You are hired as a researcher to provide consultation to a University in helping the institution to better support international students who choose to study in the US. Based on interviews with school administrators, you have concluded that the University is interested in improving student retention and graduation rates. You have also formed the operational theory that student retentions is influenced by general and academic adjustment, including financial and living conditions of international students.
Your team is tasked with conducting a qualitative study, either through one-on-one interviews (at least three students) or a focus group (at least five students). In preparation for your study, you will need to answer the following design questions. In this discussion question, you will “briefly” answer the following questions.
Is your research Confirmatory or Exploratory in nature?
What is the orientation of your research and why?
Why did you choose a focus group/ direct interview for this study? How did you address some of the main disadvantages of your approach?
What are some of the questions that you are planning to ask during the meeting (focus group or interview)