Advisor Training for Faculty

1. Advisor Training for Faculty  With thanks to Kathy Stockwell Fox Valley Technical College

3. Topics you would like to see addressed in advisor training on your campus

4. “Faculty advisor training or development should grow out of the expectations of a particular institution and be unique to that campus. The program should be based on the needs of faculty. The most well-structured training program possible will still not be successful if it does not provide the information or skills that advisors need to do their job well.” Faye Vowell and Phillip Farren in Faculty Advising Examined We can give you all kinds of tips and advice on developing a training program, but it’s so important that you build your program based on the needs of your campus, and those might even be different from one campus to the next within the same system (main campus vs. satellite campus).We can give you all kinds of tips and advice on developing a training program, but it’s so important that you build your program based on the needs of your campus, and those might even be different from one campus to the next within the same system (main campus vs. satellite campus).

5. If you don’t have the support to top administration, be that your president, provost, dean, you will have a long road to travel to make your program successful. If you faculty perceive there is no support from the top, they are much less likely to place value on the training and even on advising itself. So, before you move on, make sure you hae the support and it is widely communicated to staff.If you don’t have the support to top administration, be that your president, provost, dean, you will have a long road to travel to make your program successful. If you faculty perceive there is no support from the top, they are much less likely to place value on the training and even on advising itself. So, before you move on, make sure you hae the support and it is widely communicated to staff.

6. Identifying Training Needs New Faculty Members Faculty Members in Different Disciplines Mid-Career Faculty Members Experienced Faculty Members Once you have the support, and the program is a “go,” you need to identify training needs.Once you have the support, and the program is a “go,” you need to identify training needs.

7. Training Formats One or Two Full Day Several One Hour Online Conference/Seminar Attendance Staff Development Day Webinars Panel Discussions Advising listserve or chat room Advising Newsletter Monographs, journals, handbooks Case Studies Advising Handbook Mentoring I covered these in my first session on advisor training principles, but I can’t stress enough that you need to take into account the different learning styles of your participants and also consider availability.I covered these in my first session on advisor training principles, but I can’t stress enough that you need to take into account the different learning styles of your participants and also consider availability.

8. Training Components Training must be connected to Mission for faculty advising Goals for faculty advising Advisor outcomes for faculty advising Student learning outcomes for faculty advising Resources available to faculty advisors Our vision: Fox Valley Technical College’s advising system will provide guidance for students, influence their development, promote retention, build relationships within the college, and identify services that help students clarify both their career and life goals. Advising occurs in a collaborative environment that goes beyond academic interests and promotes a caring attitude on the part of college personnel toward students. Our vision: Fox Valley Technical College’s advising system will provide guidance for students, influence their development, promote retention, build relationships within the college, and identify services that help students clarify both their career and life goals. Advising occurs in a collaborative environment that goes beyond academic interests and promotes a caring attitude on the part of college personnel toward students.

9. What to Include in Training Three components of quality advising Informational What advisors need to know; includes internal and external environment, student needs, & advisor self knowledge. Relational The skills advisors need to possess in order to do their jobs effectively Conceptual What advisors must understand

10. “The substantive information that academic advisors need to know falls into four groups — the internal environment the external environment student needs advisor self-knowledge.” L.C. Higginson A Framework for Training Program Content

11. Higginson believes advisor training must include the following topics: Students within the institution Student Characteristics Gender and racial composition Test scores Number of students on financial aid Attrition and retention patterns Educational and personal needs Characteristics of special populations Adult learners, student athletes, honors students, international students, racial and ethnic minorities, part-times students, etc.

12. Role of advising within the institution Importance of advising for students and the college Institution’s definition of advising Advisor and advisee responsibilities The internal environment Academic integrity On-line resources Policies and procedures Referral services Transfer options Etc. If the institution understands and promotes the importance of advising, it will be easier to get faculty on-board. Advisors must be knowledgeable about structures and functions within the institution. They must know how to access information for their students. One of the first things we give our new students is a bookmark that lists the responsibilities of the academic counselor, the faculty advisor, and them as advisees, and we talk about these roles and responsibilities in two of our training modules.If the institution understands and promotes the importance of advising, it will be easier to get faculty on-board. Advisors must be knowledgeable about structures and functions within the institution. They must know how to access information for their students. One of the first things we give our new students is a bookmark that lists the responsibilities of the academic counselor, the faculty advisor, and them as advisees, and we talk about these roles and responsibilities in two of our training modules.

