The Survey Interview:

The purpose of the survey interview is to establish a solid base of fact from which to draw conclusions,to make interpretations, and to <ktermine future courses of action.

Concerns:.Reliability -assurance that the same information "would have reen collected each time in repeated

interviews".Replicability -ability to duplicate interviews regardless of interviewer, interviewee, or situation

purpose of the Affinity Group Exit Interview

To investigate the impact of a student's particitntion in the Affinity Group on a student's continuedsuccess at the University (GPA, retention, coop/internship), induction into the research process(attitudes toward research. t:mticipation on research projects, paper presentations, publications),contribution to the community (particitntion in outreach prograIDS), tbe ability to function on teams(teamwork skills, communication skills, social skills), and to increase the number of studentspursuing graduate degrees in computer science and electrical and computer engineering.

The Structure of the Affinity Group Exit Interview

Background InformationA Awareness of Affinity GroupB. Why computer science or elecbical & computer engineeringC. Influences

n. Affinity Group ExperienceA. Description of involvement

B. Significant achievementC. Benefits and Barriers

D. Improvement

ill. Changes

IV. The FutureA PredictionB. Influence of Affinity Group on personal/professional developmentC. Influence of working with professorD. Influence of learning technical and research skillsE. Influence of working with diverse groups of colleaguesF. Influence of recruitment on future plansG. Future plans and how they were reachedH. Influence of Affinity Group on employment &/or graduate schoolI. Conceptual map of effective teamworkJ. Conceptual map of the research process

AFFINITY GROUP EXIT INTERVIEWTHE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT EL PASO

END FALL 1997

AFFINITY GROUP EXIT INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW PROTOCOL

UNDERGRADUA TE AND GRADUA TE STUDENTS

INTRODUCnON

Hello, my name is .I am working for the Affinity GroupProject, Departments of Computer Science and Electrical and Computer Engineering atthe University of Texas at El Paso. I would like to spend the next 45-60 minutes talkingwith you about your experiences as a first-year student. The information you providewill be used

.

.

To better understand what it is like to learn the research process and teamwork skills;To find ways to help you succeed in school, in your career and/or in a graduateprogram; andTo help others become inducted into the research process..

STA TEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY MUST BE READ TO RESPONDENT---~

Before we start, I would like to assure you that this interview is confidential andcompletely voluntary. If we should come to any question which you do not want toanswer, just let me know and we'11 go on to the next question.

Part 1 -Background Information

Write the responses in the space provided On the right 1Kmd side of the form there arelists of "examples" or "probing questions. "

1.How long have you been a member of the Affinity Group?

How did you become aware of the Affinity Group?2 .

.

What sparked yourinterest in the project?

What did you envisionyourself doing as aresearch assistant?

Who approached you?

Did you hear about itfrom students, professors,etc?

.

.

2b. What did you hear about the AffInity Group before you

joined?. Can you give me some

examples?

.3. Why did you join the Affinity Group Project?

.

,

Why did you think it was agood idea to join the

Affinity Group?How did you perceive theopportunities that wouldresult from yourinvolvement?

How did you see yourselfwith respect to peers andfaculty involved in the

project?

.

4. When did you first "see" yourself as a computer

scientist/ computer engineer?

. How did you becomeinterested in computerscience or computer

engineeringj;f1Iathappened?.

5. What were your personal and professional goals? What did you want to

accomplish?

.

.6. When you imagined yourself as a[ computerscientistJcomputer and or electrical engineer], what did yousee yourself doing?

What do computer scientistsdo?What do computer orelectrical engineers do?

.

7. Who influenced your interest? .

.

U'1Io do you see as a rolemodel in your field?U'1Iat characteristics doesyour role model have that

particularly impressed you?How did your family react toyour decision to pursue yourinterest in CSICE?How did friends react toyour decision?

7b. How did they influence you? Example of how or when

they influenced you

/

Ui17at criteria did you use tose/ect a major?

8. Would you characterize your decision to become acomputer science major or an electrical or computerengineering major as an easy decision or as a tough one!

Explain.

