Conducting Student Focus Groups
to Assess the Use of Academic Technologies
Blackboard Student Focus Groups: Fall 2015
Lauren Keefe & Shain Amzovski
March 24, 2016
Agenda
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Background & Objectives
Tools Needed
Recruiting Students
Focus Group
Survey Demo
Results
Group Activity
Challenges
Lessons Learned
Future Goals
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What institution are you representing?
•  Text LAURENKEEFE111 to 22333 to join the
session
https://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/
fmPste4S7pgQhU8
Background
•  Blackboard since 1999
•  Computer Services
–  Instructional Support Center
–  Academic Applications
•  Blackboard Advisory Committee
–  Meets 3 times a year (Fall/Spring/Summer)
–  Admins, Deans, IT Directors, Faculty
•  Educause Center for Analysis and Research (ECAR)
•  3 Year Technology Survey
–  Institutional Research and Assessment
–  Internal Students & Faculty
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ECAR 2015
Study of Students/Faculty
Respondents
99% of institutions have at least
one LMS, and students say they…
Data from the ECAR report ECAR Study of
Undergraduate Students and Information
Technology, 2015
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Objectives
•  To understand student experience using the university’s LMS.
•  To understand how the use of on an LMS impacts the student
for academic success.
•  To understand what motivates students to take an active role in
their learning experience through the use of a LMS.
•  To understand how students perceive the use of a LMS and its
effectiveness in meeting their needs.
•  To understand how the university’s LMS enables students to
succeed and what the university needs to improve to enhance
outcomes.
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What is your role at your institution?
•  Text A, B, C, or D to 22333.
A. Administrator
B. Faculty
C. Both
D. Other
https://www.polleverywhere.com/
multiple_choice_polls/3FyFPunzApSGToo
Tools
•  Training Room / Classroom
•  Departmental Contacts
–  Social Media
–  Email
•  Doodle / Email
–  Polling students time
–  focusgroup@temple.edu
•  Qualtrics
–  Accessible
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Recruiting
•  Marketing
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Social Media
Email
Departments
focusgroup@temple.edu
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Recruiting
•  Incentives
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Free Food!
Extra Credit
Resume Builder
Letters of Recommendation
Can we do more?!
•  Raffle
•  Contests
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Focus Group
•  Multiple Groups
•  Roles
–  Initiator/Elaborator/Energizer
–  Information/Opinion Seeker
–  Recorder
•  Engagement
–  Build a rapport
–  Connect to students’ lives
•  Interactivity
–  Survey
–  Food
–  Discussion
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Demo: Student Focus Group Survey
QR Code
•  App Store
–  QR Code Reader
Twitter
•  @laurkeefe
–  twitter.com/laurkeefe
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Results
•  Temple Computer Services Qualtrics
•  Fall 2015 Report: Blackboard Student Focus Groups
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Results
•  How do students get help when using
Blackboard?
–  28% get help from CS Help Desk or a fellow student
–  17% get help from a temple instructor or the Blackboard
“Help” tab
–  11% get help from the Temple web site
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Results
•  How do students grade their professors use of
Blackboard overall?
B Average
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22% A
72% B
6% C
0% D and F
•  How do students rate the effectiveness of Blackboard as a
learning tool?
High C, Low B Average
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17% A
61% B
22% C
0% D and F
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Results
•  Student workers report a higher number of calls and
complaints during the Monday morning Blackboard
maintenance window. A suggested maintenance
window time was presented to be Friday overnight.
•  Students would like “Jump Start” training sessions
as well as additional online video tutorials and
documentation for using Blackboard just as much as
faculty.
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Group Activity
•  Pick an academic technology to “evaluate”.
•  Brainstorm survey questions that would generate
useful data from students.
–  How will the students’ answers benefit
faculty / administrators / students?
•  Assign one member to be the recorder.
–  Their job is to text in the name of the technology and 3-5
survey questions relating to chosen technology.
–  Please begin each text with the technology of choice.
•  Text responses to 22333.
https://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/jKyUJRbYryTYVMR
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Challenges
•  TOO MANY administrators!
•  Recruiting
–  Diversity
•  Timing
•  Personalization
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Lessons Learned
•  Spend more time planning
–  Timing
–  Location
•  Get creative with recruiting
–  Take pictures for social media
•  Follow up with participants
–  Thank you notes
–  Share feedback
–  Next steps…
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Future Goals
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Student Technology Advisory Team
Add students to BB Advisory Committee
Continue to involve students
Larger sample size
–  Distribute online?
•  Implement their ideas
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Any Questions?
Thank you for attending!
@laurkeefe
@Shain22
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