Interview Protocol

Through the mock interview process, I gained a better understanding of the importance of incorporating pauses and allowing space for the participant to respond. I noticed that open-ended questions were more effective in having the advisor reflect on their personal experiences with professional development opportunities. I also realized that silence is a helpful tool during the interview process, which gave the participant time to reflect and led to a more descriptive and thorough response. A challenge I encountered was the contrast between the more open-ended questions versus closed-ended questions (“yes” “no” style questions). I found that this affected the flow of the discussion and did not elicit the more detailed responses I was hoping for. In the updated version of my interview questions, I adjusted nearly all of the prompts to ensure they were open-ended. 

My instructor provided helpful feedback that reinforced what I had noticed in my mock interview. The instructor highlighted that some of my original questions would lead to brief responses, limiting the opportunity for the participant to share more in-depth ideas and thoughts. The instructor encouraged me to be more intentional about the type of information I wanted to gather while also being awarded any potentially leading questions. I learned that follow-up and clarification questions are both acceptable and can make the interview more conversational. I now approach interviews with more flexibility, focusing on creating a dialogue rather than always following a rigid list of questions.

Directions

All text to be read aloud by the researcher is included in a text box. All directions for the researcher(s) are italicized. 

Introduction

Thank you for participating in this feedback session. The purpose of this interview is to gather direct feedback from academic advisors regarding their engagement with professional development opportunities during the previous semester (Fall 2024) and to explore opportunities for improvement. The insights we collect will help shape future workshops, training, and networking experiences for the advising community at MSU. 

This session will be recorded via Zoom, with audio required and video optional. All responses will remain confidential, and your name will be removed to maintain anonymity. 

Participation is completely voluntary, and you are free to skip questions you are not comfortable answering. Because you are volunteering your time and there is no compensation for this interview, we have scheduled feedback sessions during typical work hours (Monday-Friday between 8AM-5PM). 

Please let me know if you consent to the terms that we just discussed. 

Directions for Dialogue 

In proceeding with today’s interview, I will ask you a series of 10 questions, and appreciate your open and honest responses. There are no right or wrong answers, and I would like to emphasize that your responses will remain confidential. Our goal is to better understand your past experiences with professional development opportunities for academic advisors, as well as any factors that may impact your ability to attend them. 

Prompts

Clarification	If needing to clarify something at any point, are you comfortable with me pausing and using a prompt such as: Could you clarify what you mean by that? Could you state the last portion of what you said?
Elaboration	If I am needing you to elaborate further, I will use prompts such as: Can you tell me more about that? Could you give me an example? Could you describe that in more detail?

Interview Questions

1. Why do you find certain times of a typical work week (Monday-Friday) to be the most suitable for engaging in professional development?

2. Can you describe the professional development opportunities you participated in this past semester? 

3. What factors impact your ability to attend professional development opportunities?

4. Can you describe how your workload fluctuates throughout the week? 

5. How do you prefer professional development sessions to be structured in terms of length and frequency? 

6. Why is this length of frequency for professional development sessions preferred?

7. Tell me about the ways that modality of professional development affects your ability to attend?

8. How would having recorded sessions available online impact your likelihood of engaging with professional development?

9. How does the timing of notifications (such as email communications) about upcoming professional development opportunities impact your ability to participate? 

10. Are there any other things impacting your ability to participate in professional development that you would like for us to know?