Using Groups in Using Groups in Academic AdvisingAcademic Advising

Dr. Nancy S. KingDr. Nancy S. King

Kennesaw State UniversityKennesaw State University

Underlying PrinciplesUnderlying Principles of Group Advising of Group Advising

Can be an important supplement to Can be an important supplement to one-to-one advising sessionsone-to-one advising sessions

Needs to incorporate principles of Needs to incorporate principles of developmental advising philosophydevelopmental advising philosophy

Must be a student-centered processMust be a student-centered process

Why Use Groups in Why Use Groups in Advising?Advising?

During peak advising periodsDuring peak advising periodsWhen the number of advisors vs. When the number of advisors vs.

number of advisees is out of linenumber of advisees is out of lineAs a way of connecting students with As a way of connecting students with

both their peers and an advisorboth their peers and an advisorAs a very effective and efficient way As a very effective and efficient way

of sharing informationof sharing informationOther reasons?Other reasons?

Developmental Advising Developmental Advising Principles that are Principles that are

Adaptable to Group Adaptable to Group AdvisingAdvising

Advising is a shared responsibility Advising is a shared responsibility between advisor and advisee.between advisor and advisee.

Advising contributes to the Advising contributes to the development of problem solving development of problem solving skills, decision-making skills, skills, decision-making skills, exploration of career and life goals, exploration of career and life goals,

and behavioral awareness.and behavioral awareness.Advising, when done well, is a form Advising, when done well, is a form

of of teaching.teaching.

ARE ADVISING AND ARE ADVISING AND TEACHING DIFFERENT?TEACHING DIFFERENT?

TEACHING ADVISING

Domain Primarily cognitive Primarily affectiveDelivery Primarily groups Usually individuallyDelivery Skills Presentational RelationalOutcomes Primarily cognitive Growth along several

growth dimensionsEvaluation Usually one-way Two-way (collaborative)Expertise Academic discipline Situational

Characteristics of Effective Characteristics of Effective Teaching and AdvisingTeaching and Advising

I.I. SkillsSkills

TeachingTeaching

Knowledge of subjectKnowledge of subject

mattermatter

Planning and Planning and organization of course organization of course materialmaterial

AdvisingAdvising

Knowledge of Knowledge of institutional institutional policies, procedures, policies, procedures, programs of study, programs of study, referral sourcesreferral sources

Preparing for advising Preparing for advising meetingsmeetings

TeachingTeaching Engaging students in Engaging students in

actual participation in actual participation in their learningtheir learning

Giving students feedback Giving students feedback on their progresson their progress

Helping students learn to Helping students learn to analyze and problem analyze and problem solvesolve

AdvisingAdvising Guiding students to be self-Guiding students to be self-

directed and autonomousdirected and autonomous

Working together the Working together the advisor and student advisor and student regularly evaluate the regularly evaluate the student’s goals and student’s goals and progress toward those progress toward those goalsgoals

Assisting students in Assisting students in decision-making skillsdecision-making skills

II. CommunicationII. Communication

TeachingTeaching Clarity of presentation Clarity of presentation

of subject matterof subject matter

Establish dialogue with Establish dialogue with students in the students in the classroomclassroom

Demonstrating excellent Demonstrating excellent listening skills, not listening skills, not simply a “talking head” simply a “talking head”

AdvisingAdvising

Sharing information in Sharing information in a clear mannera clear manner

Leading students to Leading students to question and interact question and interact with the advisorwith the advisor

Listening both to what Listening both to what advisees are saying advisees are saying verbally and non-verbally and non-verballyverbally

III.III. Attitudes for both Attitudes for both Teaching and AdvisingTeaching and Advising

Treats students with respect and Treats students with respect and concernconcern

Is accessible and available to Is accessible and available to students students outside the classroomoutside the classroom

Offers regular encouragementOffers regular encouragementActs as a role model for students in Acts as a role model for students in

the higher education processthe higher education process

“Higher learning provides an opportunity for developing persons to plan to achieve self-fulfilling lives. Teaching includes any experience that contributes to individual growth and that can be evaluated. The student should not be a passive receptacle of knowledge, but should share responsibility for learning with the teacher.”

Crookston, 1972

Developmental Advising Developmental Advising is…is…

Student-centeredStudent-centeredResponsive to individual student Responsive to individual student

needsneedsFocused on student growth and Focused on student growth and

developmentdevelopmentBased upon a relationship between Based upon a relationship between

advisor and adviseeadvisor and advisee

Developmental Advising Developmental Advising ActivitiesActivities

Assessment of values, interests, Assessment of values, interests, goals, goals, abilitiesabilities

Exploration of educational and career Exploration of educational and career goalsgoals

Relationship between academic Relationship between academic major major and careerand career

Awareness of the need to planAwareness of the need to plan

Developmental Advising Developmental Advising ActivitiesActivities

Knowledge of the purpose of General Knowledge of the purpose of General Education requirements and skills Education requirements and skills they developthey develop

Goal-setting and decision-making skillsGoal-setting and decision-making skillsKnowledge and use of resourcesKnowledge and use of resourcesSelection of courses (particularly electives)Selection of courses (particularly electives)Scheduling of classesScheduling of classes

Discussion QuestionDiscussion Question

Are these activities Are these activities transferable to group transferable to group

advising?advising?

