Conducting a Focus Group

Summary

The transcript depicts a student focus group session led by Wendy, where students are encouraged to share their thoughts on how faculty members understand their learning process. The conversation touches on topics such as online learning tools (like Connect), learning behaviors, distractions like Facebook and YouTube, and how students learn best. Wendy's facilitation style is casual but occasionally disorganized, which leads to some frustration among students. Participants express concerns about assumptions that students are lazy and share insights on motivation, class engagement, and the practical application of learning.

Takeaways

• 🙂 The session focuses on student learning and what faculty members know about it.
• 🤔 Wendy, the facilitator, emphasizes staying on topic and contributing relevant information.
• 📱 Distractions like phone usage are highlighted as disrespectful, and Wendy urges everyone to keep phones off.
• 📚 Connect is the primary tool being discussed, with some students having experience with Vista instead.
• 🤷 One student mentions they don’t learn much from Connect, but use the discussion boards, which they find unhelpful.
• 😟 There’s a lack of enthusiasm and confusion among the participants, with unclear guidance from Wendy.
• 😕 Wendy asks personal questions about GPA, class attention, and Facebook use, which makes some students uncomfortable.
• 💻 The discussion touches on how distractions, such as Facebook and YouTube, affect student learning during lectures.
• 😴 Some students feel unmotivated in class, especially when the material is boring or not engaging.
• 👍 One student mentions they learn best when they can apply what they've learned to their personal life, which helps them stay engaged.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of the student focus group session?

The main purpose of the session is to gather student feedback on how they learn best, and to share this information anonymously with faculty members to improve teaching strategies.

What topic does Wendy want the group to focus on during the session?

Wendy wants the group to focus on discussing 'Connect,' a learning platform, and how faculty members understand student learning. She tries to steer the conversation away from other platforms like Vista.

What distraction occurs during the session, and how does Wendy address it?

A phone rings during the session, which interrupts Wendy. She briefly answers the call but then apologizes and asks everyone to ensure their phones are off, stating that it's disrespectful to have them on.

How do the students feel about learning on the 'Connect' platform?

One student mentioned they hadn't used Connect but used Vista. Another student expressed that they don't necessarily learn through Connect but use the discussion boards, although they seem to imply that it's not very helpful for learning.

How does Wendy respond to the discussion about using Facebook and other distractions in class?

Wendy probes students by asking if they use Facebook or similar distractions during class. When a student asks if she is judging them, she denies it and clarifies that she just wants to understand what gets in the way of their learning.

What was one student’s reason for feeling unmotivated in class?

One student shared that they sometimes become unmotivated because the class is boring, which affects their engagement and learning.

What suggestion does one student make for improving their learning?

A student mentioned that they learn best when they can apply what they have learned to their personal life, suggesting that making content relevant to real-world experiences could improve learning.

What activities do students mention they engage in during class that might be distractions?

Students mentioned engaging in activities like sleeping, playing games online, checking Facebook, and watching YouTube during class.

How does watching YouTube during class impact a student’s learning?

One student admitted to watching YouTube during class and implied that it serves as a distraction, likely impacting their learning negatively.

What key issue is highlighted by Greg during the focus group discussion?

Greg mentioned the generalization that all students are lazy, which he feels is not true. He expressed that he sometimes feels unmotivated due to the class being boring but is highly interested in activities like being a social coordinator in the Worklearn program.