Do classroom projects require IRB approval?

Only projects that meet the regulatory definition for human subjects research require IRB approval. Research is defined as a "a systematic investigation...designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge." The regulations hinge on your intent - if your intent is to contribute to generalizable knowledge (such as disseminating your findings through publication or presentation), your project requires IRB approval.

However, if the project is conducted as a classroom project only, and there is no intent to use the findings from the project outside the classroom, IRB approval is not required.