Dematerialized participation challenges: Methods and practices for online focus groups

Donatella Poliandri; Monica Perazzolo; Giuseppe Carmelo Pillera; Letizia Giampietro

doi:10.3389/fsoc.2023.1145264

Dematerialized participation challenges: Methods and practices for online focus groups

Front Sociol. 2023 Apr 6:8:1145264. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2023.1145264. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Donatella Poliandri¹, Monica Perazzolo¹, Giuseppe Carmelo Pillera¹, Letizia Giampietro¹

Affiliation

¹ INVALSI, National Institute of Evaluation of Education and Training System, Rome, Italy.

Abstract

This study explores the limitations and benefits of different approaches to conducting online focus groups and illustrates an online focus group protocol used within the Value for Schools project in Italy. According to the project evaluation design, 13 online focus groups were organized, with the participation of 101 teachers and 37 school principals. The protocol setup, incorporation, and reorganization of the indications have been discussed in the literature, addressing the methodological and practical issues, such as the selection of participants and preliminary communication with them; the web conference platform (Zoom Business); timing, as well as access times and mode; the roles of the researchers involved (moderator, co-host technical assistant, co-host-observer, co-host-animator) and their integration spaces; technological support; and animation tools. The recording and transcription tools and subsequent analysis of the textual corpus are presented. Finally, the authors discuss the validation and reliability of online focus group protocols.

Keywords: methods in qualitative inquire; online data collection; online focus group protocol; organizational setting; school principals; teachers; textual analysis.

Grants and funding

The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This research is part of the activities of the Value for Schools Project, Valu.E Evaluation/Expert Self Evaluation, Valu.E 10.9.3.A—FSE PON 2015-1, approved by MIUR AOODGEFID/23772 on 15/12/2015. Valu.E is part of the National Operational Program 2014–2020 For School—skills and learning environments, of European Social Funds.