What does meaningful child assent really look like in research? In this episode of On Research, host Alexa McClellan speaks with Dr. David Coker about rethinking child assent beyond procedural compliance. Drawing on his recent scholarship, Dr. Coker explores gaps in current practices, regulatory tensions, inclusion of children with disabilities, and the role of IRBs in supporting assent as a developmentally appropriate, ethical process. The conversation challenges researchers to move from collecting assent as a formality to practicing it as a genuine expression of respect for children’s autonomy and voice. 
 

Notes: 

• Coker, David C, Ketaki Inamdar, Daniel F. McCleary, and Lesley Cottrell.  2025. “Child Assent Practices in Research: Improving Ethics, Decision-Making, and Inclusivity.” Journal of Educational Research & Practice. 15:1-24. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1492202.pdf 
• Qualitative Data Analysis – A CITI Program Course - https://about.citiprogram.org/course/qualitative-data-analysis/ 
• On Tech Ethics – A CITI Program Podcast -  https://www.buzzsprout.com/2120643 
• CITI Program’s course catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/course-catalog