Data collection methods

Focus groups

Focus group discussions allow issues to be explored collaboratively. Once the key issues to be explored had been determined following analysis of the data derived to this point, the facilitator provided an approach that was confirmed by the project team. Importantly, this approach specifically intended to foster development for participants as they discussed issues that were perceived as being of common interest and concern. The research nature of the discussion and time constraints did not allow feedback from one substantive group activity (see 4, below) as would happen in a workshop, but this was provided later to participants who requested this information.

The material below is drawn from the experience of the 10 focus group discussions conducted as part of this project. They were designed and facilitated by the same person who had conducted the interviews, with continuity of experience being a perceived and real advantage.

In designing the focus group discussions similar key considerations to those outlined above in the section on Interviews were taken into account.

The most significant aspects associated with this particular method of data collection were:

1. Determining the number and composition of the group
   In this project, it was agreed that 6-8 people would be the desired number and these would be drawn from specified cohorts (University executive, Centre staff, Associate Deans Teaching and Learning and students). As individual universities nominated staff and made internal arrangements the final number and composition were at their discretion. The letter of invitation and response template are provided in Appendix F.

2. Determining the time
   90 minutes was the time allocated. 120 minutes would incorporate access to refreshments and increase flexibility.

3. Determining how data would be collected
   Plenary discussion was digitally recorded for later audio checks as deemed necessary. A perceived strength of the design was that it allowed written data provided by individual and group activities as outlined below to be readily available for later use. This proved to be a major saving in time for those responsible for analysing and reporting the data.

4. Determining the structure
   In this project, it was decided that it was important to build on the first stages of data collection (ie interviews and the online survey) and to seek information where there were identified gaps. Activities of varying complexity and challenge were incorporated and these were undertaken either individually or in sub-groups.

Once the themes were identified, it was intended that participants would have times when they could comment on their Centre/University then and also on Centres nationally/internationally. An integrating thread was the comparison between the perceived reality and the ideal.

The facilitator chose to privilege the voices of participants and, while the time allocation was monitored and controlled, there was no overt judgement in terms of how participants chose to respond to the stimulus questions/activities.

As part of the preparation for the focus group discussions, a running sheet (68 KB) was prepared and provided some additional information regarding the approach used and the objectives each activity was designed to achieve.

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