From our Participant Primer series, you'll learn about what it is like to be a participant in interviews, focus groups, observations, or program/administrative data collection.

A common practice at the Improve Group is to also include participants in the design of our research and evaluation work. We like to hear from community members, people who attend programs, and staff:

1) what they hope to learn from an evaluation
2) what is the best method for collecting data
3) any logistical issues we should be aware of in collecting data
4) how they would like to receive information or reports about the evaluation and its results

Recently, I traveled to Mo Ranch near Hunt, Texas to meet with Hispanic Scholarship Fund staff and Peer Counselors (Peer Counselors are college students who are matched with high school students for mentoring and to share information about college). The purpose of the meeting was to ask the group of 19 young adults about their evaluation questions and what they hope to gain by being Peer Counselors. We had a great discussion that will help us as we develop surveys and focus groups for the evaluation.

In my drive from San Antonio to Hunt, TX, I was startled to come across Stonehenge (see below).

A quick Internet search led me to the following amusing articles in Roadside America and Texas Twisted.