Conducting Stakeholder Consultation on Placement Learning Using Online Technologies Virtual Focus Gr

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Conducting Stakeholder Consultation on Placement
Learning Using Online Technologies (Virtual
Focus Groups)?

Inocencio Maramba Anne de Looy Ray Jones
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Background

• E-Learning has the potential to provide greater
  coherence between academia and practice.
• University of Plymouth has a history of
  implementing Asynchronous and Synchronous
  E-Learning.
• The use of E-Learning is not a guarantee of
  success. Stakeholder Consultation is very
  important

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The Use of Virtual Focus Groups

• "Virtual" Focus Groups - Focus group discussions
  conducted using Internet technologies
• May be Asynchronous (Bulletin Board, Listserve),
  or Synchronous (Chat, Webconference)?
• Increasingly being used for Qualitative Research
  in Health (Moloney 2003, Kenny 2005, Gallagher
  2005, Zwaanswijk 2007, Swinglehurst 2008)

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Project Aims

• To evaluate the use of Synchronous E-Learning
  (eg. Webcasting with interactive chat) as a
  mechanism for virtual focus group discussion.
• To evaluate the use of Asynchronous E-Learning
  (eg. Web discussion boards) as mechanism for
  virtual focus group discussion.
• And to compare the appropriateness of these
  methods with different linguistic groups

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Context of the Project

• The European Thematic Network Dietitians
  Improving Education and Training Standards in
  Europe (DIETS) extends over 30 European
  countries and has major aims
• To improve practice placement learning for
  dietetic students in Europe
• Increase Information Technology Skills of
  Dietitians in Europe

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Objectives (1)?

• To determine, via stakeholder consultation, views
  on how to introduce interactive Webcasting and
  Web discussion boards to disseminate best
  practice about placement learning in Dietetics.

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Objectives (2)?

• To document the factors necessary for conducting
  a successful focus group discussion via
  interactive webcasting (synchronous method) and
  web based discussion board (asynchronous).

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Objectives (3)?

• a. To compare the applicability of synchronous
  and asynchronous e-learning methods for sharing
  information amongst three different groups of
  users (dietetics students, dietitians in practice
  and dietetic lecturers)
• b. To compare the applicability of synchronous
  and asynchronous e-learning methods amongst three
  linguistically differentiated groups (native
  English speakers, non-native English speakers,
  mixed group of native and non-native English
  speakers)?

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Objectives (4)?

• To assess stakeholder views of the methods used
  as a measure of perceived success.

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Study Design Stakeholder Groups

• The consultation will be done by conducting focus
  group discussions among three groups of
  stakeholders (Dietetics Students, Dietitians in
  Practice and dietetic lecturers).
• The virtual focus group discussions will employ
  both synchronous (webcasting with chat) and
  asynchronous methods (threaded discussion groups)?

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Study Design Linguistic Groups

• The stakeholder groups will be further subdivided
  into English as native language, English as
  non-native language, and mixed language groups.
  Thus, all in all we will have 18 groups

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Conduct of the Study

• Each Focus group will consist of 4-6 people the
  total sample number approximately 72 - 108
  participants.
• After the focus group discussions, the transcript
  of the chats / web based discussions will be
  collated. Web based discussions will take place
  over the course of one week.
• A post-discussion survey will be circulated to
  the participants (via email or web-page).

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Diagram of Webcasting
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Webcasting with Interactive Chat
Chat message window
Webcast Window
User List
Chat input box
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Analysis (1)?

• The transcripts of the live chat and the web
  discussion board will be collated and analysed
  using discourse analysis.
• The main concepts relating to best practice of
  E-Learning for placements will be compiled.
• The transcripts will also be analysed as to the
  proportions of social exchanges, extraneous
  conversation, and subject-related discourse.

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Analysis (2)?

• A post-activity survey will be conducted with all
  groups. The survey will ask questions related to
  the ease of use of the various technologies and
  their preferences for synchronous and
  asynchronous methods.
• The data from the survey will then be analysed to
  gauge the acceptability of the technologies...
• as well as the factors that influence
  participation.

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Work to Date

• Survey of IT facilities in 30 countries and 115
  DIETS partners reveals highly variable state of
  electronic resources
• Videoconferencing facilities are limited but a
  pilot of synchronous desktop conferencing /
  webcam can prove to be a viable alternative
• Our experience in DIETS shows that mixed
  linguistic groups prefer a text-based discussion
  over a discussion conducted orally

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Project Timeline

• May 2008 Synchronous and Asynchronous focus
  group discussions with 2nd Year Dietetics
  Students
• June July 2008 Synchronous and Asynchronous
  focus group discussions with Dietitians in
  Practice and Dietetics Lecturers
• August September 2008 Data Analysis
• October 2008 Draft Report

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Comments and Suggestions to

• inocencio.maramba_at_plymouth.ac.uk