FOCUS GROUP TOOLKIT

Sample Focus Group Report

Focus Group Report Format:
1. Summary of Project
2. Introduction with list of outcomes
3. Participant demographics
4. Summary of findings within each outcome, including representative uotes, results of yes or
no uestions, and uantitative data
!. "ecommendations
Sample Focus Group Report
Summary of Project:
#$ame of %ollege& held a series of focus groups in #months and year& involving various student
populations represented at the college, including' day students, evening students, "ussian students,
previously enrolled students, and students from (ohnson )igh School *a feeder school to the college+.
,hrough the focus groups, the college gathered information to help administrators, faculty, and staff. #-ist
outcomes from discussion guide&
Introduction
#$ame of %ollege& held a focus group discussion with #num.er of students& students on #date&. ,he focus
group was conducted as part of the %ollege/s involvement in #name of initiative, if applica.le&.
Participants provided information in two ways' written responses and group discussion.
,he discussion was designed to gather information from the students in regard to the following outcomes'
1. ,o understand what motivates students to pursue higher education
2. ,o understand how students perceive the college/s effectiveness in meeting their
needs
3. ,o understand what impact responsi.ilities outside of school have on a student/s
potential for academic success
4. ,o understand the importance of various college services in helping students reach
their academic goals
!. ,o understand students/ academic e0perience at the college and what helps or
hinders their success
1. ,o understand the role of relationships in student persistence and success
,he 2niversity of ,e0as at 3ustin 4 %enter for %ommunity %ollege Student 5ngagement 4 1 2niversity Station, 6!1!7 4 3ustin, ,8 9:912;739:
Ph' !12;491;1:79 4 <a0' !12;491;427= 4 5mail' info>cccse.org 4 ?e. site' www.cccse.org
9. ,o understand what the college does well to help students succeed and what the
college needs to improve to help students succeed
Participant emo!rap"ics
#Summari@e data from response sheets in this section.&
,en participants tooA part in the focus group'
<ive women and five men
4 students were 1:;21 years oldB 3 were 22;24 years oldB 3 were 2!;44 years old
2 students identified themselves as .lacA non;)ispanic, 3 as white non;)ispanicB 4 as
)ispanicB 1 student did not respond
9 of the 17 students are employed while attending St. Philip/s
3 of the 17 students have children or other dependents living with them
4 of the 17 students have completed 1;14 credit hoursB 2 have completed 1!;2= credit hoursB
2 have completed 37;44 credit hoursB 2 have completed 4!;17 credit hours
1 of the 17 students had started college immediately after high school
4 students have taAen a developmental reading courseB 4 have taAen a developmental math
courseB 3 have taAen a developmental writing courseB 3 are in the honors programB 3 have taAen
a study sAills courseB ! have participated in academic advisingCplanning
! students are li.eral arts majorsB 3 students are nursing majors, 2 students are majoring in
computer science
= of the 17 students indicated that they plan to pursue a .achelor/s degreeB 1 student had
received a .achelor/s degreeB 3 students indicated plans to pursue a master/s or professional
degree
1 students were enrolled full;timeB 4 students indicated part;time enrollment
3ll 17 students are using some type of financial aid.
Student Perspecti#es
[Organize by outcome, identify any key themes under each outcome then summarize the discussion
under each outcome. Use student quotes to enhance the narrative.]
Outcome $: ,o understand what motivates students to pursue higher education
%"y are t"e students in colle!e&
<our of the 17 participants decided to go on to college while in high school and .egan college the
semester after graduating from high school. ,he remaining si0 students worAed after finishing high school
and later made the decision to continue their education. ,he students offered a num.er of reasons for
their decision to go to college'
,o transfer to a four;year college or university
,o focus on academics
,o pursue a specific career
,o learn new jo.;related sAills for promotion
,o .roaden their social circle and gain opportunities for networAing
,hey were encouraged .y parents or friends
,hey were encouraged .y high school teachers or counselors
,he students had specific reasons for choosing a community college'
%ost
-ocation close to home
D%opyright 2717, %enter for %ommunity %ollege Student 5ngagement. Permission granted for unlimited copying with appropriate citation. 6ecem.er,
2717
<amily responsi.ilities
$eed to attend part;time while worAing
3vaila.ility of specific program
5ight out of 17 of those participating indicated that their goals have changed since coming to the college
.ecause of courses they have taAen at the college. Ene participant stated, FI didn/t Anow how interesting
psychology could .eG $ow I want to go on to get my .achelor/s degree in psych.H
Outcome ': ,o understand how students perceive the college/s effectiveness in meeting their needs
%"at are students( perceptions of t"e colle!e&
In general, students were e0tremely positive when talAing a.out the college. ,hey used various words to
descri.e their e0perience at the college, [include quotes from students].H ,hey cited a num.er of the
college/s strengths, including (list them. 3ll the students agreed that the college has two significant
weaAnesses, including [list them]. Ether weaAnesses cited .y individual students include' [list them]
Positi#e Features of t"e Colle!e
,he one overwhelmingly positive attri.ute mentioned .y participants is the .eautiful campus.
