In March of 2022, we began our first ever Focus Group. It was an exciting time for us as we were able to learn about our strengths and limitations and how to better our game for our members.
Focus Group Goals
We wished to investigate the current and optimal use of our online music-based program, Sing and Speak 4 Kids (SS4Kids), that supports speech-language development in children ages 2-6 years with speech delays.
SS4Kids is facilitated in-home and in-person by a child’s parent or caregiver, and their teachers and clinicians (including paraprofessionals), who are the principal subjects of the focus group study. Parents and caregivers had an opportunity to use SS4Kids with their child, and provided feedback and suggestions on the parent training materials, program operation, parent-child interaction, support system provided by SS4Kids, and other relevant commentary. Professionals provided feedback on helping both the children and their parents, using SS4Kids as a supplemental training program. Video/audio recordings were made of focus group sessions and interviews for research and outreach purposes.
Thank You!
We’d like to take this opportunity and thank the 8 parents and professionals who participated in our Focus Group! They provided wonderful feedback and were a pleasure to work with.
We invited parents/caregivers and clinicians/teachers who are new to our program or have used our program. Children had to be between the ages of 18 months and 7 years.
We had 3 Parents and 5 Professionals participate in our focus groups.
Focus Group Process
- Application Process: Applications were accepted around March 18th.
- Acceptance / Intake: Selected participants for focus groups were notified by Monday, March 21. Applicants filled out an intake form about their prior knowledge of SS4Kids.
- Orientation / Game Registration: A 30 minute online meeting presented all details and answer questions for participants.
- SS4Kids Program usage: All participants were asked to work with a child(ren) on their own, at least 3 times per week for 5-15 minutes each session, during a 2 week period. We asked participants to record a session with a child for later analysis and feedback. Only a handful were able to complete this.
- Focus Groups: Each participant attended one session for approximately 90 minutes.
- Survey / Interviews: Each participant answered an emailed survey and had a 15-30 minute exit interview.
- Completion and payment: A thank you email was sent out along with payment. (All participants who completed this process received $100 and 3 months free membership to SS4Kids. We also provided 3 months free membership to the parents and caregivers of the children with whom the professional worked with during the 2 week period of SS4Kids usage.)
How
Focus groups took place online via zoom. Training for the children by parents took place in-home. Professionals trained children in person or online.
We communicated with participants through:
- Emails
- Text messages and phone calls
- Zoom for interviews and focus groups
- Online surveys
Technology used for focus groups includes:
- Email, Webcams, microphones, headphones/speakers
- Internet connected device to play SS4Kids (computer, laptop, tablet, phone)
Coordinators of Focus Group
SS4Kids / iQsonics team members and advisors
- David Sonnenschein, CEO
- Annie Goeke, Chief Strategy Officer
- Katelyn Miller, Marketing & Outreach Director
- HyeKeung Seung, Advisor, Chair of the Dept. of Communication Science and Disorders, CSU Fullerton
- Shelley Cox , Advisor, Founder of Step by Step Early Childhood Development Program
Team of interns from University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill (UNC-Chapel Hill)
- Esil Empig – Lead Coordinator
- Anthony Cerniglia – Coordinator
- Rusty Bridgers – Coordinator
Brief Summary of our Findings
Words Participants Used to Describe SS4Kids:- “Fun, Different, Engaging”
- “Effective, Fun, Improvement”
- “Evidence-based, interactive, family-friendly, and engaging”
- “Engaging and Methodological”
- “Fun, Interactive, User Friendly”
- “Fun and helpful and engaging”
Participants Liked:
- Easy for both parents and professionals to register for the game
- How the game benefits by improving communication
- How easy the game was to use and navigate
- The structure of the game was also very helpful especially with repetition
- Children like the congratulations after getting a question right
- Slow pace of the songs
- The singing and speaking components of the songs were very simple and easy to follow for children
- Game play was clear and engaging
- Simple and fun melodies of the songs
Room for improvement:
Professionals struggled to get parents to register for the game.
Non-verbal options could be implemented into the game. Suggestions included having questions where children can click on images on the game.
Have different levels within the game. Group easier songs together. Another suggestion can be to have a feature that in order to unlock a new song, you need to “master” another song.
Have an app version of the game. This was a very common suggestion provided by parent and professional participants.
End Result
From the brief summary we provided along with the more detailed data we have collected from this Focus Group, we have already come up with various ways to improve and market our game, and make the impact we have been hoping to make with Sing and Speak 4 Kids. We have taken initiative to move forward with these comments and suggestions to make Sing and Speak 4 Kids the best speech delay development tool for parents, caregivers, clinicians, teachers, and all in need.
We would be honored for you to share our program with others.
For further information:
Please contact SS4Kids Marketing & Outreach Director, Katelyn Miller at katelynm@iqsonics.com.
