1. eMINTS Parent Information Meeting
eMINTS Validation Project 2011
Our district has decided to participate in a special research project with eMINTS. We are having this meeting to tell you about eMINTS and about the project. It is a tremendous opportunity for our district and our students to get the latest technology in our middle school. Our teachers will learn about how to use the technology to improve our students’ achievement levels and help them prepare for high school, their future careers, and hopefully, attending college. The eMINTS program is part of the University of Missouri. eMINTS received a large federal grant to pay for the technology, teacher training and other costs of the project. Our district will have very little cost involved in bringing the program to our students.
The University of Missouri is working with our school district to study technology and different ways of teaching. Some classrooms in some schools will have technology and the teachers will learn new ways of teaching. Some classrooms in some schools will continue school as usual. They will compare how the students in the two sets of schools learn. They will compare how the students in two sets of schools feel about school and learning. Many schools use technology or want to use technology in their schools. The results of the project (which involve research) could help schools make better decisions about technology and different teaching methods to improve their schools.
There will be 60 school districts involved in the project. Our school was drawn at random and placed in Group (say which one: 1, 2, or 3). Schools in Groups 1 and 2 get eMINTS right away. Schools in Group 3 will have to wait to get eMINTS until August Schools in Group 3 are part of the “control” group that will be used to compare with the other two Groups. The researchers will be collecting data from teachers and students in all three Groups starting this spring.

2. What does eMINTS stand for?
enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies
eMINTS classrooms – more than half of Missouri’s school districts
Also in Arkansas, Alabama, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Nevada, New Jersey, and Utah.
eMINTS is even in Australia
eMINTS stands for enhancing Missouri’s Instructional Networked Teaching Strategies. It has been around in Missouri for the last ten years and there are or have been eMINTS classrooms with technology in more than half of the districts in the state. The program is also being used in eight other states and in Australia.

3. What is the research about?
Teaching and learning for 7th and 8th grade students
Mathematics and communication arts
21st Century Skills
Student and teacher attitudes about school and learning
The research project that our school and the other 59 districts will be involved in will study how eMINTS affects the ways teachers teach and the ways students learn in 7th and 8th grade. It will study how teachers teach and how they use eMINTS technology in their classrooms. It will also look at student performance on the MAP in mathematics and communication arts. The study will check up on how students are doing with 21st Century Skills such as how they use technology to solve problems, do research, work together, and use different kinds of technology tools. Students and teachers will be taking surveys about how they feel about school and learning.
Researchers from the University of Missouri and the American Institutes for Research will be collecting the data to answer research questions about these areas. We want to assure you up front that any data collected from our teachers and students will not be tied to them individually in any way. The data will be kept in secure storage and no one outside of the research team will be allowed to see it. When reports are written about the project, no teacher or student names will be used.

4. eMINTS Technology eMINTS classrooms include:
An interactive SMART Board and projector
Digital camera
Access to printer and scanner
Laptop for the teacher
Laptop for every 7th and 8th grade student
Software
eMINTS classrooms are filled with technology. As a Group 1 or 2 school, we will get this technology beginning in the summer of OR As a Group 3 school, we will get this technology beginning in the summer of 2014 – I know that’s a long time to wait but we agreed to be in the project regardless of what group we were assigned to. Group 3 schools play a very important role by providing data for comparison to the other two groups. We will eventually get our reward – we just have to be patient.
eMINTS classrooms have interactive whiteboards and projectors called SMART Boards. They also have digital cameras, a laptop for the teacher, access to a printer and scanner, and in this project there will be a laptop for every 7th and 8th grade student. The computers will have software on them so that students can complete projects, write reports, learn to make spreadsheets and create PowerPoint slides and movies.

5. eMINTS Teacher Training
eMINTS teacher training lasts two years and requires many extra hours of work
Third year of training for teachers in some schools in the project.
Our 7th and 8th grade teachers who teach math, communication arts, science and social studies will all go through eMINTS professional development or teacher training. As a Group 1 or 2 school, they will start that training next August before school starts. OR As a Group 3 school, they will not start that training until August of Again – it’s a long time to wait but we think it will be worth it.
The eMINTS training lasts two years and requires many extra hours of work on the part of the teachers. They will have several training sessions after school every month. They will have extra work practicing what they have learned and preparing new lessons for students to use the technology with. There will be a third year of training for teachers in some of the schools in the project to see if that makes a difference.

6. How eMINTS is Different
eMINTS classrooms are often very different from traditional classrooms.
Students work in groups on different projects about real-world problems that teach them to use the Internet and do other types of research.
Student assignments use technology to make PowerPoint presentations, movies, and podcasts.
Library and textbooks are used in eMINTS classrooms.
You can expect your students to tell you about different ways they are learning as the technology and teacher training rolls out. There is more work on projects and lessons that make students really research and find answers. The students will do more writing and learn to apply things like math skills to real-life situations. Instead of having worksheets in school and for homework, they will be making things with the technology like PowerPoints and movies.
Textbooks and library books are still very important in eMINTS classrooms but students also learn how to use other resources on the Internet. Students learn how to work together and how to share responsibility for learning new things.

7. Parent Consent
Parents must give permission for students’ data to be used in the research.
You may change your mind at any time.
There is no penalty for not taking part in the research or withdrawing.
We hope that as many students as possible will be allowed to take part in the research.
Since this is a research study, the eMINTS program and the University of Missouri want to make sure that you are aware of what the study is about and that you give permission for your student’s answers to surveys and the 21st Century Skills assessment can be used in the study.
It is up to you if you want your child (or children) to take part in the research project. You may take them out of the research at any time. There is no penalty for not taking part in the research or for withdrawing. Your students still have to come to school, of course, and be in eMINTS classrooms. They also will have to take the regular tests and surveys like everyone else. But if you do not give your permission, your child’s answers will not be included in the research. I want to repeat that your child will not be personally named at any time. All data collected (survey responses, test scores, etc) will not include any student names and will be kept private. It will be stored in a secure and locked place. It will be available only to a few researchers who are cleared for the project.
Of course, we hope that as many students as possible will be allowed to take part in the research. The more student data that can be included in the research, the better the research will be.

8. Student Agreement Students will learn about eMINTS and the project.
Students will also be asked to sign a letter of agreement to participate.
No penalties if students decide not to participate or change their minds at a later date.
In the next couple of days (or weeks) we will be talking about the project with the students who will be in 7th and 8th grade next year. We will give them a chance to ask questions. They will also be asked to agree to participate in the research part of the project and sign a letter of agreement. Once again, students will still have to attend school, be in eMINTS classrooms, and take the tests and surveys but if they do not want their answers to be part of the research, they will have an opportunity to say so. There will not be any penalties if students choose not to be part of the research.

9. Questions
Are there any questions about eMINTS or about the research project?
We deeply appreciate your willingness to help us with this project.
We will learn even more about how to improve education through eMINTS and it will be stronger because of your help.
Take any questions about eMINTS or the research. If you get questions that you cannot answer or the eMINTS staff member cannot answer, please call and ask for Monica or Lorie. You or parents are also welcome to call the University Institutional Review Board office at