University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC)
1265 Military Trail
Toronto ON M1C 1A4
DATE: 28 September 2015
Principal Investigator:
Dr. Steve Joordens
Psychology
University of Toronto Scarborough
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
416-287-7469
Joordens@utsc.utoronto.ca
Co-Investigators:
Dr. Joseph Kim
PNB
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
(905) 525-9140 ext. 21332
kimjoe@mcmaster.ca
Hillary Arnold
Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario
2402 - 1 Yonge Street
Toronto ON M5E 1E5
416-212-5247
harnold@heqco.ca
Purpose of the Study
We are interested in how you spend your time while you pursue your undergraduate degree. In particular,
we are interested in knowing how much time you spend studying, working, in transit, etc. We would like to
explore if time-use patterns are at all related to academic achievement. The results of this study will also
be used to inform the longer term research goal of gathering time-use data at multiple post-secondary
institutions across Ontario.
In order to participate in this study you must meet the following criteria:





You are at least 18 years old
You are enrolled in full-time undergraduate studies
You own a smart phone
You have a data plan or have daily access to Wi-Fi through your smartphone
You are willing to install the mobile app (MetricWire) and register a user account
Method of Data Collection
This research project uses a mobile application, MetricWire, to collect data on where and how you spend
your time. MetricWire is available for both iOS and Android. Using GPS technology, and passively tracks
the user’s location. Using geofencing (with location details set by the participant) it collects data about time
spent at home, on campus and at employment. You will be asked to fill out a time-use diary on eight discrete
days over the course of the semester (they will be randomly assigned and will include 6 weekdays and 2
weekend days) There will also be one practice day at the start of the study to ensure that the diary features
are working and that you understand the process.
Participation Steps:
1. Screener survey (2-3 min.) to ensure that you are eligible to participate in this study.
o You are at least 18 years old
o You are enrolled in full-time undergraduate studies
o You own a smart phone
o You have a data plan or have daily access to Wi-Fi through your smartphone
o You are willing to install the mobile app (MetricWire) and register a user account
2. Install the mobile app MetricWire (this app developer is located in Waterloo, Ontario). For the
duration of the study, MetricWire will passively record your location using a GPS function.
o GPS data collection is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You are permitted to turn your
data/GPS off at any given time and you may choose not to disclose your location/activity if
you are uncomfortable disclosing particular data.
3. Complete the entrance survey (2-3 minutes) (through the app). You will be asked to submit basic
demographic information (i.e. gender, year of birth, ethno-cultural background).
4. Geofencing: Identify (through the app) your home location, your campus location and your paid
work location (if applicable). Subsequently, when you enter a geofenced location the app will record
when you entered and when you leave giving a timeframe for time spent at home, on campus and
at paid employment.
5. One day test run of time-use data collection to ensure the app is working and you are familiar with
how to use it (this data is not saved).
6. Time-use data collection phase will run on 8 random days between October 19th and November
29th .
o Each day of data collection is broken into three eight hour periods and you are notified
through the app when you have a diary available for filling in. The GPS and geofencing
data is used as a memory aid and these details will already be in your diary.
o You are asked to fill in further details (we estimate this will take you about 5 min per diary)
about how you spend your time using a drop-down list of categories (i.e. studying, in class,
socializing, etc.)
7. Exit Survey You will be asked to complete an exit survey (10 minutes) in the first half of January
2016. This is to collect information on your experience of using the mobile application, as well as
questions relating to your fall 2015 GPA, your entrance GPA, and courses registered and credits
earned to date. This information will be used to inform the longer term research goal of gathering
time-use data at multiple post-secondary institutions across Ontario. This information, combined
with the demographic data collected in the Entrance Survey, will be used to help us understand the
demographic traits of our sample population and if and how student academic experience and
success relates to time use.
Registrar’s data
To ensure the accuracy of the grades data we are also requesting registrar data (Fall semester GPA,
number of courses registered and credits earned to date, entering GPA and number of courses registered
in during the Fall 2015 semester (after final drop date). At the end of this document you are asked to allow
access to this data through the registrar’s office at your institution. You can choose to not allow access to
your registrar data and still participate in this time-use study.
Potential Harms, Risks or Discomforts:
It is not likely that there will be any harms or discomforts from using the mobile time use data app or from
completing the surveys. You do not need to answer questions that you do not want to answer or that make
you feel uncomfortable.
Potential Benefits:
The research benefits are twofold. First, this study can possibly provide researchers and educators with a
better understanding of how undergraduates spend their time, and which activities are competing for
student time and energies.
Second, a direct benefit to you may be the very use of this mobile app. This app will provide you with a
fairly accurate visual (i.e. map/calendar) of how you spend your time. This information may help you develop
time management skills during your studies.
Payment or Reimbursement
You can choose the type of compensation you would like to receive. This choice is made when completing
the consent form. An electronic gift card (choice of Starbucks, iTunes etc.) (A) with money added as you
submit data, OR added points in a draw (choice of iPhone, iPad, Galaxy etc.) for a single larger prize (B),
with the more points giving you a greater chance of winning. The details of each are outlined below.
You will be provided with electronic gift cards OR points towards a draw prize for your participation. The
total compensation for full participation will be $30.00 worth of gift cards (available in $5 increments) OR
3000 draw points, distributed upon the completion of each detailed diary.
Upon the completion of the exit survey in January 2016, you will be presented with a final $10 OR 1000
draw points. The incentive will be delivered electronically following each week’s participation. The incentive
breakdown can be seen below:
Day #
Detailed Diary (each
day is three 8 hour
diaries)
Test day
200 points x 1 diary
Day 1
75 points x 3 diaries
Day 2
75 points x 3 diaries
Day 3
75 points x 3 diaries
Day 4
75 points x 3 diaries
Day 5
75 points x 3 diaries
Day 6
75 points x 3 diaries
Day 7
75 points x 3 diaries
Day 8
75 points x 3 diaries
Exit Survey Submitted =
Total
*Apple Watch, iPad Air 2, iPhone 6,
CAD before tax).
