scholarly journals Lessons Learned in Abruptly Switching from In-Person to Remote Data Collection in Light of the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Crystal Walker ◽  
Loretta Williams ◽  
Trimika Bowdre
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Consent Forms ◽  
Research Population ◽  
Scheduling Tool ◽  
Demographic Surveys

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a research study that utilized in-person focus groups to collect qualitative data was abruptly shifted to videoconference focus groups to minimize risk to subjects. Protocol amendments consisted of using an online scheduling tool to arrange focus groups by Zoom, providing electronic versions of consent forms and demographic surveys, and highlighting security features of the videoconference software. Lessons were learned from making an abrupt switch from in-person to remote focus groups. Making this type of shift is not simply a matter of switching for researcher convenience but includes determining the appropriateness of an abrupt switch for the research population of interest, fully understanding videoconference software best practices, decreasing focus group sizes, and increasing the incentive for participation.

scholarly journals The Unfocused Focus Group: Benefit or Bane?

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy Franz
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Group Facilitation ◽  
Science And Art ◽  
Group Facilitators

Facilitating successful focus groups requires both science and art. One element that can fully challenge focus group facilitators includes how to handle the unfocused focus group. This article describes "unfocus" and the benefits and disadvantages of unfocus in focus groups. Lessons learned from and approaches taken on this journey are shared to enhance focus group facilitation best practices.

Macroergonomic Methods: Interviews and Focus Groups

2002 ◽  
Vol 46 (15) ◽  
pp. 1355-1359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah C. Newman
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Group Processes ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Human Interaction ◽  
Individual Interview ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Human Condition

Both the interviewing and focus group processes have been around and in use as tools for gathering information for decades. For someone who is interested in learning more about people and their experiences, what better way to accomplish this than by speaking directly with an individual or group of individuals? Individual as well as group interviews are windows to an understanding of the behaviors of those being interviewed. Focus groups, specifically, are viewed as a window into the human condition and human interaction. Although, the individual interview is one of the most widely used methods for collecting qualitative data, focus groups have recently gained more popularity among qualitative researchers as a method of choice.

Learning Through Practice: The Design and Implementation of an Advanced Integrative Practicum for DrPH Students

2020 ◽  
pp. 237337992093189
Author(s):  
Bree L. Hemingway ◽  
Jamie Q. Felicitas-Perkins ◽  
C. Anderson Johnson ◽  
Michael Osur ◽  
Darleen V. Peterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Health System ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Professional Programs ◽  
Practice Experience ◽  
High Level ◽  
External Entity

Students enrolled in Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) programs accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health complete an applied practice experience resulting in an advanced project. This requirement can vary by program, but it commonly occurs as a singular experience after students have begun coursework. In 2016, we assessed the practicum component for the Doctor of Public Health degree at Claremont Graduate University. We sought feedback from employers and reviewed other professional programs with required practice experiences. Data indicated that successful experiences integrated didactic coursework with practice, suggesting the design of an embedded format versus a stand-alone requirement. The Advanced Integrative Practicum (AIP) was launched in Fall 2017 through a partnership between Claremont Graduate University School of Community and Global Health and Riverside University Health System. The practicum series began with an introduction to the health system through rotations led by Riverside University Health System (AIP-A), continued with students engaging with experts to propose solutions to public health issues (AIP-B), and concluded with a high-level practice-based project (AIP-C) where students, under supervision of a mentor at an external entity, implement projects. Qualitative data obtained through final written syntheses indicated that a majority of students feel the experience was integral to their DrPH training. Steps were taken to address threats to sustainability and a program component that seemed not sufficiently engaging. Although the practicum was not continued in its piloted form, best practices were realized as were lessons learned, ultimately leading to broader modifications in the DrPH program curriculum.

scholarly journals Re-Thinking the Boundaries of the Focus Group: A Reflexive Analysis on the Use and Legitimacy of Group Methodologies in Qualitative Research

