1. Evaluation Assistant (EA) August Session STARS Alliance 2011 Tuesday Cohort C1 - Aug. 23 Wednesday Cohort C2 - Aug. 24 Noon - 1:30 pm

2. Agenda  Introductions  Practical Matters: Semester cycle & ‘syllabus,’ tools  First Assignments  About the Research Project  IRB  SOWs & Narratives  How to get started

3. Practical Matters  EA Syllabus:  review calendar  discuss projects  first steps  EA Google Site:  Where ALL our EA content and support documents will be for Fall 2011  Btw: this symbol means VERY IMPORTANT information

4. Practical Matters Continued  STARS Social Media  Resources link:http://www.starsalliance.org/resources.html#1http://www.starsalliance.org/resources.html#1  Eventually this will be where our EA site content is housed, but not yet  For now, use it and let me know 2 things:  How you use it  What you think of it  STARS Social Media  Resources link:http://www.starsalliance.org/resources.html#1http://www.starsalliance.org/resources.html#1  Eventually this will be where our EA site content is housed, but not yet  For now, use it and let me know 2 things:  How you use it  What you think of it

5. First Assignments  Google Calendar share  Select your Cohort  Report who your SLC members are (now or by email this week)  Progress on:  YouTube video- team formed?  Your SLC website- send the link as soon as done  What Affinity Group you want to join

6. About that research project….  Who’s already doing outcomes research (studies) with their Outreach Participants?  Share your materials on our EA Google Site  IRB application, consent forms, surveys, etc.

7. About that research project….  Who’s just starting and where are you?  What is your outreach area?  What is your idea- in general?  We’ll get more specific as you begin  We’ll be forming research groups so we can work together- called ‘pods’ There are 2 types of research projects that EAs can do……

8. EA Project Types Formative Assessment  Looking at what works, what doesn’t, what improvements can be made to the SLC  Utilize meeting notes, experiences, discussions, information  There is no hypothesis and no inquiry- just summaries of what has been learned, accomplished, changed, etc. Evaluation Research  An intervention takes place  Or a question is being asked of participants that is systematically tracked/explored  IRB is required

9. IRB: Step 1 for Research  What is IRB?  Institutional Review Board compliance with research ethics; government regulated for any research done  Typically we think of medical studies  People have the right to be informed when in an experiment  The same is true in social behavioral studies  People must be informed of what they are participating in and why  IRB is not needed for formative evaluation  What is IRB?  Institutional Review Board compliance with research ethics; government regulated for any research done  Typically we think of medical studies  People have the right to be informed when in an experiment  The same is true in social behavioral studies  People must be informed of what they are participating in and why  IRB is not needed for formative evaluation

10. IRB: Step 1 for Research 1.Determine what you plan to study  E.g. 5th graders’ attitudes about computing before your robot program and after your robot program  FYI: this is quasi-experimental, repeated measures design 2.Contact your IRB office: take the Human Subjects ethics test, fill out the IRB application 3.Begin your study AFTER obtaining IRB approval TIP- view a sample IRB application on the EA Google site :) 1.Determine what you plan to study  E.g. 5th graders’ attitudes about computing before your robot program and after your robot program  FYI: this is quasi-experimental, repeated measures design 2.Contact your IRB office: take the Human Subjects ethics test, fill out the IRB application 3.Begin your study AFTER obtaining IRB approval TIP- view a sample IRB application on the EA Google site :)

11. IRB: Step 1 for Research What makes IRB complex: Obtaining consent from your participants minors require parental consent Tracking collected data accurately, consistently, over time  document what you do- you will forget! Jump in and get started  We’ll refine your research project throughout the semester as we discuss research design, and can amend IRB as needed  Use your EA Project timeline to support your IRB write up What makes IRB complex: Obtaining consent from your participants minors require parental consent Tracking collected data accurately, consistently, over time  document what you do- you will forget! Jump in and get started  We’ll refine your research project throughout the semester as we discuss research design, and can amend IRB as needed  Use your EA Project timeline to support your IRB write up