Using Groups in Using Groups in Academic Academic AdvisingAdvising

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© 2011 National Academic © 2011 National Academic Advising AssociationAdvising Association

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24th Annual Summer InstituteColorado Springs, CO June 26-July 2, 2011

Nancy KingKennesaw State University

Kathy StockwellFox Valley Technical College

Group advising must be viewed as a Group advising must be viewed as a student-centered process in which student-centered process in which advising is a shared responsibilityadvising is a shared responsibility

Group advising is simply an Group advising is simply an extension of teachingextension of teaching

Group advising is an efficient way of Group advising is an efficient way of sharing factual information with sharing factual information with adviseesadvisees

Group advising enhances peer Group advising enhances peer involvement and the learning community involvement and the learning community environmentenvironment

Group advising needs to incorporate Group advising needs to incorporate principles of developmental advising principles of developmental advising philosophyphilosophy

Group AdvisingGroup Advising

Group AdvisingGroup Advising

According to Richard Light.According to Richard Light.““To learn from one another, students with To learn from one another, students with different backgrounds and from different different backgrounds and from different racial and ethnic groups must interact.”racial and ethnic groups must interact.”

Making the Most of CollegeMaking the Most of College, 2001, 2001

Group advising is an opportunity for this Group advising is an opportunity for this interaction to occur.interaction to occur.

When individual advising is not a viable When individual advising is not a viable option—number of students far outweighs option—number of students far outweighs the number of available advisorsthe number of available advisors

When the group to be advised has time When the group to be advised has time constraintsconstraints

When there is important When there is important information to be shared with information to be shared with a large number of studentsa large number of students

When there is important information to be When there is important information to be shared with a large number of studentsshared with a large number of students

To establish peer groupsTo establish peer groups For the proactive vs. reactive value—For the proactive vs. reactive value—

Groups are sometimes BETTER!Groups are sometimes BETTER! Help for the terminally shyHelp for the terminally shy

(Learn from listening and even risk a bit)(Learn from listening and even risk a bit) Others?Others? What are the challenges?What are the challenges?

Why Use Group Why Use Group Advising?Advising?

Developmental Advising Developmental Advising Principles that are Adaptable Principles that are Adaptable

to to Group AdvisingGroup Advising

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.

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?

Orientation programsOrientation programs Freshman Seminar coursesFreshman Seminar courses Scheduling/registration sessionsScheduling/registration sessions Learning communitiesLearning communities Special populationsSpecial populations Residence hall groupsResidence hall groups Capstone coursesCapstone courses Others?Others?

Who Should be Involved?Who Should be Involved?

Advisors, Counselors, FacultyAdvisors, Counselors, Faculty AdministratorsAdministrators Students Students (as keynotes, panelists, small group facilitators)(as keynotes, panelists, small group facilitators)

Experts (Experts (student leadership, team building, student student leadership, team building, student success)success)

Guest speakersGuest speakers EntertainersEntertainers Others?Others?

Skills NeededSkills Needed

An understanding of group dynamicsAn understanding of group dynamics An understanding of student developmentAn understanding of student development Strong facilitation skillsStrong facilitation skills A comfort level with bondingA comfort level with bonding A vision of broader purposeA vision of broader purpose Knowledge of leading questionsKnowledge of leading questions Use of non-lecture skillsUse of non-lecture skills Appreciation for collaborationAppreciation for collaboration

Use of group facilitation strategiesUse of group facilitation strategies Knowledge of and use of advisee namesKnowledge of and use of advisee names A climate of trust and respect between A climate of trust and respect between

the advisors and the adviseesthe advisors and the advisees Not letting one advisee dominate the Not letting one advisee dominate the

timetime Making sure students understand the Making sure students understand the

overall purpose of advisingoverall purpose of advising

Ability to answer specific program, Ability to answer specific program, course, or scheduling questionscourse, or scheduling questions

Providing guidance but insisting that Providing guidance but insisting that the students make the decisionsthe students make the decisions

Ability to motivate and encourageAbility to motivate and encourage Knowledge of campus resourcesKnowledge of campus resources Knowledge of institutional policies and Knowledge of institutional policies and

proceduresprocedures

How many sessions do you need to How many sessions do you need to schedule to accommodate your advisees?schedule to accommodate your advisees?

