But We Want To Know More! Focus Groups and Academic Advising NACADA Executive Office Kansas State University 2323 Anderson Ave, Suite 225 Manhattan, KS Phone: (785) Fax: (785) © 2012 National Academic Advising Association The contents of all material in this presentation are copyrighted by the National Academic Advising Association, unless otherwise indicated. Copyright is not claimed as to any part of an original work prepared by a U.S. or state government officer or employee as part of that person's official duties. All rights are reserved by NACADA, and content may not be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of NACADA, or as indicated below. Members of NACADA may download pages or other content for their own use, consistent with the mission and purpose of NACADA. However, no part of such content may be otherwise or subsequently be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred, in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of, and with express attribution to NACADA. Copyright infringement is a violation of federal law and is subject to criminal and civil penalties. NACADA and National Academic Advising Association are service marks of the National Academic Advising Association. The Global Community for Academic Advising Karen Boston University of Arkansas

The Global Community for Academic Advising Overview Focus Groups for Academic Advising Benefits of Focus Groups Challenges of Focus Groups How To Facilitate a Focus Group Examples of Academic Advising Focus Groups

The Global Community for Academic Advising What are Focus Groups? Provides small, informal group discussions with specific populations of students and/or advisors that focuses on academic advising

The Global Community for Academic Advising Focus Groups? They are a research method for collecting qualitative data and information They otherwise generate additional data They are focused on collecting data (Morgan, D.L., 1998)

The Global Community for Academic Advising What Focus Groups Are Not? Getting a bunch of people together Large Town Halls or Town Meetings Ongoing committees Sales pitches Not involved in research Not engaged in discussion Not focused!

The Global Community for Academic Advising Benefits of Focus Groups Format can be less intimidating Oral responses Oral responses that can build upon oral responses “Drill Down” from other surveys or questionnaires Provide an understanding of responses Gather student and advisor ideas Validates that student and advisor feedback is wanted Reminds students and advisors about outcomes of advising!

The Global Community for Academic Advising Challenges of Focus Groups Participation Planning Training Potential Costs and Resources Privacy/Confidentiality Others?

The Global Community for Academic Advising Facilitating a Focus Group Starts with the Facilitator –Knowledgeable about the Topics –Guides –Prompts –FACILITATES Determining the Participants Developing the Format –Layout –Scribe, Recorder, Web 360, etc. Developing the Questions Assessing the Outcomes Utilizing the Feedback!!

The Global Community for Academic Advising Resources for How To Conduct Focus Groups

The Global Community for Academic Advising Examples of Focus Groups University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Participant Examples?

The Global Community for Academic Advising Resources Cuseo, J. (2008). “ Assessing Advisor Effectiveness” In Gordon, V.N. et. al. (Eds.), Academic Advising: A comprehensive handbook, second edition (2008). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Krueger, R.A. & Casey, M.A. (2000). Focus Groups: A practical guide for applied research, 3 rd ed. Thousand Oaks, Sage Publications, Inc. Morgan, D.L. & Krueger, R.A. (1998). The Focus Group Kit. Thousand Oaks, Sage Publications, Inc.