This master-class gives students a comprehensive understanding of focus group design and moderation. The class establishes the theory and methods of focus group research, it provides techniques for managing challenging groups, and offers participants hands-on experience to ensure smooth and rigorous data collection.
This course is being held 'live' online via zoom and will run across 3 x 1/2 days
The timetable for each of the 3 days will be:
- 9.30am - 10.45am: session 1
- 10.45am - 11.00am: Break
- 11:00am - 12.00pm: session 2
- 12.00pm - 12.30pm: Lunch break
- 12.30pm - 1.45pm: session 3
The course will run on Australian Eastern Standard Time (UTC +10)
(Canberra, Sydney Melbourne, Hobart time)
Eva-Maria van Esbroek is a skilled qualitative researcher with over 10 years of experience.
Eva-Maria grew up in the Netherlands and has been working and creating on Wurundjiri land since 2018. Currently she works at the Foundation for Young Australians, where she leads the approach to evaluation and collaborates with program staff to gain useful insights and understand their impact. Prior to this, she worked as a qualitative research consultant at the Social Research Centre and a youth-led consultancy in the Netherlands. She managed complex research projects with people from diverse backgrounds, across many (sensitive) subject matters such as social housing, employment, ethnic profiling, experiences of power (and lack of), sexual harassment and youth participation in policy making.
Eva-Maria has a Masters in Anthropology from the University of Amsterdam.
This master-class runs over three half days and equips participants with practical techniques and a solid understanding of focus group methods for social research.
The course covers the theoretical foundations of conducting focus groups, including their value, limitations, and ethical considerations. With a trauma-informed lens, participants will learn how to translate research questions into effective discussion guides and apply them in practice, using group activities for both face-to-face and online settings. The masterclass also includes opportunities to develop moderation skills and create materials for participants' own research projects (or someone else’s).
Practical guidance will be provided on setting up a safe, engaging group environment (in-person or virtual), managing challenging group dynamics, handling logistical considerations, and preparing for the next steps in data analysis.
This workshop is suitable for anyone planning to conduct focus groups, including experienced researchers, Higher Degree Research students, government or not-for-profit professionals involved in community consultations, and private sector professionals involved in market research or evaluations.
Day 1: Foundations of focus group design
- Benefits and limitations of a group-based methodology
- Ethical considerations and data sovereignty
- Participant selection and group set-up (exercise)
- Questioning techniques and understanding different types of questions
Day 2: Discussion guide and moderation
- Creating a discussion guide (exercise)
- Activity ideas for stimulating discussion and data
- Moderation skills and group dynamics, including for online groups
- Understanding and using non verbal cues
Day 3: Moderation continued and project logistics
- Creating a cultural safe environment in a group setting
- How to manage sensitive issues, challenging participants and group dynamics (exercise)
- Project logistics
- Preparing data for analysis
* The focus of material and exercises will be tailored to student's interests and levels of experience
This workshop will take place online using Zoom video link.
Participants will need reliable internet access and a computer or laptop with a camera.
Participants will require access to MS Word or Google Docs in order to draft a (mock) discussion guide.
The course consists of interactive presentations, hands on activities and discussions.
There are no pre-requisites for this course.
There is no required pre-reading for this course.
Do I need to have experience with qualitative research?
While basic understanding of qualitative research may be helpful, it is not necessary. The instructor will adjust this course to the students’ levels of experience.
Is there any hands-on practice during the course?
Yes, participants will have the opportunity to engage in various practical exercises in which they can apply the theory/techniques to any potential upcoming focus group projects of their own. Activities include: developing a participant selection strategy, creating discussion guides, and practicing with moderation techniques.
What if I don’t have any upcoming focus group projects to use for the activities, can I still take part in them?
Yes absolutely, it’s not a problem if you don’t have a future project you’d like to work on. You can either work on an imaginary project or work with one of your fellow students.
Will I receive any course materials?
Yes, participants will receive handouts, a project checklist, and example discussion guides.
I am currently organising a focus group to run and this course was a small group so we got ample opportunity to discuss specifics around my group and suggestions/feedback.
Though I'm not currently planning a focus group (which I'm sure would have made the course even more useful) it was very informative and I know feel more confident to plan a focus group in the future.
There was a good balance between interactive/lectures/group activities.