Focus Group Discussion: An Emerging Qualitative Tool for Educational Research

Educational research is the need of the hour with the ever-changing curriculum, teaching-learning methodologies and continuous evolvement of technology and resources in the global world of education. The use of quantitative and qualitative methods to generate data is vital to investigate and solve any research problem. A range of qualitative methods are available to the researcher such as case studies, in-depth interviews, participant observation etc. These methods help the researcher to explore the deep domains of complex research issues in a natural setting environment. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) is a successful and absorbing qualitative research method used to observe and record the responses, beliefs, perceptions and attitudes of the participants in a research study. It has gained immense popularity in the recent past and enables meaningful, detailed and high-quality data collection when executed in the right way. This article overviews the applications, methodology and analysis of a “Focus Group Discussion” in educational research. Keywords: Focus groups, group interview, discussion group, qualitative tool, educational research.