Focus Group

The focus group is organised in the form of a semi-directed group interview following a grid established beforehand (see methodology). It allows you to explore in greater depth the themes that particularly interest you and to obtain a more precise vision of your teaching.

Process:

1. Check the Principles for a successful evaluation
2. Contact the CSE at least 2 weeks before to organise the Focus Group and specify the themes to address
3. Inform the students of the Focus Group process (the teacher does not attend the Focus Group meeting)
4. Plan a meeting with the CSE to receive and discuss about the results report

Additional documents/tools:

• Example of a grid (PDF - French only)

Methodology:

The focus group is a qualitative interview method. It consists of a collective, semi-directed interview. In the context of the evaluation of teaching by students, it can replace or complement quantitative methods (questionnaires). In particular, the focus group makes it possible to:

• collect and deepen students' perceptions of how teaching works
• exchange on their learning experience
• encourage the emergence of constructive improvement ideas

During the first meeting with the CSE, an interview grid is determined with a pedagogical advisor. The grid is based on the themes or questions related to your teaching or your students’ learning that you would like to obtain the opinion of your students on. The framework of the session, your expectations and the organization of the session are specified. In particular, the sampling method (how to solicit 6-10 students for the session) and the logistical aspects (date, time, place of the focus group, etc.) are agreed upon.

During the session, conducted in your absence, the students will be invited by a pedagogical advisor (facilitator of the session) to express themselves freely on the themes listed on the interview grid. The facilitator makes sure that all the participants express themselves and that the different themes or questions on the interview grid are addressed. A summary is given orally to the participants at the end of the session. They are invited to complete, add nuances and validate the synthesis. A report based on this synthesis is written by the CSE

The report of the results is transmitted to the teacher during a feedback session with the CSE.

KRUGER, R. A., & CASEY, M. A. (2008). Focus Groups: A Practical Guide for Applied Research (4 éd.). SAGE Publications Inc.

Sylvestre, E., Barras, H., Blondeau, M. & Boulvain, M. (2016). Au-delà de l’évaluation des enseignements par questionnaires. Dans A. Daele & E. Sylvestre (dir), Comment développer le conseil pédagogique dans l’enseignement supérieur (p. 223-237). Louvain-la-neuve: De Boeck