Start Date: February 2016

ID #: 73389

Principal Investigator: Michele Polacsek, PhD

Organization: University of New England

Funding Round: Round 9

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This study aims to assess school digital marketing environments in a national sample of middle schools to identify opportunities and barriers to limit school-based marketing. This team previously developed a survey to assess digital marketing in schools as part of a previous HER-funded grant which will be used in this study. The specific aims of this project are to: 1) pretest and pilot a school-based digital marketing survey; 2) assess digital marketing environments using the survey tool in a national sample of middle schools comparing census regions, urban and rural, as well as minority and majority population school districts; 2a) pilot the student section of the digital marketing tool to explore use of school and personal digital devices, students’ use of social media during the school day, and perceptions about digital marketing at school; and 3) develop recommendations for further assessment, policy, and practical approaches to limit digital marketing to students at school. The online survey will be administered to a representative sample of U.S. middle school personnel. A survey will be administered to 100 Maine middle schools students in one Maine school district to pilot test the student section of the tool.

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