AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE ON THE USE OF JOURNALING TO PROMOTE SOCIAL WORK STUDENT'S TRANSFORMATIVE LEARNING AND RESILIENCE DURING COVID-19

INFORMED CONSENT

Thank you for participating in our survey. Please take your time to read the form below before you proceed to take the approximately ten minute survey

TITLE: An international perspective on the use of journaling to promote social work student’s transformative learning and resilience during COVID-19

INVESTIGATORS:
Beth Archer-Kuhn, PhD    University of Calgary 403-220-5425 (Co-Investigator)
Michael Wallengren-Lynch, PhD    University of Malmö, Sweden (Primary Investigator)
Marta Blanco Carrasco, PhD Complutense University of Madrid, Spain (Co-Investigator)
Einav Segev, PhD       Sapir College, Israel (Co-Investigator)
Nishi Mitra vom Berg, PhD   Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, India (Co-Investigator)
Henglien Lisa Chen, PhD, University of Sussex, U.K (Co-Investigator)
Tara Earls Larrison, PhD, University of Illinois (Co-Investigator)
Rose Parkes, PhD, University College Jersey (co- Investigator)

The information in this consent form should give you a basic understanding of the aims of the project and what your participation will entail. We ask that you take the time to read through the information carefully. If you have any further questions about information not included here or want to know more about something we have mentioned, we encourage you to ask. You will receive a copy of this form.

BACKGROUND

Michael Wallengren-Lynch along with a team of international scholars noted above are conducting research about sustainable pedagogies in social work education. You are invited to participate in this mixed methods research project.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE STUDY?

This research aims to understand student’s experiences of using reflective journaling during a social work term as a part of an online and/or blended learning approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our project will explore student perceptions of journaling as a teaching and learning strategy that facilitates (or not) transformative learning and the ways in which journaling can help to integrate student’s current life experiences with that of their social work education. The sample will consist of social work students from seven countries: Canada, India, Israel, Spain, Sweden, U.K. and U.S.A.

WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO DO?

You are invited to complete an on-line survey. The first section asks some brief demographic information, the second section asks questions on a likert scale about your experiences of transformational learning during this semester and the third section asks you to reflect on questions about the journaling activity that you participated in during this semester.

At the end of the survey, you will be asked if you want to participate in phase 2 of the study, a focus group. This too is voluntary. If you choose to participate in phase 2, you will be asked to leave your name and contact information for a research assistant to contact you. There will be a separate informed consent form for phase 2.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS?

The completion of the questionnaire is not of the nature expected to produce cognitive, emotional or psychological difficulty. Participation is voluntary and there are no possibilities for socioeconomic ramifications. Neither the principal investigator nor co-principal investigators are not in a position of influence over you.

WILL I BENEFIT IF I TAKE PART?

You will have the opportunity to share your experiences and opinions about the journaling (Bok) activity and how it supported (or did not) your learning journey of emerging social worker. Your participation will help to inform social work education for future students. Should you chose to participate in the second phase; focus group, then you would have opportunities of meeting students from other countries.

DO I HAVE TO PARTICIPATE?

Participation in this study is voluntary and confidential. You can withdraw from the study by simply not completing the survey. If you do not complete the survey, none of your data will be included in the study. Should you choose to complete the survey, your data will be reported on in summary form that is non-identifying. You are not required to leave your name on the survey to ensure that your responses cannot be linked to you. Students can chose to participate in part 1 only (the survey) and are not obliged to participate in part 2( the focus group).

WILL I BE PAID FOR PARTICIPATING, OR DO I HAVE TO PAY FOR ANYTHING?

There is no cost to you for participating in the study.

WILL MY RECORDS BE KEPT PRIVATE?

Should you choose to provide your first and last name and e-mail at the end of the survey it will be kept by the research assistant to be able to contact you once a date for the focus group has been arranged and also to provide you with a copy of the findings once the study data has been analyzed and a summary of the report written. Your private information will be kept in a locked

cabinet in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary and this information will be destroyed once you have been sent via e-mail, a summary of the study findings.

Should you choose to participate in phase 2 of the study, the focus groups will be zoom recorded and the zoom recording will be deleted once the transcription has been verified one week following the interview. The transcripts contain non-identifying information and will be retained indefinitely for research and teaching purposes.

SIGNATURES

You are not required to place your signature on this form so that you may remain anonymous. Instead, clicking “Yes” below indicates that you have understood to your satisfaction the information provided regarding your participation in the research project and agree to participate. In no way does this waive your legal rights nor release the investigators or involved institutions from their legal and professional responsibilities. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time. If you have further questions concerning your rights as a possible participant in this research, please contact:

Dr. Beth Archer-Kuhn (403) 220-5425

If you have any questions concerning your rights as a possible participant in this research, please contact the Research Ethics Analyst, Research Services, University of Calgary at (403) 220-4283 or (403) 220-6289 ; e-mail cfreb@ucalgary.ca.

By clicking below, I have read and agree to the following statements:
1.     My participation in the study is entirely voluntary.
2.     I may discontinue my participation at any time without any adverse consequence.
3.     My responses will be kept confidential within the limits of the law and should I participate in phase 2 of the study, while anonymity is not possible during the data collection and analysis stages, a code will be used instead of my name (ie. P001, P002) and a pseudonym will be used for anonymity for the purposes of using quotes from the transcripts during dissemination of the results.
4.     I understand that there is no recording of the on-line survey for phase one, however, in phase two the focus group is being recorded, the audio recordings are confidential and that they will be destroyed after they have been transcribed and verified.
5.     I have the freedom not to answer any question included in the research.
6.     I may have a copy of the consent form to keep.

The University of Calgary Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board, the University of Malmö, Complutense University, Sapir College, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, University of Sussex, and the University of Illinois, University college Jersey Research Ethics Board have approved this research study.

Question Title

* 1. By clicking yes, you consent that you have read the above document and are willing to answer the questions in this survey

Yes