Why Do Universities Use Facilitated Focus Groups In Education

I believe that universities should use facilitated focus groups to improve the academic experience as the overall effectiveness of a university’s academic programs depend on both the students and faculty make the most of it. This is so as both students and faculty depend on each other as students rely on faculty for the knowledge needed to succeed and faculty rely on the students’ success to ensure if their teaching was effective. As simple as this may seem, there are a few challenges in this dynamic which can hinder either side’s success. For instance, some professors may have a more lackadaisical teaching style which may lead students to succeed academically, but are unprepared for the workforce due to a lack of knowledge that could have been attained through proper education. Likewise, students need additional resources outside of the classroom such as career advising, internships and other …show more content…
By using a facilitated focus group, panels of both students and faculty will be able to see not only their interdependence on each other, but also develop a greater awareness of each side’s needs to create a superior academic experience. Focus groups can also be utilized as a platform for both students and faculty to speak up about factors which may not be directly associated with their learning experience such as gender/racial diversity within their major or needing moral support to succeed. By allowing an open opportunity for students and faculty to not only speak about these issues, but also listen to the concerns of the other side, these focus groups can lay the foundation for future initiatives to address the needs of both sides such as diversity inclusion or peer mentoring, based on the