Supporting Statement A for
Effectiveness of the NIH Curriculum Supplements Programs and Career Resources Study (OD/OSE)
December 4, 2008
Name: Dave Vannier, Ph.D. (OD/OSE)
Address: 6100 Executive Blvd, Suite 3E01
Telephone: (301) 496-8741
Fax: (301) 402-3034
Email: vannierd@od.nih.gov
A.1 Circumstances Making the Collection of Information Necessary
This submission is a request for a reinstatement of OMB approval for a three-year generic clearance for OSE to conduct surveys on the use and usefulness of the NIH Curriculum Supplements programs and career resources. This follows on OMB approval #0925-0551, which expires 11/30/2008. This request is consistent with the OSE’s mission of enhancing student achievement and interest in science and science careers. Data collections will be conducted in accordance with Executive Order 12862, dated September 11, 1993, which directs federal agencies that provide significant services directly to the public to survey customers to determine the kind and quality of services they want and their level of satisfaction with existing services.
As of November 2008, 16 NIH Curriculum Supplements are in print and three are in development. Informal feedback on the supplements has been overwhelmingly positive, and OSE plans to continue with the project in the foreseeable future. Each year OSE spends one third of its budget, over $1,000,000, on the supplement projects. From concept to completion, it takes nearly four years to develop a supplement. OSE partnered with the National Science Foundation, WestEd and Abt Associates to conduct a survey of the effectiveness of the first three NIH Curriculum Supplements (OMB No. 3145-0192, expired 09/30/2004). This study was useful in gauging the implementation of these supplements and their effect on students. The supplements are an ongoing project, and it is imperative to continually evaluate their effectiveness. OSE has not systematically evaluated the teacher workshops on the curriculum supplements or the Women Are Scientists videos.
Prior to implementing any of the surveys proposed in this generic clearance, OSE will provide copies of the survey instrument, a description of the activity, and an estimate of the burden hours involved to OMB for specific approval.
Data from the customer satisfaction surveys will be used in the ongoing assessment and future development of OSE’s major activities. Specifically, survey data will
Provide OSE with the information necessary to develop future supplements, effective workshops, and career resources;
Identify areas in the supplements that need to be updated or improved;
Provide information on new and more-effective science education projects;
Allow OSE to monitor the use and usefulness of new supplements and career resources as they are released;
Identify difficulties that customers experience that can be addressed on the OSE Web site;
Provide positive results that will encourage other educators to use the NIH curriculum supplements and career resources; and
Identify barriers to the successful implementation of the supplements and utilization of career resources.
Survey data will be analyzed by OSE staff and made available to the public on the OSE Web site.
Under OMB clearance 0925-0551, OSE sought to initiate the survey of Women Are Scientists customers. OMB asked that we defer this survey until January 2009, and the details are again described in this application. This request seeks to reinstate OMB clearance 0925-0551.
Surveys will be conducted electronically via the Web.
The proposed surveys will monitor and assess the NIH curriculum supplements programs and career resources. Other non-governmental organizations are using these resources and conducting similar workshops. To our knowledge, however, none have conducted rigorous studies of their effectiveness. Should we become aware of any such evaluation, we will work with the investigators to make sure that efforts are not duplicated. Posting our findings on the OSE Web site will inform any potential investigators of our activities.
The study of the first three NIH Curriculum Supplements (OMB No. 3145-0192) will serve as a guide to develop the surveys proposed herein so that we can compare data across time. This should lead to a richer understanding, especially in regard to the newer curriculum supplements.
No small businesses will be involved in this study.
Because of the large population size, OSE does not need to collect information frequently from the same people. Supplement, career resource and workshop customers would only be contacted once or twice over the three-year period. The burden to the respondent is very minimal. By using electronic surveys, the data collection burden on OSE staff is also not great. Without the proposed survey information, NIH has no systematic way of knowing whether the OSE programs are a wise use of taxpayer dollars.
This information collection fully complies with 5 CFR 1320.5(d)(2) guidelines.
A.8 Comments in Response to the Federal Register Notice and Efforts to Consult Outside the Agency
No consultation outside the Agency has occurred.
One e-mail comment was received on September 23, 2008 in response to the 60-day Federal Register notice (September 23, 2008, Volume 73, Number 185, page 54840):
From:
<bk1492@aol.com>
Date:
Tue,
23 Sep 2008 12:00:39 -0400
To:
<VANNIERD@OD.NIH.GOV>,
<AMERICANVOICES@MAIL.HOUSE.GOV>, <INFO@TAXPAYER.NET>,
<MEDIA@CAGW.ORG>, <MEMBER@CITIZEN.ORG>
Subject:
Fwd:
WE HAVE AN EDUCATION DEPT - DONT NEED TWO DEPTS DOING SAME WORK
b
sachau
WE DONT NEED BIG PHARMA OR MEDICAL INDUSTRY TO DO
CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. WE HAVE A US DEPT OF EDUCATION THAT IS IN
CHARGE OF CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. WHY DO TAXPAYERS NEED TO FUND TWO
DEPTS TO DO THE SAME EXACT THING. THAT IS WHY TAXES ARE SO
BURDENSOME.
