RANGER (ADULT MEMBER) FORM So you're interested in helping out on MOOSE Crossing? Terrific! Thank you! This application is for all MOOSE Crossing applicants 18 or older. Being a Ranger is a responsibility, and requires work. This document should help you decide whether being a Ranger is right for you. MOOSE Crossing is a research project of Amy Bruckman and the Georgia Institute of Technology. The goal of MOOSE Crossing is to give kids a meaningful context to learn reading, writing, and computer programming. Access is free, and is open to kids 13 and under. Adults 18 and over must apply to be mentors or "Rangers." Teenagers 14-17 must apply to be Junior Rangers. See http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~asb/moose-crossing/ if you have any questions about registration. To participate, you must complete this form, and connect to the MOOSE Crossing login screen to request a character (if you have not already done so). This permission form has two parts: an informed consent form, and a code of conduct. We believe (but can not guarantee) that you will learn from participation in this project. Participation involves no foreseeable risks, beyond the normal risks of Internet usage. Reports of injury or reaction should be made to Amy Bruckman at 404-894-9222. Neither the Georgia Institute of Technology nor the principal investigator has made provision for payment of costs associated with any injury resulting from participation in this study. For research purposes, almost everything that is typed on MOOSE Crossing is recorded. Participants are also occasionally asked to answer interview questions by phone, email, or in person. This data will be kept confidential, and will be used only for research purposes. Descriptions of you or your experiences may appear in written and oral presentations of the results of this research, with your name changed to ensure confidentiality. You have rights as a research volunteer. Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. If you do not take part, there will be no penalty. You may discontinue your participation at any time with no penalty. If you have any questions about your rights as a research volunteer, call or write: IRB Administrator Office of Research Compliance Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0420 Phone: (404) 894-6949 Your signature below indicates that the researchers have answered all of your questions to your satisfaction and that you consent to your participation in this study. _____________________________________________ Applicant--Print Your Name Here _____________________________________________ ____________________ Applicant--Sign Your Name Here Date CODE OF CONDUCT All kids joining MOOSE Crossing agree to abide by a code of conduct: To be a member of MOOSE Crossing, you are expected to be a good citizen. Most of the rules are just like rules for how to behave in the real world: * Don't do anything you wouldn't do at recess at school. * Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. * Help others whenever you can. If you think maybe you shouldn't do something, you probably shouldn't. Be nice to other kids. And help them out. There's lots of stuff to learn on MOOSE Crossing. People will help you get started, and then you can help the next new person. When you join MOOSE Crossing, you will get a secret password. Please don't tell this password to anyone. These rules you might not have heard before. They're important: * Don't tell anyone your home address or phone number. * Don't meet anyone face to face. Most people are nice, but there are some people out there who want to hurt kids. No matter how nice someone seems or how old they are, don't tell them your home address or phone number or agree to meet with them in person. If you really really want to meet someone, ask your parents to help you set up a safe meeting in a public place, and have your parents come with you. This code of conduct applies even more strongly to adults. It's important that you set a positive example for the kids. As an adult, your conduct needs to be not merely acceptable but exemplary. If your behavior is not exemplary, your account may be taken away, and you will not be allowed to use MOOSE Crossing any more. RANGER DUTIES * Be a positive role model. * Be patient and helpful to all kids. * Help kids to solve their own social problems by: -- Listening to everyone's side of the story, -- Asking kids to evaluate their own behavior, -- Asking kids to see things from other people's point of view, -- Reminding kids of the MOOSE Crossing Code of Conduct, and -- Leading a thoughtful discussion. * Help kids to solve their own technical problems by: -- Explaining general principles, -- Pointing out good examples and relevant documentation, -- Giving direct answers where appropriate, but -- Making sure not to do the work for them. NOTE ABOUT SAFETY AND PRIVACY, ESPECIALLY FOR RESEARCHERS AND JOURNALISTS: Researchers and journalists are welcome to come explore MOOSE Crossing. We'd love to hear what you think about it! However, you may not quote anything said or created on MOOSE Crossing without permission from all children involved and their parents. We ask that you not seek to contact the parents directly (to do so would violate the code of conduct) but instead send mail to moose-request@cc.gatech.edu and we will contact their parents for you. If you do receive that permission, we require that you disguise the children's identities by changing their character names and names of their objects. In accordance with the code of conduct, the children should never tell you their real names, where they live, or other identifying information. If a child disregards these rules and offers this information to you, you may not use it. RANGER AGREEMENT I will set a positive example at all times. I will abide by the MOOSE Crossing Code of Conduct. My conduct needs to be better than acceptable--it needs to be exemplary. I am a role model for the members. I will be patient and helpful. I will help kids to solve their own social and technical problems, not solve them for them. I have been told the importance of kids not giving out their home address or phone number, or arranging to meet people face to face. To set a good example, I will not give out my home phone number or address either. I will not arrange to meet kids I meet on MOOSE Crossing face to face. If I see a child violating these rules, I will explain to them why they should not do so, and notify the MOOSE Crossing staff immediately. I will fulfill my Ranger duties, as described above. _____________________________________________ Applicant--Print Your Name Here _____________________________________________ ____________________ Applicant--Sign Your Name Here Date To finish your application, we need to figure out which character is you! Have you already requested a MOOSE Crossing character online? If so, what character name did you request? _____________________________________________ Print Character Name Requested _____________________________________________ Print Your Email Address ************************************************************************* Please print out this form, sign it, and return it via surface mail to: MOOSE Crossing Applications c/o Amy Bruckman College of Computing 801 Atlantic Ave Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0280 You can also fax them to 404-894-3146. Sorry, but we can not accept applications via email. More information is available at: http://www.cc.gatech.edu/~asb/moose-crossing/ If you have any questions or problems, send email to: moose-request@cc.gatech.edu We're sorry there's so much to do before you can try MOOSE Crossing out, but these forms are part of how we try to make MOOSE a safe place for kids. Thank you for your patience with these formalities! -- Amy Bruckman *************************************************************************