Education Research By A Consulting Firm?

Maria D asks: "I am thinking of starting a small consulting and tutoring business in mathematics for children when I graduate with a Ph.D. I will also conduct parent and teacher workshops. As I do this, I would like to collect data for my research and, hopefully, publish it in peer-reviewed journals, present at conferences, etc. Now, the procedure for research is pretty straightforward if you are at a university. You do a human subject form, then you do your study, then you submit the articles mentioning your university affiliation at the appropriate place on the form. What if you are not affiliated with a university? How do you approach the whole human subject permission issue? Can you collect data at a workshop if you charge money for the workshop? Will the whole thing be easier if I get a university affiliation? How do I approach it if I do not want to work at a university full time?"

Re:Wow, a PhD.

[Maria D]

I think 2+2 is 1-obvious 2-of very limited use. I usually start with topics that can be loosely mapped into algebra, and go into even more fun stuff. Yesterday, we studied proportions with a couple of little girls - by making Barbie dresses :-)

Re:Wow, a PhD.

[cperciva]

To teach 2+2 to kids?

You're missing a level of indirection. 2+2 is easy. Teaching kids that 2+2=4 is easy. Working out the best way of teaching kids that 2+2=4 is not easy.

A graduate degree in education isn't about being good at teaching; it's about being able to explain to other people how to be good at teaching.

Re:Wow, a PhD.

[Maria D]

I would add, figuring out how to help all different kinds of kids learn, meaningfully, and in their own different styles, the meaning of addition, is a pretty interesting problem as well :-) Indirection adds whole new dimension to it...

Forms

[sigwinch]

That's just the university covering its ass. They want to make sure the study is politically correct, and that you get signed release forms from the subjects. It gives them plausible deniability. (Cue Dean of Education saying "Well, I have no memory of that incident." ;-)

For your purposes, just make sure to tell the subjects that participation is purely voluntary, and don't publicize personally-identifying information (or record it in the first place if you can help it).

It Depends

[jhunsake]

It's not always the just the university covering its ass. The federal government has many restrictions on subject data for certain areas. I deal with this constantly, as I administer computer systems that hold the date (psychological data, educational data, medical data, etc). There are very strict requirements, and violating those can incur a substantial penalty. I suggest instead of asking slashdot you consult with others that have done similar studies (at universities) and see certification from some higher authority (say at a university). That way, if it's wrong, it's their butts, not yours.

Semi-ontopic

[JohnFluxx]

Hi,
This isn't very ontopic, but I have also been looking at doing tutoring for children. I'm not interested in money from this (A rich parent would be able to afford a tutor anyway, I wanted to try to help out the other kids.) but I'm unsure where to start. I've asked around and tried various things, but no-one trusts anyone anymore around children in the UK. It is possible to do talks in a classroom, but the rules are very strict (fair enough), and I wouldn't be ready to face that many.

I would really like to do something, but don't know what. I used to help out in primary schools on the IT side, but even that I can't seem to do anymore, even with my experiance and references.

Re:Semi-ontopic

[zogger]

--volunteer at an abused woman's and children's shelter, and only do tutoring with other adults present. It's also a good place to haul over your old computer and donate it. I would imagine the officials there will run a background check on you first, but that is understandable.

Re:Semi-ontopic

[JohnFluxx]

I have a high security clearance anyway, so that shouldn't be a problem.

Re:Semi-ontopic

[Maria D]

Hi,
I found homeschoolers to be wonderfully receptive to this kind of thing. You may try to find a group of homeschoolers you like (there are different kinds, e.g. unschoolers, deeply religious groups, gifted children groups, etc.). I would charge money, though - it looks less suspicious plus it helps parents to remember to bring children to meetings, etc. I got in trouble when I tried to volunteer my time. People just do not take it seriously. Also, you can join an organization that is already helping children, such as a volunteer center at a large hospital where you can help little patients who stay there for long periods of time... Good luck!

Re:Semi-ontopic

[JohnFluxx]

Agreed about the charging money - I've often thought that. It's a shame that the only motive people trust these days is a drive for money ;)

Don't ask slashdot...

[cperciva]

Ask your supervisor. Unless I'm misreading the submission, you're a PhD student right now; your supervisor (and the university ethics committee) will be *far* more capable of answering this question than anyone on slashdot.

