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Consent Letter

Project title: Understanding the Legal Literacy of Principals in Manitoba

Principal Investigator:  Timothy Breen, Doctoral Candidate, Education, University of Manitoba, 220-0570 (telephone), umbreent@myumanitoba.ca

Research Supervisor:  Dr. Robert Mizzi, Associate Professor, University of Manitoba.

Introduction

This consent form, a copy of which will be left with you for your records and reference, is only part of the process of informed consent. It should give you a basic idea of what the research is about and what your participation will involve. If you would like more details about something mentioned here, or information not included here, you should feel free to ask. Please take the time to read this carefully and to understand any accompanying information.

Survey Description

You are being invited to participate in a survey by the principal investigator (Tim Breen) regarding your knowledge of your legal obligations. This research is being conducted by me, Tim Breen to complete my thesis as part of the requirements for a Doctor of Philisophy in Education.  This research is being done under the supervision of my doctoral advisor, Dr. Robert Mizzi, as well as my committee members, Dr. Donn Short, Dr. Cameron Hauseman and Dr. Ee-Seul Yoon at the University of Manitoba. The primary goal of this research project is to understand what principals know about their legal obligations related to their work. Further, this study hopes to better the factors that may contribute to this understanding. This survey is the initial part of this study and will ask questions about your background as a principal as well as present 25 vignettes with True, False or Unsure answers. These answers will be used to help develop questions for a follow-up interview should you be willing to participate. The survey will give you the opportunity to self-identify as a participant in this study, should you choose so.

If you are willing to participate, I will be interested in your personal background, your experiences as a principal, why you answered the survey questions in the way you have, where you go for information about your legal obligations, and about your own professional development and learnings.

This survey is presented using the American website “Survey Monkey”. As such, responses are subject to American laws. Risks associated with participation are minimal and are similar to those associated with many email and social media websites such as Hotmail and Facebook.

Use of Data

At the end of the project, I will be defending this dissertation to my committee as well as any other observers who come to the defense. In addition, I may wish to present the findings in another context such as the University of Manitoba graduate symposium or any other conference where the material is relevant. I may also use the data in my dissertation to publish in relevant journals. In all cases I will do so without revealing identifying characteristics such as names, addresses, and specific employment details. 

Should you opt-in to receive a summary of the findings, one will be provided to participants in the survey.
Confidentiality

The only people who will have access to information collected in the project are my research supervisor and myself. My research supervisor will have access to all data in this study. All information will be kept strictly confidential. All survey data will be held on the Survey Monkey servers until such a time as the survey is closed. At this point the data will be downloaded from the Survey Monkey servers and stored in an encrypted folder on the University of Manitoba Servers. Survey data will be kept until 2030 while data containing personal identifiers will be destroyed immediately after the completion of my Doctoral dissertation, in July 2025. Electronic files shall be securely deleted using the department of defense deletion standards. All data with identifiers will be securely destroyed upon the successful completion of my dissertation in July 2025 while the anonymous survey data will be kept until 2030.

Withdrawal

Should you wish to withdraw from participating in the survey, you can email me at umbreent@myumanitoba.ca. The deadline to withdraw from this survey is January 2025.

Risk

There is a minimal risk in participating in this study. There is no more risk involved in participating in this interview for this study than would be encountered in any other typical conversation you might have with a colleague in your everyday professional life.

Acceptance

Your acceptance indicates that you have understood to your satisfaction the information regarding participation in the research project and agree to participate as a subject. In no way does this waive your legal rights nor release the researchers, sponsors, or involved institutions from their legal and professional responsibilities. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, and /or refrain from answering any questions you prefer to omit, without prejudice or consequence.

Your continued participation should be as informed as your initial consent, so you should feel free to ask for clarification or new information throughout your participation.

The University of Manitoba may look at your research records to see that the research is being done in a safe and proper way.

Contacts

This research has been approved by the Research Ethics Board at the University of Manitoba, Fort Garry campus. If you have any concerns or complaints about this project, you may contact any of the above-named persons or the Human Ethics Officer at 204-474-7122 or HumanEthics@umanitoba.ca. A copy of this consent form has been given to you to keep for your records and reference.

A copy of this consent form can be downloaded from this survey and if you choose to participate in a follow-up interview will be sent and reviewed again prior to the interview.

This research is being performed under the supervision of Dr. Robert Mizzi who can be contacted by email at Robert.mizzi@myumanitoba.ca.

If you agree to participate in the survey, please indicate your consent by checking the appropriate box below.

Question Title

* 1. If you agree to participate in the survey, please indicate your consent by checking the appropriate box below.

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