This 2-day master-class will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of how to apply focus group methods for social research. 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 online via Zoom and run on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11)
(Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne Daylight Savings time)
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. The timetable will be:
- 9.30am -11.00am: session 1
- 11.30am-12.30pm: session 2
- 12:30pm-1.30pm: Lunch
- 1.30pm-3.00pm: session 3
- 3.30pm-4.30pm: session 4
The course will run on Australian Eastern Daylight Time (UTC +11)
(Canberra, Sydney Melbourne, Daylight Savings time)
Dr Colette Mortreux is a skilled qualitative researcher with 20 years of experience. She manages complex projects with vulnerable populations and sensitive topics. Her research has examined migration and environmental change in Ghana, India, and Tuvalu, as well as bushfire management and welfare policy in Australia. She is currently a Research Fellow at the University of Melbourne where she is examining community wellbeing and adaptation to climate change in the South Pacific. She is recognised internationally for her adaptation research, with over 700 citations from her peer reviewed papers. Outside of academia, she has experience working in government, consulting for not-for-profit organisations, and as a teacher.
This master-class runs over two days and will provide participants with a comprehensive understanding of how to apply focus group methods for social research. The class will step through the theoretical basis for conducting focus groups, their value and limitations. It will detail how to translate your research questions into an effective discussion guide and how to put that guide into practice using group activities for face-to-face and online groups. The master-class will give participants the opportunity to observe or moderate a mock focus group online, will provide techniques to manage challenging group dynamics, and an overview on the next steps for data analysis.
By the end of this master-class participants will be able to construct a focus group discussion guide to elicit meaningful data; have greater confidence in moderating focus groups, including online delivery; have a range of techniques to ensure smooth moderation; and understand how data can be translated into research findings.
The workshop is relevant to anyone intending to conduct focus groups. This could include experienced researchers, Higher Degree Research students, government or not-for-profit professionals involved in community consultations, or private sector professionals involved in market research or evaluations.
Day 1
- Understanding the benefits and limitations of a group based methodology
- Sample design and group set-up
- Questioning techniques and understanding different types of questions
- Writing your discussion guide
- Activity ideas for stimulating discussion and data
- Project logistics and etiquette
Day 2
- Moderation skills and group dynamics, including for online focus groups
- Understanding and using non verbal cues
- How to manage sensitive issues, challenging participants and group dynamics
- Hands-on experience moderating or participating in a focus group
- Preparing for analysis
This workshop will take place online using Zoom video link.
Participants will need reliable internet access and a computer with a camera.
Participants will require access to MS Word in order to draft a mock discussion guide.
There are no pre-requisites for this course.
It is recommended that participants have a basic understanding of qualitative research.
There is no pre-reading for this course.
Delivery of this course is online - via Zoom.
Please ensure you have the following:
- Reliable Internet connection with at least 5Gb per day of data available (i.e. a 5 day course will use about 25Gb of data just on the Zoom application)
- A computer/laptop with the Zoom application installed (free)
- A webcam (built in to most laptops)
- A headset with a microphone (not required but ideal)
- A second monitor/screen if possible
Please also check the course page for specific software requirements (if any).