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 58-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martina Angela Caretta ◽  
Elena Vacchelli
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Action Research ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Data Collection ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Participatory Action ◽  
Group A ◽  
Data Collection Technique ◽  
Qualitative Data Collection

This article aims at problematizing the boundaries of what counts as focus group and in so doing it identifies some continuity between focus group and workshop, especially when it comes to arts informed and activity laden focus groups. The workshop [1] is often marginalized as a legitimate method for qualitative data collection outside PAR (Participatory Action Research)-based methodologies. Using examples from our research projects in East Africa and in London we argue that there are areas of overlap between these two methods, yet we tend to use concepts and definitions associated with focus groups because of the lack of visibility of workshops in qualitative research methods academic literature. The article argues that focus groups and workshops present a series of intertwined features resulting in a blending of the two which needs further exploration. In problematizing the boundaries of focus groups and recognizing the increasing usage of art-based and activity-based processes for the production of qualitative data during focus groups, we argue that focus groups and workshop are increasingly converging. We use a specifically feminist epistemology in order to critically unveil the myth around the non-hierarchical nature of consensus and group interaction during focus group discussions and other multi-vocal qualitative methods and contend that more methodological research should be carried out on the workshop as a legitimate qualitative data collection technique situated outside the cycle of action research.

scholarly journals BEST PRACTICES OF SCHOOL TEACHERS TO SUSTAIN THEIR STUDENTS LEARNING DURING CRISIS

2021 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 44-57
Author(s):  
Reham Salhab ◽  
Shireen Hashaykeh ◽  
Ayshaabd Rabo ◽  
Zuheir Khlaif ◽  
Soheil Salha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Learning ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Qualitative Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
School Teachers ◽  
Social Responsibilities ◽  
Mixed Approach

This research aims to identify the best practices implemented by school teachers in Palestine online during COVID-19. A qualitative approach was used to explore in-depth the best practices through two focus group sessions composed of 24 different specialty teachers from different schools. Moreover, semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers were also conducted to listen to their lived experiences and how they sustain teaching and communicating with their students. A grounded theory was used to analyze and categorize the qualitative data. The findings of this study are unique and novel since no other studies related to online learning were done during COVID- 19 in Palestine to support best practices that teachers should adopt. Moreover, the results will benefit teachers to rejuvenate and adapt their methods and strategies in different ways to fit learners’ needs. The results revealed that teachers use many free tools such as Google Classroom and Zoom and spend a lot of time understanding and learning about these tools. Teachers were eager to explore and use new teaching strategies to engage their students and support them emotionally during the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, teachers were committed to their social responsibilities during the crisis, weremotivatedand self-learners, as they asserted by exchanging experiences with colleagues. This study could be used to adapt experiences to other scenarios, so teachers can benefit from the findings of the studyand can transfer them to other contexts.It is recommended to conduct a mixed approach for generalization purposes for further investigation.

scholarly journals In Their Own Words: Best Practices for Advising Millennial Students about Majors

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 26-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamara Montag ◽  
Jill Campo ◽  
Julie Weissman ◽  
Angela Walmsley ◽  
Alex Snell
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Academic Advising ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Academic Advisors ◽  
Generational Theory ◽  
Major Selection ◽  
Millennial Students ◽  
Midwestern University ◽  
The Relationship

Utilizing generational theory, we explored the relationship between Millennial characteristics and students' major selection and academic advising experiences. We conducted focus groups of students with senior standing at a private, midwestern university, and we utilized a closed coding technique to analyze the qualitative data. Consistent with documented Millennial traits, participants expressed a sense of specialness as well as conventional motivation, optimism, and a need to feel protected. The findings suggest that academic advisors should acknowledge and at times accommodate these Millennial characteristics when working with students. More specifically, we suggest a split-model advising system as a way to optimize the advising experiences of Millennial students.

