The Evolving Role of Academic Advisement A Brief

The Evolving Role of Academic Advisement A Brief Historical/Theoretical Overview, and the New Advising Model at The College of Saint Rose in only 8 Slides!

Prescriptive vs. Developmental Advising (1972). “The traditional relationship between the academic advisor and the student may be described as prescriptive…. [T]he advisor is the doctor, and the student the patient. ” Authority-based, and usually focused on specific decisions (e. g. , course selection, etc. ). Developmental advising, by contrast: “concerned not only with a specific personal or vocational decision, but also with facilitating the student’s rational processes … behavioral awareness, and problem-solving, decision-making, and evaluation skills. ” Burns Crookston: “A Developmental View of Academic Advising as Teaching” (1972).

“Intrusive Advising” at Certain Moments or with Certain Populations (1987). “In loco parentis has been replaced … by the philosophy that students are responsible for their own survival. The problem is that the recipients of services are primarily late adolescents with low orientation to adult responsibilities. ” And: early mistakes can lead to serious consequences, both for the students (success), and the institution (retention). “Utilizing the good qualities of prescriptive advising”, however, advisors, “can identify freshmen students who need orientation assistance”, and reach out deliberately/proactively. Especially successful with certain populations (probation; first-gen. ). Walter Earl: “Intrusive Advising for Freshmen” (1987).

Advising as Teaching and Learning (1999/2000) “The excellent advisor plays a role with respect to the student’s entire curriculum that is analogous to the role that the excellent teacher plays with respect to the content of a single course. ” “The excellent advisor helps the student to understand, and indeed, in a certain sense, to create, the logic of the student’s curriculum. ” (Put each part in perspective; compare/contrast modes of thinking; interrelationships among disciplines; synthesis of overview). Advising syllabi, etc. Marc Lowenstein: “If Advising is Teaching, What do Advisors Teach? ” (2005). (See also: Martha Hemwall & Kent Trachte).

New Advising Model At Saint Rose I: Draws on Aspects of All Three. An “intrusive”/appropriately-prescriptive element (that is: deliberate interventions with certain populations/at certain moments). At the same time: a developmental sensibility informed by student-development theory (transitional difficulties; providing information on how to solve problems/find solutions; fostering resiliency, etc. ). Finally, though, a keen awareness of and appreciation for the logic of the curriculum, as well as assistance in enabling students to understand create for themselves.

New Advising Model at Saint Rose II: Design All incoming first-year (freshman) students assigned to an academic advisors (Academic Advising, AOE, or Field Placement and Advising). Freshmen meet with and get to know these advisors during Summer Orientation. They receive follow-up messages week before classes begin, and then again two weeks into semester. “Pre-Advisement Sessions” with all new freshmen from 21 Sept. through 23 Oct. Sets up for more productive Faculty Advising sessions/relationships.

New Advising Model at Saint Rose III: So Far…. Pre-Advising materials (hand out). Perceptions (the plural of “anecdote” is not “data”, but…). Response received at NACADA in early October. In conjunction with the Degree. Works Planner.

Advising for Mature Autonomy: The courage and ability to use one’s own understanding without guidance from another (Kant: Enlightenment). Ideally, it seems to me—and regardless of theory employed—the goal toward which we strive as advisors.