The research study is being carried out by the following researchers:

Chief Investigator:

Stephanie Dowdell, UNSW Sydney

Co-Investigator/s:

Professor Nicholas Hawkins, University of Queensland

Professor Gary Velan, UNSW Sydney

Dr Peter Johnson, James Cook University

Dr Kristine Elliott, University of Melbourne

Dr Lucy Webster, Charles Sturt University

Dr Vanessa Hughes, University of Sydney

Dr Nalini Pather, UNSW Sydney

Mr Patrick de Permentier, UNSW Sydney

Dr Claire Aland, University of Queensland

Professor Nicodemus Tedla, UNSW Sydney

Dr Belinda Ferrari, UNSW Sydney

Dr Justine Gibson, University of Queensland

Dr Helen Owen , University of Queensland

Dr Katrina Garrett, University of Queensland

Dr John Wright, University of Queensland

Dr David McNeil, University of Queensland

Dr Daniel Schull , University of Queensland

Dr Steven Kopp , University of Queensland

Dr Ann Thompson, University of Queensland

Dr Ricardo Soares Magalhaes, University of Queensland

Dr Frances Shapter, University of Queensland

Dr Brandon Fraser, University of Queensland

Professor Patsie Polly, UNSW Sydney

Professor Louise Lutze-Mann, UNSW Sydney

Dr Nirmani Wijenayake Gamachchige, UNSW Sydney

Dr Amanda Yeung, UNSW Sydney

Dr Kelly Linden, Charles Sturt University

Dr Rina Wong, Edith Cowan University

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What is the research study about?

You are invited to take part in this research study. You have been invited because you are completing a learning activity on the BEST Network Portal.

To participate in this project you need to meet the following inclusion criteria:

• You are a student completing a class in which an academic BEST Network member is running a learning activity they wish to assess.

The BEST Network is a collaboration of academics and students in biomedical science. BEST Network learning resources are designed to assist your learning. The research study is aiming to assess your experience with and opinions regarding the resource in order to develop more resources, activities or functionality that better suit your needs.

Do I have to take part in this research study?

This Participant Information Statement tells you about the research study. It explains the research tasks involved. Knowing what is involved will help you decide if you want to take part in the research.

Please read this information carefully. Before deciding whether or not to take part, you might want to talk about it with a relative or friend.

Participation in this research is voluntary. If you don’t wish to take part, you don’t have to. Your decision will not affect your relationship with The University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, University of Melbourne or James Cook University.

What does participation in this research require, and are there any risks involved?

If you decide to take part in the research study, you will be asked to complete an online questionnaire, which will ask you questions about your experience with the resource. We expect this activity to take up to 5 minutes.

Will I be paid to participate in this project?

There are no costs associated with participating in this research study, nor will you be paid.

What are the possible benefits to participation?

We hope to use information we get from this research study to improve the educational effectiveness of the resource.

What will happen to information about me?

By clicking on the ‘I agree’ button you consent to the research team collecting and using information from the questionnaire you complete for the research study. We will keep your data for 10 years.

It is anticipated that the results of this research study will be published and/or presented in a variety of forums. In any publication and/or presentation, information will be provided in such a way that your research findings may be published, but you will not be individually identifiable in these publications.

Any information obtained in connection with this research study that can identify you will remain confidential. This project will use an external site to create, collect and analyse data collected in a questionnaire format. The site we are using is the Smart Sparrow Adaptive eLearning Platform; if you agree to participate in this study, the responses you provide to the questionnaire will be stored on a host server that is used by Smart Sparrow. No personal information will be collected in the questionnaire so none will be stored as data. Once we have completed our data collection and analysis, we will import the data we collect to the UNSW server. The data on the Smart Sparrow server will then be deleted.

How and when will I find out what the results of the research study are?

You have a right to receive feedback about the overall results of this study. You can tell us that you wish to receive feedback by emailing both your lecturer and the project co-ordinator (s.dowdell@best.edu.au). This feedback will be in the form of a one page summary of the study and copies of any publications. You will receive this feedback after the study is finished.

What if I want to withdraw from the research study?

Submitting your completed questionnaire is an indication of your consent to participate in the study. You can withdraw your responses any time before you have submitted the questionnaire. Once you have submitted it, your responses cannot be withdrawn because they are anonymous and therefore we will not be able to tell which one is yours.

What should I do if I have further questions about my involvement in the research study?

The person you may need to contact will depend on the nature of your query. If you want any further information concerning this project or if you have any problems which may be related to your involvement in the project, you can contact the following member/s of the research team:

Research Team Contact

Name: Dr Stephanie Dowdell

Position: Project Manager

Email: s.dowdell@unsw.edu.au

What if I have a complaint or any concerns about the research study?

If you have any complaints about any aspect of the project, the way it is being conducted, then you may contact:

Complaints Contact

Position: Human Research Ethics Coordinator

Telephone: + 61 2 9385 6222

Email: humanethics@unsw.edu.au

HC Reference Number: HC15140

Consent Form – Participant providing own consent

Declaration by the participant

I have read the Participant Information Sheet;

• I understand the purposes, study tasks and risks of the research described in the project;
• I have had an opportunity to ask questions and I am satisfied with the answers I have received;
• I freely agree to participate in this research study as described and understand that I am free to withdraw at any time during the project and withdrawal will not affect my relationship with any of the named organisations and/or research team members;
• I understand that I can download a copy of this consent form from https://www.best.edu.au/participant-information-statement/