Wordle: A method for analysing MBA student induction experience

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Abstract

This paper examines the use of an innovative qualitative research tool, the Wordle, in the context of management education. Wordle is a free visual presentation software application that allows researchers to produce word clouds which provide an understanding of informant narrative. Wordles are visually attractive and fast to produce. They provide a preliminary research tool that can stimulate further research or focus. The paper presents a case study set in the context of a management education programme, the MBA, where it was found that the use of Wordles quickly and effectively highlighted both positive and negative areas in the student experience at the induction stage of their course. This allowed the programme team to explore elements with their cohort in order to build on areas of strength or address areas that were identified as issues.

Introduction

In management education formal and informal participant feedback is essential for a delivery team to understand how participants feel about their experience on a course of study and the expectations that they come to the course with. This paper uses a case study approach to examine the use of a word cloud application, Wordle, as a method of developing an enhanced understanding of MBA student experience during a programme's induction stage. A word cloud is a particular form of visualizing text in which the more frequently a word appears in the data being analysed the more prominent it will appear in the visualisation. Wordle, launched in June 2009 (Viégas, Wattenberg, & Feinberg, 2009) is a word cloud application that has gained in popularity since its inception. This paper examines its use as an initial supplementary research tool across a range of research projects. It is not suggested that Wordle, or any other word cloud software, at this time, can replace more detailed and, potentially more rigorous analytical qualitative or quantitative techniques in research. Rather, it is suggested that Wordle offers an initial data analysis tool, relatively easily applied, pointing researchers and programme managers to areas of potential interest for further analysis or research. Meaningful, timely and efficient feedback mechanisms are particularly important considerations in meeting the high expectations in management education.

The paper firstly sets the context in which the study is located. Pertinent literature is then examined around the method employed. The study's findings are presented and then discussed in relation to the extant literature.

Section snippets

The context

MBA programmes are the cornerstone of many business schools' postgraduate delivery with an exponential increase in both the numbers of programmes and students taking MBAs globally (Bruce, 2010). The MBA has been the main means that business schools have attempted to bridge the relevance gap between academia and practice (Van de Ven, 2007). Various ways of categorising MBA programmes exist, but generically MBAs are differentiated by the mode of delivery – full-time, part-time (executive) and,

Wordle

The analytical tool, Wordle, used in this research is one of a number of programs available for generating word clouds, including: TagCrowd (Sinclair 2008, Steinbock 2008); MakeCloud (2008), ToCloud (2007). Word clouds enable an understanding of the general composition of frequently used words within a specific context. They allow researchers to overview the themes in a text to analyse individual or group narrative and thus can be used to illustrate the main themes emerging from the data. It is

Research method

The MBA researched is a product which has been fastidiously tailored to the requirements of both employers and employees and, as such, takes serious notice of its students' feedback. This feedback relates not only to the academic content of the course, teaching and learning processes and delivery, but also the way that the student feels about engaging with the educational experience. This MBA programme's induction has been crafted to ensure that all students are, as much as possible, enabled

Findings: interpretations of feedback

The Findings are presented in terms of an un-altered feedback Wordle and then aggregated into positive and negative Wordles.

Discussion – in defence of using a toy in research

Management education is never easy. The MBA student is typically the most demanding student taught within a business school. Roglio and Light (2009) state, ‘… the role of the instructor is not to teach students what they need to know, but to orient and guide their process of discovery’ (p. 169). Such a process of discovery starts with the course induction. Feedback as to how students feel about their abilities (or lack of) and their experience appears crucial to retention and progression and

Wil Williams is a Principal Lecturer in Strategy and Strategic Management at the University of Glamorgan Business School and has previously published in the areas of: Agri-food development; development of strategists; the use of strategic tools and models in organisations; qualitative research methods; regional development; private finance initiative; graduate education; business unit control in multinational companies; and, the impact of cultural change mechanisms.

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    Wil Williams is a Principal Lecturer in Strategy and Strategic Management at the University of Glamorgan Business School and has previously published in the areas of: Agri-food development; development of strategists; the use of strategic tools and models in organisations; qualitative research methods; regional development; private finance initiative; graduate education; business unit control in multinational companies; and, the impact of cultural change mechanisms.

    Liz Parkes is a Senior Lecturer in Marketing at the University of Glamorgan Business School. Her research interests include: Marketing to children; influences on brand loyalty in teenage consumers; consumption of music in children; consumption symbolism and expression of self-concept in children; marketing communications; and, B2B exhibitions.

    Paul Davies is a Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Strategic Management at the University of Glamorgan Business School. Paul's research interests are in: strategic management; knowledge environments; and, social capital networks.

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