The College of
WILLIAM & MARY
School of Education
P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
757-221-2461, 757-221-2988 fax
Did you ever wonder what gifted students need from their schools these days? Did you ever wonder what we could do to make school a more challenging place for gifted students? A group of high school students told researchers at the College of William and Mary and Samford University what they wanted from their teachers: challenge, a chance to explore their interests, and teachers who care about them. From that panel of students, we have been inspired to conduct a study that gives gifted students a voice. We hope to make their school experience more challenging and rewarding. If you give your consent, your son/daughter will complete a short survey and/or interview that will allow researchers to understand what their school experience is like in order to improve it. Please feel free to access the online survey and blog to help you make your decision.
We hope you will consider participating in the In Their Own Words: To Be Gifted in School study. Any information collected during this project will be used for research purposes only and will remain anonymous. If you give your consent, please have your son/daughter complete the following steps:
· Add a new, secure Gmail account for use as an ID for the survey and the online blog at (https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=mail&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fe-11-1102b837fc48f8c83203e22f1e8af218-ed2703413730bc31b5e438bec6e61a08bfe57cea&type=2).
· When they sign-up for their new account, they should NOT complete a profile of themselves. This will assure that the students may remain anonymous in completing the online survey and participating in the online blog. The online survey has extra protection built in that will not allow us to trace your e-mail account.
· Access the online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=KEKS80OLAymn_2bjbtIB7x9A_3d_3d
· When students access the online survey, they will be asked to type in their Gmail account stating that they give their assent for participation. Students will not be allowed to proceed to the survey items if they do not sign in using a Gmail address.
· When students have completed the online survey, they will be prompted to indicate their willingness to participate in an online blog. If they agree, students will then be invited to one of the blogs:
· For grades 4-6: http://ctsgiftedblog.blogspot.com/
· For grades 7-12: (http://giftedinschool.blogspot.com/)
· Students will use their new, secure Gmail accounts to access the blog.
· Researchers will conduct weekly online web interviews with blog participants throughout the time of the study. Students will be informed that everything they post will be used for research purposes only and that they may quit at any time.
You are under no obligation to participate in this study, and either you or your student may stop at any time and researchers will not collect any more data from your student. The benefits of participation include the opportunity for you to have a voice in future educational opportunities for gifted learners. Participation in this survey research study involves no known risks. Please keep this letter and a copy of the consent form (next page) for your files.
We appreciate your willingness to help! If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the researchers, Dr. Carol Tieso or Dr. Patti Wood.
Carol L. Tieso, Ph.D. Patricia F. Wood, Ph.D.
Gifted Education Gifted Education
311 Jones Hall Samford University
P.O. Box 8795 800 Lakeshore Drive
Williamsburg, VA 23187 Birmingham, Alabama 35229
Phone (757)221-2461 Phone (205)726-4287
E-mail: E-mail:
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Invitation to Parents: Form for Participation in a Research Study (Survey & Blog)
Principal Investigators: Carol Tieso, Ph.D., The College of William and Mary; Patricia F. Wood, Ph.D., Samford University
Study Title: In Their Own Words: To Be Gifted in School
1. Invitation to Participate in a Research Study
You are invited to participate in this research study concerning the attitudes, opinions, and needs of gifted students in school.
2. Purpose of the Research Study: The purpose of this study is to find out what influences gifted students’ attitudes about and success in school.
3. Description of Procedures: Participation in this study includes completing an online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=KEKS80OLAymn_2bjbtIB7x9A_3d_3d
and voluntary follow-up interviews via private blogs located at
· For gifted students in grades 4-6: http://ctsgiftedblog.blogspot.com/
· For gifted students in grades 7-12: (http://giftedinschool.blogspot.com/)
and should take a total of approximately 45-60 minutes. Only those who are invited will have access to this private blog to protect the identity and responses of our participants.
4. Risks and Inconveniences
There are no anticipated risks to participation. The only inconvenience is the time that you spend completing the survey and participating in the interview.
5. Benefits
The primary benefit is the opportunity to contribute to research about the attitudes and opinions of gifted students and to assist educators in addressing their special learning and social-emotional needs.
6. Confidentiality/Anonymity
All survey and interview data will be anonymous; no one will know who you are unless you want us to know you. Students will be invited to add a new, secure Gmail account for use as an ID for the survey and the online blog at (https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?service=mail&continue=http%3A%2F%2Fmail.google.com%2Fmail%2Fe-11-1102b837fc48f8c83203e22f1e8af218-ed2703413730bc31b5e438bec6e61a08bfe57cea&type=2). When they sign-up for their new account, they should NOT complete a profile of themselves. This will assure that the students may remain anonymous in the online blog. The online survey has extra protection built in that will not allow us to trace your e-mail account. The interview transcripts that the researchers collect from the blogs will be kept in a locked file cabinet until the study is concluded. This is done to protect your privacy and to ensure the anonymity of your responses. You should also know that The College of William and Mary Institutional Review Board (IRB) may inspect study records, but these reviews will only focus on the researchers and not on your responses or involvement. The IRB is a group of people that reviews research studies to make sure they are safe for participants.
7. Voluntary Participation
You do not have to be in this study if you do not want to. If you agree to be in the study, but later change your mind, you may drop out at any time. There are no penalties or consequences of any kind if you decide that you do not want to participate.
8. Do You Have Any Questions?
Take as long as you like before you make a decision. We will be happy to answer any questions you have about this study. If you have further questions about this project or if you have a research-related problem, you may contact the principal investigators, Carol Tieso at 757-221-2461 (email: ) or Patricia Wood () or the IRB representative, Thomas J. Ward ().
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