[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 103 (Friday, May 27, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 30926-30927]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-13210]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION


Notice of Proposed Information Collection Requests

AGENCY: Department of Education.

ACTION: Comment Request.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Education (the Department), in accordance 
with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (PRA) (44 U.S.C. 
3506(c)(2)(A)), provides the general public and Federal agencies with 
an opportunity to comment on proposed and continuing collections of 
information. This helps the Department assess the impact of its 
information collection requirements and minimize the reporting burden 
on the public and helps the public understand the Department's 
information collection requirements and provide the requested data in 
the desired format. The Director, Information Collection Clearance 
Division, Privacy, Information and Records Management Services, Office 
of Management, invites comments on the proposed information collection 
requests as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
July 26, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding burden and/or the collection activity 
requirements should be electronically mailed to [email protected] or 
mailed to U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., LBJ, 
Washington, DC 20202-4537. Please note that written comments received 
in response to this notice will be considered public records.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 3506 of the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) requires that Federal agencies provide 
interested parties an early opportunity to comment on information 
collection requests. The Director, Information Collection Clearance 
Division, Information Management and Privacy Services, Office of 
Management, publishes this notice containing proposed information 
collection requests at the beginning of the Departmental review of the 
information collection. The Department of Education is especially 
interested in public comment addressing the following issues: (1) Is 
this collection necessary to the proper functions of the

[[Page 30927]]

Department; (2) will this information be processed and used in a timely 
manner; (3) is the estimate of burden accurate; (4) how might the 
Department enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 
to be collected; and (5) how might the Department minimize the burden 
of this collection on the respondents, including through the use of 
information technology.

    Dated: May 23, 2011.
Darrin A. King,
Director, Information Collection Clearance Division, Privacy, 
Information and Records Management Services, Office of Management.

Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development

    Type of Review: New.
    Title of Collection: Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Online 
Learning Courses for Secondary Students.
    OMB Control Number: 1875-NEW.
    Agency Form Number(s): N/A.
    Frequency of Responses: Once.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 1,761.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 220.
    Abstract: Given the considerable scale at which online learning is 
being used in schools today, it is particularly important that 
policymakers have research-based guidance available about how best to 
deploy online learning activities. However, few rigorous studies have 
been completed that compare K-12 student achievement in online learning 
to traditional, classroom-based education. Similarly, while many 
articles provide advice regarding the ``best'' ways to implement online 
learning, few report an empirical basis for recommended practices. To 
fill this critical gap in knowledge, this study will provide rigorous 
empirical data on the effectiveness of online learning for secondary 
students. This study will conduct surveys of teachers and students 
engaged in online learning courses in two states: Florida and North 
Carolina. Both states have large-scale, statewide virtual school 
providers. In Florida, the impact of a game-based, online U.S. History 
course offered by the Florida Virtual School (FLVS) on student learning 
will be compared to a traditional FLVS U.S. History online course using 
an experimental design, randomly assigning students to conditions. 
Learning outcomes will be assessed at the end of two topical units--
Civil Rights and the Industrial Revolution. In North Carolina, the 
impact of online learning for secondary students enrolled in five 
different courses offered by the North Carolina Virtual Public School 
will be compared with peers enrolled in similar courses in face-to-face 
instruction. The North Carolina study will use a quasi-experimental 
design using propensity score matching. State end-of-course exams for 
each course and the scores on the Advanced Placement U.S. History exam 
will be used as the primary outcome measures. In addition to the 
surveys of online teachers and students, a sample of North Carolina 
teachers teaching similar courses in face-to-face instruction will be 
administered a survey to collect information on instructional practices 
in the comparison face-to-face courses.
    Copies of the proposed information collection request may be 
accessed from http://edicsweb.ed.gov, by selecting the ``Browse Pending 
Collections'' link and by clicking on link number 4629. When you access 
the information collection, click on ``Download Attachments'' to view. 
Written requests for information should be addressed to U.S. Department 
of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW., LBJ, Washington, DC 20202-4537. 
Requests may also be electronically mailed to [email protected] or 
faxed to 202-401-0920. Please specify the complete title of the 
information collection and OMB Control Number when making your request.
    Individuals who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) 
may call the Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-
8339.

[FR Doc. 2011-13210 Filed 5-26-11; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P