GETTING REAL:ADVISING IN DEVELOPMENTAL EDUCATION

Peg CooksonStudent Success Advisor

Louise HurwitzDirector of Developmental Education and Transition

Programs

Developmental Advising Theory

The term is first used when in 1972 Burns Crookston writes an article called:

“A Developmental View of Academic Advising as Teaching”, for the Journal of College Student Personnel.

Developmental Advising

O’Banion’s Process of Academic Advising includes:Exploration of Life GoalsExploration of Vocational GoalsProgram ChoiceCourse ChoiceScheduling Classes

“The model suggests that picking and scheduling of classes needs to take place within the broader context of a student’s life and career goals”

Developmental Advising

Focuses on: Personal Awareness Environmental and Interpersonal

Interactions Problem Solving Decision Making Evaluation Skills

Developmental Advising

To advise a student developmentally the advisor must:

Know/Apply Student Development TheoryFocus on Building Relationship over TimeChallenge Students to Develop PotentialView Students as Active Partners in the

ProcessHelp Students Set Long and Short Term GoalsHelp Students Identify What is Really

Important

What is Academic Advising? http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearingh

ouse/Research_Related/definitions.htm

How We Began

1.Title III2.Developmental Education Advisory Committee

3.Huge need-roughly 40% of students need two or more developmental courses

DEAC

DEAC, a collaboration of faculty, professional staff and administrators, gathers, assesses, disseminates relevant information, and makes recommendations to support the success of students taking developmental courses.

Mission of Developmental Education at BCC Developmental Education at Berkshire

Community College seeks to foster student success by providing a solid foundation for college learning. Developmental education courses and services are designed to help students achieve academic success by enhancing skills in the three basic academic areas: reading, writing and mathematics. These basic skills are needed for success in college-level coursework.

GetReal

Get Resources for Education Advising and Learning

Mission of GetREAL

To provide high quality student centered services to those students enrolled in developmental courses

To promote commitment to BCC’s mission by providing the resources that students need to achieve success

To build a relationship between advisor and student that, as it develops, encourages student independence as they achieve educational, personal, and career goals

The GetREAL Center

Supported by Title III GetREAL Center

Modular desks Wireless Laptops Printer Resource Material Advisor Private Office

Photo

Selection of Advisors

Recruited primarily from adjunct faculty and professional staff

Formed Search Committee from DEAC members

Conducted interviews Looked for characteristics:

Advisor Training

Outside presenters Webadvisor Campus resources

Counseling services Disability services Financial aid Testing Admissions FERPA

Advisee Selection

Students scored into 2+ Dev. Courses Basic Math, Algebra 1 and 1, Reading

and Writing Began with certain majors

Liberal Arts Criminal Justice Human Services Business Career Animal Care Culinary Certificate

Selection Cont.

During Academic Advisor Assignment these students were assigned to GetREAL Advisor

Initial pool for pilot consisted of 65 students

Initial contacts were made with advisees during the first two weeks of the semester

Process of GetREAL Advising Contract Intake Strengths Educational Plan Developmental Faculty Feedback

requests Open House for students, GetREAL

advisors, and dev. faculty Ongoing notes Course selection for priority reg.

Outcomes

Retention to second semester Comparable retention Pass rates GetREAL/Non GetREAL

Next Steps

Career Transition to Departmental Advisors Evaluation of Pilot

Retention Persistence Grade in next course Formative Evaluation with Students and

Advisors

Challenges

Cross campus buy in. Go slow to go fast

Relationship to advising center and to faculty advisors

Avoid the potential stigma Refining electronic intake and

logging system Continued data analysis Sustainability

Questions?