ACTFL (formerly known as the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) is conducting a national survey to discover why some college students study languages while others don’t. We invite you to participate in this research project by completing a short 10-to-20-minute survey. You will also have the option to sign up for a follow-up focus group once completed.
Feedback from students is essential to finding out how to support language learning!
We thank you for your consideration, and if you have any questions, please contact research@actfl.org.
click here to access the survey by May 30
Sincerely,
Department of Modern Languages and Cultures
Ball State University
(On behalf of Meg Malone, ACTFL Research)
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Why is this research being conducted?
ACTFL is conducting research to determine why students enrolled in post-secondary institutions do and do not take world languages.
How long will the research last, and what will I need to do?
Students who participate will take a 10-20 minute online survey and have the option to sign up for a subsequent focus group.
Is there any way being in this study could be bad for me?
The risks associated with the study are very minimal. Your participation will be kept confidential. In case of any discomfort or inconvenience incurred when completing the survey, you may decline to answer any questions you do not want to answer. Also, you may stop participating at any time during the study. Choosing not to complete the study will have no impact on your relationship with anyone at ACTFL, and there are no consequences for not completing it.
Will being in this study help me in any way?
This study will provide a national perspective on why students enrolled in post-secondary education programs do and do not take languages and provide general guidance to post-secondary institutions on curricular offerings.
What happens if I do not want to be in this research?
Participation is completely voluntary. You can decide whether to participate or not to participate. Your alternative to participating in this survey is to not participate.
Who can I talk to?
If you have questions, concerns, or complaints, or think the research has hurt you, you may
reach out to the principal investigator, Meg Malone: mmalone@actfl.org.
This project has been reviewed and approved by Heartland Institutional Review Board.
Questions concerning your rights as a participant in this research may be addressed to:
Heartland Institutional Review Board – Ph: 866.618.HIRB – director@heartlandirb.org
What happens if I say yes, but I change my mind later?
Your withdrawal from the study will not be held against you. If you decide to leave the
research, contact the principal investigator, Meg Malone: mmalone@actfl.org, so that your data and recordings from the focus groups can be discarded. The signed consent form will be erased, and your answers to the questionnaire, data and recordings from the focus groups will be deleted.
For students participating in the general survey
If you choose to participate, the data will be analyzed and shared. We will not collect any personal information about you on the survey and focus group participants will be anonymized.