13. External environment Knowledge of the higher education community, the local communities, and the job market—helps advisors link education with the “real world” the students will be entering Service learning experiences Job outlook projections Professional associations Networking opportunities Continuing education

14. Student needs Problem solving Decision making Evaluation of options Connection between major and career Test preparation students Time management Special population issues Students have needs other than assistance in selecting courses. Advisors need to know how to address these individual needs.Students have needs other than assistance in selecting courses. Advisors need to know how to address these individual needs.

15. Advisor self-knowledge What do I as an advisor bring to the advising setting? Attitudes Beliefs Knowledge

16. Topics to Include Introduction to advising roles and tasks Skills and techniques Student development Advising as teaching Using resources and making referrals Legal and ethical issues Relational skills Advising special populations Advising delivery strategies

17. Important Topics for Faculty Advising as teaching Emphasize that this is a learning experience for advisees establish student learning outcomes for advising use an advising syllabus Legal and ethical issues FERPA Due process Resources and referrals See appendix for samples of FERPA and resources quizzes and the FVTC syllabus See appendix for samples of FERPA and resources quizzes and the FVTC syllabus

18. Training Techniques Presentation Large group and small group discussion Case studies Role playing Intranet

19. Communication (Relational) A good advisor development program stresses communication skills, the essence of effective advising. Listening Paraphrasing Questioning Supportive/encouragement strategies Communication covers all three main elements—conceptual, informational, and relationalCommunication covers all three main elements—conceptual, informational, and relational

20. “Be concise in your writing and talking, especially when giving instructions to others.” Epictetus, 50-120 Greek stoic philosopher

21. “Think like a wise man, but communicate in the language of people.” William Butler Yeats, 1865-1939

22. Relational Conversations that are informational institutional policies and procedures graduation requirements important dates and deadlines programs of study Drake, Hemwall & Stockwell (2009) Faculty Advising Pocket Guide

23. Relational Conversations about the student core values aptitudes/interests strengths areas for improvement (study skills, time management, etc.) involvement in extracurricular activities Drake, Hemwall & Stockwell (2009) Faculty Advising Pocket Guide

24. Relational Conversations that are about the future—goal setting and posing questions for reflection What do you want your future to be (career and personal life)? What steps do you need to take to make this future a reality? How are these steps related to the academic goals of our institution? How are you changing as a result of your education? Drake, Hemwall & Stockwell (2009) Faculty Advising Pocket Guide

25. Relational Questions fall into three categories Involvement Draw students into the conversation: Why are you in college? Clarifying Follow-up questions to find out more Continuing Questions that will help student expand on a point Drake, Hemwall & Stockwell (2009) Faculty Advising Pocket Guide

26. “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” Peter F. Drucker American management guru

28. “Treat people as if they were what they should be, and you help them become what they are capable of becoming.” Johann von Goethe

29. Relational Decision-making skills Rapport building Interview skills Referral skills One-on-One communication skills

30. Conceptual Definition of advising Relationship between advising and student retention Rights and responsibilities of both advisor and advisee Role of advising in student development Student expectations of the advising relationship

31. Resources Scenes for Learning and Reflection: An Academic Advising Professional Development DVD

32. Initial Training is Complete—Now What? Lunch ‘n Learns/Brown Bag lunches Newsletters Web page Book clubs Weekly advising tips posted on electronic bulletin board 1-2 hour workshops during staff development days

33. Initial Training is Complete—Now What? “Refresher” training sessions for “seasoned” advisors State, regional, and national conferences Webcasts NACADA resources

34. Evaluating the Program Should be considered at the beginning of the planning process Should be related to goals of the training program Can focus on a single session a single activity the entire experience participant satisfaction what participants learned

35. Making advising important Support from administration Part of tenure and promotion Use both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators Rewards that work

36. 2008 Survey Results Rewards & recognition important to faculty Professional support (NACADA) Promotion & tenure Merit Cash award Secretarial support Thank you letter/certificate Awards reception Preferential parking Plaque Drake, 2008 NACADA survey Academic Advising: A comprehensive handbook (2008)