1.To provide students with the skills they need to design and complete research using focus group discussions

2.To enable students to understand the ethical implications as well as the strengths and limitations of using focus groups

3.To develop students' skills in the analysis of focus group data, including verbatim transcripts of the discussions and notes of non-verbal interaction

4.To develop students' awareness of the practical issues involved in setting up and moderating focus group discussions

5.To provide students with a good understanding of methodological and theoretical literature they need to draw on to support their approach to focus group discussions

(LO1) To understand how and when focus groups could be used to research social issues, and be able to articulate the ethical implications of carrying out research in this way

(LO2) Students will understand focus group methodology and be able to design and carry out research involving focus group discussions

(LO3) Students will be able to capture and analyse data from focus group discussions, and clearly articulate their approach to analysis

(LO4) Students will be able to identify methodological texts to cite to support the academic integrity of their research and to identify how sociological theory may enhance their analysis and presentation of findings

(S1) Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice

(S2) Critical thinking and problem solving - Problem identification

(S3) Critical thinking and problem solving - Creative thinking

(S4) Global citizenship - Ethical awareness

(S5) Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis

(S6) Communication (oral, written and visual) - Presentation skills – oral

(S7) Working in groups and teams - Group action planning

This module consists of 2 workshops, each four hours long. The workshops will consist of short lectures combined with practical activities and groups discussions. This will be supported by additional reading and material that will be listed on VITAL.

The two workshops are:

Workshop 1 - An Introduction to the Ethics and Practicalities of Focus Groups

The short lecture will introduce how focus groups have been used to research social issues over the last 60 years, highlighting particular studies to show the development of this methodology in social science research. Through examples, participants will discuss some of the ethical issues of using focus groups to research particular social issues, and how to design an ethical approach to conducting focus group research. Students will also be introduced to the idea of reflexive practice and how this may inform and influence their approach to data collection. After a short lecture on establishing the principles of settin g up focus groups, groups of students will be asked to design a focus group study from a given scenario, and they will be asked to present their thinking and any issues to the wider group and engage in a general discussion.

Workshop 2 - Developing a (flexible) Topic Guide and Analysing Focus Group Data.

In this workshop, the lecture will discuss how to construct a topic guide and how to schedule the timing of a session. This will be followed by a practical task, whereby students will run one or more short focus group sessions, to get a feel for how people may (not) contribute and how questions can be adapted to facilitate the flow of conversation, how to deal with challenging situations, and how to keep on time and on topic. We will also discuss the role of the observer and how to capture non-verbal interaction. After a short lecture on the sorts of data generated by focus group discussions and how to approach a thematic analysis, the lecturer will introduce the idea of cod ing and how to combine codes and memos to create themes from focus group data. We will go on to discuss how to incorporate any observational material and how to compare and compile coded material from different focus groups. The students will also have the opportunity to start to analyse and discuss brief extracts of anonymised focus group data and to ask questions about their assignment.

Teaching Method 1 - Workshop
Description: The course will be delivered over two consecutive four hour sessions, which will include a short lecture and practical activties and discussions.
Attendance Recorded: Yes

Skill/Other Attribute 1:
"Critical thinking and problem solving - Critical analysis"
How this is developed:
"Lecture, group discussions and practical exercises in the workshops to develop analytitical skills"

Skill/Other Attribute 2:
"Global citizenship - Ethical awareness"
How this is developed:
"Lecture, class discussion and assessment and completion of ethics and reflexivity section within their assessment"

Skill/Other Attribute 3:
"Critical thinking and problem solving - Creative thinking"
How this is developed:
"Lecture and group discussion and developing their skills in data analysis"

Skill/Other Attribute 4:
"Critical thinking an d problem solving - Problem identification"
How this is developed:
"Lecture, practical exercises, film and video during the workshops to better understand approaches to data analysis"

Skill/Other Attribute 5:
"Improving own learning/performance - Reflective practice"
How this is developed:
"Lecture and practical exercises during the workshops"