Frequently Asked QuestionsAbout the keepin' it REAL curriculum
A: The keepin' it REAL curriculum uses students' cultures to help teach drug resistance and other life skills. The multicultural version of the keepin' it REAL curriculum specifically integrated elements from Latino, African-American, and White cultural groups.
A: Yes! keepin' it REAL was designed to encourage students to consider how their own culture affects their decisions and communication skills.
A: As published, the keepin' it REAL curriculum consists of 10 core lessons each 45-60 minutes long. Lessons 1 and 10 are longer than the others and can each be divided into two parts, resulting in the curriculum being taught in 12 periods. Therefore, the 10 lessons can be taught in 10 to 12 class periods.
A: Yes, keepin' it REAL is on the list of curricula that are science-based and approved for Title IV funding. keepin' it REAL is also approved as a research-validated program by the California Healthy Kids Resource Center, is categorized as a model program by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and is an Institute of Medicine indicated program. About the Project
A: The initial research design involved an in-person training group, so practical considerations limited participants to one geographic area - California. The design has since been modified so that we can include participants outside of California.
A: Yes. There are 10 sequential lessons to be taught in 10-12 sessions (or periods) depending on the length of your class meetings. As long as you teach all the classes in the order they are presented, you can participate.
A: Other than the time you spend implementing the keepin' it REAL lessons, the amount of time you spend on the study will depend upon the type of training you receive and the amount of time you use to prepare to teach the lessons. Completing the two surveys and the lesson logs will take between 3½ to 7 hours. A small number of participating educators will be selected for voluntary interviews, which take approximately 30 minutes.
A: No. In order to obtain meaningful results, participating educators must be randomly assigned to one of the training conditions. Regardless of which training condition you are assigned, you will receive the web-based training free-of-charge at the end of the study.
A: Stipends will be issued in accordance with school or district policies. The total stipend of $250 will be distributed in four payments: $75 after you send us your lesson logs for lessons 1-4, $75 after you send your lesson logs for lessons 5-8, $75 after you send your lesson logs for lessons 8-10, and the final $25 after you complete the post-test. Educators who are interviewed will receive an additional amount after the interview.
A: You will need access to a fairly new (less than 4 years old) personal computer with sound capabilities and Internet access. A printer would be helpful, but not necessary.
A: No. The California keepin' it REAL Project is fully funded to develop web-based training for the keepin' it REAL curriculum and to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. We are not selling anything and will pay for the costs of the study, including the full curriculum and the training.
A: At the end of the study, we will email the results of the study to all participating educators. If you are a district administrator or otherwise involved in school-based prevention programs, contact us using the contact information on this website and tell us you would like a copy of the results.
A: The keepin' it REAL curriculum, including the Teacher Guide, the video or DVD, and any student workbooks you did not use, are yours to keep and use in the future. If you would like to continue to teach keepin' it REAL and need more student workbooks, they can be purchased at www.etr.org or by calling 800-321-4407.
A: Yes. You can implement the keepin' it REAL lessons in more than one class but you will only fill out lesson logs regarding your experience the first time you implement each lesson. Lesson logs should be filled out for your experience implementing the keepin' it REAL lessons with the same group of students.
A: You will have up to one month to prepare before implementing the curriculum. You will receive the curriculum in late September and should begin implementing the lessons in October 2007. How to Participate
A: The steps to participate are easy. The best way to proceed is to contact Bayla Greenspoon at 530-926-4779 or baylag@etr.org . If you are an educator, you can also fill out the online interest form for educators. If you are an administrator or otherwise involved in prevention programs, you can also fill out the online interest form for administrators. A member of the project staff will contact you, answer your questions, and email you a project Participation Agreement for you to review and sign.
A: Yes, we are looking for educators who are able to teach a substance abuse prevention curriculum to 6th, 7th, 8th or 9th graders.
A: If you are a superintendent or otherwise responsible for the curricula used in your district, we would like you to review the material we have provided on this website, contact us if you have questions, and give approval for educators in your district to participate in the California keepin' it REAL Project. If you are an administrator involved in student health and prevention programs, please contact us to find out how you can help educators in your district be part of the project.
A: We encourage interested parties to contact us immediately. We anticipate having all study spots filled by mid-September 2007. If spots are available past September, we will accept more participants in October. No new participants will be added to the project after October 31, 2007. If You Have Already Signed Up
A: Participants will receive a copy of the keepin' it REAL curriculum in mid-September 2007
A: In mid-September, you will receive the keepin' it REAL Teacher Guide. You will complete the pretest the first week of October. After you submit the pretest, we will send you the keepin' it REAL video or DVD, and one student workbook (in English or Spanish) for each student in the class that is part of the research study. The Teacher Guide includes masters for transparencies and homework assignments. You can copy the masters to use as instructional aids when you implement the keepin' it REAL lessons.
A: Everyone who participates in the study will receive a copy of the curriculum. If a member of the project staff sent you a preview copy of the curriculum and you have not returned it, we will not send you another one. However, you will receive the student workbooks and the DVD or video.
A: It depends on whether your new job or teaching assignment meets the conditions necessary to participate in the study. To participate in the project, you must be able to meet the following conditions: a) implement the entire keepin' it REAL curriculum in a classroom-type setting with a group of at least 8 students who are in 6th, 7th, 8th, or 9th grade; b) be able to give homework assignments to the students; and c) be able to teach the lessons 1-3 times per week. Remember, once you start implementing the keepin' it REAL curriculum, the lessons must be taught to the same group of students.
A: No. Any information provided by you or any other study participant is confidential.
A: Have them contact Bayla Greenspoon at 530-926-4779 or baylag@etr.org soon.
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