Describes focus-group activities designed to generate information for use in decision making about core and elective courses in a library and information science (LIS) curriculum. Discusses how focus-group activity fits with LIS program review. Also includes questions asked and responses; and feeding opinions into a decision apparatus. (AEF)

Discusses the experiential activities that are used in a graduate course on qualitative research that addresses focus groups, observation, data collection, cultural sensitivity, ethnomethodology, data analysis, and morals and ethics in research. Explains that students participate in an activity in which they defend qualitative research. (CMK)

A lack of gender-sensitive computer games exacerbates female disinterest in technology. Girls-only focus groups revealed phenomena that may help software developers awaken girls' enthusiasm for computing. For instance, girls placed a premium on richly textured video and audio, on collaborating rather than competing, on interacting with male…

A study explored maternal response to the diagnosis of mental retardation in children using a focus group of six mothers. Findings identified four themes: differences between antenatal and postnatal diagnosis; a cycle of bereavement; issues relating to causation; and examples of poor interpersonal skills from medical personnel. (Contains…

Focus groups were used to explore emergent issues for men in early childhood education. Preservice teachers, classroom teachers, and male professors identified six categories of issues, including low salaries, family and other influences on entering the field, teaching beyond the basics, improvement of preservice education, recruitment of males,…

The West Virginia Rural Health Education Partnerships program and West Virginia Extension Service played primary roles as community gatekeepers in helping researchers involve rural residents in focus groups to elicit cultural perspectives on diabetes and its management. The collaboration helped researchers gain entry to rural communities and…

Using teacher surveys and focus groups, a University of Minnesota study examined the effects of changing school starting times on school operations at all levels and on the community. The least desirable start time was 9:40 a.m. at middle schools. Later schedules benefited high school students. No one schedule can accommodate everyone. (MLH)

A theory of belonging is used as a framework for analyzing and interpreting focus group data from seven congregations in the Black church tradition. Findings suggest that church membership reflects the need to belong with a group rather than to a group. Within this context multiple dimensions of the self find opportunities for expression. (Author)

This study aimed to advance understanding of how doctoral students perceive postmodernism's influence in the field of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). Focus group interviews were utilized to investigate perceptions of MFT doctoral students. Findings suggest participants are attracted to postmodern tenets but also feel liberation and confusion…

Project ProBase (problem-based technology curriculum) is a National Science Foundation funded project designed to develop an innovative curriculum that more adequately prepares high school technology education students for success in advanced technical studies at the community college level. The purpose of the project is to design and test…

This article presents a study whose purpose was to examine how the educational system functions following the assimilation of a technological environment and how the relationships between the subsystems are affected and affect each other following this change. The study took place over the course of three years in schools in the State of Israel…

This investigation offers a programmatic perspective into how a certain group of elementary preservice teachers experienced and evaluated their teacher education program by periodically assessing progress with regard to needs being met. A Likert-scale survey including open-ended responses was administered to 123 elementary preservice teachers at…

If one thing is clear in the community college world, it is that access to higher education--while critically important--is no longer enough. Unless followed by persistence and meaningful "attainment," access can become an empty promise. Understanding the importance of postsecondary education, both to individuals and to the society, people are…

In Sweden most of the young children are in preschool from early years. The government has taken responsibility by introducing different reforms such as child allowance, maternity leave, access to preschool for all children etc. Preschool (in Sweden for children aged 1-5 years and preschool class for 6 years old) is, since 1998, the first step in…

This paper describes two professional development institutes in project-based science. We collected data from these institutes in the form of structured questionnaires, individual written reflections by the teachers, and focus-group interviews. An analysis of the data revealed three factors that had been underrepresented in previous research:…