USING FOCUS GROUPS IN EDUCATIONAL-RESEARCH - EXPLORING TEACHERS PERSPECTIVES ON EDUCATIONAL-CHANGE

In the past few years, focus group research has been used increasingly infields different from market research, in which the technique was d eveloped. The application of focus groups in educational research has become particularly useful in evaluation, as an ideal qualitative tech nique to evaluate viability, to anticipate effects, and to evaluate im plementation. This article describes the focus group technique, giving details about the methodological process, and includes a practical ap plication: the study of teachers 'perspectives toward the reform about to be applied in the Spanish educational system.