Using Message Boards to Conduct Online Focus Groups

Introduction Focus groups, also referred to as group interviews, are "essentially a qualitative data-gathering technique that relies on the systematic questioning of several individuals simultaneously in a formal or informal setting" (Fontana & Frey, 2005, p. 703). The strategies associated with using focus groups in qualitative research are based upon methods developed in marketing research. Likewise, focus group methods have been utilized by political parties and have been utilized to conduct sociological research. Focus groups may take different forms, but normally include seven to ten people (Fontanna & Frey; Rossman & Rallis, 2003). Rossman and Rallis offer the following explanation of why using focus groups may be preferable to conducting interviews with individuals: The interaction among the participants is the critical characteristic of this type of interviewing. This technique assumes that an individual's attitudes and beliefs do not form in a vacuum: People often need to listen to others' opinions and understandings to clarify their own. Often, the questions in a focus group are deceptively simple: the trick is to promote interactive talk through the creation of a permissive environment. (Rossman & Rallis, 2003, p.193) The use of online focus groups is well established in the field of qualitative research as are the pros and cons associated with their use. The advantages associated with online focus groups include more efficient data collection methods, easier management of the data, as well as the ability to include participants who may be geographically dispersed (Anderson & Kanuka, 2003). Despite the advantages of online focus groups, there are some issues that may prove to be challenging for qualitative researchers. The processes of identifying and inviting participants, handling human subject issues, deciding between synchronous or asynchronous formats, communicating effectively in an online environment, and establishing rapport require both great skill as well as represent some of the decisions that researchers must address (Anderson & Kanuka; Creswell, 2007; Rezabek, 2000). Setting the Scene Our research study included graduate students who were enrolled in an online master of education degree at a research university in the mid-south. Students who are enrolled in the graduate degree program completed all procedures associated with enrollment, including but not limited to making application to the program, completing advising sessions with faculty, registering for classes, purchasing books, and completing comprehensive exams usually without stepping foot on the physical grounds of the university campus. Students included in our research study communicated with faculty and staff affiliated with the online master of education degree program almost exclusively via email and telephone. A visit to campus to meet with a faculty or staff member was the exception, rather than the rule. Appropriateness of Online Focus Groups Qualitative researchers must carefully select data collection strategies that are appropriate for the type of research that is being conducted. Likewise, the abilities of the research subjects to participate in the study and provide data through the selected data collection method(s) must be considered. With this in mind, we acknowledge that online focus groups are not appropriate for all qualitative research settings or all group interviews. However, we present two compelling reasons why online focus groups were appropriate for use in our study. First, our research subjects were graduate students who were geographically dispersed throughout the state and region where we conducted our research and our research subjects would not be able to attend face-to-face focus group sessions. Secondly, our research subjects were working adults in an online graduate degree program. Even if the research subjects were in proximity to the institution, the chances of identifying a time to hold the focus groups that would accommodate all participants' schedules would be difficult at best. …