Students Speak –
We Listen
CCCSE Workshop, May 31, 2011
Why focus groups?
Digging beneath the numbers…
moving from “what” to “why”
Bringing data alive through student voices
The power of stories
Center for Community College Student Engagement
I’m sitting in the parking lot…
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Using numbers (quantitative data) and
student voices (qualitative data)
together…
The numbers tell you What.
The student voices tell you Why.
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What do students say is the most important
college service?
Academic Advising & Planning
90%
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Yet…
46%
…say they never saw an advisor
(or really aren’t sure…)
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But we gave them the info…
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Students don’t
do optional!!
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What entering students are telling us:
During their first 3 weeks…
• 71% - advisor helped them pick
classes.
• 60% - advisor helped them select a
major or program.
• Fewer than 40% - advisor helped
them set academic goals and create
a plan for achieving those goals.
Please advise me!
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Advice from Students
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Focus Group Toolkit
http://www.ccsse.org/center/iss/focusgroupt
oolkit.cfm
Student Focus Group Toolkit
can be adapted for faculty & staff
• Planning Focus Groups
• Recruiting Focus Group Participants
• Discussion Tools
• Analyzing/Reporting
Center for Community College Student Engagement
Focus Group Toolkit
Planning Focus Groups
Selecting a Moderator and Notetaker
Coordinator Responsibilities
Coordinator Checklist
Room Set-Up
Videotaping Guidelines
Consent Forms
Recruiting Focus Group
Participants
Selecting Participants
Inviting Participants
Discussion Tools
•Moderator Do’s and Don’ts
•Moderator’s Guide
•Student Profile Sheet
•Response Sheet – First Experiences
Analyzing/Reporting
•Summary Report Sample
Discussion Qs
Who?
Which students do you want to hear from?
What?
What do you want to learn from them?
Why?
What data lead you to ask those questions?
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Discussion Qs
Creating the Conversation
• Who is your audience? Which groups do
you want to engage in conversations about
these issues? What challenges do you see
in conducting focus groups?
• How will you use and share this
information?
• What do you want people to do with the
information you gather?
Center for Community College Student Engagement
Student Focus Group Toolkit
Planning Focus Groups
• Selecting a Moderator and Note-taker
• Coordinator Responsibilities – your team
• Coordinator Checklist
• Room Set-Up
• Videotaping Guidelines – upon request
• Consent Forms
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Create the conversation…
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Invite students to talk with each other…
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Then listen to their conversation…
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Student Focus Group Toolkit
Recruiting Focus Group Participants
• Selecting Participants
Your goal is: To gain as accurate a picture as possible
of student experiences at the college. You want the
good, the bad, and the ugly!
• Invitations & Maintaining Contact
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Student Focus Group Toolkit
Discussion Tools
•Moderator Do’s and Don’ts
•Moderator’s Guide
•Student Profile Sheet
•Response Sheets
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Focus Group Toolkit – Gathering Quantitative
Data Along with Qualitative Information
Student Profile Form – Use to gather basic information about your
participants
Additional response forms can be used to complement discussion
findings. Examples:
•Non-Academic Responsibilities
•Finances
•Technology Use
•First Experiences
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Focus Group Toolkit - Selecting a Moderator
• A time to listen, not to talk.
• Choose your facilitator wisely.
• Objective
• Not known to participants
• Not particularly knowledgeable about what the
college is doing
• Able to listen without showing a reaction!
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Group Activity – Create a Discussion Guide
• Select an OUTCOME. What do you want to learn from
focus group participants?
• What 3 or 4 QUESTIONS could you ask to get to that
outcome?
• Write OUTCOME and QUESTIONS on paper.
Select one person to share your group’s discussion guide
with session participants.
Center for Community College Student Engagement
Focus Group Toolkit – Moderator Guide
Sample Outcome: To understand students’
earliest academic experiences with the college.
Sample Questions: Think about your first day in class at this
college. What was it like? What happened on that first day or
during the first couple of classes? Did any of your instructors tell you
what they expect from you in the class? If so, what did they tell you?
How do those expectations match your own expectations for your
college experience?
Focus Group Toolkit – Moderator Guide
Sample Outcome: To understand what motivates
students to pursue higher education
Sample Questions: Why did you decide to go to college? Did
anyone urge you to go to college? Parents? Friends? High school
teachers or counselors? Anybody else?
Sample Questions: When did you decide to go to college? While
in high school? After high school? Did you work for a while before
deciding to return to school?
Advice from Students:
For the college: What works? What doesn’t?
What could the college do better to help
students get off to a good start?
For new students: What do you wish you had
done differently? What advice would you give
your brother/sister/friend who is just starting
college?
Students tell you what doesn’t work…
advice…
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Students cause you to rethink your choices…
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Students suggest new approaches…
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Students tell you what’s working…
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Let’s Listen!
What are your next steps?
Center for Community College Student Engagement
For more information:
Arleen Arnsparger
Project Manager
Initiative on Student Success
Center for Community College Student
Engagement (CCCSE)
[email protected]
Center for Community College Student Engagement