This qualitative study explored the evaluative criteria used by administrators at a southern, metropolitan university to define institutional effectiveness and to determine the congruency between those criteria and the institution's metropolitan mission. Four focus groups were conducted with 22 administrators (vice chancellors, associate and…

This paper describes how focus groups were used to assess the effectiveness of the University of Kentucky's Agricultural Information Center (AIC) in providing patron services. The AIC serves 1,100 undergraduate students, 370 graduate and postdoctoral students, and 1,700 faculty and staff in the College of Agriculture. In August 2000, the AIC…

The way in which public examinations influence teaching and learning is commonly described as "washback" or backwash. This study examined the nature and scope of the impact of a public examination on English teaching in Taiwan to add to the existing literature on testing washback in an English-as-a-second-language context. The relational…

In this study of 53 graduate students enrolled in an introductory course in educational research, the instructor employed strategies noted in the literature as effective in reducing anxiety in statistics classes: (1) addressing the anxiety; (2) using humor; (3) applying statistics to real world situations; (4) reducing fear of evaluation; and (5)…

Data are not available to inform education policy discussion regarding how resources are allocated both within and among schools. This study was conducted to develop and pilot test a questionnaire that would collect school-level expenditure data. This report describes the three site visits and focus group conducted for this project, findings from…

This paper reports on a focus group discussion held in June, 1998, in Killington, Vermont, about a 3-year project in Vermont to encourage the self-determination of people with developmental disabilities. The project has involved training of four project teams, each composed of a person with a developmental disability, a family member, and a person…

Discusses use of focus groups as qualitative research methodology and as reflection tool in service learning. Three focus groups at Vanderbilt University (Tennessee) assessed cognitive outcomes of service-learning and encouraged students' reflection on their experience. Focus group data were triangulated with survey data to assess validity of…

Explores what focus groups are, how they have been utilized by researchers, and some of the practical and theoretical implications for incorporating focus groups in the design of educational research. Includes verbatim transcripts from interviews and specific examples of various focus groups. (MJP)

Provides an account of the perceptions and experiences of preservice teachers on the roles of their tutors in online discussions, based on a study at the National Institute of Education (Singapore). Reports results of a questionnaire survey, focus group interviews, and analyses of the discussion records. (Author/LRW)

By placing integrated access to online information on the desktop, companies gain a competitive edge, empower their employees, and deliver higher-quality service at less cost. Information audits, focus groups, and employee interviews can determine the information needs of organizations and enhance their information infrastructure. In this light,…

Three focus groups examined stress and conflict among 30 older African American women in Boston. Stress stemmed from worries about functional disability, accessing transportation, conflicts with family and peers, and grandchildren's lack of respect. Participants tended to use avoidant strategies to deal with stress and conflict. A training program…

Examines the use of innovative collaborative small group activities in a Medieval History undergraduate honors course. Discusses student evaluations and feedback from a focus group to investigate the use of group exercises that involve the construction of three-dimensional models of medieval towns and the use of self-assessment. (Author/LRW)

Researchers evaluated community social action education programs for at-risk youths using a portfolio and panel review evaluation process. Each program assembled portfolios that an expert panel analyzed for successful program components. Panelists then participated in focus groups. Results detailed 13 features necessary to make such community…

Nine focus groups were conducted with a total of 14 special education teachers of students with mild disabilities (grades 5 through 12), 15 parents of such students, and 14 classroom teachers. Participants identified six major homework-communication problems. These involved initiation, frequency, timing, consistency, follow-through, and clarity…

Focus groups, consisting of a total of 17 female student interns in social work, elicited student statements about their entrance into the social work profession, their own family and culture, and emotional exchanges between student and client. Students' diverse cultural backgrounds influenced their views of professionalism, engagement, and…