Course Description
RIVA 201, a 4-day course, which provides an experiential training environment for students to learn about conducting in-person focus groups and their context in qualitative market research. The focus of the course is on designing a clear research purpose statement, preparation of a clear and workable individualized guide, and executing and honing skills to conduct lively focus groups with respondents. Students will hone their skills through repeated tasks that build on one another, constant feedback, and coaching. Additionally, students take away a textbook full of examples and practical tips from actual research projects.
Course Prerequisites
None
After taking this course, graduates will be able to:
- Lead groups as a professional, with an appropriate comfort level
- Develop individualized introductory group ground rules & guidelines
- Produce a moderator toolbox that includes the ability to: build rapport with respondents, craft appropriate questions, probe for below top-of-mind answers, manage time, adhere to research ethics, use interventions/projective techniques, etc.
How you’ll be assessed:
Students are expected to attend and participate in all modules, including lectures, practice sessions with students, practice sessions with recruited respondents, and open forums. Trainers use in-depth feedback forms to provide students with individualized, targeted written and oral feedback throughout the class. At the end of class, students will have the opportunity to practice all they have learned in two recruited mock sessions.
After successful completion of this course students will receive 3.3 CEUs.
After completing this RIVA course, you will receive a “Certificate of Completion” stating you have completed the coursework that was required of you. This is not the same as saying you are “certified” as a moderator/analyst/planner/facilitator. You may add this terminology to your resume: “Holds a Certificate of Completion in [NAME OF TRAINING COURSE], from the RIVA Training Institute.” You cannot say you are a “Certified Moderator” because you have not completed a written exam or practicum. If you are interested in certification, please review RIVA’s Master Moderator Certificate Program.