Assignment on Changing Perceptions of Students

Collecting and analysing data 17976607
Introduction
For conducting an evaluation of any type, well-chosen and implemented methods of
collecting data and analysis deems essential. Evaluation involves provision of information about
both intended and unintended long-term effects produced by an entity, policy or programme And it
is in understanding the effect beyond average size that appropriate method of data collection and
analysis comes into use. It is noteworthy that successful evaluation depends on matching the
particular data collection method with key research or evaluation question enabling the researcher
to make appropriate judgement on the entity, programme or policy
This assignment has intended to evaluate the changing perceptions of students of the
environment of Auckland University of Technology (AUT) during the post-graduate experience.
Aim of the assignment is purported to achieve through a qualitative research method, thereby
interviewing students enrolled in Masters programme at AUT. The assignment has presented a
detailed description of the analysis conducted, followed by interpretation of the findings.
Conclusion has been drawn by reflecting on the entire process of developing the study, discussing
the skills developed and challenges faced. The following section initiates the study through
highlighting of the methods and analysis carried out in the study.
Description of Analysis
To derive a holistic view of perceptions of various students, the study has been designed on
with a post-positivist paradigmatic objectiveresearch paradigm, in which where perceptions
recorded by two other researchers have been evaluated with the one collected by this researcher.
Post-positivist paradigm argues the fallibility of any observation made to prove a theory and
establishes its revisability in different situation and reality (Sharp et al., 2011). Such an argument
aptly justifies the need to evaluate various perceptions recorded by different researchers with
different hypothetical assumptions to arrive at a common end– environment of AUT.
Methodology and methods
Qualitative method with descriptive purpose intends to comprehensively summarise specific
events experienced by individuals or group of individuals (Talmy, 2010). A widely used design in
medical domain, evaluating the daily goings-on of practices, qualitative descriptive method is a
categorical approach to inquiry (Creswell, 2014). This design, in comparison to other qualitative
methods, does not require researcher to interpret moving far from the data or conceptual rendition
of data (Blackstone, 2014). Simply put, qualitative descriptive studies are less theoretical, drawing
inferences from naturalistic inquiry, where study is developed observing issues at their natural state
1

Collecting and analysing data 17976607
contextual to research arena. These characteristic features of qualitative descriptive method aptly
suit the post-positivist paradigmatic objective this study intended to pursue (Cleary, Horsfall &
Hayter, 2014).
Sample size
Sample size in this study comprises of one co-student enrolled in the post-graduate course of
Master of International Tourism Management at AUT, with whom the personal interview strategy
has been carried out. Purposive non-probability sampling plan has been applied based on the
researcher’s judgement of the student being a newly-enrolled one, belonging to a foreign country
(Tongco, 2007). Such a purpose helped the researcher gain a non-bias and actual struggle faced by
students having no family to support in New Zealand. Research instrument for carrying out the
personal interview comprises of an open-ended and semi-structured questionnaire, based on issues
related to day to day life at the campus, such as motivation to join AUT and the course, challenges
faced, infrastructure related experiences and such others.
Question Development Andand Interview Procedure
It is important to mention here that since this report aimed to understand perceptions of
students of AUT’s environment, a comparative approach analysis of three separate transcripts– one
collected by this researcher and the other two received in exchange with two other classmates has
been carried out. Questionnaire for collecting the data has been based on similar themes amongst
the exchanged interviews, so as to identify similar nodes of analysis using the qualitative analytical
software, NVIVO (v.11) developed by QSR International. Development of questionnaire is carried
out following inferences given by (Elo & Kyngas, 2007) on elements like ‘who is telling, where is
this happening, when did it happen, what is happening, and why’ (p. 109).
Analytical Procedure
Analysis of the data collected is conducted using the NVIVO software, version 11.0, using
an inductive approach, where, a narrow inference on perception of experiences of migrant students
in foreign universities has been generalised through migrant students enrolled in masters
programme of AUT. The knowledge of former experiences within AUT campus are fragmented as
similar study is rarely presented till date and hence this study purported to present a generalised
version of experiences including positive experiences, faculty, infrastructure and challenges through
qualitative descriptive approach. In meeting this purpose, experiences shared by selected
participants have been interpreted as generalised versions of situations faced migrant students,
2