Understanding Incarcerated Girls: The Results of a Focus Group Study

1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 381-404 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOANNE BELKNAP ◽  
KRISTI HOLSINGER ◽  
MELISSA DUNN
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Female Offenders ◽  
The State ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Focus Group Study ◽  
Incarcerated Females ◽  
Delinquent Girls ◽  
Female Offending

Until recent years, the causes of female offending and the experiences of incarcerated females have been largely ignored. Female offenders are being incarcerated at unprecedented rates, and there has been considerable attention given to the “new” violent female delinquent. In an effort to better understand delinquent girls' experiences before and during institutionalization, focus groups were conducted across the state of Ohio in 1996 with institutionalized delinquent girls and the professionals who work with them. The findings from these focus groups point out some serious problems among many of these girls before and while they are incarcerated. Policy implications are discussed in terms of the findings from the qualitative data garnered from 11 focus groups, which included 48 delinquent girls and 42 professionals who deal with delinquent girls.

scholarly journals Advantages, Disadvantages, and Lessons Learned in Conducting Telephone Focus Groups to Discuss Biospecimen Research Concerns of Individuals Genetically at Risk for Cancer

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Koskan ◽  
Janique Rice ◽  
Clement Gwede ◽  
Cathy Meade ◽  
Ivana Sehovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Perceived Benefits ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Focus Group Research ◽  
Telecommunication Technology ◽  
Group Research

Advances in telecommunication technology allow biomedical researchers to explore new, inexpensive opportunities for conducting focus group research. This article reports our experiences using such technology to engage individuals genetically at risk for cancer about biospecimen research. Telephone-based focus groups were conducted with a total of 40 individuals, and participants were asked about their experiences and perceived benefits and limitations of participating in a telephone focus group about biospecimen research. The lessons learned can effectively be applied to other areas of health research. In particular, this method may be most useful to engage individuals who are less apt to speak in public, and/or when there are concerns over privacy if face-to-face discussions methods are used.

scholarly journals Using Social Media in health research with women of reproductive age: Online Focus Groups on Facebook (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Camilla Gry Temmesen ◽  
Henriette Svarre Nielsen ◽  
Heidi Lene Myglegård Andersen ◽  
Kathrine Birch Petersen ◽  
Jane Clemensen
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Health Research ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Women Of Reproductive Age ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Qualitative Health Research ◽  
Online Focus Groups

BACKGROUND Social media provides new possibilities within health research, especially in hard-to-reach populations. Women in Denmark and around the world postpone motherhood and risk infertility due to their advanced age when they try to conceive. To this date, no studies have explored Danish women’s reflections on timing of motherhood within a social media setting. OBJECTIVE To explore Facebook as a platform for qualitative health research for women of reproductive age. METHODS A qualitative study based on three online focus groups on the social media Facebook with 26 Danish women of reproductive age discussing timing of motherhood in January 2020. RESULTS Conducting online focus groups on Facebook were successful to this study as it made recruitment easy and free of charge, and the online approach was found eligible for qualitative data collection. All participants found it to be a positive experience to participate in an online focus group. More than half of the women participating in the online focus groups, felt that it was an advantage to meet on Facebook instead of meeting face-to-face. CONCLUSIONS Conducting online focus groups on Facebook is an eligible method to access qualitative data from women of reproductive age. Participants were positive towards being a part of an online focus group. Online focus groups on social media have the potential to give women of reproductive age a voice in the debate of motherhood.

scholarly journals Digital Government Strategies for Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Irfanullah Arfeen ◽  
Demetrios Saranti
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
Research Study ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Digital Government ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
Qualitative Data Analysis Software

The research study examines the Digital government strategies of different countries and compare it with the Digital Pakistan Policy 2018. Different countries focus on the different factors/themes as per requirement of their countries and need of their citizens. Therefore, a requirement for re-search that compares the different digital government strategies has been identified. Secondary data on eGovernment strategies of different governments have been examined to investigate best practices in other countries. The qualitative data analysis software program NVivo has been used to facilitate code-based analysis of different digital government strategies. The findings and recommendations can be successfully utilized for the improvement of digital government strate-gies and its alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

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