1. Student Learning Outcomes in Academic Advising
2016 NACADA International Conference
David B. Spight
University of Texas at Austin
NACADA President

2. The framework for today…
Theory of Challenge and Support – Sanford (1967)
“If appropriate stimuli are applied, students and adults will change.”
Too much challenge, students become overwhelmed and do not develop.
Too much support, and the appropriate level of stimuli won’t be applied, and students do not develop.

3. Challenge
Who challenged you as a student?
Who challenges you now?

4. Support
Who supported you as a student?
Who supports you now?

5. Growth and Development
What comes to mind when you hear the following terms?
Growth
Development

6. Growth and Development
may be defined simply as expansion of the personality-the addition of parts (e.g., habits, needs, or beliefs) and the enlargement of existing parts (e.g., an increase in the intensity of need).

7. Growth and Development
means, most essentially, the organization of increasing complexity.

8. Growth and Development
How do we know if that growth, that change, is healthy, positive, and productive?
Assessment

9. Assessment
“is a continuous, systematic process of collecting, reflecting upon, and utilizing information gathered from multiple data collection techniques, focusing on the improvement of student learning and development which entails the mastery of student learning outcomes by students.” – Rich Robbins (2009)

10. Student Learning Outcomes
“As with the advising mission, learning outcomes must reflect clearly the mission and purpose of the institution.” – Charlie Nutt (2004)

11. Student Learning Outcomes
First, let’s come up with one goal of academic advising. For example…

12. Student Learning Outcomes
One of the goals of the Vick Center for Strategic Advising and Career Counseling is… Goal 1: Students explore their major and career options.

13. Student Learning Outcomes
What do we want students to learn from the advising process?
What do we want students to know/understand?
What do we want students to be able to do?
What do we want students to value?

14. Student Learning Outcomes
What are some of the answers you have written down? What are some of the common themes that emerge from your list of answers?

15. Assessment
Let’s work on mapping student learning outcomes to an advising program’s assessment plan.

16. Mapping Outcomes
Which of the student learning outcomes that you have created today would be connected to the goal you developed earlier?

17. Using the earlier example…
Mapping Outcomes
Using the earlier example…
Goal 1: Students explore their major and career options.
Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to…
Identify resources and programs to help them to be a successful student.
Access and use resources and programs to help them to be a successful student.
Connect and communicate with professors, teaching assistants, and other professionals.
Communicate and develop a partnership with an assigned academic advisor.
Actively participate in the process of major and career exploration.

18. Measuring Outcomes
What do you provide for the students you serve that is related to your student learning outcomes? (i.e. appointments, events, workshops, etc.)

19. Using the earlier example…
Mapping Outcomes
Using the earlier example…
Goal 1: Students explore their major and career options.
Learning Outcome 1a: Students will be able to…
Identify resources and programs to help them to be a successful student.
Strategies:
Individual advising and career counseling appointments.

20. Measuring Outcomes
In what ways do you already measure those outcomes in your advising programs? In what ways might you measure the effectiveness of those services in helping students achieve your student learning outcomes?

21. Using the earlier example…
Mapping Outcomes
Using the earlier example…
Goal 1: Students explore their major and career options.
Learning Outcome 1a: Students will be able to…
Identify resources and programs to help them to be a successful student.
Strategies:
Individual advising and career counseling appointments.
Measures:
Student appointment survey.

22. Also, remember to set data collection deadlines
Mapping Outcomes
With those measures, be sure to determine a baseline or a target for performance, if applicable.
Also, remember to set data collection deadlines

23. Important things to remember…
“Start small and have some success. Identify one or two outcomes toward the programmatic goals, and start there.” – Rich Robbins
Be sure to involve your advising team. This is necessary in order to build a culture of assessment.
Assessment has to be about more than just student satisfaction…it has to be based in student learning.

24. Questions?