Collecting and analysing data 17976607
especially those belonging to emerging economies, where facilities in terms of teaching-learning
environment are restricted and traditional in nature (Ernst & Young, 2012).
Figure 1: Challenges and Positive Experiences as perceived by 3 different transcripts
Source: Compiled by Researcher using NVIVO (v.11)
Cluster analysis of the nodes determined from the interview transcripts has been carried out
through automated process of NVIVO where, references from transcripts are chosen by the software
based on word frequency in each of the transcripts. Initially based on the themes of questionnaire,
3

Collecting and analysing data 17976607
certain thematic nodes based on commonalities within interview transcripts have been identified
and developed on NVIVO, followed by choosing of sentences belonging to these themes from the
transcripts to these nodes. Once the sentence refernence from each of the transcripts are transferred,
maps were derived and interpretation were carried out. The interpretation of each of these thematic
nodes in the form of findings have been carried out in the next section.
Analysis & Findings
The report is based on the key evaluation question of how have your perceptions of the
Auckland University of Technology (AUT) environment changed during your PG experience. To
answer the question, transcripts of three migrant students of post-graduate program at AUT haves
been analysed upon identifying nine common thematic nodes namely, previous experience,
motivation to join the university, overall positive experience, challenges faced, infrastructure of
AUT, teaching staff and support, recommendations, and future plans along with their personal
information. Each of these nodes has been automatically clustered in by NVIVO software based on
their ‘word similarity’ showing the personal information and future plans of the participants in one
cluster and AUT related elements in otheranother cluster (Refer to Figure 1, below). Besides, AUT
related elements have been clustered at various levels, based upon their degree of similarity, where
motivation and recommendations being related to positive perception has been clustered together.
Apart from these, positive and teaching style being related to each other owing to their reflection of
supportive environments haves been clustered together. Overall challenges in terms of
communication, attitude of staff and other associated elements and along with infrastructure related
challenges have been categorisedclubbed together; and, previous experience highlighting a
comparative overpurview of experience in AUT and past universities/institutions form a separate
cluster.
4

Collecting and analysing data 17976607
Figure 2: Nodes clustered by Word Similarity in Transcripts.
Source: Compiled by Researcher using NVIVO (v.11)
Analysis procedureFindings
Upon identifying the thematic nodes from the interview conducted and their presentation,
this report now moves to analyse each of these nodes using qualitative descriptive approach.
Demographic profiling being a crucial element to discuss before understanding and
exploring perceptions of participants, this researcher initiates the analysis by highlighting
background of each of the participants. The three migrant students– N, H and R Nana, Hoang Thi
Hue and Rahmawati Taqwa hail from three separate countries of Cambodia, Vietnam and
Indonesia, respectively. All three of them are pursuing their post-graduate course of International
Tourism Management however, while both Nana and Hoang are in their first semester, Rahmawati
Taqwa is in her second semester. It is imperative to mention here that each of these three students
earned their admission at AUT through scholarships.
Motivation
Upon knowing their demographic profile, it is now essential to understand the motivation
behind joining AUT for their post-graduate course, especially migrating from their home country.
All three of them reflected their motivation to be a part of a ‘young and dynamic’ campus with up-
to-date technological usage and enriched faculty. As can be understood from Nana’s perspective,
“this university they provide specialise course related to tourism and hospitality, so I just applied
here. I heard a lot of good story about New Zealand related to tourism industry. That’s why I
choose it.” H oang too had similar story to share when he responded by saying that in comparison
with other Universities of New Zealand, the presence of prestigious professors and lecturers of
AUT encouraged him to join the university. , “And after comparison (mmm), compare every
element about two university, I choose AUT because I believe that when I come here, I can learn a
5

