Example – Interview Guide
[This guide provides example questions for seeking interview feedback from academic
staff leading institutionally funded learning and learning and teaching projects]
Project:
Department:
Lead academic:
Member of staff being interviewed
(if different to lead academic):
Evaluator:
Background
Summarise your rationale for choosing this method to seek the feedback you need. This
may be straightforward, but may depend on history of project, and the nature of the
member of academic staff’s involvement. Include brief information on the initial project
idea from any documentation already available (e.g. written project design) which may
be helpful for reference immediately prior to and during the interview.
Purpose
Summarise the purpose of the evaluation. For example, this might be to explore:
 how the project was undertaken
 the immediate project outcomes, in particular those that will benefit students
 what has been learnt about how the approach taken is influencing the
outcomes/impact that is being experienced by staff or students, or others with an
interest in the project
 implications of what has been learnt, e.g. for further change and improvement
 what has been learnt about the potential wider and longer term impact of project
activity
 what has been learnt that others may find useful, e.g. in their own teaching.
Housekeeping checklist
 Introductions and thanks for participation
 Explain to interviewee:
the purpose of the interview
intended recipients of findings and how they will be used
format of the interview
the amount of time the interview is anticipated to take
 Seek consent to record, transcribe and circulate data provided by the interviewee to
intended recipients.
 Answer any questions the interviewee may have with regard to this evaluation
activity.
Example questions
1. Could you tell me a little about how the idea came about for this project and you
motivations for applying for funding to undertake it?
2. How did you undertake the project in the end?
[Also explore rationale for any changes made with respect to latest plan.]
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3. To what extent do you think the educational aims of your project have been achieved?
4. What did you learn from the students’ feedback about their learning experience? Was
anything surprising?
5. How does this compare to your own experience?
6. In what ways do think your approach is helping student learning?
7. To what extent did it meet your own expectations?
[Explore in relation to issues arising from student feedback and planned change, e.g.
content and structure, learning/assessment activity, New learning resource developed,
integration of new learning resources with learning activity, other resources provided,
learning environment]
8. On the basis of the student feedback and your own experiences, what further changes
will you make to improve the students’ experience?
9. Are there any issues that will affect your ability to implement the approach (with these
improvements) in the future?
10. What do you think you have learnt from undertaking this project?
[Prompts: About the learning and teaching approach, personal development/skills,
transferable learning, Factors that might affect transferability]
11. Were there any unexpected outcomes from the project? What were these? What do
you think influenced them?
12. Are there any other factors you think have had a positive or negative effect on the
outcomes of the project?
[Explore here project management issues – i.e. those not necessarily related to
immediate learning and teaching context e.g. Amount/availability of financial or other
resources, departmental management support, collaboration with staff (own dept or in
another dept), clarity of roles, relationships, responsibilities of those involved, decision
making, communication]
13. What activity have you undertaken or do you have planned to share what you have
learnt more widely?
Housekeeping checklist - end of interview
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Thank the interviewee for their time.
Remind the interviewee of consent and confidentiality issues.
Check whether the interviewee wishes to withdraw any information provided in the
interview from being shared with the intended recipients of a report.
Check whether the interviewee wishes to see transcript and make changes (if one is
planned).
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