[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 72 (Friday, April 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 23105-23107]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-07943]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request
AGENCY: National Science Foundation.
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ACTION: Submission for OMB review; comment request.
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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has submitted the
following request for revision of the approved collection of research
and development data in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of
1995. This is the second notice for public comment; the first was
published in the Federal Register and no comments were received. NSF is
forwarding the proposed renewal submission to the Office of Management
and Budget (OMB) for clearance simultaneously with the publication of
this second notice.
DATES: Written comments and recommendations for the proposed
information collection should be sent within 30 days of publication of
this notice to www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAmain. Find this particular
information collection by selecting ``Currently under 30-day Review--
Open for Public Comments'' or by using the search function.
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne H. Plimpton, Reports
Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation, 2415 Eisenhower Avenue,
Alexandria, VA 22314; or send email to [email protected]. Individuals
who use a telecommunications device for the deaf (TDD) may call the
Federal Information Relay Service (FIRS) at 1-800-877-8339, which is
accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year (including
federal holidays).
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Title of Collection: Computer and Information Science and
Engineering (CISE) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites
and Supplements Evaluation.
OMB Approval Number: 3145-0266.
Type of Request: Revision of an approved information collection.
Abstract: Every year the National Science Foundation (NSF) funds
hundreds of Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) activities
through its REU program. The Directorate of Computer and Information
Science and Engineering (CISE) is seeking to evaluate the effectiveness
of the CISE REU program.
The REU program provides undergraduate students at US higher
education institutions with opportunities to work with faculty on a
research project. They can take the form of REU Sites or REU
Supplements. REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate
and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU
Supplements are included as a component of proposals for new or renewal
NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing
NSF-funded research projects.
By offering this opportunity to undergraduate students, the REU
program seeks to expand student participation in all kinds of research
-- both disciplinary and interdisciplinary--encompassing efforts by
individual investigators, groups, centers, national facilities, and
others. The REU experience integrates research and education to attract
a diverse pool of talented students into careers in science and
engineering, including teaching and education research related to
science and engineering.
The current data collection project intends to measure the impact
of the undergraduate REU Sites and REU Supplements programs sponsored
by NSF CISE. The project will conduct online surveys to track NSF CISE
REU participants over time--including pre-program, post-program, and
one-year post-program measurement--alongside two comparison groups: (1)
students participating in other undergraduate research, and (2)
students who do not participate in research. The researchers will
supplement REU participants' survey data with basic REU information and
perceptions of impact from NSF CISE REU Principal Investigators (PIs).
The evaluation and research questions guiding this project include the
following:
1. Who are the students reached through the NSF REU Program, and
how do they compare to students participating in other types of
research experiences and to students in the broader CISE community?
2. How do CISE REU Sites and REU Supplements differ from other
research experiences (e.g., other REUs, internships, and independent
research projects)?
3. To what extent are the goals of the NSF REU Program being met by
the individual projects within the program, including recruitment and
retention of students in science and engineering fields and increasing
diversity in these fields?
4. In what ways does participation in REU Sites, REU Supplements,
internships, and/or other independent research experiences impact
student attitudes and pathways to CISE careers and other research
experiences?
5. In what ways does participation in the REU Sites and REU
Supplements impact recruitment and retention of students who are
underrepresented in computing?
Ultimately, the findings from this data collection will be used to
understand and improve the impact of the CISE REU program, including
increasing recruitment and retention in science and engineering and
promoting a diverse group of computing/STEM careers.
Use of the information: The information collected through this
survey will be used to evaluate the NSF CISE REU Program.
Respondents: There will be four types of respondents: NSF CISE REU
Site and Supplement participants, a comparison group of undergraduate
students who participate in other, non-NSF REU research experiences, a
comparison group of undergraduate students who do not participate in
research, and NSF CISE REU PIs.
NSF CISE REU participants will include undergraduate students who
participate in REU projects in which the project's Principal
Investigator chooses to use NSF-sponsored program evaluation services.
Participants from the two comparison groups will be identified and
recruited from a pool of undergraduates in computing fields who have
participated in a prior survey of the Computing Research Association
and have agreed to be contacted for future data collection. The
participating NSF CISE REU PIs will also complete PI REU Information
Forms at the beginning and end of their REUs.
Estimated number of respondents: The study's data collection
activities will occur over an 18-month period. It is estimated that
during this time, there will be approximately 1,188 NSF CISE REU survey
respondents, 1,175 comparison group survey respondents, and 100 NSF
CISE REU PI respondents, for a total of 2,463 respondents.
