Academic Advising, Skills Development, and the Adult Student Nancy Allen, Immaculata University

Unemployment Educational Level Bachelor’s degree – 8.9 % High School Graduates- 22.9% High School Dropouts – 31.5%

Skills needed for the 21st Century Work Place Intellectual Skills

Skills needed for the 21st Century Work Place Technical Skills

Skills needed for the 21st Century Work Place Emotional Skills

Top Five Qualities Employers Want Verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization (second in Job Outlook 2012) Work in a team structure” (first in Job Outlook 2012) Make decisions and solve problems Obtain and process information,” (fifth in Job Outlook 2012) and Plan, organize, and prioritize work” (fourth in Job Outlook 2012).

Qualities Employers Want (#6-10) Analyze quantitative data Technical knowledge related to the job Proficiency with computer software programs Create and edit written reports Sell or influence others

Technical Skills Computer applications such as Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Access Quantitative skills for problem solving Technical Writing Project – course in Project Management

The Educational Journey Examine the narrative that is known

The Educational Journey Actively work to create or revise the story

The Educational Journey Make the connection between the evolving story and the college experience that will shape the story

Active Learning in the Classroom Three equally important agents Professor Student Text or material studied

Active Learning in Advising Student becomes the text Students story is reshaped as you ask questions and challenge assumptions Student is at a crossroad Turning point is possible

First Meeting with the Advisee Where do we begin? Major? Career path? What do you enjoy doing? What are your past successes?

Skills Development in Academic Disciplines What skills do you develop in your discipline? How does this happen? How does your discipline relate to other disciplines?

Biology ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization Develop their writing skills (4 out of 5 Lab courses are writing enriched) Oral presentations ability to work in a team structure Science operated through collaboration Publish with peers Compromise is needed to develop a good product Bouncing ideas off of each other is part of the process

Biology ability to make decisions and solve problems Experiments lead to problems solved or new questions ability to obtain and process information Read primary literature and place the research in a broader context ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work” (fourth in Job Outlook 2012). Design experiments which include a step-by-step process

History ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization Develop writing skills Communicate verbally ability to work in a team structure Group research projects ability to make decisions and solve problems

History ability to obtain and process information Develop research skills Use evidence to make a case for something Summarize empirical evidence Find evidence using library and online resources ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work” (fourth in Job Outlook 2012). Present work in progress in Junior Seminar Present final work at regional conferences

Business ability to verbally communicate with persons inside and outside the organization ability to work in a team structure ability to make decisions and solve problems ability to obtain and process information ability to plan, organize, and prioritize work

What is emotional intelligence? The ability to know and manage yourself 60 – 85% of career success is based on emotional intelligence Developing emotional intelligence gets easier as we get older

Maya Angelou Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.

Develop your inner voice

Paradox Our lives are interdependent, but we need to develop our inner voice as we listen to others.

How do we encourage students to develop the inner voice? Practice when not listening to other voices Education can cultivate the internal voice Students need to reflect on what they are learning in terms of their life story Look for faculty who want you to think, not simply fill your head with information.

What is emotional intelligence? Self-awareness Managing emotions Motivation Empathy Social awareness --handling relationships

Self-awareness Know thyself

Social Awareness Correctly perceiving the motivation of others. Imagining what others are feeling Reading subtle signals Feeling out what motivates different people Listening more than you talk

Empathy Cognitive – “I know how you see things” can motivate others Emotional- “I can feel what you’re feeling” Empathetic concern –”I sense you need help, and I can help you.”

Case Studies The Undecided Student

Case Studies The Business Student

Bibliography   Reports from the Center on Education and the Workforce, Georgetown University. Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. New York: Bantam Dell, 2005. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (2012). Palmer, Parker. The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life. San Francisco: Jossey Bass, 1998.