| Session Title: Using Focus Groups in Evaluation: Practical Considerations for Evaluators |
| Think Tank Session 380 to be held in Panzacola Section H1 on Thursday, Nov 12, 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Sponsored by the Qualitative Methods TIG |
| Presenter(s): |
| Eric Barela, Partners in School Innovation, ebarela@partnersinschools.org |
| Abstract: The purpose of this think tank is to discuss the practicality and utility of conducting focus groups in evaluation work. Focus group methodology is utilized by many evaluators in a wide range of contexts. Because of this, evaluators possess a great deal of hard-won knowledge about what needs to be considered by an evaluator who is thinking about conducting focus groups to respond to client needs. The goal of this session is to draw upon this theoretical, contextual, and practical knowledge of both new and seasoned evaluation to generate a comprehensive list of practical considerations for evaluators who are thinking about incorporating focus groups into an evaluation design. To achieve this, participants will engage in three discussions. They will discuss strategies related to convening focus groups, conducting focus groups, and reporting on focus groups. |