distribute student consent
forms (fall).
- Complete a teacher information
questionnaire (fall).
- Have students complete a
short science assessment that is provided at
the beginning and end of each school year (fall/spring).
- Complete a rich media
usage questionnaire (spring).
- In the year(s) that you do not
take the online professional development course,
you will:
- Distribute student consent forms (fall).
- Complete a teacher information questionnaire
(fall).
- Have students complete a short science assessment
that is provided at the beginning and end of
each school year (fall/spring).
- Complete a rich media usage questionnaire
(spring).
Course
Requirements
What
tools will I need to complete this course?
- In order to participate in this
study, you must have a computer, either at home
or at school, with access to the internet, a working
email account, and word processing software (for
example, Microsoft Word).
How
do I know if my computer has the necessary system requirements
to complete the course?
- When it is time for you to take
the course, you can go to the TeacherLine website
to install any additional software that you will
need for the course. All software for the course
can be downloaded for free from the internet.
Course
Can
I choose which summer I take this course?
- No. This course offering is available
as part of an experimental study. For the purposes
of this study, teachers must be randomly assigned
to the summer they will take the course.
Do
I get to choose between the different versions of the
course?
- No. This course offering is available
as part of an experimental study. For the purposes
of this study, teachers must be randomly assigned
to the course.
Assessment
Will
my pre- and post-course assessment scores be publicly
posted?
- No. Your scores will be kept
confidential.
Are
there any implications of my scores on the pre- and
post-course assessments?
- No. The scores are strictly for
use in the study. The pre- and post- course assessments
will not affect your final course grade.
What
if I want to leave the study?
If I start the study and decide to
withdraw, will I face a penalty?
- No. Participation in any research
study is voluntary. However, you will not receive
credit for an unfinished course. In addition, teachers
will receive the stipend only for the years in which
they participate in the study.
I
read somewhere that there was a refund policy associated
with this course. Can I get money if I decide to withdraw
from this study?
- No. The refund policy is only
for teachers who pay to take the course.
Sponsors
What
is TeacherLine?
- TeacherLine is a professional
development service offered through the Public Broadcasting
Service (PBS).
What
is the Education Development Center 's Center for Children
and Technology?
- Education
Development Center (EDC) is a nonprofit organization
dedicated to enhancing learning, promoting health,
and fostering a deeper understanding about the world.
The Center for Children and Technology (CCT) is
part of the Education Development Center . CCT investigates
ways that technology can make a difference in children's
classrooms, schools, and communities through research.
Click
to download an FAQs
pdf.
General
Overview
Course
Specifics
For
more information, please contact:
Alice
Anderson
ABE-NY
Study Coordinator
EDC/Center
for Children and Technology
ABE-NY@edc.org
212-807-4267
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