Focus Group Participation Request: An Examination of the Relationship Between Internet Connectivity, Smartphone Use, and Rural, K-12 Online Education in the United States
To NREA members:
I am writing to request your participation in my dissertation research (Boise State Approved IRB Protocol Number: 101-SB23-070) that I am conducting on how rural schools are currently using online education, and the relationship between smartphones, Internet access, and online education in rural schools. I am seeking volunteers who currently work in rural K-12 settings to participate in a focus group on this topic. It is my intention that through this study, the following questions will be answered:
How are rural K-12 schools currently using online education?
What is the relationship between Internet connectivity, smartphone use and online education use in rural schools?
Your participation would include participation in one of at least two 45-60-minute focus group over Zoom (with possible follow-up questions). The focus groups will consist of 3 – 6 members and will be recorded and transcribed and analyzed for codes, which will allow me to develop questions to be used on a survey instrument for national distribution. I will ask that you verify the codes and themes after the focus group via email, which should take fewer than five minutes, as well as participate in completing the pilot study of the survey, which should take fewer than 10 minutes. If you agree to participate, please reply to ariellehoran@u.boisestate.edu indicating your intentions. I aim to get broad geographic representation in these groups, so if I have too many responses from one region, I may save your contact information for a wait list.
I will follow up with respondents to select a date/time and ask you to complete an informed consent form. As a thank you for your time, participants who attend the focus group will receive a $25 Amazon gift card via email for their time and contributions.
Thank you in advance for your consideration of this proposal and I hope to hear from you soon. If you have any questions or concerns about your participation in this study, you should first contact the principal investigator at hsu@boisestate.edu or (208) 426-2117.
If you have questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the Boise State University Institutional Review Board (IRB), which is concerned with the protection of volunteers in research projects. You may reach the board office between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday, by calling (208) 426-5401 or by writing: Institutional Review Board, Office of Research Compliance, Boise State University, 1910 University Dr., Boise, ID 83725-1138.
If you are interested in participating, please contact me at ariellehoran@u.boisestate.edu
Sincerely,
Arielle Horan
Doctoral Candidate, Boise State University