Using Focus Groups in Educational Research

Abstract

In the past few years, focus group research has been used increasingly in fields different from market research, in which the technique was developed. The application of focus groups in educational research has become particularly useful in evaluation, as an ideal qualitative technique to evaluate viability, to anticipate effects, and to evaluate implementation. This article describes the focus group technique, giving details about the methodological process, and includes a practical application: the study of teachers' perspectives toward the reform about to be applied in the Spanish educational system.