[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 188 (Friday, September 29, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67267-67268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-21536]


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DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

[Docket No.: ED-2023-SCC-0114]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Submission to the 
Office of Management and Budget for Review and Approval; Comment 
Request; Evaluation of the Professional Learning Resources of the REL 
NW Toolkit for Using Technology To Support Postsecondary Student 
Learning

AGENCY: Institute of Education Sciences (IES), Department of Education 
(ED).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, 
the Department is proposing a new information collection request (ICR).

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
October 30, 2023.

ADDRESSES: Written comments and recommendations for proposed 
information collection requests should be submitted within 30 days of 
publication of this notice. Click on this link www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain to access the site. Find this information collection request 
(ICR) by selecting ``Department of Education'' under ``Currently Under 
Review,'' then check the ``Only Show ICR for Public Comment'' checkbox. 
Reginfo.gov provides two links to view documents related to this 
information collection request. Information collection forms and 
instructions may be found by clicking on the ``View Information 
Collection (IC) List'' link. Supporting statements and other supporting 
documentation may be found by clicking on the ``View Supporting 
Statement and Other Documents'' link.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For specific questions related to 
collection activities, please contact Heidi Gansen, 202-245-6765.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department is especially interested in 
public comment addressing the following issues: (1) is this collection 
necessary to the proper functions of the 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. 
Please note that written comments received in response to this notice 
will be considered public records.
    Title of Collection: Evaluation of the Professional Learning 
Resources of the REL NW Toolkit for Using Technology to Support 
Postsecondary Student Learning.
    OMB Control Number: 1850-NEW.
    Type of Review: A new ICR.
    Respondents/Affected Public: Individuals and Households.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Responses: 13,177.
    Total Estimated Number of Annual Burden Hours: 1,280.
    Abstract: The current authorization for the Regional Educational 
Laboratories (REL) program is under the Education Sciences Reform Act 
of 2002, part D, section 174, (20 U.S.C. 9564), administered by the 
Department of

[[Page 67268]]

Education, Institute of Education Sciences (IES), National Center for 
Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE). The central 
mission and primary function of the RELs is to support applied research 
and provide technical assistance to state and local education agencies 
within their region (ESRA, part D, section 174[f]). The REL program's 
goal is to partner with educators and policymakers to conduct work that 
is change-oriented and supports meaningful local, regional, or state 
decisions about education policies, programs, and practices to improve 
outcomes for students.
    The Regional Educational Laboratory Northwest is developing a 
toolkit based on the Using Technology to Support Postsecondary Student 
Learning What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Practice Guide to support 
student learning in community college contexts. Community college 
instructors, across all disciplines, including those who teach in 
person, hybrid (remote and in person), and online courses, are the 
primary audience for the Toolkit.
    This toolkit's efficacy evaluation will collect information about 
the professional learning resources, organized as the eAcademy: 
Professional Learning for Using Technology to Enhance Learning, that 
will comprise the main component of the Toolkit. In the efficacy study, 
the eAcademy will be offered to instructors in community colleges in 
Oregon. The evaluation of the eAcademy includes two parts: first, using 
a random assignment design, researchers will examine the impact of the 
eAcademy on instructor knowledge, teaching practices, and student 
outcomes. Second, researchers will collect implementation data to 
understand fidelity of implementation, treatment contrast, and how the 
eAcademy influences instructor and student outcomes.
    The research questions include: What is the impact of the eAcademy 
on instructors' awareness of technology tools for learning, knowledge 
of how to use technology for learning, and comfort using education 
technologies to support student learning, what is the impact of the 
eAcademy on instructors' use of technology to support student learning, 
and what is the impact of the eAcademy on student engagement, 
interaction, course completion, and persistence to the next quarter?
    The goals of the program evaluation include documenting the content 
of eAcademy (topics covered and activities provided), the way the 
eAcademy is implemented, and the treatment dosage to understand 
fidelity of implementation. The evaluation study will provide further 
insight into how the eAcademy is related to instructor- and student-
level outcomes, and the implementation study will document treatment 
contrast between the eAcademy and other available professional 
resources. eAcademy participation data will be used to affirm whether 
instructors in the treatment group accessed the professional resources 
and instructors in the control group did not.
    Findings from the implementation study may be used to improve 
future iterations of the eAcademy and to update the WWC Practice Guide 
recommendations. They may also generate ideas for new approaches to 
professional development that lead to better outcomes.

    Dated: September 26, 2023.
Stephanie Valentine,
PRA Coordinator, Strategic Collections and Clearance, Governance and 
Strategy Division, Office of Chief Data Officer, Office of Planning, 
Evaluation and Policy Development.
[FR Doc. 2023-21536 Filed 9-28-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4000-01-P