Methods for Delivering Methods for Delivering Group AdvisingGroup Advising

Orientation programs (most frequently Orientation programs (most frequently used format for group advising).used format for group advising).

First-year seminar courses (curriculum First-year seminar courses (curriculum mirror many of the goals of mirror many of the goals of

advising).advising).Learning Communities or Freshman Learning Communities or Freshman

Interest Groups (FIG) usually Interest Groups (FIG) usually include include some group advising.some group advising.

Role of Advisors in Role of Advisors in Learning CommunitiesLearning Communities

1.1. Can assist in making Can assist in making decisions about the decisions about the structure of the learning structure of the learning communitiescommunities

2.2. Can assist students in Can assist students in the selection of a the selection of a learning communitylearning community

3.3. Can assist in the Can assist in the selection of peer leadersselection of peer leaders

4. Can assist in administering the program

5. Can teach a first-year seminar as part of a community

6. Can assist in identifying the support needs of both students and faculty in the community

J.W. Bennett,Learning Communities: New Structures, New Partnerships for Learning, 1999

Other Methods for Other Methods for Delivering Group AdvisingDelivering Group Advising

Advising in Residence HallsAdvising in Residence HallsSenior Capstone coursesSenior Capstone coursesExamples?Examples?

Group Advising Group Advising for Special Populationsfor Special Populations

Dual purpose: a means of Dual purpose: a means of information information sharing and a way of sharing and a way of establishing establishing relationships with peers relationships with peers and an and an advisor/mentoradvisor/mentor

Probation students and those Probation students and those returning returning following dismissalfollowing dismissal

Honor studentsHonor studentsMinority studentsMinority studentsInternational studentsInternational studentsAdult learnersAdult learners

Over-subscribed majorsOver-subscribed majorsUndeclared/open option students Undeclared/open option students

(“What’s my major?” sessions)(“What’s my major?” sessions)Others?Others?

Keys to Successful Group Keys to Successful Group AdvisingAdvising

Advisor needs to be trained in Advisor needs to be trained in strategies for successful group strategies for successful group facilitationfacilitation

Advisor must make the goals of Advisor must make the goals of advising advising and the group sessions and the group sessions clearclear

Advisor needs to know all the Advisor needs to know all the students’ students’ names and something names and something about their about their backgroundbackground

Group must promote a climate of Group must promote a climate of trust trust and respect between the and respect between the advisor and advisor and the students and the students and among the group among the group membersmembers

Group advising should be a highly Group advising should be a highly interactive processinteractive process

Group advisors must be familiar with Group advisors must be familiar with all the campus resources and all the campus resources and make make referrals when appropriatereferrals when appropriate

Group advisors must be able to Group advisors must be able to encourage and motivate studentsencourage and motivate students

Effective peer mentors may help Effective peer mentors may help advisors facilitate the groupadvisors facilitate the group

Why Use Peer Advisors?Why Use Peer Advisors?

Create a larger pool of assistance for Create a larger pool of assistance for studentsstudents

Assist faculty and full-time advisorsAssist faculty and full-time advisorsLeverage resourcesLeverage resourcesAid students in developing a Aid students in developing a

relationship relationship with at least one fellow with at least one fellow studentstudent

Peer AdvisingPeer Advising

Research indicates that peer advising Research indicates that peer advising

may increase retention.may increase retention.

““Many students believe they can learn Many students believe they can learn (information) much more reliably from (information) much more reliably from their peers.”their peers.”

Campbell & Koring, Campbell & Koring, 20052005

Effective Peer Advising Effective Peer Advising Programs Must…Programs Must…

Select peer advisors very carefullySelect peer advisors very carefullyTrain peer advisors thoroughlyTrain peer advisors thoroughlyRegularly monitor and assess peer Regularly monitor and assess peer

advisors’ effectivenessadvisors’ effectiveness

Assessment of Group Assessment of Group AdvisingAdvising

The administrator in charge of the The administrator in charge of the program should conduct both program should conduct both formative and summative formative and summative evaluations ofevaluations ofGroup advisorsGroup advisorsGroup advising programGroup advising program

Assessment must include feedback Assessment must include feedback from the students in the advising from the students in the advising groups, advisors and groups, advisors and

administrators.administrators.Adjustments and refinements in the Adjustments and refinements in the

program should be made as a program should be made as a result result of the assessment.of the assessment.

ConclusionConclusion

When done well, group advising When done well, group advising may:may:Aid retentionAid retentionEase advisors’ loadsEase advisors’ loadsConnect students with a peer Connect students with a peer

group group that will contribute to their that will contribute to their successsuccess