Enacting a Critical Media Production Pedagogy

Appendix B: Study Consent Form

Primary Researcher:

J.D. Swerzenski, jswerzenski@umass.edu 

Faculty Sponsor:

Dr. Leda Cooks, lcooks@umass.edu 

Study Title:

Locating a Critical Media Production Pedagogy

  1. WHAT IS THIS FORM?

This form is called a Consent Form. It will give you information about the study so you can make an informed decision about participation in this research. We encourage you to take some time to think this over and ask questions now and at any other time. If you decide to participate, you will be asked to sign this form and you will be given a copy for your records.

  1. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE IMPORTANT ASPECTS OF THIS RESEARCH STUDY THAT I SHOULD BE AWARE OF?

This form is called a Consent Form. It will give you information about the study so you can make an informed decision regarding your participation. Your participation is fully voluntary. Further, it will not require you to divulge any personal information beyond your name and institutional affiliation. The data you provide through participation in these interviews will be used for the researcher’s dissertation project “Locating a Critical Media Production Pedagogy.” 

  1. WHY AM I DOING THIS RESEARCH STUDY?

The purpose of this research study is to better understand critical approaches to teaching media production, specifically courses taught in communication and media-related departments. Media production coursework such as video editing and image design is often approached as a technical process, more in line with professional skill building than critical goals. My intent is to speak with educators who practice a different approach to teaching production, one that looks to understand and challenge media norms rather than just reproduce them. Given the limited resources published available on this topic, this study works to collect the experiential knowledge of media production educators. Through interviews with educators as well as site visits to classes, the study hopes to establish a grounding for critical media production approaches, one that can serve future educators looking to bring media production practice and critical theories together. 

  1. WHO CAN PARTICIPATE IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY?

Participants in this study are instructors of media production, all of whom teach at the college level and who apply critical concepts in their teaching. No other demographic criteria were used to determine participants. 

  1. WHERE WILL THIS RESEARCH STUDY TAKE PLACE AND HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL PARTICIPATE?

Interviews for this study will be held remotely via video or audio call and will involve 25-30 total participants. 

  1. WHAT WILL I BE ASKED TO DO AND HOW MUCH TIME WILL IT TAKE?

If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to set up a time to speak with the researcher via video or audio call (Zoom, Skype, or Facetime). The interview is structured to last for 30-45 minutes, though it is requested that you set aside a full hour for your participation. The subject of the interview will focus on your experience as a production educator, including challenges you’ve faced in bringing critical concepts into technically-oriented coursework, institutional or professional pressures you’ve faced, and classroom experiences that have been formative in your growth/perspective as an educator. If you feel uncomfortable with any topic, please feel free to express these concerns before the interview. 

In using materials from these interviews in my research, I plan to use your name and institutional affiliations in order to give full credit to your ideas and experiences. No other personal information will be collected or published for this research. 

  1. WILL BEING IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY HELP ME IN ANY WAY? 

You may not directly benefit from this research; however, I hope that your participation in this study can help provide a valuable (and at present, largely unavailable) resource for bringing critical concepts into media production pedagogy. The cumulative experiences offered by other study participants may also provide valuable in your own teaching. 

  1. WHAT ARE MY RISKS OF BEING IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY? 

There are minimal risks associated with this research study; however, a risk of breach of confidentiality always exists and we have taken the steps to minimize this risk as outlined in section 9 below.

  1. HOW WILL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION BE PROTECTED? 

Your privacy and confidentiality are important to me. The following procedures will be used to protect the confidentiality of your study records. 

As noted earlier, it is my intention to provide your name and institutional affiliation in the finished study. This measure I believe is important in assigning full credit to the ideas and experiences expressed in the completed research, and to make visible a broader network of media production educators who are engaging with critical ideas in this practice. I will collect no other personal information from you as part of this study.

The recordings from our interviews will be saved on a secure hard drive accessible only to me. Transcripts of these conversations and any subsequent coding data will also be saved on this drive. Recordings will be deleted after the completion of this study. 

  1. WILL I BE GIVEN ANY MONEY OR OTHER COMPENSATION FOR BEING IN THIS RESEARCH STUDY? 

Payment or other compensation will not be given for your participation in this study. 

  1. WHO CAN I TALK TO IF I HAVE QUESTIONS?

Take as long as you like before you make a decision. We will be happy to answer any question 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 researcher by email at jswerzenski@umass.edu or Faculty Sponsor Dr. Leda Cooks at lcooks@umass.edu. 

Additionally, if you have any questions concerning your rights as a research subject, you may contact the University of Massachusetts Amherst Human Research Protection Office (HRPO) at (413) 545-3428 or humansubjects@ora.umass.edu.”

  1. WHAT HAPPENS IF I SAY YES, BUT I CHANGE MY MIND LATER?

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.

  1. SUBJECT STATEMENT OF VOLUNTARY CONSENT

When signing this form I am agreeing to voluntarily enter this study. I have had a chance to read this consent form, and it was explained to me in a language which I use. I have had the opportunity to ask questions and have received satisfactory answers. I have been informed that I can withdraw at any time. A copy of this signed Informed Consent Form has been given to me.

_______________________ __________________ _________

Participant Signature: Print Name: Date:

By signing below I indicate that the participant has read and, to the best of my knowledge, understands the details contained in this document and has been given a copy.

_______________________ ____________________ __________

Signature of Person Print Name: Date:

Obtaining Consent

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