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They Cant Win If You Dont Play Why Undecided
Students Need Advisors Who Gamble
David Spight Vonya Baldridge Academic
Advisor Academic Advisor Transitional Advising
Center The College of Natural Sciences The
University of Texas at Austin
2005 NACADA National Conference Concurrent
Session/113
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OUR PHILOSOPHYWe Believe

• Advising Undecided Students is not just about
  helping students to choose a major or a career
• All students need some level of major/career
  advising
• No two students are exactly alike
• Gambling(on your advisees) can be a good
  addiction to have

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The Game of MACAO

• MACAO stands for
• Maximizing
• ACademic
• Advising
• Outcomes

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OBJECT OF MACAO

• Be the academic advisor willing to gamble the
  most on your undecided students

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SETTING-UP THE GAME Terminology

• The Undecided Student-a student who is uncertain
  about educational and/or vocational choices
  enroll in college without a chosen major
• For the purpose of playing MACAO, advisors may
  use their own house rules and terminology, i.e.
  undeclared, open-option, exploratory, deciding,
  etc

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SETTING-UP MACAO Equipment Resources

• One MACAO Advising Die
• 1 Answer Pad per player or team
• Relevant Literature, Theories, and Models
• General Resources
• Institutional Resources
• Personal Resources

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SETTING-UP MACAO Resources

• Relevant Literature, Theories, and Models
• Sanford (1967) Challenge and Support

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SETTING-UP MACAO Resources

• Relevant Literature, Theories, and Models
• Gordon (1992) Model for Exploration
• Self-Knowledge
• Educational Knowledge
• Occupational Knowledge
• Decision-Making Knowledge

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SETTING-UP MACAO Resources

• Relevant Literature, Theories, and Models
• Student Development and Career Development
  Theories

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SETTING-UP MACAO Resources

• General
• Self Exploration Activities
• Educational Exploration Activities
• Occupational Exploration Activities
• Decision-Making Exploration Activities

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SETTING-UP MACAO Resources

• Institutional
• Tests and Assessments
• Career Centers
• Faculty and Staff
• Catalogs, Bulletins, Online resources
• Advising Associations (ex ACA _at_UT)
• Alumni Associations (ex Texas Exes Career
  Network)
• Workshops and Informational Sessions
• Student Organizations
• Others?

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SETTING-UP MACAO Resources

• Personal
• Your Own Experience
• Experiences of other advisors
• Basic Skills (communication)
• Other?

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CAUTION Advisor Myths!!!

• Advisor Myth 1
• Exploration is just a matter of developing the
  vocational maturity of the student.

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CAUTION Advisor Myths!!!

• Advisor Myths 2 and 3
• Undecided students should choose a career first,
  then find an appropriate major, so Ill send them
  to the campus career center first.
• OR
• Undecided students should choose a major first,
  then find an appropriate career choice.

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CAUTION Advisor Myths!!!

• Advisor Myth 4
• Undecided Students should complete an assessment
  to determine what career or major to pursue.

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CAUTION Advisor Myths!!!

• Advisor Myth 5
• After just taking a couple of courses to explore
  majors, an undecided student should be able to
  choose a major.

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CAUTION Advisor Myths!!!

• Advisor Myth 6
• All undecided students are indecisive.

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CAUTION Advisor Myths!!!

• Advisor Myth 7
• The objective of the exploration process is
  simply the eventual choice of a major and/or a
  career.

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HOW TO PLAY MACAO Rules

• MACAO can be played in three possible versions
• by one advisor (Solitaire),
• with 2 or more advisors (Group Play), OR
• with one advisor and one or more advisees
• All three versions are played in rounds.
  During each round, advisors follow the steps
  listed below. Games may consist of one or more
  rounds, as desired, or as necessary.

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HOW TO PLAY MACAO Rules

• ADVISOR SOLITAIRE/GROUP PLAY (for each round)
• Step 1 Review student record, or fictional
  student scenario
• Step 2 Roll MACAO Advising Die
• Step 3 Using your answer pad, write as many
  questions as you can come up with, to ask the
  actual or fictional student, beginning with the
  question word shown on top face of die
• Note For Quick Play, limit each round using a
  timer.

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HOW TO PLAY MACAO Rules

• ADVISOR/ADVISEE PLAY (for each round played)
• Step 1 Review student record(s) prior to, and
  during individual appointment/group advising
  session
• Step 2 Roll MACAO Advising Die
• Step 3 Using your answer pad, or other blank
  paper, write one of more question, to ask the
  student(s) beginning with the question word
  shown on top face of die
• Note Quick Play may be necessary, as rounds may
  be limited by large advising loads, so be wary of
  time.

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WINNING THE GAME OF MACAO

• For the purpose of todays session, the team with
  the most questions wins a special prize, but
• The actual winners of the game of MACAO are the
  students whose advisors roll the
• dice and gamble on them

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LETS PLAY!!!
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Any Questions?