Part 2 -Affinity Group Experience

Write the responses in the space provided On the right hand side of the form there arelists oflexamplesl'or 'probing questions. II

9. Starting from the beginning of your association withthe Affmity Group Project, describe what you did?

.

.

.

What was the first project youworked on?How did your involvement

grow?You worked onproject. What did you do?

10. What achievement is especially significant to you? . What kinds of contributions did

your JXOject make?

Why are these achievements

si gnifi cant?

.

11. What Affinity Group activities benefited you themost?

. What he/ped you rea/ize yourpotentia/ within the Affinity

Group?Looking back, what are youespecially g/ad that you didwhi/e in the Affinity Group?

.

12. What Affinity Group activities benefited you theleast? Please explain.

. What did you regard as a waste

of time?

What were barriers to yourrealizing your potential within

the Affinity Group?

.

13. Reflect back on your experience with the AffinityGroup Project, what should have had more emphasis?

Explain.

fJi7lat ski//s or know/edge wou/dhave made you fee/ moreconfident and competent?

.

14. What should have had less emphasis? Explain. What skills or knowledge werenot necessary to learn?Why do you feel this way

.

.

Part 3. Changes

Write the responses in the space provided On the right hand side of the form there arelists of "example " or 'probing questions. "

15. How has the Affinity Group changed how you "see"yourself as a computer scientist/electrical engineer/

computer engineer?

. How has your image of yourself

changed?How have you changed?.

16. How has the Affinity Group changed your personaland professional goals?

wnat are your goals now?

How have they changed?

.

.

17. After being a member of the Affinity Group, whatdo you see yourself doing as a computer scientist/electrical engineer/computer engineer?

What do you think you aregoing to do?

.

Part 3 -The Future

Write the responses in the space provided. On the right ikznd side of the form there arelists of "examp/es" or 'probing questions. II

Write the responses in the space provided On the right 1Kmd side of the form there arelists of "examples" or 'probing questions. "

18. When you started with the Affinity Group, whatdid you think you would be doing when you

graduated?

.

.

Did you envision graduate schoolor industry?Where did you think you would be

after graduation?Whatkindofposition did youthinkyou would have?

.

How can you tell?.19. Reflect on your overall experience with theAffinity Group, do you think you would have learnedas much or benefited as much without the Affinity

Group?

Do you think you wou/d be doingsomething different had you neverworked with a professor?What wou/d that have been?

20. How did working with a professor influence your

future plan?

.

.

What would you tell a student who

was consideringjoining the

Affinity Group?

21. How did working on technical and research skillsaffect the way you worked on your research?

.

. u;1Jat were the pro's and con's toyour decision?How did you actuallyarrive atyour decision to .

.

What would you tell a student who

was consideringjoining the

Affinity Group?

22. How did working with a diverse group of studentsinfluence the way you work as a team member in a

team situation?

.

23. How did recruitment (position/graduate school)influence your future plans? What was offered thatincreased the likelihood that you would pursue your

plans?

. Were you offered what you

expected?How did the Affinity Groupexperience affect how you wererecruited and how you presentedyour credentials?

.

24. Tell me about your future plans and tell me howyou arrived at decisions about your next step.

. What were the pro's and con's toyour decision.?How did you actua//yarrive atyour decision to ?

.

25. How do you think your experience in the AffinityGroup will affect your future success as a graduatestudent/your future employment and duties?

Ulhat are the factors that youthink separate you as an AffinityGroup member from other

graduates ofthe [computerscience or electrical and

computer engineering programs?How has working on the Affinity

Group project prepared you foryour future?

Give the interviewee a sheet of

paper.

26. In order to understand your thinking abouteffective teamwork, please draw your "road map ofeffective teamwork. II After you have drawn your map,

I will ask you to explain it to me.

Give the interviewee a sheet of

paper.

27. In order to understand your thinking about theresearch process please draw your "road map ofresearch process. " After you have drawn your map, I

will ask you to explain it to me.

28. Any additional comments?

Thank you for your time and information. We will use the information to help The University ofTexas best meet the needs of in-coming students. If you have any questions, please call Dr. ConnieKubo Della-Piana, Model Institutions for ExceUence (747-8888) or e-mail conn~maiLuteD.edu

I Time ended: I

Interviewer comments: