Description of the Evaluation of Rendezvous Participation and Implications of Consent

As a participant in the Earth Educators' Rendezvous, you are being asked to take part in an evaluation conducted by the Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College. We received funding from the National Science Foundation for the Rendezvous (DUE #1125331,#0127310, #0127141, #0127257, and #0127018) through the InTeGrate and Cutting Edge Programs for Improved Undergraduate Education. On the Cutting Edge is managed by National Association of Geoscience Teachers.

The community-based project design of both InTeGrate and On the Cutting Edge depends on successful collaboration among faculty who are dispersed by geography and institution type. The Rendezvous evaluation will assess the effectiveness of the event program, related communications, web resources and other materials in fostering an inclusive community-approach. The evaluation will also examine to what extent the Rendezvous and related communications and resources are extending the goals of the InTeGrate and On the Cutting Edge projects.

If you consent for your evaluation to be included in our study, we will analyze the information you submit in the registration forms, as well as the materials you submit as part of the Rendezvous and any follow-on activities (e.g. evaluation forms, follow-up surveys). You may also be asked to participate in an interview (face-to-face or telephone). We may also conduct the interviews via telephone two to six months after the Rendezvous. If you do not wish to be audio recorded, do not participate in this part of the study.

These data will be incorporated into our findings in aggregate. Presentation of the material will be confined to project work groups, professional publications, and conferences. When individual quotes are used to illustrate important points, your name will not be identified. There are no foreseeable risks resulting from your participation. Your participation in this event is voluntary and you may leave at any time.

If you have questions about this evaluation, please contact Ellen Iverson, email: eiverson@carleton.edu.

The chair of the Institutional Review Board, Daniel Groll, can be reached at
Carleton College
Northfield, MN 55057
Phone: (507) 222-4219
email: at dgroll at carleton.edu