enhancing student-advisor interactions: creating a process for assessing advising learning outcomes...
TRANSCRIPT
Enhancing Student-Advisor Interactions: Creating A Process for Assessing
Advising Learning Outcomes
Carole Splendore, Director of Assessment and Accreditation at the University of Saint Francis, [email protected]. Laci Fiala, Associate Professor of Sociology at Walsh University, [email protected]
NACADA Annual ConferenceLas Vegas, NV
October 7, 2015
Audience Question:
What type of institution is the place where you work?A. Teaching-focused InstitutionB. Research-focused InstitutionC. Career/Workforce Development
Audience Question:What is the advising model at your campus?
A. CentralizedB. DecentralizedC. Shared, SupplementaryD. Shared, SplitE. Remote Call CenterF. Other
BackgroundWalsh: Private Liberal Arts and Sciences, 3,000 students
Values: student-teacher interactions, teaching, faculty development, new culture of assessment, faculty (mostly) value advising
BackgroundUndergraduate Advising:• 2008: restructured to create 3 (1/2-time) first-year advisors• 2009: the 3 (1/2–time) became full-time• 2010: added two more 1/2 – time• 2011: all 5 became full-time• “Professional Advisors” also advise sophomores in Nursing,
Business, Pre-Physical Therapy, and all those who are “undecided.”
Advising Assessment Project Overview
•Five-year collaborative project to improve advising•Assessment plan with 3 goals/10 LO’s / 28 criteria
Year 1: become acclimated to the college culture and become more independent
Year 2: understand their study habits as well as their major and its demands
Years 3 and 4: understand which skills they are developing for their future use
1Access information about campus resources
a) Makes initial contacts: for summer meeting, development of a four-year plan, and pre-registration advising
b) Has all textbooks at the appropriate time
c) Uses online services and campus resources
2
Access information about majors, minors, and integrated electives
a) Brings curriculum sheets to advising meetings
b) Completes appropriate forms
c) Consults the Walsh Catalogue for information
3
Describe prerequisites, course sequences, and Walsh core requirements
a) Understands prerequisites
b) Develops a course sequence
c) Understands Walsh core requirements and curriculum sheets
4Develop a schedule meeting core and major requirements
a) Updates curriculum sheets
b) Consults catalog, curriculum sheet, course sequence, and advisor to develop a course schedule
c) Comes prepared to advising meeting with advising materials and completed schedule
Academic Advising SLO’s 1-4 (Semester 1)
5Understand academic processes and expectations
Utilizes curriculum sheets, catalog, and course sequence to develop schedule approved by advisor
Checks holds; ensures is financially able to registerRegisters online or in the Student Service Center, in compliance with the academic calendar
Maintains acceptable first-year GPA
6Successfully transition to the university culture
Becomes involved in one or more campus activitiesUses campus resources to address concerns/problems in a professional manner
Academic Advising SLO’s 5-6 (Semester 2)
7Demonstrate appropriate academic progress
Attends advising meetings, with appropriate forms completed, including updated curriculum sheets and a tentative schedule
Uses resources independently including: finding registration appointment times, determining registration appointment, checking for holds, scheduling online, and accessing the Cavalier Center appropriately
Assesses information through the Student Service Center for registration, add/drop, financial aid information, etc.
8
Works effectively with an advisor to review academic processes in a declared major and/or minor
Communicates effectively with an academic advisor through registration meetings, e-mail communications, add/drop follow-up, etc.
