THE TENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF TRANSFER STUDENTS

1. THE TENTH ANNUAL CONFERENCE FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE STUDY OF TRANSFER STUDENTS January 25, 2012 Fort Worth, Texas

2. THE FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE THE TRANSFER ADVISING PROCESS OF ADVISERS IN THE ALABAMA TRANSFER ADVISING CORPS: A GROUNDED THEORY PRESENTER: Alan L. Webb Ed.D. Co-Presenter: John Dantzler, Ph.D. Co-Presenter: David E. Hardy, Ph.D. Co-Presenter: Stephen G. Katsinas, Ph.D. The University of Alabama

3. PROBLEM • National Transfer Rate 22% • Alabama Transfer Rate 4% • Rural Transfer Rate 2%

4. PROGRAM • The Alabama College Transfer Advising Corps • The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation • Purpose: Place recent graduates on community college campuses to assist with transfer • Goal: To increase the community college to four year institution transfer rate.

5. SETTING • Appalachian region – 35 counties located in the northern third of the state • Black Belt region – 17 counties located in the central section of the state • Both regions are characterized by underemployment and poverty • Both regions were formed around an agrarian lifestyle

6. PARTICIPANTS • Nine recent graduates from the University of Alabama • Originally from rural communities (Seven) • Transfer students (Eight) • First generation college students (Seven) • Eighteen months in the field (Nine)

7. PURPOSE • To develop a theory that explains the factors which exert an influence upon the transfer advising process in community colleges located in rural counties in the state of Alabama.

8. METHOD • Grounded Theory • Explains a phenomenon • Data collected from individuals involved in the phenomenon • Data collection and analysis progressively focused by means of theoretical sampling • Theory grounded in data taken from the substantive field

9. RESEARCH DESIGN • Concept Analysis –Delineation of initial concepts • Category Analysis – Ordering of concepts into categories • Context Analysis – Focusing of historical, social and political environments • Process Analysis – Incorporation of variation into the theory • Theoretical Analysis – Integration of categories into an organic whole

10. PYRAMID DESIGN

11. RESEARCH QUESTIONS • What factors influence the transfer advising process as it unfolds in the experience of the ACTAC Advisers who are advising students from rural community colleges in the state of Alabama? • How do these factors influence the transfer advising process as it unfolds in the experience of the ACTAC Advisers who are advising students from rural community colleges in the state of Alabama?

12. RESEARCH QUESTIONS • How do these factors influence each other in the transfer advising process as it unfolds in the experience of the ACTAC Advisers who are advising students from rural community colleges in the state of Alabama? • Which factors exert a powerful influence upon the transfer advising process as it unfolds in the experience of the ACTAC Advisers who are advising students from rural community colleges in the state of Alabama?

13. RESEARCH QUESTIONS • Which factors exert a negative influence upon the transfer advising process as it unfolds in the experience of the ACTAC Advisers who are advising students from rural community colleges in the state of Alabama? • Which factors exert a positive influence upon the transfer advising process as it unfolds in the experience of the ACTAC Advisers who are advising students from rural community colleges in the state of Alabama?

14. THEORETICAL LITERATURE • Prescriptive Advising • Developmental Advising • Deficit Remediation Advising • Strengths Based Advising • Academic Centered Advising

15. ASSESSMENT OF LITERATURE • No Transfer Advising Theories • Theoretical Terminology • Theoretical Generation • Theoretical Grounding

16. FINDINGS • Institutional Factors • Communication • Competence • Concern • Personnel Relationships • Support • Environment • Organization • Senior Leadership • Partnerships

17. FINDINGS • Cultural Factors • Economic Perceptions • Ties to the Location • Ties to the Past • Fears • Personal Perceptions • Perceptions of Outsiders

18. FINDINGS • Contextual Findings • Educational Support • Educational Preparedness • Educational Affordability

19. FINDINGS • Adviser Factors • Transfer Student • First Generation College Student • Academic Background • Personal Belief System • Family Background • Home Town • Emotional Investment • Training • Near Peer Advising

20. FINDINGS • Student Factors (Core Category) • Goal Formation • Academic Standing • Personal Characteristics • Background

21. INFLUENCE THOERY

22. CONCLUSIONS • Thirty-one factors influence the transfer advising process • The influence these factors exert is nonlinear and random • These factors influence each other in a singular fashion, in an enhanced fashion, and in a combined fashion

23. CONCLUSIONS • Cultural factors, contextual factors, and adviser factors exert a powerful influence on the transfer advising process • Cultural factors and contextual factors exert a negative influence upon the transfer advising process • Adviser factors exert a positive influence on the transfer advising process

24. RECOMMENDATIONS • Replication Studies • Focused Category Studies • Quantitative Studies • Transfer Advising Model Study • Scenario Analysis Study

25. Conclusion • A look at the past • A look at the present • A look at the future

26. Questions