Higher Education Professionals Shaping Student Decision Making

This mixed-methods action research study delves into the decision-making processes of students, with a specific focus on Arizona State University Housing as a case study. It also explores the potential role that Arizona State University Housing professionals can play in facilitating the flow of essential information to aid in these decision-making processes. Furthermore, it investigates how decisions are formulated in the realm of higher education settings as an integral part of this complex process. In this research study, a new web-based interactive game was created to furnish students with information pertaining to their college housing options. The study then gathered data from student interactions with this game to gain deeper insights into their decision-making behaviors. The findings of this study revealed that although students possessed a fundamental understanding of the implications associated with their university housing choices, various external factors and influences played a significant role in how they applied this knowledge to their individual housing decisions. Surprisingly, students exhibited unforeseen behaviors during surveys and interviews, shedding light on the intricacies of their decision-making processes. As an action research project, this study also provided the opportunity to explore how professionals make decisions in the design of the innovation. By documenting the design process, this research provides valuable insights into the tendency of university staff to adopt isomorphic patterns and their reliance on both student decision-making and research on student development as essential components of their decision-making framework. Based on the findings, recommendations for universities are as follows: (a) prioritize personalized and in-person communication with students to better understand their unique needs and preferences; (b) take into consideration the impact of external factors, such as the COVID-19 global pandemic, on students’ college-going behavior, and housing decisions; (c) intentionally integrate theoretical perspectives to inform and guide staff decisions, ensuring a more holistic and informed approach; and (d) counteract the tendency toward isomorphic decision making by fostering an environment that encourages competitive nonconformity, enabling innovative solutions to emerge.