F,he campus is so .eautiful that it maAes you want to hang out here after class or .etween
classes and do your worA or visit with classmates. I liAe when every.ody is outside on a
sunny day on the lawn .y the pond, hanging out or reading. It maAes me want to .e out there
too.H
FI liAe all the study areas they/ve provided for us. ,here are louder places where you can worA
with people and then uieter places to study .y yourself. It/s all really well designed. I feel
comforta.le here.H
Ether positives include'
low tuition I FIt/s the only way I/d .e a.le to go to college.H
strong academics ; FI feel encouraged to do my .est.H
good professors I FJy teachers are very Anowledgea.le and
they really maAe you interested in what they/re talAing a.out .ecause they Anow so much,H and
FKou can tell they want you to succeed.H
accommodating and caring counselors I FJy counselor even
Anows me .y name.H
availa.ility of activities
)e!ati#e Features of t"e Colle!e
,he one resounding complaint across all groups of students
is registration. ,hey strongly o.ject to the inconvenience, long lines, confusion, and red tape.
%omments included' F"egistration is a waste of time. People worAing registration can/t find the
informationLand the computer goes down all the time.H F"egistration is e0tremely frustrating.
,here is too much red tape and going from room to room unnecessarily.H
Several participants commented that there is not enough
useful information a.out college availa.le' they did not get as much information a.out college
as they would have liAed in high schoolB orientation was focused on a tour and not what the
college has to offerB students have to asA uestions rather than .e told information.
D%opyright 2717, %enter for %ommunity %ollege Student 5ngagement. Permission granted for unlimited copying with appropriate citation. 6ecem.er,
2717
F3t some high schools they have community college counselors availa.le for students
.ut that wasn/t availa.le at my school. I would have liAed that. I thinA it would have
helped my transition to collegeB it would have .een smoother and I wouldn/t have .een
as nervous.H
F$o.ody ever told me anything a.out financial aid. I was just told to go to the cashier/s
office to pay. ,hat/s it.H
5vening students .elieve class offerings on evenings and
weeAends are too limitedB they also e0press frustration with the lacA of services *counseling+
and facilities *gym, food service+ in the evening, FI worA all dayB I simply cannot .e here during
the day .ut I need services too.H
Ether negative factors' not challenging classes, classes are
mostly lecture, and Aids Fhanging outH in halls and using .ad language.
FI/m so .ored in my developmental math class. I wish there was some way for me to
start with the stuff that I don/t Anow. I already Anow everything that we/ve covered so
far and we/re halfway through the semester.H
[!o on to discuss students" academic e#$eriences, e#$eriences %ith s$ecific services, etc. by $utting
for%ard the key idea that emerged from the discussion in each area, then giving s$ecific e#am$les and
re$resentative quotes. !ive numbers of students res$onding to a $articular question %hen you have that
information.]
Recommended C"an!es
It is clear from the responses and discussions that students and potential students are committed to
getting an education. ,hey want a more customer;friendly, service;oriented environmentB they want to get
rid of the o.stacles and have their needs met. Participants point to other colleges that do a .etter jo. in
this area. ,hey offer several ideas a.out changes that they .elieve would maAe it easier for them to learn
a.out the college and maAe it more managea.le and pleasant to attend the college. "ecommended
changes fall into three major categories' customer service, communications, and class offerings.
%ustomer Service'
Improve and streamline registration process. Effer online
and telephone registration. Effer credit card payment of tuition.
2pgrade customer service in general' provide
Anowledgea.le, pleasant staff who can maAe decisions.
%ommunications'
JaAe more information on programs and services availa.le
to students, potential students, and high school counselors, in a format *and in languages+ they
can understand.
Provide more outreach and detailed information a.out
programs to high school counselors.
)ave college counselors at each of the area high schools.
3dvertise more.
JaAe information more readily availa.le on the Internet.
%lass Efferings'
D%opyright 2717, %enter for %ommunity %ollege Student 5ngagement. Permission granted for unlimited copying with appropriate citation. 6ecem.er,
2717
Effer .roader selection of classes and more full;time
professors to evening and weeAend students.
D%opyright 2717, %enter for %ommunity %ollege Student 5ngagement. Permission granted for unlimited copying with appropriate citation. 6ecem.er,
2717