Here are some preliminary proposals for you to consider. Remember, there can only be one QEP. How do you feel that NOVA should enhance student learning? Click on the links below and post your comments.
Improving College Readiness
Enhanced Academic Advising
Experiential Learning
Citizenship Across the Curriculum
Getting Back on Track through Early Warning
Enhanced Faculty-Student Collaboration
Thursday, January 7, 2010
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After listening to my colleagues Wednesday, and talking with others Thursday, the idea of having a QEP that focuses on a systematic approach to Academic Advising would be welcome to many faculty, and I would assume to students as well. As we had noted in our discussions about potential QEP topics, our students enter with a wide variety of academic backgrounds and have (perhaps) their own goals.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest, however, that a significant part of the first two college years (at NVCC or elsewhere) is self-discovery, including career goals. They may not know, or may have unrealistic expectations, about the direction that their career will take. At the MEC, of course, students generally know which career they want, although discrepancies between student and faculty requirements for that career may exist.
The common thread here, I believe, is the need for expert input, at least some of which is being provided in the current system. However, the so-called "undeclared major" student can go through the system (or be negatively selected by the system, as in other colleges to a greater extent), with very little (if any) feedback upon their self-designed "curriculum" at all. They may also not have good information about what direction these courses will led them (or not lead them) towards a specific career goal. As a necessary part of such a reworking of the advising system, there should be some way for a faculty adviser to intervene before students have gone too far. The group on Wednesday suggested requiring SDV early on, but apparently this is not happening, and there is inconsistency in the SDV courses, as was noted. Some data were presented from Alexandria by Alison, and suggested to me that this is a very high risk group that would benefit by "career counseling" type intervention. Other risk groups were identified by other assessment tools, as is commonly done in most community colleges, of course. It is my suggestion that such items as interest inventories, or other academic assessment tools, should be integrated into a general model:
Assessment-->
career counseling (if needed)-->
program placement (or course selection in X interest area).
However, I would also suggest that faculty in the prospective ("X") area also be involved early in the process. I know some of the campuses are doing these kind of "career referrals" already, and this is what I would "quality" academic advising, and one that could be (eventually) a viable QEP proposal. After all, what is a better outcome than student satisfaction with the career that we directed them to, which is a win-win situation for all.
Glenn Flodstrom (MEC, Med. Lab.)
Early Warning System
ReplyDeleteCollege Readiness
Enhanced Academic Advising
Faculty-Student Collaboration
Citizenship Across the Curriculum
Experiential Learning
I see a common theme in 4 of the QEP topics that involves the college reaching out to students to improve their academic skills so they will be successful. An Early Warning System to intervene with students in academic trouble, Enhanced Academic Advising to help them plot their futures, increasing Faculty-Student Collaboration to mentor them with folks who have been down the roads they wish to travel, and a focus on basic skills necessary for them to succeed in college and professional life with College Readiness. These QEP topics seem to focus on ways to change the college to improve the individual student’s academic success. They provide plans to change NOVA aimed at improvements to the student.
The QEP topics Citizenship Across the Curriculum and Experiential Learning also provide improvements to the student but have additional benefits to the community. Democracy cannot function without the participation of the citizens and when students do work as they learn their labors enrich our community. These 2 QEP topics seem to have a larger impact on the community outside of NOVA than the 4 others.
I attended NOVA as a student and from that perspective I’d like a QEP that is all about me. Attending college is a selfish activity because I pay my money to improve myself and make myself more attractive to potential employers. I like all of the QEP topics but, now that I work here at NOVA, I wouldn’t mind one that affects the larger audience.
I support the overall goals of Enhanced Academic Advising. However, the QEP does not address the structural deficiencies of our current advising system.
ReplyDeleteAs I have explained in numerous meetings and workshops, advisors need to work in their fields of expertise. For my own field, mathematics, this expertise should be available to students of all majors. Because we have very few math majors and a large math department, most math faculty advise outside of mathematics. Currently, I advise computer science majors, whose last names begin with A-C. I have no particular expertise in computer science. Thus, any faculty or staff member could do my job with minimal training.
On the other hand, I routinely encounter students in all my math classes who do not understand which math classes are appropriate for them or who have been misinformed about math requirements for their majors.
Any improvement in faculty advising must address this mismatch of wasted expertise on the part of faculty and inadequate advising received by the students.
Don,
ReplyDeleteI agree that the only way that the QEP can make a realistic contribution to student learning (in terms of advising) is to improve the whole system.
What distinguishes the QEPs for Experiential Education and Citizenship across the community is that they emphasize the connection between the college and the community. Harry Truman described community colleges as "democracy's colleges" and it seems that these two would committ the college to enhancing the knowledge and skills essential to a functioning democracy. One element missing from the description of Experiential Learning, I think, is that it requires students to apply what they learn in a course to the real world.
ReplyDeleteLastly, the location of this College next to D.C. gives added weight to the proposal for Citizenship, as does the diversity of the student population that brings a myriad of political experiences, not always ones that encouraged democratic participation.
Thanks, Linda. I will make sure that the important goal regarding course/real world connection is explicitly stated in the final proposal.
ReplyDeleteI believe the way to go is enhanced academic learning. Personally, and knowing opinions of friends that have attended nova, we need better advising strategy. Too many times students have been told one thing when theyve actually needed to do another. It is imperative all counselers and advisers know whats going on with school, transfers etc.
ReplyDeleteThe SDV Cluster created standard student learning outcomes and a curriculum map. This academic year, we developed common syllabi for SDV 100-College Success Skills and SDV 101-Orientation courses. We will always revisit for continued improvements but there is definately more consistency than there has been in past years.
ReplyDeleteAt MEC, the academic advising process runs more smoothly not just because we have admissions and occupational programs, but because there is a clear system of student assignment and expectations for faculty advisement.
It is clear in the faculty handbook that faculty are responsible for advising students in declared majors but consistently at my last campus they ended up in Counseling (especially in the summer when the 9 month faculty are gone and it is peak registration for Fall). This leads to a smaller core of counselors (with increased students) having to be responsible for advising undeclared and new students, provide counseling/manage their speciality areas (career, disability, retention, etc.) and teach SDV. On top of that, you still have to then advise a large group of returning students who claim they have no advisor, their advisor is not accesible or sent them back to counseling for basic advising/transfer questions or PeopleSoft functions.
When we were told training was an issue, Student Services staff put together multiple advising trainings (especially during academic advising week) with either no attendees or the small group of faculty that came already knew all the information.
So, there has to be changes in the assignment of advisors and clear expectations of faculty. Students should not have to seek out their advisor, it should be assigned/communicated to them upon entry if they select a major. Also consistent communication needs to occur throughout the advising process between advisor/student, not just when something goes wrong. If there is a need for additional support, then maybe the college should focus priority on hiring division/discpline specific advisors to be in the academic divisions. They should not be used to take away the responsibility of advising for faculty but to be an extra person available during regular business hours, one evening and throughout the summer when faculty are not on campus. They could also be a link to increase collaboration between academic and student services divisions by communicating information about discipline changes/updates as well as transfer information.
Sherri,
ReplyDeleteI think you hit the nail on the head! What we need is consistency, communication, and clarity in advising. The faculty advising piece is essential. It is key to student success. Faculty advisors need to build on the relationships that counselors and student specialist advisors have started.
There are a number of students who have had excellent SDV experiences. Those who take it early in their NOVA career express the value of SDV.