How flexible do you need to be with times?How flexible do you need to be with times? Make sure you schedule enough times to reach Make sure you schedule enough times to reach

the majority of your adviseesthe majority of your advisees Make sure appropriate personnel are available Make sure appropriate personnel are available

at established times so that all sessions are at established times so that all sessions are adequately staffedadequately staffed

Log student attendance to find most Log student attendance to find most popular times; adjust for next popular times; adjust for next semestersemester

Getting the word out to studentsGetting the word out to students E-mailE-mail PostersPosters NewsletterNewsletter Letters handed out in classes or mailedLetters handed out in classes or mailed Others?Others?

Preparation—what do you need?Preparation—what do you need? Program plansProgram plans Course schedulesCourse schedules Planning sheetsPlanning sheets

Preparation—what do students need Preparation—what do students need to bring?to bring? Degree progress reportsDegree progress reports Prep sheetPrep sheet

The sessionThe session IntroductionIntroduction Purpose of sessionPurpose of session General questions and answersGeneral questions and answers Get to the “meat” of the session Get to the “meat” of the session

(scheduling, program overview, etc.)(scheduling, program overview, etc.) Encourage students to schedule individual Encourage students to schedule individual

advising appointments for more in-depth advising appointments for more in-depth advising or to discuss personal issuesadvising or to discuss personal issues

A great way to stretch your A great way to stretch your resources, expand advising resources, expand advising coverage, and help your students coverage, and help your students develop a relationship with at least develop a relationship with at least one fellow student.one fellow student.

Groups…..A Great Groups…..A Great Way to Use Peer Way to Use Peer

AdvisorsAdvisors

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

Assist faculty advisors by screening Assist faculty advisors by screening easily answered questions in regards easily answered questions in regards to registrationto registration

Research shows that peer advising Research shows that peer advising increases retention ratesincreases retention rates

Leverage resources Leverage resources

““In one study that was conducted on peer In one study that was conducted on peer advising, it was found that “Almost all the advising, it was found that “Almost all the students believed that the general advisors students believed that the general advisors available in one of the dean’s offices knew available in one of the dean’s offices knew very little about the real nitty-gritty of the very little about the real nitty-gritty of the curriculum; they believed they could learn curriculum; they believed they could learn of it much more reliably from their peers.”of it much more reliably from their peers.”

Campbell and Koring, 2005Campbell and Koring, 2005

Groups instead of, or in addition Groups instead of, or in addition to?to?

Some situations will warrant only group advising In the ideal setting, group advising would be one of

the formats used Target the static information pieces which

typically require a great deal of repetition when done in individual sessions

Emphasize key points of information to be referenced or follow-up on later (labs, office hours)

Use to plant “seeds” that will encourage students to follow-up with their advisors

Groups instead of, or in addition Groups instead of, or in addition to?to?

Coping with the very real challenges already discussed May mean not as much time for one-on-one sessions.

Personal issues do present some challenges. If students are resistant to this format, explain how it

can save time and how it functions as part of a series of resources available to them. Stress that one-on-one appointments are still available and encouraged.

Some students may be better served individually; however, in many cases, the group interaction is beneficial to them, and one-on-one appointments can still be scheduled.

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 of group advisorsgroup advisors group advising programgroup advising program

Assessment of Group Assessment of Group AdvisingAdvising

Assessments must include feedback Assessments must include feedback from the students in the advising from the students in the advising groups, advisors, and administrators.groups, advisors, and administrators.

Adjustments and refinements in the Adjustments and refinements in the program should be made as a result program should be made as a result of the assessment.of the assessment.

When well done, group advising may:When well done, group advising may: aid retentionaid retention ease advisors’ loadsease advisors’ loads connect students with a peer group that connect students with a peer group that

will contribute to their successwill contribute to their success

ConclusionConclusion

No matter the delivery mode, an No matter the delivery mode, an advisor who is successful is:advisor who is successful is: Available/accessibleAvailable/accessible Knowledgeable/helpfulKnowledgeable/helpful Personable/approachablePersonable/approachable Counselor/mentorCounselor/mentor

And no matter the type of student or And no matter the type of student or the advising format used, always the advising format used, always rememberremember

““Good advising may be the single Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience.”of a successful college experience.”

Richard Light, 2001Richard Light, 2001

Making the Most of CollegeMaking the Most of College

QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?

Thank you for attending!Thank you for attending!

Have a GREAT day!Have a GREAT day!