Schedule for Interviews
Student Focus Group Questions and Tips
Maintain control by:
  • knowing what we hope to discover,
  • asking the right questions,
  • giving appropriate verbal and non-verbal feedback, and
  • eliciting contributions from all students.
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    Please start the interview with:

    We are members of the LC Assessment Team which gathers information to make the LC the best program possible.  This interview gives you the opportunity to offer your opinions about different aspects of the program without worrying about being identified.  We hope all of you will contribute since each one of you opinions is important to us.  After the interviews have been completed, we will give a summary to the LC faculty, advisors, and administrators without reference to your name.

    QUESTIONS

    REFLECTIVE LISTENING
    1. How has your LC changed since the middle of last semester?
    Probe for information on the general atmosphere and environment, academic and social.
    2.  What kind of support and encouragement do you receive in your LC?
    Probe for both faculty and student support. If only one of the other is given try to obtain the other.
     
    3.  In what ways are you being academically stimulated in your LC? 
    Probe for comments on what the students imagined or expected the LC would be like. Also probe for a comparison between LC and non-LC classes.  Does the presentation of the material make it seem more interesting.
    4.  What kind of questions do your professors ask in the LC?  What kind of activities and assignments does your LC engage in?  Can you give a specific example that is representative of the kinds of questions you are asked?
    Probe for information on the modes of instruction and the range of activities, seeking evidence of cognitive levels developed through the LC activities.
    5.  Describe a writing assignment from your LC. 
    -Who gave you the assignment? 
    -Who graded it? 
    -What were the expectations of the assignment? 
    -How did it affect your confidence about your writing? 
    -How did it affect the quality of your writing?
    Probe for more than one example, looking for evidence to support faculty collaboration in writing assignments. Also probe for the clarity of the expectations of the assignment as understood by the students. 
    6.  Describe an information literacy assignment.  Who gave you the assignment?  Who graded it?  What were the expectations of the assignment?
    Explain the term "information  literacy" and/or give examples of assignments requiring or developing information literacy (research, computerized collaboration), looking for evidence of faculty collaboration in research instruction. Probe for the clarity of the expectations of the assignment as understood by the students. 
    7.  How do your professors interact in the LC? Do your teachers' interactions affect your learning?
    Probe enough to make statements on the students' observations regarding level of respect, attitudes, collaboration, acceptance, judgemental/non-judgemental relationships.
    8. Describe problems that have arisen in your LC and what was your role in their resolution?
    Probe to determine whether the student(s) feel that they must contribute anything to the community.
    9.  What personality characteristics are important for a faculty member to succeed in the LC?
    Probe for specific personality characteristics to target during recruitment.
    Tips for conducting the interviews:
    One person should be the primary interviewer.  The second A-team member probes, assists in keeping the interview focused, and writes when something occurs in the interview which might not be picked up on the tape or should not be forgotten.  Carefully monitor non-verbal cues during the interview.

    Make the transitions between the questions as smooth as possible by announcing when one section is completed and another is beginning or by summarizing previous section and asking if students have anything to add.

    Reflective listening requires that the interviewers elicit more detail through detail-oriented questions, elaboration questions (gentle, moderate, direct request--"Could you say more about that?"), or clarification to be sure you understand.

    Give positive reinforcement about how the interview is going.

    Remember, the quality of the information obtained is highly dependent upon the interviewer, who must know the kinds of information wanted and needed.  Nevertheless, the interviewers should try not to have any preconceived ideas of how the group will respond to the questions.  The interviewers should remain neutral: don't reveal your own opinion.

    Ensure that the interview is not dominated by 1 or 2 people.  Encourage the less verbal to participate.  Although this is a group, you want all participants' opinions.

    Thank the students for participating and remind them that they will remain anonymous.

    Immediately after the interview, record the non-verbal cues and body language of the group and your general perceptions/impressions of the interview.

    Please prepare a short summary shortly after your focus group detailing the specifics of the questions that were asked in the interview.


    prepared by Charla Bauer January 31, 1999