Demonstrates progress towards graduation through reviewing and updating 4-year plan
Academic Advising SLO’s 7-8 (Semester 4)
9Integrates elements of the mission into curriculum planning
Chooses Service Learning, Diversity and Heritage courses, considering interests and goals
Develops a plan for post-graduation that includes an internship, practicum, and/or research class
10Prepares for graduation and post-graduation
Updates all curriculum sheetsMeets with Career Center personnel, attends job/grad school fairs, and meets with faculty to determine possible optionsDevelops a plan for post-graduation that includes leadership in a disciplinary club, employment, or research not aligned with a class
Academic Advising SLO’s 9-10 (Semester 6)
Data Analysis Methodology
•Data from Rubrics entered into analysis software program (SPSS)•Factor-Analyses used to determine if measures consistently reflected SLO’s
CTL Process: Every Spring
•Data Analysis consultant (Laci) and Director of Assessment (Carole) reviewed the results•Results to Dean of Student Affairs and some actions to
close the loop determined•Results brought to one one-hour meeting of the Advising
Liaisons to close the loop
Data Analysis Methodology
•Data from Rubrics entered into analysis software program (SPSS)•Factor-Analyses used to determine if measures consistently reflected SLO’s
ComponentSLO 1 2slo1a attends orientations 0.908slo1b attends advising meetings 0.907slo1c responds to questions 0.874slo1d uses online services 0.775slo2a attends advising meetings- print materials 0.915slo2b attends advising meetings- degree reqs 0.904slo2c consults the catalogue 0.881slo2d finds curriculum sheets on the web 0.889slo2e completes curriculum sheet 0.832slo3a attends orientations 0.909slo3b attends advising meetings 0.898slo3c is oriented to Gen Ed/Heritage courses 0.724slo4a consults multiple resources to create schedule 0.678slo4b finds curriculum sheets on the web 0.618slo4c develops own schedule 0.768
slo1a attends orientationsslo1b attends advising meetingsslo1c responds to questionsslo1d uses online servicesslo2a attends advising meetings- print materialsslo2b attends advising meetings- degree reqsslo2c consults the catalogueslo2d finds curriculum sheets on the webslo2e completes curriculum sheetslo3a attends orientationsslo3b attends advising meetingsslo3c is oriented to Gen Ed/Heritage coursesslo4a consults multiple resources to create scheduleslo4b finds curriculum sheets on the webslo4c develops own schedule
a) Makes initial contacts: for summer meeting, development of a four-year plan, and pre-registration advising
b) Has all textbooks at the appropriate timec) Uses online services and campus resourcesa) Brings curriculum sheets to advising meetingsb) Completes appropriate formsc) Consults the Walsh Catalogue for informationa) Understands prerequisitesb) Develops a course sequence c) Understands Walsh core requirements and curriculum
sheetsa) Updates curriculum sheetsb) Consults catalog, curriculum sheet, course sequence,
and advisor to develop a course schedulec) Comes prepared to advising meeting with advising
materials and completed schedule
BEFORE Analysis AFTER
CTL Process: Every Spring
•Data Analysis consultant (Laci) and Director of Assessment (Carole) reviewed the results•Results to Dean of Student Affairs and some actions to
close the loop determined•Results brought to one one-hour meeting of the Advising
Liaisons to close the loop
7Demonstrate appropriate academic progress
Attends advising meetings, with appropriate forms completed, including updated curriculum sheets and a tentative schedule
Uses resources independently including: finding registration appointment times, determining registration appointment, checking for holds, scheduling online, and accessing the Cavalier Center appropriately
Assesses information through the Student Service Center for registration, add/drop, financial aid information, etc.
8
Works effectively with an advisor to review academic processes in a declared major and/or minor
Communicates effectively with an academic advisor through registration meetings, e-mail communications, add/drop follow-up, etc.
Demonstrates progress towards graduation through reviewing and updating 4-year plan
Academic Advising SLO’s 7-8 (Semester 4)
Audience Question:
My institution highly values advising.
Strongly Disagree Strongly Agree1 2 3 4 5
Audience Question:
What goals/values does your campus have that might align with advising?
What is the assessment culture like at your institution, and what would that mean for advising?
Reflection
What resources might be available at your institution? Such as….•Personnel•Time•Knowledge•Instruments
NSSE Topical Advising Module
• First-year and seniors scored higher than peers on all ten questions• First-year: six questions with statistical significance• Seniors: seven questions with statistical significance• Significant association between student-advisor
interactions and undergraduate retention
NSSE Findings
T-test for Advisor Support and Key Student Demographics
Means t-Test p-valueFirst Generation (N=152) 2.89
-0.873 0.383Not 1st Generation (N=134) 2.98
Began at Walsh (N=202) 2.90-1.235 0.218Began College Elsewhere
(N=83) 3.03
NSSE Findings
Correlations of Key Scale Measures with Perceived Advisor Support
Quality of Interactions
Supportive Environmen
t
Student-Faculty
Interaction
Overall Educational Experience
Choose Walsh Again?
Educational
AspirationsAdvisor Support .52** .28** .17** .30** .31** -0.04
** Significant at the .001 level
Questions
Contact info:•Carole Splendore, Director of Assessment and
Accreditation at the University of Saint Francis, [email protected]•Dr. Laci Fiala, Associate Professor of Sociology
at Walsh University, [email protected]