Research procedures

Any faculty member or student sponsored by a faculty member who wishes to use a research population in the Child Development Laboratory School (CDLS) should follow the procedures listed below.

Pre-review by the CDLS

  1. Read the description of research procedures covered by the general consent outlined on the general consent form. If your study falls within these parameters then you will not need to obtain individual written consent from the parents. If they do not, then individual consent will be required. Whether or not they fall within the procedures parents have consented to will be determined during pre-review.
  2. Complete the Request for Research Population (RFRP) form 
  3. If your study will involve observations, review the Observation Procedures.
  4. Return the completed RFRP form to the Director of Teaching & Research, Marie Lister at list0019@umn.edu.  The CDLS Administrative Team will review the RFRP, and a decision will be shared within two weeks.

Complete your IRB application

Once you have been notified of the results of the pre-review, complete your IRB application.  Include in your application the following forms to facilitate IRB approval.

  1. Letter from CDLS agreeing to participate and indicated the level of consent required. You will have received this letter with your notification of approval following your pre-review.   
  2. CDLS form Description of Research Procedures for Child Development Laboratory School.
  3. Copy of most current copy of the Parental Research Consent form.

Finalized approval and coordination with CDLS

  1. Submit information on IRB approval to the CDLS Director of Teaching & Research, Marie Lister at list0019@umn.edu and arrange a meeting to review the research protocol and get any help needed to ensure children will want to participate in the study.
  2. Download Steps for Conducting Research in the CDLS.
  3. Each member of the research team that will be in the classroom or will have direct contact with children (this does not include individuals who will only be observing from the booths or one way mirrors) must contact the Director of Operations, Sarah McKee at eydam001@umn.edu to schedule a Department of Human Services (DHS) background study at least 10 days prior to their being in the classroom/contact with children. Payments must be made paid for by the individual or department via credit/debit card; your laboratory or departmental purchasing card can be used for this purpose. Note that ICD seed funds may cover these costs for ICD student research (contact the research committee).
  4. Each member of the research team that will be in the classroom or will have direct contact with children (this does not include individuals who will only be observing from the booths or one way mirrors) must complete a mandated reporter training. The free training takes about 45 minutes, and can be found here: mandated reporter training. Please select the course on the left,“Mandated Reporter Training” and send a certificate of completion to the Director of Teaching and Research when you have completed the training.
  5. Once step “3 and 4” are completed and the start of data collection is determined in consultation with the CDLS Director of Teaching & Research, the approved RFRP and parent letter will be distributed to all families whose children may be part of the research pool.
  6. Create a digital flier 8.5 x 11 with the name of the Principal Investigator or sponsoring faculty member and names and photos of all members of the research team who will be collecting data at the CDLS.  Submit the poster to the CDLS Director of Teaching & Research.  This flier will be posted on the parent bulletin board along with a copy of the approved RFRP.

Progress reports and study completion

  1. Researchers are required to keep the CDLS appraised of the progress of their study.  If the only participants are CDLS children, a copy of the annual report to the IRB will suffice.  If the CDLS children are a subset of the children in the project, supply the annual report to the IRB plus additional information on CDLS children’s participation. 
  2. Researchers are required to report the CDLS Director of Teaching & Research any adverse events occurring as part of the project and to supply a copy of the information sent to the IRB plus any communication from the IRB regarding the incident.
  3. Researchers are required to inform the CDLS when data collection on the project is completed.
  4. Researchers are required to supply a general description of the findings of the study to be sent to the parents. The information may also be used by the CDLS in its reports to the IRB and in its newsletters to parents and staff.
  5. Although not a requirement, the researchers are strongly encouraged to arrange to meet with the parents and/or staff to report on the results of the study.

Questions

If you have a question about our research procedures, please contact the CDLS Director by clicking the button below.

Get in touch