Advising as Teaching and Learning

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Advising as Teaching and Learning

• Dr. Nancy S. King
• Kennesaw State University

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Advising is NOT

• Primarily an administrative function or paper
  relationship
• Obtaining a signature or a PIN number to
  schedule classes
• A conference held once a year -- The 1,000 mile
  check-up

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• A judgmental process or a dictatorship
• Personal counseling
• Supplementary to the educational mission of the
  institution
• Something anyone can or should do without some
  specific training

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Goals of Academic Advising

• Helping students clarify their values and
  goals
• Leading students to better
  understand the nature and
  purpose of higher education
• Providing accurate information
  about educational options,
  requirements, policies and procedures

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• Planning an educational program consistent with
  a students interests and abilities
• Assisting students in a continual monitoring and
  evaluation of their educational progress
• Integrating the many resources of the
  institution to meet the students special
  educational needs and aspirations

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Advising Related to Teaching and Learning

• Teaching contributes to individual growth
• Learning can be measured

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Advising as Teaching Focuses on Student Growth

• In the ability to identify realistic academic
  and career goals as well as a program to
  achieve them
• In the ability to make connections among courses
  in the curriculum and to integrate learning
• In the self-awareness of the relationship
  between ones education and ones life

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Advisor-as-Teacher

• Facilitator of communication
• Coordinator of learning experiences
• Referral agent who connects students with all
  of an institutions resources and cocurricular
  opportunities that can help them be successful

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Advisors Teach Students

• To value the learning process
• To apply decision-making strategies
• To put the college experience into perspective
• To set priorities and evaluate events
• To develop thinking and learning skills
• To make informed choices
• Core Values, NACADA

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Characteristics of Effective Teaching and
AdvisingI. Skills

• Teaching
• Knowledge of subject matter
• Planning and organization of course material

• Advising
• Knowledge of institutional
  policies, procedures, programs of study,
  referral sources
• Preparing for advising meetings

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• Advising
• Guiding students to be self-directed and
  autonomous
• Working together the advisor and student
  regularly evaluate the students goals and
  progress toward those goals
• Assisting students in decision-making skills

• Teaching
• Engaging students in actual participation in
  their learning
• Giving students feedback on their progress
• Helping students learn to analyze and problem
  solve

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II. Communication

• Teaching
• Clarity of presentation of subject matter
• Establish dialogue with students in the
  classroom
• Demonstrating excellent listening skills, not
  simply a talking head

• Advising
• Sharing information in a clear manner
• Leading students to question and interact with
  the advisor
• Listening both to what advisees are saying
  verbally and non-verbally

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III. Attitudes for both Teaching and Advising

• Treats students with respect and concern
• Is accessible and available to students outside
  the classroom
• Offers regular encouragement
• Acts as a role model for students in the higher
  education process

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Exercise Advising Styles

• Gurus
• Gatekeepers
• Guides

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Developmental Theories Related to Advising

• Psychosocial theories
• Cognitive developmental theories
• Maturity models
• Typology models
• Student-Environmental interaction

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Chickerings Seven Vectors

• Developing competence
• Developing autonomy
• Developing purpose
• Managing emotions
• Establishing identity
• Developing mature interpersonal relationships
• Developing integrity

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Theories Related to Student-Environmental
Interaction

• Nevitt Sanford (1966) -- Theory of Challenge and
  Support
• Three conditions enhance student growth and
  development readiness, challenge, and
  support.
• Alexander Astin (1984) -- Theory of Involvement
• A belief that for student learning to occur,
  students must become actively involved in the
  college environment.

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• Nancy Scholssberg (1989) - - Theory of
• Mattering
• A sense of belonging is an influential factor in
  whether a student succeeds and develops in
  college.
• Excellent academic advising can impact all of
  these theories.

