Using Appreciative Advising to Boost Motivation, Positive Emotions, and Learning Saundra Y. McGuire, Ph.D. (Ret) Assistant Vice Chancellor and Prof of Chemistry Director Emerita, Center for Academic Success Sister of 2012 NACADA Outstanding Advising Award Winner

MISSION STATEMENT VISION The University of Alabama will advance the intellectual and social condition of the people of the state, the nation and the world through the creation, translation and dissemination of knowledge with an emphasis on quality programs in the areas of teaching, research and service. VISION The University of Alabama will be known as the university of choice for the best and brightest students in Alabama, and all students who seek exceptional educational opportunities. The University of Alabama will be a student-centered research university and an academic community united in its commitment to enhance the quality of life for all Alabamians and the citizens of the nation and the world.

UA Retention and Graduation Rates http://www.collegefactual.com/colleges/the-university-of-alabama/academic-life/graduation-and-retention/

How Can UA Make These Rates Even Better? Teach Students How to Learn Help Students Develop the Right Mindset Motivate Students to Implement Effective Learning Strategies Include Advisors in the Process

Desired outcomes We will understand why many students don’t want to take advice We will view our students differently We will have concrete strategies that work when advising students We will understand the role of metacognition in effective advising We will spend time reflecting on improving our advising More of our advisees will heed our advice!

Overview Characteristics of many of today’s students An advising model that works The role of metacognition in advising Importance of Student Mindset

What does NOT work when advising many students Telling them they are not prepared Expecting them to “trust the advisor” Expecting that they will know the catalog Telling them there is a fixed path Advising them to change plans

What DOES work when advising most students Beginning with their strengths Engaging them in the planning process Showing them how to access information Encouraging them to plot their own path Helping them change strategies, but not necessarily paths Encouraging them! Using the Appreciative Advising Approach

Appreciative Advising Addresses the Connection Between Motivation, Positive Emotions, and Learning Increased motivation Increased learning Increased success Positive emotions Positive emotions lead to increased motivation, which leads to increased learning, which leads to increased success, which results in positive emotions.

The Six Phases of Appreciative Advising Disarm Discover Dream Design Deliver Don’t Settle Bloom, J. L., Hutson, B. L., & He, Y. (i2008) The appreciative advising revolution. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.

Description of the Phases of Appreciative Advising* Disarm diffuse defensiveness Discover delve into strengths Dream imagine possibilities Design develop a plan Deliver implement strategies Don’t aim for 100% mastery! Settle (phases in which metacognition is key!) *Bloom, J. L., Huston, B. L., & He, Ye., 2008,The Appreciative Advising Revolution. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.

Robert, freshman chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 A in course Before and After Scores Rapidly Diffuse Defensiveness Robert, freshman chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 A in course Michael, senior pre-med organic student 30, 28, 80, 91 B in course Miriam, freshman calculus student 37.5, 83, 93 B in course Ifeanyi, sophomore thermodynamics student 67, 54, 68, 95  B in course Terrence, junior Bio Engineering student GPA 1.67 cum, 3.54 (Fall), 3.8 (Spring)   Meaningful Learning Rote Learning

Thinking about your own thinking Being consciously aware of Metacognition*: Crucial Strategy for the Design, Deliver, and Don’t Settle Phases Thinking about your own thinking Being consciously aware of yourself as a problem solver Planning, monitoring, and controlling your mental processing Knowing what you know and what you don’t know Accurately assessing your level of learning *Flavell, 1979

Bloom’s Taxonomy Creating Evaluating Analyzing Applying Understanding This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above. Bloom’s Taxonomy Creating Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or producing. Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing. Evaluating Breaking material into constituent parts, determining how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure . Analyzing Carrying out or using a procedure through executing, or implementing. Applying Constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and explaining. Understanding Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant knowledge from long-term memory. Remembering http://www.odu.edu/educ/llschult/blooms_taxonomy.htm

The Study Cycle Preview Attend Review Study Assess 4 Reflect 3 Review Preview before class – Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to answer for you. Attend Attend class – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes. Review Review after class – As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any questions. Study Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’. Intense Study Sessions* - 3-5 short study sessions per day Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make connections Assess Assess your Learning – Periodically perform reality checks Am I using study methods that are effective? Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others? Intense Study Sessions 1 Set a Goal 1-2 min Decide what you want to accomplish in your study session 2 Study with Focus 30-50 min Interact with material- organize, concept map, summarize, process, re-read, fill-in notes, reflect, etc. 3 Reward Yourself 10-15 min Take a break– call a friend, play a short game, get a snack 4 Review 5 min Go over what you just studied Center for Academic Success B-31 Coates Hall ▪ 225.578.2872 ▪www.cas.lsu.edu

Dana, first year physics student 80, 54, 91, 97, 90 (final) Problem: Memorizing formulas and using www.cramster.com Solution: Solve problems with no external aids and test mastery of concepts

Dana Lewis, MS in Medical Physics, 2015  Univ of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston Thesis research at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center Practicing Medical Physicist as of 8/28/2016 when she completed her residency!

Student Reaction to Appreciative Advising Dr. McGuire, THANK YOU BEYOND ALL THANKS for your guidance and patience… I managed to get all A's this semester: On my last final today at 3, I scored 112 out of 100... I am so happy and overjoyed! I wanted to share the good news and tell you that I totally support everything that you guys do and I want to help others in the same way that you helped me. I am truly appreciative and want to thank you for EVERYTHING!! P.S. I believe my GPA has gone from a sad probation 2.77 to a Happy FREE 3.38... so I’M FREE from the academic shackles!!!

Reflection Activity Choose one phase of the Appreciative Advising Model that you have not tried, and develop a plan to use it. Discuss this with a partner and present it to the group.

Special Note And visit the LSU Center for Academic Success website at www.cas.lsu.edu. We have on-line workshops and other information that will introduce you and your students to effective metacognitive strategies. Have fun teaching your students powerful metacognitive strategies!

References Bloom, J. L., Huston, B. L., & He, Ye., 2008. The Appreciative advising Revolution. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing. *Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., Cocking, R.R. (Eds.), 2000. How people learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. *Cromley, Jennifer, 2000. Learning to Think, Learning to Learn: What the Science of Thinking and Learning Has to Offer Adult Education. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy.

References continued Flavell, J. H., 1979. Metacognition and Cognitive monitoring: A New Area of Cognitive-developmental Inquiry. American Psychologist, 34 (10), (906-911). Taylor, M. 2005. “Generation neXt: Today’s postmodern student-meeting, teaching, and serving.” In A Collection of Papers on Self-Study and Institutional Improvement, 2005:4. Chicago: The Higher Learning Commission. http://www.appreciativeadvising.net/

Useful Websites www.cas.lsu.edu www.howtostudy.org www.vark-learn.com www.drearlbloch.com