Semi-structured, use follow up probes as necessary. To be recorded using digital voice recording software.
Overview
As a reminder, I’m going to ask you questions about your experience as a high school student, including completing projects and expeditions here at Explorers Academy. Everything you tell me will be de-identified, so no one here at the school will know what you say and when I describe what I’ve learned from students, nothing will be linked specifically to you. I’m going to start the recorder now.
Previous school experience.
1. What school were you at before you came to Explorers Academy? 2. Describe what it was like being a student there.
3. What were some of the reasons that you left your old school? 4. Did you ever drop out of a school?
What were you reasons for dropping out?
Current school experience
5. What made you decide you wanted to become a student at Explorers Academy?
6. If you were going to describe what it’s like to a student here at Explorers Academy to a friend at another school, what would you say?
What are some of the best things about being a student at Explorers Academy? What haven't you liked about being a student here?
What are the biggest differences between Explorers Academy and your last school?
7. What were your reasons for staying and completing school here?
Did you ever consider leaving Explorers Academy? Tell me more about that. 8. Is there anything teachers or the director do at Explorers Academy that you think they should do at other schools?
9. In the survey you completed earlier, you ranked these characteristics as ‘essential’ or ‘very important’ to your success in completing school (provide index cards that list appropriate characteristics). Please arrange this in order from most to least important for your own success at this school.
For top 3 characteristics: Tell me more about why that characteristic was important to you.
Project based learning
10. Describe a specific project you’ve worked on recently either independently or in an afternoon class here at Explorers Academy.
What were you trying to learn or figure out in that project? How long did you work on it?
How was completing that project different than how you would learn in a more traditional class, like math or social studies?
11. There’s a general 4- step framework for experiential learning (provide an index card with the following steps):
1. Engagement in concrete experiences
2. Observation and reflection on the experiences
3. Formation of concepts and generalizations based on experiences 4. Application of new understandings to other situations.
Let’s talk through each step in relation to the project you just described. Did Step 1 happen? What was that like? Continue through steps 2-4.
12. Was this project typical of other projects you’ve completed at Explorers Academy?
Expeditions
13. Describe a recent overnight expedition that you participated in. What were your reasons for signing up for that one?
What motivated you to show up for it?
What aspects/activities of the expeditions were most beneficial to you? What aspects/activities were least helpful?
What were the most memorable aspects of that expedition? Was anything about this expedition uncomfortable for you?
14. Going back to that 4-step framework we used earlier (refer back to index card with 4- step framework)
Let’s talk through each step in relation to the project you just described. Did Step 1 happen? What was that like?
Continue through steps 2-4.
15. Was this expedition typical of other ones you have gone on?
16. Are overnight expeditions an important part of the experience of being a student here?
How many overnight expeditions do you go on each year?
17. Describe a recent trip away from the school campus you went on during the school day.
How do trips like this one affect how you learn, compared to a more traditional class?
How do these day trips affect your experience at Explorers Academy?
18. Did you notice any changes in your experience back at Explorers Academy after you returned from the expedition?
Does going on expeditions have an effect on how you feel about being a student here? How so?
Has participating in expeditions changed your relationships with any teachers? Has participating in expeditions changed your relationships with any classmates? 19. Are there any downsides related to participating in expeditions or trips within the
Future Plans
20. What do you plan to do after you graduation in terms of education or career plans? 21. If someone asked you in five years, 'what do you do for a living?,' what would you like to be able to say?
Wrap Up
22. How do you think Explorers Academy met your individual needs? 23. Are there any things you think the staff should do differently here?
24. What kind of students do you think would especially benefit from attending Explorers Academy?
25. Besides what you have already shared with me, what would you want a reader of this study to know about who you are and why you’re a student here at Explorers Academy? 26. Make up a name that I can use to refer to comments you’ve made when I describe what I’ve learned from you.