Best Practices in Faculty Online Advising using RetentionBased
Best Practices in Faculty Online Advising using Retention-Based Strategies Jami Poag & Wendi Liverman Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing
About us…. • Jami Poag, M. Ed. , Director of Student Success • Wendi Liverman, MSN, Faculty Advisor • Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing- small, private institution owned by Bon Secours Health System; Nationally ranked NCLEX pass retention rate
Advisors O U R Laura Vasel, Faculty, Catherine Mikelaites, Program Coordinator Faculty Wendi Liverman, Faculty Karyn Schultz, Faculty T E A M Administration and Student Success Chris-Tenna Perkins Associate Dean of Nursing Jami Poag & Jared Crist Office of Student Success
Goal • Improve online advising at your institution by learning from best practices our college employed, as well as retention strategies based upon current advising theory and research.
Agenda 1 - Strengthen the advising relationship 2 - Sanford’s Theory of Challenge and Support 3 - Online communication methods and tools 4 - Development and re-structure of faculty advising model
Partner Drawing
Best Practices in Online Advising • Effective online advising practices are interactive, lead to gained student knowledge, and result in enhanced advising relationships • Retention-Based Strategies
Distance Advising • “One of the most important strategies for success in distance advising is to build relationships with students wherever they are. Bland (2003) observes that “every individual is unique, and the advisor’s recognition of that student’s personal attributes and life situations can strengthen the relationship” (p. 8). The goal of a distance advising program should be to replicate the intimacy of a face-to-face advisorstudent relationship from a distance. ”
Challenges/Barriers in Online Advising • Advisor’s Perspective – Can be challenging for online advisors to gauge the amount of support a student needs • Student’s Perspective – perceived lack of support by student; perceived lack of accountability; perceived lack of resources
Sanford’s Theory of Challenge and Support The amount of challenge a person can handle is based upon the support present high Stagnation Maximum Growth Disengagement Retreat Level of Support low Ability Level high
Find the balance “Challenge and Support” 1 - Strengthen the Relationship 2 - Finding student’s “flow” zone 3 - Using effective communication tools 4 - Increase support for At-risk students
#1 - Strengthen the Relationship
“retention strategies can be conceptualized as relationship building strategies (Nutt, 2003). ”
Enhancing Relationships • Essential Components • Building rapport and trust • Anticipating and assessing student needs • Providing information • Reducing fears • Facilitating sense of connectedness • Strategies • Provide comprehensive information • Reflective listening & Compassion • Proactive/developmental advising sessions • Videoconferencing with document sharing • Increase Student Expectations • Continuity • Avoid information overload
Strengthen the Relationship • Use effective communication methods & tools • Simulate ground experiences • Introduction to Online Learning • Teacher = Advisor • Advising Information in the course • Online readiness assessment • Advisor Bio online • Strengthen relationships with peers • Enhance availability, reliability, and knowledge of advisors • Online/ground Orientation • Resource Site • Student success inventory *One thing you’d want your advisor to know about you (personal connection)
“Persistence and retention rates are greatly affected by the level and quality of their interactions with peers as well as faculty and staff” (Nutt, 2003).
Activity
#2 - Finding the “Flow zone”
Dimensions of Flow Anxiety area (shut down) Challenge level FLOW ZONE Boredom area (not engaged) Ability level Flow zone = optimal learning
#3 - Using Effective Communication Tools
Activity
Communication “Effective advising hinges on open communication, and although traditional methods of conversation remain valuable to student-advisor interactions, advisors must address the changing communication methods used by students”
Communication • Videoconferencing tool- Cranium Cafe – online document sharing and discussion board features. • Structured communication protocol – multiple modes of communication during scheduled times – Protocols have a high degree of specificity – Developed to target at-risk student groups • New Student Information System – Documentation & Contact History • Advisors offer necessary resources and support – custom-tailored for each student group
Quickly read the color, not the word • • • Red Blue Yellow Purple Green Orange
Trending. Online Communication Tools • FERPA approved • ADA approved • Syncs with Outlook for scheduling • Great support • Classroom capability • Used it for meeting
#4 - Focus on At-Risk Students
At-Risk Students Early Contact- Why reach out? – The first six weeks of transition are critical to the institution’s retention efforts – It is easier to anticipate a problem than it is to solve one
Notification of Student Performance Student: Failing grades, late work, poor attendance, needing support, poor relationships, Not competing work, failture to grasp material, failing grades at midterm, last Access greater than 5 days Instructor submits notification to Advisor Faculty Advisor conducts meeting with atrisk student (focus on support and developmental strategies) Advisor may refer student to Office of Student Success for the following concerns: time management, writing support, prioritization, work-life balance, academic support, creating an academic plan
At our college…….
dn Ha off m i fro miss Ad ons Alumni Structure: RN-BSN Advising Model at our college • Starts at Admission • Early risk assessment • Technology • Time management • Life • Targeted marketing – intake advisor is with student for entire lifecycle Intake Advising Risk Assessment Academic Progression Targeted Advising • Upon Admission • Ongoing – Notifications of student performance • Fail to register • Academic progression issues • Plan for meetings mutually agreed upon Graduation • Monitor progression and graduation • Advisor invested in retention and graduation • Career planning • Graduate school • Positive messaging for students doing well • Required for at risk students • Follow up required for all advisees • Registered on time • Transcripts received • Increased advisor load Students interact with ONE advisor for duration of their experience here as a student
RE-STRUCTURING Based upon best practices in advising and research
Research • “From a nursing perspective, research and scholarship in the area of academic advising, not to mention general recognition and attention to advising, are virtually nonexistent. ” • “Understanding better the nature of the adviseradvisee relationship is essential if academic advising is to gain respect” (Harrison, 2009). • “Research literature on student retention and attrition suggests that contact with a significant person within an institution of higher education is a crucial factor in a student’s decision to remain in college” (Heisserer & Parette, 2002).
