Ravalier PhD Theis.pdf - Anglia Ruskin Research Online

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Ravalier as lead researcher and Dr Andrew McVicar as a scribe. As such two methods of recording the data to
come out of the focus group were utilised. Firstly Dr Andrew McVicar took handwritten notes throughout relating to
the progress and outcomes from each focus group. Secondly, Jermaine Ravalier recorded outcomes and
interventions at the front of the room on a flip chart. Working in this manner allows individual participants to check
what is recorded on the flip chart, and comment whether they believe the recordings to be correct or whether they
need adjustment. Furthermore, participants were offered the chance to read through Dr McVicar’s notes at the end
of the focus group. Following the focus group Dr McVicar gave his computer-typed notes to Jermaine Ravalier for
analysis and safe keeping, while Jermaine Ravalier also typed the flip chart notes onto a Word processing
programme. The hand-written copies were destroyed using secure recycling, and the computer copies of the work
were stored on two separate laptop computers under password-protected, hidden folders.
To ensure ethical considerations were taken into account, dedicated ground rules were set at the beginning
of each focus group (see Appendix 11) and also set in an easily visible place for all to see in each focus group. The
ground rules included keeping everything confidential, so that anything said within each group would remain within
the group discussion, and that nobody will be named as part of the discussions, or within the results or
organisational report which emanated from the focus groups. In order to ensure anonymity individuals were
requested to introduce themselves separately, using first names only, while the first name given did not
necessarily have to be their own.
Focus groups completed Stages 3 and 4 of the Appreciative Inquiry cycle. Stage 3 was Design in which
feasible changes and action plans are considered, thus building upon what was found in the previous stages.
Stage 4 is Destiny, in which action plans are finalised and furthermore plans implementation scheduled. Therefore