Parent Focus Group Protocol

Parent Focus Group Protocol

1) Let’s begin by going around and saying your names and the number/age of children who
participate in the program (or at home, if there is no associated student project).
2) How did you hear about the ITEST project?
a. What motivated you to participate?
b. Do you participate with other parents from your neighborhood? school?
c. Have you ever done anything else similar to this type of a project? If so, how does this
compare?
3) What activities are you engaged in as part of the project?
a. How often do you attend?
4) What specific things have you learned, or gotten interested in, as a result of your work with
this project? Probe for each of the following:
a. Knowledge of STEM careers/STEM career pathways
b. Knowledge of STEM learning opportunities for you or your children
c. Hands-on activities to do with your children
d. Connecting with other parents/community members
e. Ability to support your child’s STEM learning/career goals
f. Use of technology
g. Content knowledge
h. Other?
5) Have you done anything since participating in this project that you think is related to the
kinds of things you did with the project? Ask for SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.
a. How, if at all, have you used what you learned in your home/neighborhood?
b. What, if any, new roles or activities have you taken on at home or in your community as
a result of your participation in this project (e.g., more frequent museum trips, more
active involvement with child’s STEM homework)?
c. Have you seen any changes in your children or community related to this work (e.g.,
better grades, more positive affect, new or newly utilized community resources)?
6) As a result of your work with this project, do you think differently about the role that STEM or
STEM learning plays in your life or that of your children?
7) What do you like most about the project?
8) What do you dislike about the project?
9) Have you been able to share what you learned with friends/other parents who did not
participate?
10) Would you participate in another similar project if you had the chance? Why?

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