Focus Group
Running Head: FOCUS GROUP CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Sun Conference 2006 Conference Proceedings
Engaging Diverse Student in Course Enhancement
through Narrative Inquiry
March 4, 2006
Laura Nicholson, RN, MN, ENC(C)
Professor, Nursing (Centennial College)
Ryerson, Centennial, George Brown Collaborative Nursing Degree Program
lnicholson@centennialcollege.ca
Kathleen Gates, RN, MHSc, EdD
Professor, Nursing (Ryerson University)
Ryerson, Centennial, George Brown Collaborative Nursing Degree Program
kgates@ryerson.ca
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Abstract
Nurse educators, from Toronto, shared an innovative focus group approach to
promoting student-centered course development. Select students were chosen from a
large student body to reflect its rich diversities: gender, ethnic group, level of academic
achievement, sexual orientation and so forth. The select students acted as consultants to
faculty within a focus group format and they advised faculty of ways to enhance the
relevance and effectiveness of the health assessment course within class and labs. Faculty
members from the three collaborative sites served as co-facilitators of the focus group in
order to role model a cooperative and egalitarian approach for all. Students were
encouraged to voice divergent views so that numerous alternatives were generated by
them. The faculty members used the students’ creative ideas and perspectives to list and
evaluate alternatives for curriculum enhancement. During subsequent introductions to the
course, faculty members shared the changes that were instigated by students from the
previous years.
Content
For the last four years a focus group was conducted at the completion of the first
year nursing course Assessment of the Healthy Individual as a method of evaluation.
However, prior to the participants of the round table learning about the focus group it was
important to provide background information related to both the course and the nursing
program.
The four-year collaborative nursing program consists of a number of professional
and academic courses. The program is grounded by yearly content foci and themes. In
year one the focus is knowledge of self in the context of health; year two-knowledge of
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others in the context of illness; year three-knowledge of the community in the context of
health promotion and primary health care; year four-the integration of the professional
self into the health care system (Ryerson, 2006).
Integrated into the curriculum are many theoretical foundations and fundamental
to the program are the patterns of knowing in nursing. Key concepts that are introduced
are; empirics (nursing science), aesthetics (art of nursing), ethics (moral responsibleness),
and personal knowing (subjective awareness) (Carper, 1978). Students are also
introduced to the concepts of unknowing (Munhall, 1993) and sociopolitical knowing
(White, 1995). As well as the themes of phenomenology, critical social theory, primary
health care/health promotion, reflective practice/critical thinking, meaningful
relationships/caring/communication, political/social justice, and personal professional
development are woven throughout the focus group. .
After a brief overview of the above, the next few minutes of the round table
involved sharing, through an A, B, C, D, E mnemonic, the planning, implementation and
evaluation involved in the focus group.
A-Articulate
The main purpose of the focus group is to solicit student feedback. Areas of both
strength and needs for improvement are explored by asking the students to respond to
questions in a semi-structured, inclusive group. Questions are derived from observations
and issues that have been gathered throughout the academic year. They come from
comments from the students evaluations during the year, at midterm and at the end of the
course. They come from identified issues that have delighted, perturbed or made faculty
curious. For example, some students did not dress appropriately for practice in the
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laboratory. When asked how to encourage students to dress properly the respondents said
that the faculty needed to be more strict as we had been ‘too soft’ on these students. One
student said “those who were unprepared not only compromised their learning but the
learning of their peers as well”.
B-blueprint.
This content provides the information that is fundamental to organizing the focus
group. It involves; the selection of students; establishing the norms for students
participating; the process of running the group (including the timeline); and faculty roles
both leading up to and during the event.
In order to ensure that the focus group is inclusive it is important that students
who are invited to participate are representative of the diversity of the students in the
class. Students are selected ensuring that there is a proportionate representation of women
and men in the group. The entire class ratio is 8:1 therefore the focus group invitees are
similar. Other diversity qualities that are considered are: ethnic group, level of academic
achievement, and sexual orientation.
Prior to the focus group beginning the norms for student participation are
established. They are reminded that it is an inclusive group, that all are to be heard, that
all opinions are to be listened to and respected. The faculty will be recording their
responses and if someone does not want their response to be recorded they could speak
with one of the faculty and their idea(s) would be removed.
The process of running the group including the timeline is determined by the
faculty prior to the gathering. Time for each question’s discussion is dependent on the
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total number of questions being brought forward. The agenda is disclosed up front to the
group.
The faculty equally facilitates the group. One begins by sharing the group’s norms
and expectations. Then each faculty member facilitates one question and the student
responses. As well the responsibilities of booking the room, organizing invitations,
ordering lunch, creating name plates and certificates of participation are equally shared
amongst the group.
C-consultation.
The students are apprised at the beginning of the focus group that they are
consultants and that faculty is seeking their advice it will be considered but may or may
not be implemented.
D-document.
Throughout the group all faculty make notes of the proceedings, though one
faculty member is noted to be the recorder of the minutes. Immediately after the group
concludes and the students leave the faculty meet to review their notes and begin
discussion about what to incorporate into the course and what to keep in mind for the
future. One copy of the records is kept together for accreditation as well as for support for
any course changes.
E-evaluate and enhance.
Any changes that are made to the course are further evaluated by faculty for their
contribution to the success of the students and the course.
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Now that the background had been set, those who attended the round table were
encouraged to ask a one Question-Question. This was the basis for the 30-minute
discussion.
What Was Gained From the Round Table
The round table participants worked in a variety of settings including education
and addiction services. Through discussion areas of common interests were identified.
The group shared interests in inclusive approaches to education and practice, expressing
an ethic of respect for difference, and exploring the potentialities of narrative inquiry.
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References
Andrews, C.A., Ironside, P.M., Nosek, C., Sims, S.L., Swenson, M.M., Yeomans, C.,
Young, P.K., & Diekelmann, N. (2001). Enacting narrative pedagogy: The lived
experiences of students and teachers. Nursing and Health Care Perspectives.
22(5), 252-9.
Carper, B. (1978). Fundamental patterns of knowing in nursing. Advances in Nursing
Science. 1/(1), 13-23.
Munhall, P. L. (1993). ‘Unknowing’: toward another pattern of knowing in nursing.
Nursing Outlook, 41/, 125-8.
Riley, T., & Hawe, P. (2005). Researching practice: The methodological case for
narrative inquiry. Health Education Research 20(2), 226-236.
Ryerson, Centennial, George Brown Collaborative Nursing Degree Program. 2005.
Student Handbook. Author. Toronto
White, J. (1995). Patterns of knowing: review, critique, and update. Advances in Nursing
Science, 17/(4), 73-86.