Learning Reconsidered and Advising: Stacking the Deck for Transformational Learning

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Learning Reconsidered and Advising Stacking the
Deck for Transformational Learning

• Jennifer L. McCaul
• Grand Valley State University
• 2005 NACADA National Conference
• Concurrent Session 310
• October 7, 2005

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What is Learning Reconsidered?

• A new statement on student affairs
• Defines learning as a comprehensive, holistic,
  transformative activity that integrates academic
  learning and student development, processes that
  have often been considered separate and even
  independent of each other.

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Where did it come from?

• Jointly published by ACPA NASPA
• Builds on past documents
• Student Learning Imperative (ACPA, 1994)
• Principles of Good Practice (ACPA, 1996)
• Powerful Partnerships (NASPA, 1998)

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Where did it come from?

• AACUs Greater Expectations (2002)
• Complex capacities and knowledge desired in
  college graduates can develop through all course
  and non-course experiences of a students college
  years
• Learning happens during formal classroom study,
  but also in other ways.

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What does it do?

• New ways of understanding learning
• Advocates for transformative education
• Questions current organizational patterns
• Emphasizes work of Student Affairs professionals
• Describes how student affairs affects student
  outcomes

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Transformational Learning

• Focus of education must shift from information
  transfer to identity development
  (transformation)
• requires consideration of what students know,
  who they are, what their values and behavior
  patterns are, and how they see themselves
  contributing to and participating in the world

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Why reconsider learning?

• New research
• Changing times
• Diversity of students
• Curriculum may not meet needs

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Goals/Priorities

• To produce intentional learners who can adapt to
  new environments, integrate knowledge from
  different sources and continue learning
  throughout their lives.
• If we expect students to become empoweredand
  responsible for their actions, we must makeit
  accessible to all students.

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Student Development Learning

• Unifies cognitive structural and
  psychosocial/identity theories
• The most important factor is that transformative
  learning always occurs in the active context of
  students lives.

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Student Development Learning
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Student Learning Outcomes

• Cognitive complexity
• Knowledge acquisition, integration, and
  application
• Humanitarianism
• Civic engagement
• Inter- and Intra-personal competence
• Practical competence
• Persistence and academic achievement

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Student Learning Opportunities

• Student affairs and Academic partnerships
• Student affairs learning opportunities
• Academic learning opportunities

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Recommendations from the text

• Determine, specify, measure, and assess intended
  student outcomes
• Establish routine ways to document students
  experiences as learners
• Map the campus environment for interactive,
  integrated learning experiences

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Links to Academic Advising

• Academic advising is the ONLY structured
  activity on the campus in which ALL students have
  the opportunity for on-going, one-on-one
  interaction with a concerned representative of
  the institution
• (Habley,2005)

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Links to Academic Advising

• Advising is concerned not only with the specific
  personal or vocational decision, but also with
  facilitating the students rational processes,
  environmental and interpersonal interactions,
  behavioral awareness and problem-solving,
  decision making and evaluation skills
• (Crookston, 1972)

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Developmental Advising Model

• A systematic process based on close
  student-advisor relationship intended to aid
  students in achieving educational, career, and
  personal goals through the use of the full range
  of institutional and community resources
• (Winston, Miller, Ender, Grites, 1984)

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Developmental Advising Model

• Exploration of life goals
• Exploration of educational/career goals
• Problem solving, decision making, evaluation
• Selection of academic program
• Selection of courses
• Scheduling of classes
• (OBanion, 1972)

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NACADA Core Values

• Advisors' work is guided by their beliefs that
  students
• have diverse backgrounds
• hold their own beliefs and opinions
• responsible for their own behaviors and the
  outcomes of those behaviors
• can be successful based upon their individual
  goals and efforts
• have a desire to learn
• have learning needs that vary
• use a variety of techniques and technologies to
  navigate their world.

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Learning Outcomes for Advising

• Intellectual Growth
• Career choices
• Appreciating diversity
• Social responsibility
• Enhanced Self-Esteem
• Meaningful interpersonal relationships
• Effective communication
• Healthy behavior
• Personal and Educational Goals (CAS, 2003)

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LR Outcomes vs. Advising Outcomes

• Cognitive complexity
• Knowledge acquisition, integration, application
• Humanitarianism
• Civic engagement
• Inter- and Intra-personal competence
• Practical competence
• Persistence and academic achievement

• Intellectual Growth
• Career choices
• Appreciating diversity
• Social responsibility
• 5a. Enhanced Self-Esteem
• 5b. Meaningful interpersonal relationships
• 6a. Effective communication
• 6b. Healthy behavior
• Personal and Educational Goals

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Group Activity

• In groups of 5-8 brainstorm a strategy/program/met
  hod that an advisor can use to assist a student
  with the learning outcome assigned. Time 10
  minutes
• Each group has 1 minute to present Best
  Practice identified in each group. Time 10
  minutes

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Questions
Contact Information mccaulj_at_gvsu.edu
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Learning Reconsidered
Available for download or purchase from
www.myacpa.org or www.naspa.org
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References

• Association of American Colleges and Universities
  (AACU). (2002). Greater expectations The
  commitment to quality as a nation goes to
  college. Retrieved May 10, 2005 from
  http//www.greaterexpectations.org/
• ACPA. (1994). Student learning imperative
  Implications for student affairs. Retrieved May
  10, 2005, from http//www.acpa.nche.edu/sli/sli.h
  tm
• ACPA. (1996). Principles of good practice for
  student affairs. Retrieved May 10, 2005, from
  http//www.acpa.nche.edu/pgp/principle.htm
• Council for the Advancement of Standards in
  Higher Education (CAS). (2003). The book of
  professional standards for higher education (3rd
  ed.). Washington, DC Author
• Crookston, B. B. (1972). A developmental view of
  academic advising as teaching. Journal of College
  Student Personnel, 13, 1217.
• Habley, W. (2005, Winter) Academic advising
  services key to student retention, but
  underutilized. Activity,43(1). Retrieved May 10,
  2005, from http//www.act.org/activity/winter2005/
  advising.html
• NACADA. (2004). NACADA Statement of Core Values
  of Academic Advising. Retrieved May 10, 2005,
  from http//www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/Advi
  singIssues/Core-Values.htm
• NASPA. (1998). Powerful partnerships A shared
  responsibility for learning. Retrieved May 10,
  2005, from http//www.naspa.org/resources/partner
  ships.cfm
• O'Banion, T. (1972). An academic advising model.
  Junior College Journal, 42, 62-69.
• Winston, R. B., Miller, T. K., Ender, S. C.,
  Grites, T. J., Associates (1984). Developmental
  academic advising. San Francisco Jossey-Bass.