Average time per reporting: Each online survey for REU participants
and comparison group respondents is designed to be completed in 25
minutes or less. The three REU PI forms require 15 minutes or less to
complete.
Frequency: Each NSF CISE REU site participant will be asked to
complete three surveys: (1) a pre-test before they begin their REU
project; (2) a post-test, after their REU ends; and (3) a one-year
follow-up survey. Within the data collection timeline for this project,
this will allow for one full data collection cohort, plus a subset of
Cohort 1 CISE REU site participants who will only complete a follow-up
survey. For cohort 2, NSF CISE REU supplement participants will only
complete a follow-up survey. Each comparison group participant,
including both those with a different research experience and those
with no research experience, will
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be asked to complete a pre-test survey and a follow-up survey occurring
approximately one year later. Within the data collection timeline for
this project, there will be one full data collection cycle for
comparison group participants, plus a subset of Cohort 1 comparison
group participants who will only complete a follow-up survey. Each NSF
CISE REU PI will complete an Evaluation Interest Form to enroll in the
evaluation, a Time 1 PI REU Information Form before their REU begins,
and a Time 2 REU PI Information Form when their REU ends. Within the
data collection timeline for this project, there will be one full data
collection cycle for the REU PIs.
Estimate burden on the public: For REU participants, there will be
one cohort of complete data collection (pre-test, post-test, and
follow-up), plus a subset of Cohort 1 CISE REU site participants who
will only complete a follow-up survey. For Cohort 1, it is expected
that approximately 188 REU participants will complete a 25-minute one-
year follow-up survey. Based on an expected 1,000 REU participant
respondents per cohort, it is expected that a total of approximately
1,000 REU respondents will complete a 25-minute pre-survey for Cohort
2. Of these 1,000 REU participant respondents, we expect approximately
70%, or 700, will complete a 25-minute post-survey. For the follow-up
survey, it is expected that approximately 50% of these respondents, or
N = 500, will complete a 25-minute one-year follow-up survey. This
would result in 2,388 25-minute surveys completed by REU respondents,
for a total of 996 burden hours for this subset of respondents.
For comparison group participants, there will be one cohort of data
collection (pre-test and follow-up) plus a subset of Cohort 1
comparison group participants who will only complete a follow-up
survey. For Cohort 1, it is expected that approximately 175 comparison
group participants will complete a 25-minute one-year follow-up survey.
For Cohort 2, it is expected that 1,000 respondents will complete a 25-
minute pre-survey. Of these 1,000, approximately 50%, or 500, are
expected to complete a 25-minute one-year follow-up survey. This would
result in 1,675 surveys completed by comparison group respondents for
698 burden hours.
For REU PIs, there will be 18 months of complete data collection
(Evaluation Interest Form and Time 1 and Time 2 REU PI Information
Forms). Based on an expected 100 NSF CISE REU PIs choosing to receive
evaluation services in each of the two years, It is expected that
approximately 100 REU PIs will complete all forms (total completion
time for all three is approximately 15 minutes or less). This would
result in 25 burden hours for this subset of respondents.
Together, the total estimated survey burden for the project is
1,719 hours. The calculations are shown in Table 1.
Table 1--Estimated Survey Burden
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Number of
Number of cohort 1 cohort 2 Participation
Category of respondent responses responses time (minutes) Burden (hours)
(partial year)
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REU participant Pre-survey............ Completed............... 1,000 25 417
REU participant Post-survey (70% of Completed............... 700 25 292
original).
REU participant Follow-up survey (50% 188..................... 500 25 287
of original).
Comparison participant Pre-survey..... Completed............... 1,000 25 417
Comparison participant Follow-up 175..................... 500 25 281
survey (50% of original).
REU PI Evaluation Interest Form....... N/A..................... 100 3 5
REU PI Time 1 Information Form........ Completed............... 100 2 3.33
REU PI Time 2 Information Form........ Completed............... 100 10 16.67
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Total surveys to be completed..... 363..................... 4,000 .............. 1,719
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Comments: Comments are invited on:
1. Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for
the evaluation of the CISE REU Sites and Supplements Program.
2. The accuracy of the NSF's estimate of the burden of the proposed
collection of information.
3. Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the
information on respondents, including through the use of automated
collection techniques or other forms of information technology.
Dated: April 11, 2023.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. 2023-07943 Filed 4-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P