Interview

 Guidelines  and  Tips  

 
Begin  the  interview  with  an  explanation  of  why  you  are  interested  in  their  experiences  (class  
project  is  a  fine  answer).  You  might  want  to  share  what  you’ve  learned  about  yourself  as  an  
adult  learner.  Keep  in  mind  that  you  are  probably  more  familiar  with  the  terms  and  concepts    
of  adult  education  than  they  are  so  if  you  ask  questions  such  as  “what  is  your  philosophy  of  
education”  or  “what  is  your  learning  style”  explain  these  in  terms  they  can  relate  to.  
 
Begin  with  questions  that  are  easy  to  answer.  This  puts  your  participant  at  ease  and  builds  
trust.  Good  first  questions  might  include:    
 
• Did  you  consider  yourself  a  good  student  growing  up?  
• Did  you  feel  pressure  from  your  parents,  siblings,  or  peers  to  excel  in  the  classroom?  
• Outside  of  the  classroom,  what  kind  of  activities  were  you  involved  in  that  required  
learning?  
 
Prioritize  and  Organize  Your  Questions.  Try  not  to  jump  around  chronologically  or  topically.  For  
instance,  you  might  have  a  section  of  questions  about  learning  as  a  youth  and  another  section  
about  learning  as  an  adult.  Obviously,  the  adult  learning  section  should  have  more  questions  
because  this  is  your  focus.  List  your  questions  about  learner/learning  preferences  together  and  
those  referring  to  instructional/teaching  preferences  together.  This  reduces  redundancy  and  
demonstrates  preparation  and  a  respect  for  their  time.    
 
Don’t  attempt  to  ask  too  many  questions.  The  most  common  mistake  made  when  developing  
interview  questions  that  tap  someone’s  experience  is  to  ask  too  many.  This  can  make  the  
interview  feel  mechanical  and  rushed.  Typically,  12  to  15  questions  plus  follow-­‐up  are    
sufficient  to  provide  you  the  answers  needed  to  write  your  paper  for  this  project.  
 
• Ask  in-­‐depth  questions,  such  as  “What  subjects  or  ways  of  learning  do  you  find  the    
most  challenging  and  why?”  “What  subjects  are  you  drawn  to  and  most  interested  in?”  
• Structure  the  majority  of  your  questions  to  require  more  than  a  “yes”  or  “no”  
• Use  follow-­‐up  comments  such  as  “can  you  tell  me  more  about  that”    
 
Put  yourself  in  your  participant’s  place.  Be  aware  of  questions  that  might  appear  prying  or  too  
personal.  How  you  ask  is  as  important  as  what  you  ask.  Consider  how  you  would  feel  if  asked  
each  of  your  questions  by  a  stranger,  a  friend,  or  a  family  member.  For  example,  asking  if  
someone  has  a  degree  comes  across  more  judgmental  than  asking  when  and  where  did  their  
last  formal  education  take  place  (explain  the  difference  between  formal,  non-­‐formal  and  
informal).    
 
End  the  interview  on  a  positive  note.  Ask  your  participant  if  there  is  anything  they  wish  you  had  
asked  about  them  as  adult  learners  or  if  they  have  any  questions  for  you  about  adult  learning.  
Finally,  express  your  gratitude  by  thanking  them  for  sharing  their  time  and  experience.