Virtual focus groups: new technologies, new opportunities, new learning environments

New technologies and ICT provide unique and inventive opportunities for qualitative researchers. Their innate ability to accurately record discursive data in text format, as well as provide safe, secure and anonymous environments for participants, makes them amenable to trialling a variety of qualitative research methodologies. This paper reports a collaborative project involving two academics and two research students as they examine and trial the potential of online discussion boards in Blackboard, to conduct virtual focus groups as part of an existing research project. What the researchers found was that not only was the method theoretically sound, but it was also extremely effective in creating 'authentic learning' environments for research students as they acquire research skills. The collaborative approach they established within the project team created an egalitarian, self directed learning environment for the students that facilitated acquisition of advanced research skills.