Evidence: From Interviews, Focus Groups, and Think-Alouds

Abstract

Chapter 6 gives detailed instructions for gathering evidence through focus groups, interviews, and think-alouds. When seeking to answer questions about science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) student thinking, motivation, attitudes, or underlying reasons for certain behaviors, a scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) investigator should consider using one or more of these methods even though they may be unfamiliar. Numerous examples are given of studies of student learning in science, engineering, and mathematics that employed these methods. The investigator is advised to select a method that is appropriate for the type of research question—What works? What is? What could be? The chapter closes with a discussion of the key role that student voices play in SoTL, including the positive outcomes resulting from several projects that engaged students as co-investigators or provided undergraduate research experience in pedagogical research.