We are no longer recruiting participants for this study.
We are seeking elementary school educators to participate in a study of a new, online, professional development program that presents innovative ways to teach math more effectively to elementary students. Your participation in this study should take 9 hours or less and you will receive $540 if you complete the study.
Sign Up for the Study
Please complete this sign-up form if you’d like to participate. It should take no longer than 5 minutes to complete and we will use this information to select participants. If you are selected to participate, we will confirm your participation by email. If you have any questions about the study, please contact ASSET Evaluator, Jennifer Borland: via email at recruitment@rockman.com or by phone at (800) 410-2820 (toll free).
More Information About the Study
What is the study about?
This study is looking at the impacts of two ASSET micro-credentials that focus on mathematics instruction in the elementary grades.
Who is eligible to participate?
For this study we are looking for elementary school teachers who teach math as part of their regular instructional duties. Teachers must work in a county that is considered part of the Appalachian region. Participants must also have access to a tablet or computer and a reliable internet connection. Lastly, we are also looking for teachers who have not previously enrolled in the ASSET program.
What is ASSET?
The ASSET program at Radford University is an online professional development program created for, and by, educators within Appalachia and is funded by the U.S. Department of Education Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant program (Award #: U423A170051) More information about the ASSET program can be found at: www.radford.edu/asset. ASSET delivers professional development content within micro-credentials.
What are micro-credentials?
ASSET micro-credentials are evidence-based, self-paced, online professional development courses designed to take less than ten hours to complete.
What will I get as a participant?
All participants who complete the study by July 31st 2020 will be eligible for compensation; participants who complete part of the study will be eligible for partial compensation. Specifically, participants will be paid $120 after completing two pre-participation assessments, and $420 after completing the assigned micro-credential—including two post-participation assessments—for a total of $540 for completion of the study. Completion of the entire study should take no longer than 9 hours. In addition to payment, it’s also worth noting that many schools/districts also accept certifications from ASSET for continuing education and/or recertification credit and you can opt to receive graduate credit through Radford University if you complete a certain number of micro-credentials. If you choose not to participate in this study, as an Appalachian educator, you may still enroll in the ASSET program for free (those who enroll by Sept 30th, 2020 will get a full year of access), however you will not receive monetary compensation for your participation. Study participants will also be eligible to continue participating in the ASSET program if they choose to do so, but no further compensation will be provided beyond this study.
Why should I participate?
In addition to the payment being offered to participants in this study, participants may be eligible for continuing education credit or recertification credit. Participation in the study will also aid in the development of effective professional development resources to support educators in the Appalachian region and beyond.
What will the study involve?
If you are selected to participate, you will be asked to complete one of the two micro-credentials that we are studying. As part of that micro-credential you will (1) take a set of pre-participation assessments (2) complete the rest of the assigned micro-credential, and (3) take a set of post-participation assessments. We are also seeking a smaller group of participants to interview by phone, submit examples of lesson plans or other instructional resources, and/or allow one or more of their classes to be observed in the coming school year (if possible). These additional activities are optional and will not be required of all participants. Additional compensation payments will be provided for those who complete any of these additional tasks.
How long will it take to complete the study?
Participants will have until July 31st, 2020 to complete their assigned micro-credential. The pre-participation assessments are estimated to take no more than 90 minutes. The remainder of the micro-credential is estimated to take 4-6 hours and the post-participation assessments are estimated to take no more than 90 minutes. In total, participants should expect to spend between 6-9 hours on the study.
How will my data be used and protected?
All information collected for this study will be kept confidential. This means that members of our research team will have access to your data, but all identifying information such as names and email addresses will be removed before sharing study information with any outside parties. Data collected during this study is kept in secure files on password-protected computers. We do not share your email or other information with outside groups, and you can choose to stop receiving our emails or remove yourself from the study at any time.
How do I sign up?
Please complete this sign-up form if you’d like to participate.