Consent and Assent Forms
*** ATTENTION *** THIS PAGE IS OBSOLETE. UPDATED INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND HERE:
Academic Year Permission Forms
Teachers participating in the academic year research project must collect permission forms from all their students.
We need BOTH the consent and assent form on file for each student
CSP through CE Project
Both of these forms need to be completed for each student
Consent Form - completed by parent/guardian
Assent Form - completed by student
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Both of these forms need to be completed for each student
Consent Form - completed by parent/guardian
Assent Form - completed by student
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How-to: Collect Online Permission Forms
In response to COVID-19, it is strongly preferred and recommended that parents/guardians and students complete the online permission forms. Teachers are responsible for emailing the forms to be completed by the student and a parent/guardian.
1.) Distribute consent and assent forms to students
2.) Check for completed consent and assent forms
The program will update your assigned Student Information spreadsheet when parent(s)/guardian(s) and students have completed the permission forms. Records will be updated every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until the end of November. Teachers should send reminders to students as needed.
To access your assigned folder, click the link below:
2020-21 Participants
How-to: Collect Hardcopies of Permission Forms
Teachers can request a hardcopy of forms by emailing csawesome@css.edu or mobilecsp@css.edu
Note: If students and their parent/guardian completed the online form they do NOT need to submit a hardcopy.
1.) Distribute consent and assent forms to students
Print each of the program forms for each of your students. When handing out these forms, be sure to give an explanation of what the forms are and what students need to return them.
Introducing Consent and Assent Forms to Your Students
Feel free to use the presentations (right) to introduce the consent and assent forms to students. Each slideshow explains why the forms are needed and what the data will be used for for each program.
2.) Collect completed consent and assent forms
Collect both the completed consent and assent forms from students including those student that do not wish to participate.
Students are responsible for returning both the completed consent and assent forms to their instructor.
Follow-up with students who do not return forms immediately and frequently. At the bottom of this page, we have included tips and tricks for collecting these forms in a timely manner.
3.) Scan and submit to your assigned folder
Forms can be submitted in individual or group PDF files to the "Consent and Assent Forms" folder found in your assigned folder.
To access your assigned folder, click the link below:
2020-21 Participants
After you have uploaded the files, the program researchers will update the columns in your spreadsheet to reflect whether or not each student has consented to participate.
Teachers are responsible for uploading the forms. Please upload all completed consent and assent forms, including those where the student and/or parent/guardian did not consent to participating or sharing data, to your folder.
Be sure to write your name and section on the consent form where it says INTERNAL USE ONLY.
Important Notes
Students cannot be excluded from the class or penalized because they do not consent to having their data shared. Students who do not complete the consent and/or assent form and those who do not have consent to participate will have all their data omitted from any and all final reports and dissemination.
Addressing Questions and Concerns
If students, parents/guardians, or administrators have concerns about the project, please do not hesitate to contact us at:
National Center for CS Education: csed@css.edu
Mobile CSP Program: mobilecsp@css.edu
CSAwesome: csawesome@css.edu
Collection Tips and Student Incentive Ideas
Recommendations for collecting the forms in a timely manner.
Summer Mailings and Email | If possible, mail or email consent and assent forms out to parents.
Class Reward | Offer the whole class a reward if students have their consent and assent forms completed by an assigned deadline. For example, if consent and assent forms are completed by the end of the week have a pizza party for your students or offer them a candy reward.
Raffle | Another way to motivate students to return consent and assent forms is to offer them a raffle prize. Those who complete the forms, including those that will not be participating, will have their name put into a raffle for a prize. We recommend a tiered raffle entry system:
Returned within 3 days: 3 raffle entries
Returned within a week: 2 raffle entries
Returned within two weeks: 1 raffle entry
Returned after two weeks: No raffle entries
Parent Teacher Conferences | If your school has Parent Teacher Conferences early in the beginning of the school year consider having parent(s)/guardian(s) complete the consent form at the meeting. Please note that this option, while convenient, may not be possible for all teachers as many Parent Teacher Conferences are not held until later in the year and not all parents may attend.
Information Session | Host an information session for your students and your students’ parent(s)/guardian(s). This will provide your students’ parent(s)/guardian(s) with an opportunity to learn about the class as well as how computer science will benefit their child. Be sure to invite your principal and counselors as well as utilize the recruitment resources that were sent to you. Also, remember to hand out consent forms and cover letters to have parent(s)/guardian(s) to complete and return before they leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I still issue the electronic assessment(s) or survey(s) to students who do not consent to participate?
A: Yes. We will remove the data of any student who has not consent to participate from any final reports.
Q: Can I penalize a student who does not participate in research or submit their form?
A: Absolutely not. Students and parent(s)/guardian(s) have a right to choose whether or not they would like to participate. You cannot penalize a student for not submitting a form. This also means that you cannot offer extra credit to students who return their forms.
Q: Does a student who is over the age of 18 need their parent/guardian to sign the consent form?
A: Any student over the age of 18 can sign the consent form (they do not need a parent/guardian signature). However, we would recommend that instructors encourage students to make parents/guardians aware of the research project.
Q: I've given several reminders to a student in my class but they still haven't returned their consent or assent form. Am I still eligible to participate in the research project?
A: Yes. As long as teachers make a good faith effort to collect all consent and assent forms they will not be disqualified from the research project if a few students are missing forms.
Q: At the beginning of the year one of my students consented to participate but now they no longer want their data shared. What do I do?
A: All students have a right to withdraw from the study at any time. If a student comes to you and states they no longer wish to participate, contact csed@css.edu immediately. We will work with you to have the student's information updated.
Q: One of my students dropped from my course. What do I do with their consent form?
A: Nothing. The programs will handle updating this student's information. If the student consented and only submitted one assignment, our project may still be interested in using their data. Do NOT delete dropped students from your folder/spreadsheet and do not delete dropped students consent or assent forms.
HARDCOPY DISTRIBUTION:
Q: What forms do I distribute to and collect from students?
A: Instructors need to hand out the consent form and assent form (2 documents per student). The Mobile CSP program includes an additional cover letter that parents are welcome to keep. Only the signed consent form and signed assent form need to be collected.
Q: Do students need to return both the assent and consent form?
A: Yes, a completed consent and assent form is a requirement of our IRB approval and research project. All students are expected to have both an assent and consent form on file. This includes students who are over the age of 18. The programs need both the assent and consent form on file for each individual to use their data. If only one form is returned we cannot use this individual's data.
Q: Do parent(s)/guardian(s) need to sign the assent form?
A: No, only students need to sign the assent form and only a parent/guardian signs the consent form.
Q: I have the consent forms on file but I do not have access to a scanner. Can I still participate? -or- I had the forms at the beginning of the year but lost them before I could upload them to my folder. Can my class's data still be used?
A: The program needs a copy of all assent and consent forms in our records to use data. If instructors do not upload or provide any consent forms to the project, we cannot use student data and the teacher may be unable to continue participating in the project. If you are having difficulty uploading the forms, please contact csed@css.edu and we will help you through the process.
Q: I had the forms at the beginning of the year but lost them before I could upload them to my folder. Can my class's data still be used?
A: If forms were lost or damaged before upload the instructor is responsible for issuing these to students to complete again.
Q: Some of my students did not consent to participate. Do I still need to upload their forms?
A: Yes. It's important that the programs have all completed consent and assent forms on file regardless of whether or not the individual will be participating.