Dear geoscience student,

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You are invited to participate in a PhD research project, which aims to map out geoscience students' and professionals' diverse understandings and experiences of geoethics. Students in British Columbia are invited to participate in an online survey, to share your experiences and perceptions of professional, social, and Earth ethics through your education.

 

PURPOSE

I am a doctoral candidate in the Faculty of Education at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and have also been working as a geoscience instructor for many years at a university in British Columbia. I am investigating how university education prepares geoscientists to understand and practice geoethics in their work. This research combines surveys of university students with interviews of geoscience professionals to map out how geoethics is experienced in undergraduate education.

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WHAT IS REQUESTED OF YOU AS A PARTICIPANT?

Your participation would involve approximately 15 minutes completing an online survey.

 

WHAT INFORMATION WILL BE COLLECTED?

You are receiving this invitation because you are a geoscience student at a British Columbia university, and likely to pursue a career as a geoscientist. You will be asked several demographic questions, and questions about any employment experience in geoscience. You will be asked to respond to questions about your personal values, your sense of the importance of ethical issues for geoscientists, and your experiences of geoethics in your undergraduate education.

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HOW WILL YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY BE MAINTAINED? 

This survey is anonymous, and data will not be connected to any personal or identifying information, unless you choose to share your email address to be entered into the draw for the cash incentives. Emails will be separated from survey data, so they will not be associated with particular responses. I will have access to survey data, along with my doctoral supervisor, Dr. Paul Berger. All data from the survey will be encrypted and stored securely on a password protected computer at Lakehead University for seven years.

 

WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS AS A PARTICIPANT?

Taking part in this study is voluntary. Before you decide to complete the survey, please read this letter carefully to understand what is involved. As this is an online survey, you will not receive a cover letter or be asked to sign a consent form. If you consent to respond to the survey, you may decide not to answer any question, and you can withdraw from the survey at any time without penalty. Your answers to the questions will not be sent until you hit “submit” at the end of the online survey. Once you have submitted your responses, it will not be possible to withdraw your data from the study. After you have read through this letter, please use the contact information below to ask any questions you may have.

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WHAT ARE THE RISKS AND BENEFITS?

There are no known risks associated with your participation. If you choose to share your email address you will be entered to win one of two $100 cash incentives, which will be randomly drawn from participants. Your email address will not be associated with your survey responses. The information you provide may contribute to improvements in undergraduate geoscience education.

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WHAT WILL YOUR DATA BE USED FOR?

Research results will be shared in various forms, including a doctoral dissertation (Lakehead University), at conferences, and published in academic writing. Survey data or interpretations may be integrated into works of research art that could be publicly displayed. Participants can receive a copy of the research results and any publications by contacting me using the information below.

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RESEARCHER CONTACT INFORMATION

 

This research is being conducted by:

Sandra Johnstone, M.Sc.

PhD candidate, Faculty of Education

Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay ON, P7B 5E1

email: johnstones@lakeheadu.ca;   phone : (250) 591-3940

 

Under the supervision of :

Dr. Paul Berger

Associate professor, Faculty of Education

Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay ON, P7B 5E1

email: rpberger@lakeheadu.ca; phone: (807) 343-8010 ext. 8708    

 

Thank you for considering participating in this research. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

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RESEARCH ETHICS BOARD REVIEW AND APPROVAL

This research study has been reviewed and approved by the Lakehead University Research Ethics Board. If you have any questions related to the ethics of the research and would like to speak to someone outside of the research team, please contact Sue Wright at the Research Ethics Board at 807-343-8010 ext. 8283 or research@lakeheadu.ca.

 

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE

I have read and agree to the above information and by completing and submitting this survey, agree to participate.