CONSENT NOTICE

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TITLE OF STUDY
Student perceptions of engagement and content retention with augmented reality vs traditional learning activities in online undergraduate non-major science courses.

NAME OF RESEARCHER
Mary Poffenroth, M.S. , Lecturer, San Jose State University

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PURPOSE
To evaluate the benefit to students of using augmented reality in the undergraduate science classroom to increase engagement and content retention of biological curriculum.

PROCEDURES
In order to complete this survey, you must have first completed the required watershed ecology assignment in canvas using the augmented reality pathway. If you chose to do the low-tech alternative that did not use the AR app created by WWF called Free Rivers you may not complete this survey and must complete the low tech alternate extra credit if you wish to do the optional extra credit.

You have two pathways to choose from for both the required portion and the optional portion for extra credit. 

Required Assignment: As part of completing the unit on ecology, you will be required to submit an assignment on watershed ecology in one of two formats: the augmented reality worksheet using WWF Free Rivers or the low-tech alternate worksheet that uses traditional web-based research to answer the content questions. The option you choose will be submitted to Canvas in the folder titled, “Watershed Ecology Assignment”. You will convey your choice on this required portion based on which assignment you choose to submit to Canvas for grading. Both pathways are equal in difficulty and associated grade points.

Optional Extra Credit: You will have an opportunity to receive five points extra credit at the end of the ecology unit after you have completed your choice of watershed ecology assignments. There will be one single folder for you to submit either the “Thank You” page that will appear after completing the survey if you chose to do the AR assignment and chose to do the survey. This thank you screen can be saved as a screenshot or a download – which will then be uploaded to your folder in Canvas. No identifying or survey information will be visible on this thank you screen. Regardless of the type of required assignment you chose (AR or low-tech), you may choose to submit the low-tech extra credit worksheet instead. You will make your choice known as to which extra credit pathway you choose, if any, by the version you submit to the single extra credit folder titled, “Ecology Unit Extra Credit”. Both items will be accepted without judgment on a credit / no credit basis, with a maximum of five points extra credit per student. 

COMPENSATION
Taking this survey is optional. In exchange for your time, you will be compensated with 5 extra credit points. However, if you wish to not complete the survey about your experience with the augmented reality app, you may do the low-tech alternate that comes with an equal amount of extra credit (5 points) and will take you an equal amount of time to complete. This low-tech alternate is available in Canvas. Only one option may be completed for extra credit for a max 5 points extra credit.

CONFIDENTIALITY
No direct identifying information will be collected in this study that would connect the data to you as an individual. Indirect identification information may be collected in terms of gender, age, year in college and level of comfort with technology that may be used to identify any possible trends or patterns that emerge in the data. However, in no instance will your personal identification information be linked in any way to your responses in the survey.

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YOUR RIGHTS
Your participation in this study is completely voluntary.  You can refuse to participate in the entire study or any part of the study without any negative effect on your relations with San Jose State University or [name any other participating institutions].  You also have the right to skip any question you do not wish to answer.  This consent form is not a contract.  It is a written explanation of what will happen during the study if you decide to participate.  You will not waive any rights if you choose not to participate, and there is no penalty for stopping your participation in the study.

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CONTACT INFORMATION
Mary Poffenroth: via our Canvas course shell, email at mary.poffenroth@sjsu.edu or campus phone at 408-924-4831

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AGREEMENT TO PARTICIPATE

Your completion of the study indicates your willingness to participate. Please keep this document for your records.