Collecting and analysing data 17976607
lot of knowledge from prestigious professors and lecturers, and there’s also (aaa) New Zealand
Tourism Research Institute here. So...I...want to do...an internship at the same time that I study for
the master programme.” R ahmawati however, did not enroll here for Masters but for diploma.
Initially, she did not target AUT for enrolment, but chose two of the nine universities of New
Zealand enlisted by her scholarship panel at her home University. Following this, “I sorted it out so
I tried to find which universities provide post-graduate diploma in tourism management. Then I
found AUT and another one Victoria University in Wellington so I got AUT as my first choice and
Victoria University is my second choice. But then I got the acceptance in AUT so I am here right
now.” Nonetheless the positive and enriched academic facility at AUT has encouraged her to
upgrade her diploma and complete enroll for her masters in International Tourism Management as
well.
Teaching Style
Motivation behind joining AUT proved to be a positive experience as understood from the
interview responses categorised within thematic nodes of teaching style, infrastructure and overall
positive experience including behaviour of staff. As understood from N ana’s perspective when she
describes the support she received from teaching and general staff, “when I have problem, or when
I have a question, I ask the lecturers and they give me really detail answer and they support me a
lot.” Since these participants arte migrant students, mostly they face problems in communicating or
understanding lectures in English, and it is here that, they are given fee to hire tutor or proofreader
as assistance to assignment completion. “they give the fee to hire the tutor or the proof reader to do
the assignments.” Not only in terms of studies but in general and other context, the faculty helps
students through advice and suggestions, thus establishing a cordial and friendly atmosphere
between the twoamongst themselves. As Hoang points out, “I give them the question or some ask
for advice about everything here, they always answer me really clearly and take care of me really
good.” In fact, when Hoang H was by mistake provided a subject which was not within her area of
interest, she went to the administration office “of my faculty, my school and asked the
administrator about it and shewho in turn agreed to change it for me so luckily that finally that I
get the paper that I want to studythe subject of her interest.” Rahmawati too pointed out similar
view by denoting that, “all lecturers here are professional lecturers and they are all friendly and
welcome us. [....] here, all of us are the same position. We can ask them whenever we want like
that.” In terms of understanding course work and completing assignments, which are in English, the
faculty welcomes these migrant students of non-English background, “every time I am confused or
not sure about my assignments. Because English is not my first language so I always have problems
in my assignments and then they really help me to solve the problems.” N ana at the end pointed out
the independence provided by the faculty in dealing with their course work, “They are quite helpful
but as I said we have to be more independent so, we have to sort everything out by our self.”
6

Collecting and analysing data 17976607
Thiswhich enables students to be not only self-dependent but to critically think and take decisions
regarding effort to be taken to make their assignments of quality. For instance, as Nana puts
forward, “You cannot just laid back and think that everything will come to you, [....]if it’s linked
from one assignment to another they try to get it as quick as possible so that you can learn from
your own mistakes to use a better word for the next one.”
Infrastructure
Supportive faculty is coupled with infrastructure facilities encouraging students to achieve
their educational and career goals. AUT has modern architecture with up-to-dated technological
amenities like laptop in every classrooms, wifi facilitiates of forty gigabytes and enriched library
facilities, with both physical and virtual accessibilities. These facilities assisted and motivated the
students to recommend AUT to their family and friends, owing to their belonging to developing
countries like Vietnam, Indonesia and Cambodia, where these facilities are rare within educational
set-up, as highlighted by the participants. Hoang mentions that it has surprised him “to find that
even in each of classroom that every student has laptop inside the room to use.” For him,
“everything in general is quite good” and that, is is “sometimes good for me because I received the
useful information.” The modern facilities of AUT pointed by R ahmawati noted that “The facilities
provided in AUT, the buildings are quite new so it looks modern”, which motivated her further to
pursue her masters upon completing her diploma from AUT.
However, despite these modern amenities, there are certain infrastructure related challenges
such as, the confusing three-fold channels of communication among faculty and students. As Hoang
points out, “but for Arion and blackboard, outlook email that we have notification but for arion,
there’s no notification for it.” Further, R ahma points out that the library is huge with provision of
considerable workshops where books can be borrowed and used in assignments. Besides, “it is
convenient in terms of learning material for example library, you can access everything there and
you can do it at home it’s convenient but sometimes complicated.” However, she experiences
problem in “finding the text books because some of the books are on short loan.”
7

Collecting and analysing data 17976607
Figure 3: Challenges and Positive Experiences as perceived by 3 different transcripts
Source: Compiled by Researcher using NVIVO (v.11)
Previous Experience
Nonetheless, these challenges in infrastructure are in better position when compared to their
previous experience in their home universities. As Nana asserts, “everything is on the board like
whiteboard they stick it because it’s not really, the school not really advance in terms of
technology.” In her their home country, teaching is essentially traditional in nature, with faculty
following the practice of indoctrination among the students. There is very minimal scope of critical
thinking and application of theory based on personal understanding, leaving students helpless in
8