Transcript Focus Groups

Focus Groups
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An Assessment Tool in Student Affairs
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Introduction
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A focus group is a qualitative research method
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Open-ended responses
Dynamic
Gathers opinions, beliefs, and attitudes about topics of interest
Group discussion
Created to focus on a well defined purpose, idea or topic
Focus groups are a valid and reliable method for collecting data.
Faculty have rated focus groups as more accurate, useful, and
believable than either student ratings or written comments,
although all three methods tend to provide similar impressions
of overall quality. (Ory & Braskamp, 1981).
Goals and Objectives
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Obtain individual’s perceptions
Learn new information about your
campus community
Receive feedback on new ideas,
products or plans
Develop and improve upon new
or current initiatives
Create open communication
Ethical Considerations
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Confidentiality of those involved
(not anonymity)
Creating privacy among
participants
Bias of the moderator
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Leading questions
Providing participants to pass on
a question or leave the Focus
Group if they feel uncomfortable
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Focus Groups Explained
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Often called a “group interview”
Small group of 6-10 people led
through an open discussion
Normally lasting 45-90 minutes
Important tool for receiving and
analyzing feedback about a decision,
plan or initiative
NOT an educational session or
workshop
NOT a platform for debate
NOT a brainstorming meeting
Four Steps of the Focus
Group
1.) Planning
 2.) Developing Questions
 3.) Moderating
 4.) Analyzing and Reporting Data
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Research your topic
Choose objectives and goals
Choose your participants and moderator
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Think about demographic and their
relationship or investment in your topic
Create buy in!
Get it on the calendar
 Consider conducting more than one focus
group, different people with the same
questions
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Reserve and set up your room
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Consider offering food/drink
Provide name badges for participants
Use a note taker and/or recording device
Step #1: Planning
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Keep goal(s) and objective(s) in mind
Avoid yes/no questions
Avoid using jargon or slang terms
Create 6-10 questions (5 main types)
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1.) Opening
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2.) Introductory
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Allows for further explanation and movement towards the
main topic
“Tell me about your experience”
4.) Key
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Introduces main topic
How, what and when
3.) Transition
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Quick, vague, simple that everyone can answer
Can act as an icebreaker/ introductory tool for participants
2-5 questions that drive the conversation
Use of pauses or probing
5.) Ending
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Summary
“All Things Considered”
Final
Step #2: Developing
Questions
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Be prepared
Introduce yourself, and provide an
introduction to participants
Show respect and impartiality to participants
Be emotionally detached
Be a moderator, not a participant
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Remain objective and un-bias
Practice good listening
Remain actively engaged
Exercise mild control
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Step #3: Moderating
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Do the analysis as soon as possible
following the focus group
Collect all notes and recordings
Organize questions/ answers
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Focus on responses to the key questions
Try to make comparisons to other focus
groups with same questions
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Coding names and answers if necessary
Look for patterns
Create an executive summary including
any findings, implications and
conclusions
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Raw data
Descriptive statements
Interpretation
Step #4: Analyzing and
Reporting Data
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When to Use…
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Understanding opinions,
attitudes or beliefs from
a group of people
Investigate behaviors
Friendly, open and
respectful research
method
Testing reactions to
people, ideas or product
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When NOT to Use…
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You need statistical
information
When working with
sensitive or emotionally
charged topics
Cannot ensure
confidentiality
Want a clear consensus
(not a debate)
Tips for a Successful
Focus Group
How it Relates to Student
Affairs
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Assessment in Student Affairs is a necessity in our ever changing field
Student Affairs Professionals are at the heart of their respective
Institutions and Universities and can easily reach the student population
Focus Groups are a great way to engage your campus community
Offers students the opportunity to have their voice heard to peers and
administrators
Receive candid responses
Create an open line of communication, creating effective solutions and
fostering ideas for change
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Implications and
Limitations
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Focus Groups are a more personal way to
connect with a sample population
They are effective ways to solicit opinions
and foster means for improvement
Flexible atmosphere and can allow for
open lines of communication
Several focus groups should be performed
on the same topic
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And are best when accompanied with other
forms of research to retrieve a “whole
picture”
Student Affairs professionals can benefit
from this group collaborative style of
research
Limitations include
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Small or unreliable sample sizes
Group think mentality
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Thank you!
References
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Braskamp, L.A. & Ory, J.C. (1994). Assessing faculty
work: Enhancing individual and institutional
performance. Jossy-Bass: San Francisco
Harrington M. & Hobbs M. (2008). FOCUS GROUPS:
A Strategic Tool for Discovery and Assessment.
[PDF]. Retrieved from:
http://assessment.tamu.edu/resources/conf_2008_presentations/Harrington_Hobbs_FocusGroups.pdf