This section analysed the transcripts for the focus groups and interviews for any evidence relating to whether the approach was linear or not, and any evidence of emotion aspects of the decision.
Linear approach to decision making
There was some limited evidence from the empirical findings that suggested the process in HE was not necessarily linear.
“I applied one week before induction… because I had already gotten accepted at two others, but then I discovered this one and the course was better. I asked them to tell me if I was getting accepted so I knew what to tell the other guys. The answer came in three days!” FG6
“My friends suggestion I change to here. I was surely going to Edinburgh” FG2”
“…it took a long time to get my acceptance, I got really nervous and that is why I applied to another university” FG1
155 | P a g e Also, in the interviews, respondent 5 (from Italy) undertook a comprehensive analysis or courses in Italy, before deciding to later widen the search to universities in the UK, with a focus on Manchester. Respondent 6 (from the UK) also added a further course, after submitting their application
“I was looking at doing a Management masters, and when I submitted by application I think it even said Management on it… but then I realised I want to be a specialist in Marketing”. Interview 6
Respondent 7 (from the UK) had also initially looked to apply to Salford, where they had previously studied, but had to switch to MMU after the postgraduate PR course was cancelled.
Respondent 9 (from Myanmar) had a more complex journey after having their Visa refused in 2015, after applying to the University of Huddersfield and MMU. However, in their 2017 application, they applied for more.
“I apply in 2017 to around 15 universities and got around 10 offers from those” Interview 9
This suggest that some students had already made a decision regarding their narrow choice set, although they later added further choices to this initial choice set. This implies a more circular process is relevant to cater for these types of decision journeys, which will be considered further in the discussion section.
Rational versus emotional approach to decision making
Within this research, there was some limited evidence that emotional aspects influence decisions.
“For me it was a decision even before I started my undergraduate course because I wanted to be here doing this. I even thought about Manchester. I have always had passion for English people… because of the game on Commodore 64 when I was young… the only game I had was about Manchester United… I was really young, about 8” FG6
“I start to say OK I want to go to England and I just look at the map and I had my mind set on Manchester, I can’t say why. And then I started looking through the courses and I played around with a few idea and I thought OK I’m going to do this and I’m going to do it in Manchester and nowhere else” FG4
156 | P a g e This second quote highlights how country image and city image may influence the decision process.
This was further supported in the interviews, respondent 2 (from Germany) stated: “I just started with the UK because I love the country” Interview 2
Respondent 5 (from Italy) also suggested a more emotional decision to their course selection:
“When you find something you like, you fall in love. You stop the research when you find something that is right for you” Interview 5
Respondent 6 (from the UK), who had previously studied at MMU, suggested an emotional link based upon their previous experience.
“I had such a good experience when I was at MMU, I think that was a big factor for me being drawn back to the university itself”. Interview 6
It is important to identify if decision making contains any emotional aspects, the consequences of which are explored in the discussion section in Chapter 7.
6.9 Engagement.
This section covers a range of engagement activities. Firstly considering the course specific social media groups, secondly looking at a range of engagement activities relating to staff, and thirdly, an overall analysis of touch point activity.
Use of social media. All the students in each of the focus groups and interviews had access to a pre-course specific Facebook page, run by each of the Programme Leaders. In the focus groups, many positive comments regarding this aspect were seen, as illustrated by the quotes selected below in Table 6.26. Comments regarding the Facebook group appeared to relate to two main areas. One area regarding students being able to see/connect with other students, which may therefore reduce anxiety regarding starting a new university and/or course. The other regarding an ability to connect with the Course Leader, and the related convenience/appearance of being more approachable.
157 | P a g e Table 6.26: Views regarding course-specific Facebook group – positive (focus groups)
“I think it is a good idea, it shows the tutor cares about the students, because you are posting things that are interesting. My friend is studying also at MMU and I asked do you have a Facebook group, and she say no, so I think it is really useful because we are aware of everything” FG5
“It is a bit intimidating coming to a new Uni, and when you get an invite to join a group, it wasn’t just about marketing. You posted some stuff about what you were doing in the Summer, it was very informal. It really relaxed you, so when you came in you felt like you already knew you almost. If I had any problems I felt like I could really approach you. I didn’t worry at all.” FG5
“Nice to do an introduction to see who else would be in the course before you start” FG2
“What I really like at the beginning of the course we are all asked to introduce ourselves, even before we were at MMU, and it gave you a relief what your fellow students are like, with not being from the UK, it was kind of nice to see with whom I was going to study” FG7
“I really like the Facebook (group). In my country the lecturer never uses social media to connect with the students” FG5
“Once I knew we were accepted and saw yes OK I belong to this group, it was nice to have this Facebook, because it was a good way to communicate with you, because we didn’t have classes” FG1
The last quote above illustrates that students might not want to belong to a group until they definitely know they are going to be accepted onto a course, suggesting that this type of group is not suitable for building relationships with students prior to their offer.
Not all responses were as positive regarding use of the Facebook group (Table 6.27) due to privacy concerns and how other students might perceive them.
Table 6.27: Views regarding course-specific Facebook group – less-than positive (focus groups)
“Before anyone meets you, people might look through your Facebook pictures and have the wrong impression of you…. Not that I post anything there bad (laughing). They might assume you are a certain type of personality from your pictures or whatever” FG5
“I don’t know if interacting with people on Facebook before you have met them is always a good idea though, just because you might have some assumptions about them just by the photo” FG4
“I haven’t been that present on Facebook because, I don’t know, I want to keep it private, I don’t want to get that involved” FG5
“It was really difficult when I got the Facebook group invite. I didn’t know what to do. I asked my friend (who had been here previously), and she say do it, it is going to be really useful” FG5
Not all students had been actively involved in the Facebook group to the same level, as can be seen in the comments below:
“I am not a member yet!” FG7
“I don’t think I have had anything that is relevant, so haven’t posted” FG5 “I’ve not posted, but I have commented.” FG5
158 | P a g e Furthermore, there were a couple of comments regarding their experiences or knowledge of other institutions:
“Previously we were just left on our own, we weren’t invited to visit (a social media group)” FG5
“My friend is a graphic design lecturer and I see what she posts on Instagram. She posts pictures of students when presenting, or if they have had a guest in or something, or you can see them picking up sketch books, she interacts a lot with them” FG5
One student also mentioned Twitter:
”I did check out the MMU PR blog, which I saw wasn’t updated that regularly and I think I followed (staff member name) on Twitter as well. So I guess it is always interesting to see a Twitter account over here, a professor, to see what personality they have and what sorts of things they are talking about, what conferences they are at” FG4
Using social media as part of recruitment of students to courses was explored and whether it should be used. Most people had joined the course Facebook page, but no- one seemed to know about the general Facebook page for all International students at MMU.
“It is so quick and takes away all the waiting times for email, and going for a job they will check your social media activity, so it is getting you into good practice of being professional as well as social on the site” FG5 “I think something like LinkedIn is really appropriate” FG5
“I think it would be really interesting to have a look at the profiles of former students” FG7
“Maybe you could focus on employment maybe and profiles of what people have gone on to do “ FG4
Engagement with university staff was also analysed in the interviews, to see what was common between the respondents. Respondent 6 appeared to engage the most. Table 6.28 highlighted that respondent 6 put a single application in, although they did consider other universities.
159 | P a g e Table 6.28: Engagement activities – interviews
I1 I2 I3 I4 I5 I6 I7 I8 I9