Outlines a course in Digital Terrain Analysis taught at Michigan State University (Lansing) during the 1997 spring semester. Explains that focus groups were conducted with enrolled students about the usefulness of the course material and with geography majors and non-geography majors to determine any barriers they might have in taking the course…

Describes a study to investigate teachers' views of multicultural literacy and how it relates to teacher preparation. Analyzes data from three focus groups. Indicates that teachers were most concerned about their own sensitivity to the needs of individual children and ways to differentiate instruction for students from diverse backgrounds. (SG)

Discusses scholarly misconduct as a source of misinformation on the Web and describes the results of focus interviews conducted in Singapore that considered the potential impact of misinformation on the Web. Topics include motivation for publication; motivation for misconduct; improving information literacy; and possibilities for quality control.…

This article examines the effects of an Africentric youth and family rites of passage program on at-risk African American youths and their parents. Data were obtained from a three-year evaluation of a youth rites of passage demonstration project using therapeutic interventions based on Africentric principles. At-risk African American boys between…

This study investigated changing attitudes toward reading among elementary and secondary teacher candidates participating in in-class book group discussions in an introductory language and literacy course taught by two instructors in a medium-sized state teacher education program. Qualitative methods focused on both students' weekly self-reports…

This study examined faculty and student conceptualizations and distinctively communicative practices of mentoring in the academy. The study included three phases: (1) open-ended surveys conducted with faculty and students via e-mail, (2) focus groups conducted with faculty and students to elaborate on findings from the e-mail interviews, and (3)…

Research has focused on the effectiveness of library instruction and assessment, yet little is known about how information-seeking characteristics of today's undergraduate students impact information literacy efforts. The current study sought to gain an understanding of students' information-seeking habits and preferences. By conducting focus…

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore graduate students' perspectives of how graduate school affected their participation in physical and social activities and their self worth. Seven focus groups (n = 47) were conducted using a semi-structured interview guide. Finances and quality of interactions were among the main social…

The article adopts a developmental approach to successful human aging by exploring the concept of generativity in relation to a study of older Australians' lived experiences of involvement in the family and community. Qualitative data, collected through focus group interviews, were analyzed interpretively using recent developments in Erikson's…

Building on the respective strengths of parent-led and professional-led groups, a parent-professional team leadership model for group interventions was developed and evaluated for families of youths with emotional and behavioral problems. The model was developed based on feedback from 26 parents in focus group sessions and recommendations from…

Although decisions related to driving are vital to well-being in later life, little is known about how aging drivers who do not experience a medical condition that requires driving cessation regulate their driving. This exploratory, qualitative study used focus groups with 79 such community-dwelling individuals to examine driving self-regulation…

Vocational academic programs in secondary classrooms and in university settings are interdependent in terms of teacher preparation and curriculum design. Significant changes in either entity will affect the viability of the other. Family and Consumer Science programs in US secondary schools are facing several challenges. A focus group design was…

Purpose: This study evaluated the validity and utility of the Local Public Health System Assessment Instrument (Local Instrument) of the National Public Health Performance Standards Program in rural settings. Methods: The study compared the Local Instrument scores of 6 rural local public health systems to external assessments of those public…

In 2000 the Center for Urban Studies at Wayne State University received an award to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a mid-western state's prisoner education program in reducing the recidivism rates of respondents. As part of this evaluation, researchers held several focus groups with ex-inmates in order to determine how useful the…

In this study, the authors investigated a social marketing intervention to increase the use of bicycle helmets on a university campus in the southeastern United States. Focus groups of students developed a bicycle helmet program slogan and logo (ie, "The Grateful Head"). The authors trained student bicyclists who already used helmets (n…