Developmental Psychology Study: Development of Word Learning Strategies

Dear parent/guardian,

I am conducting a new study at Brookes Babylab exploring the development of word learning strategies for monolingual, bilingual and trilingual toddlers and young children. I would like to invite you and your child to be involved in this study. Before you decide whether or not to take part, it is important for you to understand why the research is being done and what it will involve. Please take time to read the following information carefully.

What is the purpose of the study?

In this study, we want to better understand the strategies that toddlers and young children use to learn new words.

Why have I been invited to participate?

We would like to invite you and your child to take part if they fall into the age group we are currently working with.

Does my child have to take part?

Giving your permission and allowing your child to take part in the study is entirely voluntary. If you decide to take part, you will be given this information sheet and our privacy notice. You will be also asked to sign a consent form. You will be free to withdraw at any time during the session without giving a reason. If you wish to withdraw your data, you can do so via email or phone within one week of visiting the Babylab and taking part in the study.

What will happen if my child takes part?

Your child will be with you throughout your visit to the Babylab. During the study, your child will sit next to you in front of a TV screen, where images accompanied by words will be presented and we will measure your child’s attention to these words using an eye-tracker. This is a special camera that uses infra-red light to create a reflection on your child’s eyes and uses this reflection to know where they are looking. Each observation of your child takes only 5-to-10 minutes. Your child might complete more than one observation with play breaks in between. Your child might also complete other tasks, such as, pointing at picture cards and following instructions when playing with small toy robots. We expect that your visit will take up to one hour. This will allow time for you to complete some forms about your child’s background and vocabulary, and for your child to settle into the new environment.

What are the possible benefits of taking part?

We hope that you will benefit by learning about early language development and gaining insight into the nature of psychological research.

What should I do if I want to take part?

You should contact Shannon Kong on babylab@brookes.ac.uk or book an appointment here: https://calendly.com/oxfordbrookesbabylab/session 

What will happen to the results of the research study?

To have a record of what happened during the study, we will video record the session. This will only happen if you give permission on the consent form. All data collected will be strictly confidential and stored anonymously and securely. During the session, you will be asked a few questions about you and your child (e.g., date of birth, gender, hearing, or language problems…). All information supplied will remain confidential (within the limitations of the law). Our privacy notice is also attached and we have printed versions at the Babylab if you would like to keep a copy. In line with Oxford Brookes University policy, we will use Google services (e.g. Google Drive) to store all data securely. To maintain confidentiality it will not be possible for parents to have access to individual results. A summary of our findings will be available for interested families on our social media and our website (https://babylab.brookes.ac.uk/home). We also aim to publish our findings in scientific journals, but this may be two to three years from the end of the study.

Fully anonymised data from this research study will be archived and shared with other researchers using a secure platform. The anonymised data will not include any identifiable information or video recordings. This ensures that data cannot be linked back to yourself or your child. Data sharing maximises the contribution of your data as it can be used by other researchers with other research questions.

Who is organising and funding the research?

I am conducting the research as a PhD student in the Department of Psychology at Oxford Brookes University. I have DBS (previously CRB) clearance.

Who has reviewed the study?

This study has been reviewed by the Cross-Faculty Research Ethics Sub-Committee at Oxford Brookes University (UREC 231675). If you have any concerns about this, please contact the Chair of the Ethics Committee: ethics@brookes.ac.uk

Contact for Further Information

If you want to discuss the research further you can contact: Shannon Kong, email: babylab@brookes.ac.uk

You can also contact the Research Lead at the Brookes Babylab, Dr. Nayeli Gonzalez-Gomez, e-mail: ngonzalez-gomez@brookes.ac.uk telephone: 01865 483719

If you are concerned about your child’s development, please speak to your doctor/GP or health visitor. For information about services provided and contact information for Oxfordshire health visitors, please visit: https://www.oxfordhealth.nhs.uk/health-visitors/ . For information on how to support your child’s language development and what to do if you are concerned about a language delay, please see information from the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/babys-development/play-andlearning/help-your-baby-learn-to-talk/

Thank you! 

Privacy notice for infant research participants

This privacy notice provides information on how Oxford Brookes University collects and uses your personal information when you take part in one of our research projects. Please refer to the research participant information sheet for further details about the study and what information will be collected about you and how it will be used.

Why do we need your data?

We need your and your child’s data so that we can investigate how babies and toddlers learn language.

OBUs legal basis for collecting this data is:

Public task: your Personal Data will be used in academic research. Oxford Brookes University is a public body and staff and students carry out research in line with the University’s legal powers and constitution.

Your consent is an ethical requirement.

Oxford Brookes University’s legal basis for processing your Personal Data (or information) is as set out in Art 6 UK GDPR.

 What type of data will Oxford Brookes University use?

As part of this research, we will collect different types of data, such as questionnaires, video material and contact data. This includes:

Family information:

·         Contact details of the parent or guardian (i.e., email)

·         Languages heard/spoken at home

·         Siblings

·         Parents’ educational attainment

·         Household income

·         History of Language Problems

·         Postcode

Child’s Information:

·         Date of birth

·         Gestational age

·         Problems at birth

·         Ear Infections

·         Developmental disorders

We will also collect quantitative data about words that your child understands/says and looking times data. Data will be analysed and publish in journals. Your child will not be identifiable from any of our published findings. Anonymous data files will be used for academic archiving and stored using RADAR. This archive is not publicly available and data will be used only for academic (rather than commercial) use. A summary of the results will be available on our website and social media.

Who will OBU share your data with?

The research will be read within the University and where it is intended that it is published and it may be seen by members of the public. The University will use Google services (e.g. Google Drive) to process your data securely. There is additional information about this in the Participant Information Sheet. Appropriate safeguards will be put in place to make sure that your child’s privacy is protected.

Will OBU transfer my data outside of the UK?

Yes, Google uses USA-based data centres for data storage. For more information, please see https://policies.google.com/privacy.

What rights do I have regarding my data that OBU holds?

• You have the right to be informed about what data will be collected and how this will be used 

• You have the right of access to your data until it is incorporated into the research

• You have the right to correct data if it is wrong

• You have the right to ask for your data to be deleted until your data is analysed and so included in the research

• You have the right to restrict use of the data we hold about you until your data is analysed and so included in the research

• You have the right to object to the university using your data until your data is analysed and so included in the research

Where did OBU source my data from?

Some of the information about your child will come from you and some will be generated during the course of the research.

Are there any consequences of not providing the requested data?

There are no consequences of not providing data for this research. It is purely voluntary.

Will there be any automated decision making using my data?

There will be no use of automated decision making in scope of UK Data Protection and Privacy legislation.”

How long will OBU keep your data?

Data generated in the course of research is kept securely in electronic form for at least ten years after the project has ended in accordance with University’s policy. After this point, all data files will be permanently deleted from OBU.

Fully anonymised research data will be stored in the RADAR repository to be shared with other researchers. The anonymised data will not include any identifiable information (e.g. date of birth, postcode, etc.) or video/voice recording.

Who can I contact if I have concerns?

In the event of any questions about the research study, please contact the researchers in the first instance (Dr Nayeli Gonzalez-Gomez: ngonzalez-gomez@brookes.ac.uk). If you have any concerns about the way in which the study has been conducted, contact the Chair of the University Research Ethics Committee at ethics@brookes.ac.uk. For further details about information security contact the Data Protection Officer at: brookesdpo@brookes.ac.uk or the Information Management team on info.sec@brookes.ac.uk