TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN

LEAD RESEARCHERS for ALMANAC Trial:

• Kathy Kipp (school contact)
• Ian O’Keeffe
• Eddie Walsh
• Vincent Wade

BACKGROUND OF RESEARCH:

This trial is part of a project called ALMANAC. This project is being run by Learnovate, an industry led technology centre associated with Trinity College Dublin. The ALMANAC learning application brings together several technologies and is designed to make learning more interesting and effective for students. It is also designed to support differentiated models of teaching and learning where student readiness level, interest, ability and learning preference guide what a student learns, how a student learns it and how a student demonstrates this learning.

TRIAL PROCEDURE:

The trial will be run in conjunction with the participant’s school. The geography teacher will inform students what topic they will be studying in class. For discussion, and within the class, students will use the ALMANAC app on a tablet device to research the topic. Teachers will integrate the use of the app into standard class procedure and discussion, finding out what the class has learned through the use of the app. The teacher will clear up any misunderstandings, build on what the class already knows and set group activities that enable the class to apply what they know. Participants will be using ALMANAC in this way over a time period to be determined by the teacher (between one and four weeks). Additionally, if students wish to access the ALMANAC app at home, they may do so but this is not a requirement of the trial.

Before participants start the trial, they may be asked questions regarding their readiness to discuss (prior knowledge) key ideas and concepts within the content area; at the end of the trial, they may be asked these same questions. Additionally, participants will be asked some questions regarding their experience of using ALMANAC in a post-trial questionnaire. And a focus group session. Participants don’t need to answer all of the questions or participate in the focus group if they don’t want to but it will help the researchers if they do.

It is not envisaged there will be any psychological or physiological risks associated with participating in this study.

PUBLICATION:

The results from this study will be collated and analysed for the purpose of scientific publications. All data regarding the participants will be anonymously recorded and no personally identifiable information will be published. The results of this study may be presented at international academic conferences, and published in academic journals in the areas of eLearning, adaptive systems, natural language processing semantics and machine learning.

DECLARATION:

• I have read, or had read to me, a document providing information about this research and this consent form. I have had the opportunity to ask questions to the Lead Researcher (contact details below) and all my questions have been answered to my satisfaction and I understand the description of the research that is being provided to me.
• I freely and voluntarily agree for my child to be part of this research study, though without prejudice to their legal and ethical rights.
• I understand that my child may refuse to answer any question and that they may withdraw at any time without penalty.
• I understand that my child’s participation is fully anonymous and that no personal details about them will be recorded.
• I agree that my child’s data may be used for scientific purposes and I have no objection that this data is published in scientific publications in a way that does not reveal the identity of my child.
• I understand that if my child makes illicit activities known, these will be reported to the appropriate authorities.
• I understand that if my child or anyone in my family has a history of photo-sensitive epilepsy then they are proceeding at their own risk.
• I have received a copy of this agreement.

RESEARCHER CONTACT DETAILS:

Kathy Kipp, Learnovate Centre, Unit 28, Trinity Technology & Enterprise Centre, Pearse Street, Dublin 2.
Tel: 01-896-4910 Email: kkipp@scss.tcd.ie