Online focus groups with student teachers who are also parents: co-creation with student researchers

This case study is based on a research project with an aim to explore the experiences of student teachers who are also parents, at a large university teacher education provider in Yorkshire. The project team included two student parents from a teacher education program at the university, and three academic members of staff who work in teacher education. This case study zooms in on the method we used to explore student parent experiences; online focus groups. We share the challenges of using focus groups with hard-to-reach participant groups, and the specific dilemmas that arose because our focus groups were online. We consider our perspectives as a student researcher and academic around recruitment of participants, consent and anonymity, and issues that can arise from sharing personal stories with a peer group as well as the research team. We will provide practical advice on how to run successful focus groups, making sure you have identified ethical issues in advance where possible, and, importantly, how to ensure that your well-being, as a researcher, is protected.