Strategies to Overcome the Unique Challenges Faced in Conducting Focus Groups in Extension

Authors

Vikram Koundinya, University of California (UC)-Davis & UC Cooperative ExtensionFollow
Amulya Rao, University of MinnesotaFollow
Cristina Chiarella, Université Catholique de LouvainFollow
Deepa SrivastavaFollow
Mary Holz-Clause, University of Minnesota-CrookstonFollow
Teresa Spaeth, University of Minnesota-CrookstonFollow
Eleanor Haworth, University of California-DavisFollow
Kit Alviz, University of California Agriculture and Natural ResourcesFollow
LaJoy Spears, New Mexico State UniversityFollow
Rebecca Witinok-Huber, University of WyomingFollow
Natalia Pinzón, University of California-DavisFollow
Yulia Lamoureaux, University of California-DavisFollow

Volume

63

Issue

2

DOI

10.34068/joe.63.02.12

Abstract

Focus groups are commonly used in extension. Extension professionals can encounter unique challenges when conducting focus groups. Extension literature is replete with best practices for conducting focus groups, but there is a lack of systematically documented practical challenges and strategies for overcoming them. We share the challenges we have faced over the past 13 years while conducting focus groups with different participant groups in extension globally and strategies that can be used to overcome or navigate these challenges. The ideas presented in this paper can provide valuable assistance to extension professionals who utilize focus groups for research and evaluation purposes.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Koundinya, V., Rao, A., Chiarella, C., Srivastava, D., Holz-Clause, M., Spaeth, T., Haworth, E., Alviz, K., Spears, L., Witinok-Huber, R., Pinzón, N., & Lamoureaux, Y. (2025). Strategies to Overcome the Unique Challenges Faced in Conducting Focus Groups in Extension. The Journal of Extension, 63(2), Article 12. https://doi.org/10.34068/joe.63.02.12