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Developing an Advising SyllabusThe Advising
Curriculum

• An advising syllabus should include
• Mission/Purpose of Academic Advising
• Responsibilities of Advisors
• Responsibilities of Advisees
• Learning Outcomes

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Responsibilities of Advisors

• Be accessible to meet with students
• Communicate university policy and procedures
• Help students define and develop realistic goals
• Match students needs with available resources
  and make appropriate referrals
• Assist students with planning programs
  consistent with their abilities and interests

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• Assist students in understanding decision-making
  skills
• Monitor students progress and offer
  encouragement
• Discuss linkage between academic preparation and
  world of work
• Maintain confidentiality

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Responsibilities of Advisees

• Schedule regular appointments
• Be on time for appointments
• Gather all relevant decision-making information
  prior to meeting with the advisor
• Clarify personal values and goals
• Become knowledgeable about college programs,
  policies, and procedures
• Be an active learner by participating fully in
  the advising experience

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• Ask questions if you do not understand an issue
  or have a specific concern
• Accept responsibility for decisions
• Follow through with referrals made by the
  advisor
• Keep a personal record of your advising meetings

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Learning Outcomes

• Begin by identifying the questions students need
  to address
• Who am I?
• Need for self-reflection and behavorial
  awareness
• Personality/interest inventories
• Values clarification
• ?

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• What do I want to do with my life?
• Goal-setting - short-term and long-term
• Career exploration
• Program of study exploration
• ?

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• What do I need to do in order to meet my goals?
• Decision-making skills
• Major selection
• Time management skills
• Study skills
• ?

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• How can this institution help me reach my goal?
• Referral services
• Campus involvement
• Interaction with faculty
• ?

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Examples of Learning Outcomes

• What a student should know/understand
• Campus policies/procedures
• General education curriculum
• Resources available
• Steps in the decision-making process
• ?

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• What a student should be able to do
• Demonstrate the characteristics of a
  prepared advisee
• Navigate registration system
• Select appropriate courses
• Conduct a major/career search
• ?

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• What a student should value/appreciate
• The nature and purpose of higher education
• The skills developed through the General
  Education curriculum
• The connections among courses in the curriculum
• The role of the academic advising process in
  their college experience
• ?

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Developing an Advising Portfolio

• A students advising portfolio may include
• Responsibilities
• List of learning outcomes and evidence/documentat
  ion they are being met
• Four-year academic plan (unless
  undeclared/exploratory)

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• Research on potential majors (for
  undeclared/exploratory)
• Summaries of advising meetings (i.e.,
  topics discussed, referrals)
• List of referrals and summary of follow-up
  results

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• My role as a teacher changes very little from
  that of an advisor. In both roles I feel a
  responsibility to students for matters
  contributing to their success that involves much
  more than mere mastery of the subject matter. In
  the teacher role, I advise, refer, listen and
  encourage. Perhaps it is the meshing of the
  advising-teaching roles that creates the
  mentoring relationship.
• Dr. Beverly Mitchell
• Kennesaw State University Professor

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Suggestions for Maximizing Interaction with Your
Students

• Use the students name when addressing him or
  her.
• A mans name is to him the sweetest and most
  important sound in any language.
• Dale Carnegie

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• Be enthusiastic in your dealings with students
  enthusiasm is contagious.
• Nothing great was ever achieved without
  enthusiasm. Emerson

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• Clarify the goals or objectives for each meeting.
  Is todays goal to solve a problem? Or to
  discuss an issue?
• He flung himself from the room, flung himself
  upon his horse and rode madly off in all
  directions. Stephen Leacock

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• Listen carefully to the student to learn his/her
  unique frame of reference. Half the time what
  you hear is not exactly what the student really
  means. Ask the student to elaborate.
• That is not what I meant
  that is not it at all.
  T. S. Eliot

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• Regard your students as individuals who are
  experts in areas in which you may know little.
• Every man I meet is in some way my superior
  and in that I can learn of him. Emerson

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• Students have a need to confirm their worth. You
  can affirm them by listening attentively, using
  their names and respecting their opinions.
• The deepest principle in human nature is the
  craving to be appreciated.
• William James

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• Allow periods of silence to occur. The student
  may be thinking.
• Deliberating is not delaying. Ecclesiastics
• Be willing to practice self-disclosure which
  promotes trust and produces self-disclosure in
  others.
• He who persists in genuineness will increase in
  adequacy. T. Lynch

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Exercise

1. What is the mission of advising at your
   institution currently?
2. What is your vision for academic advising at
   your institution?
3. What needs to change to make your vision a
   reality?
4. What steps need to be taken to affect that
   change?

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• The questions we raise, the perceptions we share,
  the resources we suggest, the short-term
  decisions and long-range plans we help them think
  through, all should aim to increase their
  capacity to take charge.
• Chickering 1994

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• Long after students have left college, the one
  thing they tend to remember from their college
  experience is the gift of self.
• John Gardner