Research and Assessment Techniques: Focus Groups

1. Research and Assessment Techniques: Focus Groups Your Name Your Institution Date

2. Overview

3. Outcomes Compare focus group approach with other approaches Plan a focus group session Develop a focus group discussion guide Facilitate a focus group Analyze focus group results

4. Icebreaker Using the “When and When Not to Use Focus Group Interviews” checklist, select in which items a focus group should be used.

5. Purpose and Use A focus group is used to: Understand the range of opinions, feelings, ideas, thoughts or behaviors among a group of people with similar characteristics or interests. A focus group is not used to: Build consensus, resolve conflict or understand what people with divergent experiences believe on a wide range of topics.

6. Other Qualitative Approaches Delphi Method Brainstorming Survey Research Interactive Qualitative Analysis (IQA) Nominal Group Technique (NGT)

7. Focus Group Characteristics

8. Primary Characteristics Moderator’s Role • Non-directive; facilitates discussion, probes to understand details and nuances of comments Size and Composition • 3-6 sessions of 5-12 participants each • Homogeneous groups Focused Discussions • Questions are open-ended and sequenced • Guided questions with spontaneous probing

9. Focus Group Components Determine the purpose Formulate the research question Identify the participant characteristics Identify who and how the information will be used Develop the discussion guide Schedule sessions and recruit participants

10. The Planning Guide Action Research • What is the question the research will help answer? • What is the research assumption or hypothesis? • What specific traits or characteristics are needed in the population? • Who will use the information? • How will the information be used? SLO Assessment • What is the SLO you want to assess? • What is the SLO criteria? • Which segment of the population is the SLO targeting? • Will the information be shared with your colleagues? • How will the information be used?

11. Interactive Activity Develop a Guide: Use the “Focus Group Planning” template to develop a Planning Guide for your focus group research or assessment.

12. The Discussion Guide Question Routing • Easy beginning • Sequencing • General before specific • Positive before negative • Uncuedbefore cued Categories of Questions • Opening questions • Introductory questions • Transition questions • Key questions • Closing questions

13. Question Categories Opening • Purpose of the focus group and ground rules • Tell us your name and how many semesters you’ve attended the college Introduction • How did you learn about this class or service? • How often or when do you go to class or use this service? Transition • Think back to when you took your first class or first used the service. What was your impression?

14. Question Categories Key Questions • What was particularly helpful? • What was particularly frustrating or not helpful? • How has your learning experience changed as a result of this class or service? Closing • What advice would you give to improve this class or service? • Is there anything I missed that you would like to add?

15. Writing Good Questions Be conversational and informal Avoid jargon; use language participants will know Be clear and concise; eliminate questions with multiple questions in one (barreling) Ask open-ended questions but avoid “why” so as not to appear judgmental or disapproving Phrase questions to allow participants to respond based on experience: “think back”

16. Interactive Activity Develop a discussion guide using one of the sample research or SLO topics in the Planning Guide, or one you’ve created. Follow the general routing and category of questions: Opening Introduction Transition Key Questions Closing

17. Activities to Engage Participants Listing items Rating items Picture/card sorting Drawing pictures Imagining/visualizing Developing a campaign

18. Facilitating the Focus Group Necessary Skills and Preparation • Have a friendly, inviting, non-judgmental attitude • Practice active listening; resist personal views • Know the subject matter, the environment and the discussion guide Essential Techniques • Pause • Probe • Acknowledge verbally and non-verbally

19. Interactive Activity Ask the person next to you a focused question and use the following three techniques to practice interviewing: • Five second pause • Probe for further explanation, examples or details • Acknowledge without agreement or disagreement either verbally or non-verbally

20. Analyzing the Results Review the Purpose Content Analysis Process • Review the comments/transcripts • Extract the major themes or concepts • Group comments by major themes • Identify key descriptors within themes • Summarize the themes using the descriptors • Add your conclusions and recommendations

21. Content Analysis Sample Themes • Quality of Instructor Descriptors • Helpful instructors • Available when I need them • Knowledgeable • Concerned with my success

22. Interactive Activity Conduct a content analysis by extracting themes and descriptors from the sample focus group interview results and summarize the results.

23. References Focus Groups, Krueger and Casey Interactive Qualitative Analysis, Northcutt and McCoy

24. The BRIC Initiative BRIC: http://www.rpgroup.org/projects/BRIC.html The RP Group: http://www.rpgroup.org/ Contact: Rob Johnstone Project Director, rjohnstone@rpgroup.org Priyadarshini Chaplot Project Coordinator, pchaplot@rpgroup.org