Digital Access Survey Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
[DOWNLOAD the Survey FAQ here]
- Who can fill out the survey?
The survey is open to any and all parents, guardians, or caregivers of school-aged child(ren) who live in Westchester County, New York.
- What do you mean by survey responses are anonymous? How will you keep my responses confidential?
Maintaining the privacy of those who take the time to respond to our Digital Access Survey is extremely important to us. Your responses will be kept anonymous by making sure that we do not ask for your name, contact information, or any other information that can be traced back to you and others who participate.
- Who is leading this Digital Access Survey? Who is WCA and how is Pace University involved?
Westchester Children’s Association (WCA) is a nonprofit organization established in 1914 and based in White Plains that advocates for children and youth ages 0 to 25 in Westchester County, NY to improve their lives by shaping policies and programs to meet their needs and by keeping their well-being at the top of the public agenda. They educate, connect, and act so that every child in Westchester is healthy, safe, and prepared for life’s challenges. You can find them online at www.wca4kids.org or on social media @WCA4kids.
This digital access project has been an effort through a collaboration between researchers at Pace University, the WCA staff, and WCA’s Digital Access Workgroup – a group comprised of county leaders from the non-profit, educational, and government sectors – to be able to develop a survey that represents the experiences of as many communities in Westchester County as possible and is representative of the socioeconomic and diverse demographics of families here. More information is available through WCA’s Director of Data, Operations, and Finance at lcabrera@wca4kids.org.
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What is the purpose of the survey?
The purpose of this survey is to collect information about digital access and digital literacy that represents the experiences of students and families in Westchester County, New York. We hope to get feedback from caregivers and parents of school-age children in Westchester that will help us find out the most urgent needs of Westchester families to share that information with community leaders so they can help through technology, internet access, training, and support.
- Do I need to answer all of the questions?
No. Your participation in this study is completely voluntary and you do not have to answer any questions that you do not want to.
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Who can I reach out to if I have any other questions?
If you have any questions about the survey, you can reach out to Limarie Cabrera at Lcabrera@wca4kids.org or Sydney Moraitis at sydney.c.moraitis@pace.edu. We thank you in advance for your support in this effort!
- What will happen to my responses and the data?
The investigators at Pace University the only people with access to the full database. The printed survey data will be kept secure in a locked cabinet at the Pace NYC office. The survey data secure with encrypted software. Results of the survey and a report of survey findings will be disseminated to WCA.
- What if I start the survey but can’t complete the survey?
You may stop and exit out of the survey at any time.
- Will I be able to know the results of the survey?
An initial brief summary and analysis will be available in late spring of 2022 with a more detailed analysis following in the fall at www.wca4kids.org.
- What is Qualtrics?
For the online survey format, we use Qualtrics, which is a secure, web-based software that allows for the survey to be completed on a computer as well as on a mobile device which makes it even more accessible!
- Why did you choose to ask these survey questions?
We created survey questions that address multiple levels of disparity of digital access and digital literacy. Digital access includes material devices, internet access, and various software to perform online activities while digital literacy relates to how lack of digital access creates differences in the skills and uses of Information and Communications Technology (ICT). So our survey asks questions of parents and guardians about the availability of devices such as computers and tablets, the availability and adequacy of their internet access, and also what they are able to do when they are online.
- Where was IRB approval provided?
The survey approval went through the Pace University’s Institutional Review Board with the Principal Investigator being Sydney Moraitis (sydney.c.moraitis@pace.edu) whose research faculty advisor is Dr. Gina Scutelnicu (gscutelnicu@pace.edu), Associate Professor and Chair, Department of Public Administration/Pace University. If you have any questions about your rights or treatment as a research participant in this study, please contact an IRB staff member within the Office of Research by phone at (212) 346-1689, or by e-mail at paceirb@pace.edu.
