Focus group discussion Essay Example for Free

Focus group discussion Essay The research utilized two focus groups to represent the student population being evaluated. Each focus group is comprised of four students with one moderator in charge of the discussion and although it was mentioned that the target number of students for the focus group would be seven, only four students from each group attended the session. The students that were sampled had all previously used or had the necessary experience in handling web 2. 0 applications particularly wikis, blogs, social networking technologies (MySpace, Friendster, etc. ) and other Web 2. 0 applications that were used by the students. For the first part of the discussion, the group focused on introductory remarks particular on how they utilize web 2. 0 applications. Both groups were asked the question (as a discussion opener) on how do they enjoy spending their spare time in the internet. According to group 1, half of the group indicated that they had very limited time when online because of the budgetary constraints and thus they are more apt to utilize all of their time in using web 2. 0 applications for learning purposes. On the other hand, the other half of the group expressed their fondness of being able to enjoy chat while online with their friends and browsing through forums for information (whether education or non-education related information). One common trait for all the participants of the first group is their interest in reading and searching for subjects that interest them with the use of web 2. 0 applications. It is interesting to note that, previously they had mentioned that they were utilizing information only or web 1. 0 applications for information but with the influx of web 2.0 applications, they had found it easier to use and more apt to their style of finding information (Hinchcliffe, 2006). Being that web 2. 0 applications are more interactive and provides a venue for two-way communication, they are able to ask questions, search for groups or communities with their desired information. For the second group, it was indicated that the members of the group with the same background utilize their spare time by chatting online with their friends, particularly with the classmates as some of the members of the group are schoolmates and are friends. They are able to share information particular to current blogs and subjects that interest them as a whole. With this they are able to find information faster as they are able to share insights with each other. In addition, they are able to utilize their spare time while online by browsing through subjects often referred to by their classmates within the focus group. Being that they are also previously acquainted with each other, they are able to use web 2. 0 applications at the same time, often during school breaks where they are able to meet with each other and share community sites such as blogs and wikis that highlight their favourite and desired information. This adds to the value of web 2. 0 applications being a very communal information technology tool it is able to put together people with the use of the internet and information put together. As a follow up to the first question, every member of the two focus groups were asked of their level of familiarity with respect to web 2. 0 technologies. Level of familiarity is defined as the ability of these students being evaluated to first identify with web 2. 0 technologies, their level of being able to proficiency in utilizing such tools and their capacity to use such tools in aspects of their daily lives such as interaction with society, learning and education (Hinchcliffe, 2006). The first group explained that there are familiar with the most common web 2. 0 technologies online. Noted web 2. 0 applications such as blogs, community forums and Wikis were identified the most by the users. The respondents in group one generally expressed their feelings that Web 2. 0 applications have been already been there in our daily lives even before it was formalized as Web 2. 0 technologies. As one respondent explains, Web 2. 0 technologies have been present for a considerable amount of time already and have been used as a means of providing and transferring information between each other. However, with the formal induction of these technologies as Web 2. 0 technologies, further improvement and interest was accorded to it, thus the influx of users and it was more and more integrated into society. Forums for example have existed for a considerable amount of time yet only recently has it been given so much interest and improvement that it has started to occupy a considerable amount of society’s â€Å"online† daily lives (Anderson, 2007). For the second group, they had indicated what Web 2. 0 applications are but have little or no idea of it whatsoever. The students on the other hand had already used web 2. 0 applications such as social bookmarking, calendaring, image sharing, collaborative authoring, video sharing and social networking tools but had not identified under one umbrella such as Web 2. 0 technologies (O’Reilly, 2005). Students under this group were able to identify that they had used Wikis and Rallypoints as a tool to share information with their classmates in their classes but were not aware that these tools were considered as Web 2. 0 technologies. On the other hand, one of the students under this group had expressed that she had a rough understanding of what Web 2. 0 technologies is however had not taken into consideration the other Web 2. 0 technologies existing.