Field Expert Interview

F​‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‍​IELD EXPERT INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS OVERVIEW For this assignment, you will conduct an interview with a specialist in your school division (or one nearby) that would have a sound knowledge base of the topic that you are researching. It is preferred that the interview be conducted in person, but an interview by phone will work also. If necessary or desired, you may also reach beyond your local or nearby school division to access someone who would be considered an expert in your research topic. The purpose of this assignment is to help you develop interview skills that will help you in future research. Often, an interview with an expert and interviews, in general, are a central part of research methodology. The goal is for you to be able to demonstrate the ability to conduct and collect data using interview strategies and to discuss issues related to issues within educational institutions with experts. The ability to write questions that elicit thoughtful and in-depth responses is a valuable skill. Use this assignment to hone that skill. INSTRUCTIONS Coordinate a scheduled block of time with your selected expert for the interview to be conducted either in-person or by phone. Before your interview, prepare 8–10 questions prepared to address the topic you have chosen to study. Your focus should be on obtaining insight into the issue you have chosen as well as learning to network and collaborate with a colleague to discuss educational issues. Noting the fo​‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‍​llowing will assist you in crafting quality questions: ? Please be sure the questions are open-ended and encourage discussion. ? Questions that can be answered with simple answers are not ideal for collecting the kind of rich qualitative data that an interview seeks to elicit. ? Introductory information (e.g., interviewee’s name, background, position, etc.) cannot be included in the 8-10 questions required for the interview. ? Be open to asking follow-up questions that might not necessarily be planned in advance but that arise out of the answers from your interviewee. This will be especially helpful if your interviewee’s answers are not as detailed as you might like. After the interview, use the provided Field Expert Interview Template to provide the following: ? An introductory paragraph that includes information about the interviewee. Describe their position and why you feel they were a credible resource to recruit for the interview. How do they have expertise in the area that you are researching? ? A transcript that includes the interview questions you composed and the responses you received. Type your questions in bold font and type the responses in regular font. ? A conclusion that includes what you gained by participating in this activity as well as what new insight your chosen expert provided. How might you take the data (interview responses are considered a type of qualitative data) you collect during the interview into consideration as you develop your t​‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‌‍‍‍‍​opic?