This Web page is to request your agreement to participate as a subject in the research project, Watershed Explorations with Immersive Virtual Reality conducted by Dr. Alec Bodzin at Lehigh University. The purpose of the study is to investigate how learning about the Lehigh River watershed using immersive virtual reality with gaming features and local contexts may be related to user engagement and broader understandings of the watershed.  Participants must be located within the USA at the time they take part in the study.

 

When your child starts the game, we will ask them to tell us their gender, age, and ethnicity.  We will then ask them to tell us what environmental issues they know about in the Lehigh River watershed and then give them an interactive map labeling task.  They will then play the game.  After the game we will ask them again to tell us what environmental issues they know about in the Lehigh River watershed and to complete the interactive map labeling task again.  Next, we will ask them to complete a brief survey about their experience while playing the game.  The survey items focus on engagement and learning with the game.

 

Your child's participation in the study will involve will involve 50-60 minutes to complete the game and survey items.

 

The possible risks associated with this study are any typical anxiety you might feel when you complete a survey. The possible benefits to your child’s participation in this study are increasing their knowledge about the environmental and historical significance of specific areas in the Lehigh River watershed.

 

No information that can identify your child personally, such as their name, will be collected.  Other researchers could request the non-identifiable data after our study concludes.

 

Your decision whether or not to participate is voluntary.  You are free to withdraw your child from this study at any time. Your child may skip any question that they are not comfortable answering. 

 

If you have any questions about this study and what is expected of you in this study, you may call Dr. Alec Bodzin at 610 758-5095.

 

You may report problems that may result from your participation or direct questions in regard to your rights as a subject in this study to Lehigh University’s Office of Research Integrity at (610) 758-2871 or inirb@lehigh.edu.

 

To confirm that you have read and understand the information above, and to consent for your child to participate in the study, please click the link on the link below to play the game.