Process - Brief Overview
Each year, the District School Board of Niagara (DSBN) receives requests from individuals, agencies and institutions to conduct research involving its staff and students. While the DSBN recognizes the benefit of research, it must be balanced with a commitment to educational benefit, relevance, confidentiality, privacy, reflection of the priorities outlined in the DSBN Strategic Plan and have minimal interference with the regular program.
Research Proposal Submission
To conduct research in DSBN, prior approval must be obtained through the Educational Research Committee.
Researchers must submit either the form entitled "Application for Permission to Conduct a Research Study in the District School Board of Niagara Schools" or “Request for Approval of a Revision or Modification to an Ongoing Application to Conduct Research” to the Educational Research Committee via the Research Recording Secretary Melinda.Stewart@dsbn.org. Details may be found in the Forms tab.
The Committee will meet up to four times a year to consider a maximum of four research requests per meeting on a first come, first served basis. Submission deadlines may be found in the Dates & Meetings tab.
APPROVAL PROCESS
1. Applications must be submitted to Melinda.Stewart@dsbn.org who will acknowledge, by email, receipt of the application.
2. Applications will be reviewed by the members of the Educational Research Committee using the criteria set out below:
a) benefit education in the DSBN and/or the community at large
b) research designed to be minimally disruptive for staff and students
c) voluntary participation requiring active, informed written consent (see Appendix C)
d) personal and confidential information must be collected in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Personal Health Information Protection Act, 2004, the Ontario Human Rights Code. This means that the confidentiality of individual participants and class/school names and the name of the school board must be assured.
e) researcher(s) must agree to sign a Research Agreement which includes a data sharing agreement
f) researcher(s) must show a current criminal record check document to the school Administrators at schools where research is being conducted
g) research design aligns with values in the DSBN Strategic Plan
3. After reviewing the research proposals, the Educational Research Committee will make one of the following recommendations: Approval, approval with specific conditions which must be met prior to the beginning of research, deferral to the next meeting, or denial. Only approved proposals will be brought to Senior Team for discussion.
4. The decision will be communicated to the applicant via email by the Research Recording Secretary. The decision of the Educational Research Committee is final.
School Participation
Approved research is communicated to school administrators who manage participation and consent methods. School, staff and student participation is voluntary.
Modifications to Approved Research
Requests for extensions to timelines to conduct research in our schools are to be directed to the Research Recording Secretary for the Educational Research Committee. In the event of any modifications or revisions to the original research project, or a requirement that significant specific conditions must be met the researcher must complete the "Request for Approval of a Revision or Modification to an Ongoing Application to Conduct Research" form and submit it to the Research Recording Secretary.