Focus group interviews

What is an example of a focus group interview being used in the educational context?

• Maria Papapolydorou (2014)

• investigated significance of social class to students’ friendship networks

• research with Year 12 students in 4 London secondary schools

• focus groups as well as semi-structured, individual interviews

• focus groups lasted 1-2 hours & students had some control over direction of discussion

• James (WC white boy): “say we go to a party with a lot of posh people […] I’m like why are you moving for? And they are like ‘Oh because you are gonna rob us’.” ~ researcher was surprised that UC people thought this just from body posture

What are the practical disadvantages with using group interviews?

• inappropriate for individuals who lack confidence ~ researcher must monitor group to ensure 1 student doesn’t dominate discussion

• time-consuming to transcribe contents (eg. if participants talk over each other)

• difficult to get pupils together at same time (particularly truants)

What are the practical advantages with using group interviews?

• primary school students used to small group settings

• save time + money compared to individual interviews

What are the ethical advantages with using group interviews?

some pupils more likely to disclose sensitive info. in small supportive groups ~ empowers vulnerable participants with shared experience eg. racism

What are the ethical disadvantages with using group interviews?

• unsuitable for some sensitive topics

• teachers may feel exposed if with senior staff

• can’t guarantee confidentiality among classmates

• participants may feel offended

• difficult to get informed consent as discussion may be unexpected

What are the theoretical disadvantages with using group interviews?

• may experience peer pressure to conform (eg. might not want to admit to working hard at school) or try to impress each other

• interviewer’s characteristics influences results

• based on small, unrepresentative samples so can’t generalise

• lack of standardisation ~ difficult to replicate to check reliability so can’t generalise

What are the theoretical advantages with using group interviews?

• can build rapport —> validity

• participants control direction of discussion

• interpretivist: provide rich qualitative data

• group dynamics mimic reality