SECONDLY THESE ARE HIGH PRICED RESEARCHERS AT
NIH. WHY ARE THEY INVOLVED IN CHIDLREN'S EDUCATION. THEY SHOULD BE
FINDING CURES FOR AUTISM, ETC. THEY SHOULD BE RESEARCHING TO
HELP AMERICA.
THIS MAKES NO SENSE AT ALL TO ME.
B.
SACHAU
15 ELMST
FLORHAM PARK NJ 07932
For most of the surveys to be submitted under this generic clearance, there will be no payments or gifts to respondents.
One proposed survey could take as long as 30 minutes to complete. Once it is developed, OSE will explore the possibility of using incentives to increase participation of this survey. Any incentive will be cleared with OMB in the approval process for the specific survey.
The data collected will fully comply with the NIH Privacy Act, Federal Register, September 26, 2002, Vol. 67, No. 187, page 60765-60768/09-25-2561. The Privacy Act may apply to some data collection activities. When the Privacy Act is applicable, respondents will be told:
the purpose for which the information is being asked,
the statutory authorization for asking for the information,
whether or not responding to the request for information, in whole or in part, is voluntary,
the consequences, if any, of not responding, and
the extent of confidentiality.
All respondents will be assured that their participation is voluntary, that not responding will not affect them adversely, and that their comments and opinions will be kept confidential. However, within the OSE, the data will be reviewed to identify trends, make decisions, study impact, determine direction of program, etc. Names of respondents will not be recorded.
No sensitive questions will be asked. No personally identifiable information will be collected.
A.12 Estimates of Hour Burden Including Annualized Hourly Costs:
The estimated annual burden for all of the proposed surveys is 1,146 hours:
Table 1: Annualized Burden Hours for Survey Responders
Type of Respondent: Survey Title |
Total Number of Respondents |
Frequency of Response |
Ave. Time per Response |
Hour Burden per year |
Teacher: supplement requestor survey |
16,000 |
1 |
0.17 hours |
910 hours |
Teacher: career video survey |
1,500 |
1 |
0.17 hours |
85 hours |
Teacher: workshop short survey |
2,000 |
1 |
0.17 hours |
117 hours |
Teacher: workshop long survey |
200 |
1 |
0.5 hours |
34 hours |
Total |
19,700 in three year period |
|
|
1,146 hours per year |
Table 2: Annualized Respondent Cost
Type of Respondent |
Total Number of Respondents |
Frequency of Response |
Hourly Wage Rate |
Respondent Cost per year |
Teacher: supplement requestor survey |
16,000 |
1 |
$35 |
$31,850 |
Teacher: career video survey |
1,500 |
1 |
$35 |
$2,975 |
Teacher: workshop short survey |
2,000 |
1 |
$35 |
$4,025 |
Teacher: workshop long survey |
200 |
1 |
$35 |
$4,550 |
Total |
19,700 in three year period |
|
|
$43,400 per year |
Note: Median income of a secondary-school teacher is $47,900/year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics 2007 data. This roughly translates to $35/hour.
A.13 Estimate of Other Total Annual Cost Burden to Respondents or Record Keepers
No capital, start-up, or operational and maintenance costs are incurred by study participants in our information collection activities.
The estimated annualized cost to the federal government is $20,000. The costs are based on using OSE staff to conduct all activities, not an outside contractor, and breakdown as follows:
Planning Stage $5,500
Data Collection $2,500
Data Analysis & Report $12,000
This is a reinstated collection of information. Certain surveys and burden hours have been changed from the previous OMB clearance (No. 0925-0551). Specifically, a survey of “Careers in Science” requestors and focus groups of NIH curriculum supplement requestors were deleted due to reduced OSE staff. The burden hours for the Survey of NIH Curriculum Supplement customers was increased because there are now more people in this pool. The burden hours for the Teacher Workshop Short Follow-up Survey was also increased for this reason.
The survey data will be used to assess the effectiveness of these NIH programs. The results will help shape future programs as well. We do not anticipate publishing the results in a peer-reviewed journal. Evaluation reports will be posted on the OSE Web site.
Prior to implementing any of the surveys proposed in this generic clearance, OSE will provide copies of the survey instrument, a description of the activity, and an estimate of the burden hours involved to OMB for specific approval. Once OMB approves a specific study, OSE will begin the survey. Results obtained from these surveys will be disseminated to NIH and the public within six months of the survey’s completion. The results will also drive OSE’s performance improvement and planning activities.
The expiration date will be displayed on all instruments approved for this study.
This collection of information involves no exceptions to the Certification for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions.
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| File Type | application/msword |
| File Title | Date |
| Author | IsomC |
| Last Modified By | NIH User |
| File Modified | 2009-05-15 |
| File Created | 2009-05-15 |