1 Focus Group Training Focus Group Training Conducting Focus Groups with Visitors who are Blind/Low Vision Hosted by Art Education for the Blind/Art Beyond Sight Institute Museum of Science, Boston, Research and Evaluation Dept.

2 Outline Introductions Introductions About the project About the project How to conduct a focus group How to conduct a focus group Review focus group protocol Review focus group protocol Activities Activities Concluding remarks Concluding remarks

3 Focus group purpose To gather information that can inform the development of pilot programs that meet the needs and interests of visitors who are blind or have low vision To gather information that can inform the development of pilot programs that meet the needs and interests of visitors who are blind or have low vision To provide professional development for museum professionals To provide professional development for museum professionals

4 Focus group logistics (cont.) Process for data collection Process for data collection Seven sites Seven sites Notes and/or video/audio Notes and/or video/audio IRB approved consent forms IRB approved consent forms Process for data analysis Process for data analysis Code data for patterns and themes Code data for patterns and themes Beginning themes– from you! Beginning themes– from you! Inclusion as a conceptual framework Inclusion as a conceptual framework Within-group and cross-group analyses Within-group and cross-group analyses

5 How to conduct a focus group

6 Why conduct evaluations It is a critical element in… It is a critical element in… Creating responsive institutions Creating responsive institutions Acknowledging diversity Acknowledging diversity Promoting self-directed learning Promoting self-directed learning Testing our assumptions Testing our assumptions Proving our worth Proving our worth Improving our efforts Improving our efforts

7 Focus groups as evaluation tool Helpful for learning about visitor interests Helpful for learning about visitor interests Identify broad themes and trends Identify broad themes and trends Encourage discussions Encourage discussions Not useful for quantifying responses Not useful for quantifying responses Not useful for closed-ended questions Not useful for closed-ended questions

8 Recruitment Adults who are blind/have low vision Adults who are blind/have low vision Individuals with diverse experiences Individuals with diverse experiences Museum-going habits Museum-going habits Professions/interests Professions/interests Disability (blind and low vision) Disability (blind and low vision) People with disabilities– not service providers People with disabilities– not service providers

9 Asking questions Use the protocol as a guide, not a script Use the protocol as a guide, not a script Start with required questions Start with required questions Probe and ask clarifying questions Probe and ask clarifying questions Make sure all voices are heard Make sure all voices are heard Record names during introductions and use names to encourage responses Record names during introductions and use names to encourage responses Encourage positive and negative responses Encourage positive and negative responses Use a round-robin technique if necessary Use a round-robin technique if necessary

10 Asking questions--probing Probes are questions you ask to learn more about statements already made Probes are questions you ask to learn more about statements already made Strong probes are open-ended Strong probes are open-ended “Tell me more about that” “Tell me more about that” Weak probes are… Weak probes are… Leading—point toward a “correct” answer Leading—point toward a “correct” answer Closed-ended—limits the response Closed-ended—limits the response

11 Asking questions-- listening Note participant comments you would like to learn more about Note participant comments you would like to learn more about Refer back to participant statements Refer back to participant statements Pause and allow time for silence Pause and allow time for silence Do not correct participants Do not correct participants Do not provide information about the museum (until the end) Do not provide information about the museum (until the end)

12 Asking questions-- clarifying Effective listening helps you to ask clarifying questions: Effective listening helps you to ask clarifying questions: “You mentioned that your last visit to the museum was uncomfortable. What made the visit uncomfortable?” “You mentioned that your last visit to the museum was uncomfortable. What made the visit uncomfortable?” “I’d like to go back for a moment to something you mentioned earlier, how you said you like experiences that are hands-on. Could you tell me more about what you think of when you say ‘hands-on’?” “I’d like to go back for a moment to something you mentioned earlier, how you said you like experiences that are hands-on. Could you tell me more about what you think of when you say ‘hands-on’?”

13 Taking notes Designate a note-taker Designate a note-taker Develop a participant key Develop a participant key Map the table of participants Map the table of participants Note who says what during the conversation Note who says what during the conversation Record exact words and phrases Record exact words and phrases Record the questions and the responses Record the questions and the responses

14 Review of the focus group protocol

15 What we hope to learn What are the elements of a museum education experience that are important for visitors who are blind/have low vision? What are the elements of a museum education experience that are important for visitors who are blind/have low vision? What kinds of experiences will encourage repeat visits? What kinds of experiences will encourage repeat visits? What kinds of experiences might discourage future visits? What kinds of experiences might discourage future visits?

16 Focus group protocol Divided into three sections Divided into three sections Welcome and introduction Welcome and introduction Current museum experiences Current museum experiences Future museum experiences Future museum experiences Open-ended questions Open-ended questions Closed-ended questions asked on a survey Closed-ended questions asked on a survey Required and optional questions Required and optional questions

17 Personalizing the protocol You can… You can… Make slight changes to question wording Make slight changes to question wording Add one or two new questions Add one or two new questions Write your own program descriptions Write your own program descriptions Provide museum information at the END Provide museum information at the END

18 Activities

19 Probing What questions might you ask in response to the following statement: What questions might you ask in response to the following statement: Q: Do you go to museums often? Q: Do you go to museums often? A: Not anymore. I used to. I used to basically live in them. When I traveled I always spent all my time in museums. A: Not anymore. I used to. I used to basically live in them. When I traveled I always spent all my time in museums.

20 Probing What questions might you ask in response to the following statement: What questions might you ask in response to the following statement: A: I like an art museum to show me something I've never seen before or to see things in a new way. A: I like an art museum to show me something I've never seen before or to see things in a new way.

21 Taking notes Please take notes as Nina and Joan answer the following question from the focus group protocol: Please take notes as Nina and Joan answer the following question from the focus group protocol: Describe what an ideal experience for you would be like in an art museum. Describe what an ideal experience for you would be like in an art museum.