UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1181

Research Mentor Information
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Primary Research Mentor Name: Landon R. Heller 
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns: He/Him
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific?: Mr
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated): lrh20@fsu.edu
Position Title: Graduate Student
Faculty Advisor Name: Richard Wagner
Faculty Advisor's FSU Email: rkwagner@psy.fsu.edu
FSU College (if applicable): Arts and Sciences
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation: Developmental Psychology 
Headshot (optional): https://cre.fsu.edu/system/files/webform/urop_project_proposal_portal/20501/20240819_Psychology-Neuroscience_Landon-Heller_Headshot-3x2.jpg

Additional Research Mentor(s)
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Overall Project Details
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Title of the Project: Expanding the Evidence Base: Does Use of Assistive Technology in the Form of Text-to-Speech and Related Read-Aloud Tools Improve Reading Comprehension for Students with Reading Disabilities? A Meta-Analysis
Project Keywords: aassistive technology, reading comprehension, text-to-speech, reading disabilities, technology, meta-analysis
Are you currently looking for research assistants?: Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed : 2
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s):
All majors

Project Location:: On FSU Main Campus
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation?: {Empty}
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s):: Partially Remote
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work?: 7-10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work?: Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description:
Meta-analysis is the quantitative combination of findings from multiple studies on a given topic. It addresses the limitations of individual studies, such as small sample sizes or inconsistent results, by synthesizing evidence to produce more precise and generalizable conclusions.
This research project examines the effects of text-to-speech (TTS) technology on reading comprehension for students with reading disabilities. TTS is an assistive technology that converts written text into spoken words, which may help students better understand and retain what they read. The project is part of the Florida State Department of Psychology.
The work involves identifying and coding relevant studies, analyzing effect sizes, and interpreting findings within the context of the broader literature on reading comprehension and assistive technology. The results aim to clarify the overall effectiveness of TTS and identify factors that may influence its impact, informing both research and educational practice.

Research Tasks:
The research tasks will involve coding studies for categorical moderators of study features, along with additional coding of numerical features, including the extraction of means, standard deviations, and treatment group sizes. This will also require understanding the broader literature on text-to-speech within the context of the coded studies. Attend weekly meetings on coding procedures and meetings regarding hourly coding expectations.

Skills that research assistant(s) may need::
Undergraduate students participating in this project will need strong reading comprehension skills to accurately interpret and code the studies. They must also demonstrate patience to thoroughly extract study materials in detail. In addition, strong time management skills are essential, as coding for a meta-analysis is a time-intensive process that requires both precision and persistence. 

Mentoring Philosophy:
First, I believe the best way to learn about something is to get directly involved in research on it.

Second, I value students’ time and am committed to ensuring they get the most out of the experience. This means not only providing the opportunity to participate in a research project, but also making it possible to learn a scientific method, meta-analysis, that can strengthen their skills and make them more competitive for graduate or professional training programs.

Third, I view mentoring as an apprenticeship that helps students determine whether this kind of research is something they may want to pursue further. This requires providing opportunities to see the broader context of the work, not just the technical details.

Fourth, my own path into graduate school was shaped by the mentoring I received as an undergraduate research assistant at Florida State University. Experiencing firsthand the growth that comes from working alongside graduate students gave me a model for mentorship that I aim to continue. My goal is to provide students with the same kind of support and opportunities that guided me toward pursuing advanced training.

Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable):: https://thewagnerlab.com/our-team/
Please add any additional information here (if applicable)::
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Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable?: Yes
Roundtable times and Zoom links:
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Roundtable Info:
- Day: Wednesday, September 3
  Start Time: 3:00
  End Time: 3:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/98202885283
- Day: Tuesday, September 2
  Start Time: 2:00
  End Time: 2:30
  Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/98202885283

UROP Program Elements
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Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication: Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation: Yes
Materials Grant: Yes
UROP Poster Presentation: Yes
Faculty Advisor Confirmation: Yes

Are you interested in attending in a UROP Research Mentor Workshop Series?: Yes
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Year: 2025
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