Restructure Advising Model • Reducing the number of advisors (4) and offering workload credits for advising • Orientation course instructors of advisees • Create experts in online advising • Participate in Orientation Program- Students may attend at the college or virtually • Conduct Intake Advising Appointments (admissions) • Participate in monthly development meetings
Structure: Intake Advising Implementation Plan for Intake Advising Summer - 2016 Vasel Mikelaites 20 Liverman 20 Schultz 40 Fall – 2016 Spring – 2017 Total 20 20 Up to 40+ current load 20 Up to 40 + current load 10 20 Up to 30 + current load 50 60 Allows for admitting 150 students (typical enrollment per year is 100)
How we implemented • Faculty continued with their typical advising load (~20) that does not count in workload and have an additional advising load (up to a total of 50) for 1. 5 workload units per semester/session. • Faculty serve as advisors continuously, including summer.
Structure: Faculty Professional Development Budget • • NACADA Membership Webinars Journals Conferences when travel is available
Activity. Share an advising success story
Projected Outcomes 1. Achieve an annual retention rate of 90% or greater for RN-BSN students 2. Achieve a registration rate of 75% of students 2 weeks prior to semester start date for students on new model (met) 3. Achieve graduation rate of 75% or higher for RN-BSN students through new model
Advisor Survey Responses • Please rate your satisfaction with the RN-BSN advising model, and how it is working over the past one year of implementation? 5 • Please rate your satisfaction with the faculty development process over the past year? This includes our monthly meetings as well as your personal development. 5 • Please rate your satisfaction with the faculty workload assigned to advisors. 4. 5 • Please rate your satisfaction with the relationship with the students you advise. 4. 5 • Please rate your satisfaction the amount of support you feel from the College (administration, student services, other faculty) 5 • How satisfied are you with your understanding of your role and responsibilities as an advisor? 4. 5
Top 5 things we learned 1 - Be Patient 2 - Allow for Open Forum 3 - Conversations should end with the student 4 - You need support 5 - Faculty and Advisors have totally different jobs
2017 -18 Plans • Strategic planning for RN-BSN Enrollment and retention • Continue with monthly meetings • Continue with workload calculations • Revise for Orientation Course to better support advising model • Evaluate notification of student performance data
Questions? Thank you for attending! Please take a moment to complete the evaluation. We appreciate your feedback. Jami Poag & Wendi Liverman Bon Secours Memorial College of Nursing
References • • Bland, S. M. (2003, Spring). Advising adults: telling or coaching? Adult Learning, 14 (20), 6 -9. Retrieved. July 11, 2008 from EBSCOhost database. Csíkszentmihályi, Mihály (1990), Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, New York: Harper and Row, ISBN 0 -06 -092043 -2 Harrison, E. (2009). What constitutes good academic advising? Nursing students' perceptions of academic advising. Journal of Nursing Education, 48(7), 361 -366. Heisserer, D. L. & Parette, P. (2002, March). Advising at-risk students in college and university settings. College student journal, 36(1), 69 -84. Retrieved April 1, 2007 from EBSCOhost database. Hughey, J. K. (2011). Strategies to enhance interpersonal relations in academic advising. NACADA Journal 31(2), 22 -32. Junco, Jeanna M. Mastrodicasa, Alicia Vance Aguiar, Elizabeth Mae Longnecker, and Jeffrey Nils Rokkum (2016) Impact of Technology-Mediated Communication on Student Evaluations of Advising. NACADA Journal: 2016, Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 54 -66. Kennemer, C. & Hurt, B. (2013). Faculty Advising. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: www. nacada. ksu. edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Faculty-Advising. aspx Koring, H. (2005). Advisor Training and Development. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: www. nacada. ksu. edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Advisor-Training. Development. aspx
References cont’d • • • Nutt, Charlie L. (2003). Academic advising and student retention and persistence from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site Sanford Ohrablo, S. (2016). Advising online students: Replicating best practices of face-to-face advising. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: www. nacada. ksu. edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Advising-Online-Students -Replicating-Best-Practices-of-Face-to-Face-Advising. aspx Robertson, S. , Westlake, C. C. , Orr, M. , Herberg, P. & Rutledge, D. (2010). Factors Related to Progression and Graduation Rates in RN-Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs: Searching for Realistic Benchmarks. Journal of Professional Nursing, 26(2), 99 -107. Steele, G. (2005). Distance advising. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http: //www. nacada. ksu. edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View. Articles/Advising-Distance-Learners. aspx Varney, J (2009). Strategies for success in distance advising. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http: //www. nacada. ksu. edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Distance-advisingstrategies. aspx Wallace, S. , (2011). Implications for faculty advising 2011 National Survey. Retrieved from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web site: https: //nacada. ksu. edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Implications-for -facultyadvising-2011 -Natinal-Survey. aspx
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