Personally, I'd just get parents to sign the same sort of forms as you'd have them sign right now (saying that they give permission for you to record proceedings, that they give permission for you to publish your research after removing any details which would identify the participants, and saying that they can withdraw at any point); but I'm sure your university can give you a much more detailed answer than this.

Re:Don't ask slashdot...

[Maria D]

I have... She never did research in our field outside of universities and does not know anyone, personally, who did. That tells me something profound about life, but I can't figure out what, exactly ;-) I need to ask the committee though, thanks!

IRB

[drDugan]

Outside the context of (1) a corporate structure of a university and (2) federal funding... there are not legal requirements for IRB review that I have ever known. Companies do user studies all the time without oversight.

Once you cross either of the lines above, then you would to determine the rules from the university and your funding source.

You do open yourself up to liability, like everything in this world. If I were in your shoes, I would use a standard consent form like those used in human subjects research. These forms typically inform the person that theywill be partofa study, the aims and methods of the study and what about that person and their actions will be made publically available. By doing this, you have 2 results -- no one can reasonable expect to win if they sue you over "You didn't tell me" and when someone sues you over "I never let you use me" you will have a firm standing because you have their consent. It is also honest.

| ...all just my opinions. good luck. where in the country are you doing this?

Re:IRB

[Maria D]

Thank you. I am in the Research Triangle, NC.

This has been on my mind too

[jago25_98]

I actually daydreamed of a whole school where things are taught via visuals/creatives rather than via the word.

I've found there's a lot on the subject, that is, a lot of infomation out there about the psychology of learning difficulties, why education is taking so long to adapt to the change from word to visual thinking.

Can we all swap emails so we can continue to discuss this as time goes on, possibly via a website or similar?

For me I hate education. In fact I still do; I'm at University. They just don't seem to want to teach anything than any other method than by the Word so I have to do 10 time the work of all my peers.

Before I started Uni` I tried out quite a few short run courses - JuJitsu, PositiveThinking, Canoeing, Rock Climbing. From this I've seen a good new method of teaching; one that works best by encouraging and inspiring the pupil to teching themselves BY DOING.
Then, when I go to Uni' they simply tell me to READ!! What do I pay them for!? They don't seem to be doing their job. I expected an intense and enjoyable environment where I would be surrounded by intelligent people relaxed with the subject and happy to chat about it. I expected lectures to be one part of a teaching strategy.
Instead I'm surrounded by skater tree huggers and expected to supplement 3 hours a day lectures with 5 hours reading. The highlight of the lecture series is to be shown a video! This is an internationally recognised university!

I admit I was ignorant before choosing University. But I was sucked in - sucked in my a school wanting to get up a league table (points guarenteed if straight to Uni), sucked in by the allure of Uni culture (ok, it has been a laugh worth 4 years of my life and £14,000), and suckered by a society that offers no alternative to study by books, aka study by literature rather than doing.

Uou can't run from it - you may be brilliant but nearly all education is done via books and wordy courses; modern apprenticeships are left for only the more common jobs like electrition or plumber. I can't get an apprentership as a Geophysist or Chartered Surveyor so want do I do?

and Programming isn't about writing essays!

Anger. I can't let this continue, I have to change this for the kids going through exactly the same thing I did. And the number of people with `learning difficulties` is increasing. The education system is just a bit static. I want to show them how it's done.

If you do too, get in touch.

([e-mail]) (yup, spammail account)

Re:This has been on my mind too

[Maria D]

I have been working on developing, hopefully, more sensible ways of learning, and helping people to learn. There are alternatives out there in the society, but they are few and far between, thus you have to search for them - or your chances of just happening onto one are slim :-) My e-mail is [e-mail]

Harvard's Project Zero a good starting point

[fruscica]

Project Zero [pz.harvard.eduweb] is an educational research group at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Among the Principal Investigators is Howard Gardner, who you may know for his theory of multiple intelligences. His 1999 book, The Disciplined Mind, makes recommendations for improving curriculum design that are wholly consistent with your inclinations toward creating compelling 'entry points' to math concepts, in keeping with each student's learning style.

His recommendations derive from the ongoing work at Project Zero.

Enjoy, and best of luck.

using a generic form

[ckolar]

Your best bet would be to comply with the human subjects regulations of your old institution and get the parents to sign off on a generic human subjects form. I've been involved in work similar to what you mention (music education with kids outside of an academic/research institution) and that is how it is handled. If in doubt, I am sure that you could post to some more research oriented USENET groups or mail lists and solicit advice on the specifics of the work that you are trying to do. --chris