What is a Focus Group?

Researchers and practitioners in the field of Extended Education come together in focus groups which are centered around a particular aspect/field/topic of research in Extended Education. The role of a focus group is to:

• Enable a continuous exchange between researchers (and practitioners)
• Develop a common understanding of key terms and concepts in the field
• Hold regular online meetings (dates will be published on the website)
• Contribute to EE conferences (host a meetup, day before start of the conference, invited symposium), webinars
• Improve collaboration between researchers, less formal

Time frame/obligations of the Focus Groups

• Focus Group coordinators have to be members of the Task Force
• Exist for two years max
• (Re-)Approved by the Task Forces Executive Committee
• No more than six focus groups exist at the same time
• No additional funding

Example: Focus Group “Leadership in Extended Education”

Leadership in Extended Education has many similarities with leadership in schools or other social institutions. However, there are also specific aspects of leadership - such as close collaboration with the school, status and with parents, clarifying the pedagogical concept between school and leisure - that make the leadership of an EE provision unique. However, there is little research on this topic. Furthermore, the situation of leadership training for EE differs between countries and often does not have a clear, theoretically based curriculum.

This focus group brings together researchers and lecturers/practitioners from universities and other EE leadership institutions to discuss the core tasks of leaders in EE, as well as the challenges and opportunities arising from the responsible role of leading an EE. Topics such as human resource management, finance, quality management, etc. as core leadership responsibilities will be discussed in depth.

Example: Focus Group “Autonomy and Self-Determination in Extended Education”

In EE children`s autonomy, self-regulation and self-determination are key and a great opportunity for interaction and relationship building between students and staff. However, many countries struggle with the challenges of an institutionalized environment of EE concerning the amount of free play or structured activities. This can often lead to conflict between staff and students. This focus group is about creating an environment that not only provides leisure activities and play, but also encourages interaction between students and staff, creating a pleasant atmosphere and empowering students to take action.

In the focus group we will discuss how to create good quality environment in EE, taking into account the structures, contexts and processes that are important for children and staff. The research in this focus group can be varied and encourages the exploration of children's views from qualitative perspectives.

Other Topics

• Autonomy and Self-Determination in Extended Education
• Childern's perspectives
• Leadership
• Quality
• Professionalism
• Transitions from early childhood and to the school context
• Wellbeing (Children or Staff)
• Educational Research in South Asia