Compensation A
Compensation B
(1 point = 1 cent)
Points added to the
Monies added to
Draw (Choose one
gift card (maximum from a list of five*)
possible)
$2.00
200
$2.25
225
$2.25
225
$2.25
225
$2.25
225
$2.25
225
$2.25
225
$2.25
225
$2.25
225
$10
1000
$30.00
3000
Nexus 9, Samsung Galaxy S6 (price limit of each model is $800.00
For example: Each ‘point’ is worth $0.01 towards an incentive card. If on day 2 of your randomly selected
diary days you complete one 8 hour diary you will receive $0.75 OR 75 points to the draw (depending on
which incentive package you chose). If on day 2 you complete all three of the 8 hour diaries you will receive
$2.25 OR 225 points to the draw. You are notified through the mobile app when each diary is due, and you
will have 24 hours to submit. You can also find your $ or points earned to date tallied on the app. The
financial incentive can be used to purchase gift cards anytime in $5, $10, or $15 dollar increments
(depending on the card selected), and the draw will be held in February 2016.
Confidentiality
Your time-use data will be sent to MetricWire. MetricWire is a Canadian company and your time-use data
will be stored on a secure server. MetricWire’s servers were built to comply with PHIPA, HIPAA & FDA
CRF-21 Part 11 privacy and security protocols. All data at rest and in transit is encrypted.
Only the research team members at MetricWire will have access to your data. This is the facility where your
survey, demographic, and time use data will be merged with your registrar data (if you gave consent) and
subsequently anonymized.
Identities must be known during data collection in order to facilitate weekly compensation. The research
team members at UTSC University and HEQCO will only have access to the data once it is anonymized.
No information that could personally identify you will be disclosed in the reporting of the results; however,
anonymous verbatim comments may be used.
Data from all participants will be collated and used by researchers at McMaster and the Higher Education
Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) to prepare reports on the user experience and perceptions of the
mobile applications, as well as on mobile applications’ value for conducting time-use research. A potential
full study will focus on time-use among students and will be prepared by researchers at HEQCO and
McMaster University, with a possible publication on the HEQCO website and/or through academic journals.
Study results may also be disseminated by researchers at McMaster University and HEQCO through
conferences and other public presentations.
HEQCO is an agency of the government of Ontario that brings evidence-based research to the continued
improvement of the postsecondary education system in Ontario. As part of its mandate, HEQCO evaluates
the postsecondary sector and provides policy recommendations to the Minister of Training, Colleges and
Universities to enhance the access, quality and accountability of Ontario’s colleges and universities.
The research team will also consist of your course instructor, Dr.Steve Joordens. He will only have access
to your data once the course is complete and once the data is anonymized.
Please note that your course mark for Introductory Psychology will not be affected in any way by your
decision to participate in this study and you will not receive any course credit or marks for participation.
This is a study independent of the course program.
Participation and Withdrawal:
Your participation in this study is completely voluntary and confidential, and you have no obligation to take
part. You may refuse to participate, refuse to answer any questions, or withdraw from the survey at any
time (up to the end of the study on February 1, 2016) with no negative consequences. You can decide to
stop submitting data at any time simply by logging out or uninstalling the app from your phone.
If, in addition to no longer submitting data, you would like to also withdraw previously submitted data from
this research study, please contact (utsc@studenttimeuse.ca), referencing ‘Withdraw’ and state that you
wish to withdraw your data from this study. You must do this from the email address linked to your
participation in this study. You will be notified that your data has been removed.
There is a link on the app which includes withdrawal instructions.
Information about the Study Results:
We expect to have summary results completed by approximately August, 2016. If you would like a brief
summary of the results, please complete the relevant section in the letter of consent. The anonymized
data will be held for potential research no longer than six years, and deleted completely by December
2021.
Questions about the Study:
If you have questions or need more information about the study itself, please contact me at:
utsc@studenttimeuse.ca
This study has been reviewed by the University of Toronto Research Ethics Board and received ethics
clearance. If you have concerns or questions about your rights as a participant or about the way the study
is conducted, please contact:
University of Toronto Office of Research Ethics
Telephone: (416) 946-3273
E-mail: ethics.review@utoronto.ca
The following consent form (along with a copy of the above information letter) will be available to
you for completing after you have been randomly selected and invited to download the mobile
application. Please complete the screener survey to become a potential participant.
COMMON CONSENT FORM





I have read the information presented in the information letter about the time use study being
conducted at my University.
I have had the opportunity to ask questions about my involvement in this study and to receive
additional details I requested.
I understand that if I agree to participate in this study, I may withdraw from the study at any time
or up until approximately February, 2016.
I have been given a copy of this form.
I agree to participate in the study.
Name: _______________________________________________
Date: __________________
1. Please choose your incentive method (if you do not choose either you will be included in the
draw prize):
Gift Card 
Draw Prize 
2. Yes, I agree to have the following data from My University’s registrar office included.
Fall 2015 GPA
Entrance GPA
Number of credits earned as of January 10, 2016
Number of courses registered in during Fall 2015 semester (after final drop date).
Student ID Number ________________________
Your university email address ________________________________
No, I do not want my registrar’s data included 
3. Yes, I would like to receive a summary of the study’s results.
Please send them to me at this email address _________________________________
Or to this mailing address: ________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
No, I do not want to receive a summary of the study’s results. 