1. Circumventing Transfer Shock!: Using Schlossberg’s Transition Theory to ease the Transition of Transfer Students Craig M. McGill, M.M., M.S.

2. “Good advising may be the single most underestimated characteristic of a successful college experience” –Light, 2001 “Human beings relate to each other not simply externally, like two billiard balls, but by the relations of the two worlds of experience that come into play when two people meet” -Laing, 1967

3. Impetus/Context for Project Proposing method of working with transfer students in the S.T.E.M. fields based on theoretical underpinnings from counseling psychology, positive psychology, business, and student development How can advisors better understand the Transition of Transfer Students? –“In the review of the literature, no theory or conceptual model surfaced to explain the transition process experienced by transfer students in their journey from community college to university” (Cameron, 2005).

4. Outline: Foreground ‘Transfer Culture’ –Types of Transfer Students –Challenges for students in S.T.E.M. areas Theoretical Base –Transition Theory –Counseling Model –Appreciative Advising Pedagogical Application –Process: combining frameworks & approaches –Tools: Transition theory and inventories –Evaluation and follow up

5. Transfer Culture In 2006, students aged 25 and older made up nearly 40% of the country’s overall college population (U.S. Department of Education, 2009) Almost 60% of students have attended at least two institutions (Adelman, 2006) Transfer Students have a multidimensional collegiate experience, different than the experience of those who start and finish in one institution.

6. Campus-specific Lingo: “UNL-isms” Blackboard (My.UNL) TrueYou Firefly MyRed (Peoplesoft) DARS DN (Daily Nebraskan) Tunnel Walk College acronyms (CASNR, ASC, CEHS) Regionalisms: Runza Emergency snow route Coke/Soda/Pop

7. Types of Transfer Students and Experiences Types of Transfer Students: 1.2-year to 4-year (2+2) 2.4-year to 4-year (Lateral) 3.4-year to 2-year (Reverse) 4.Multiple institutions in career (Swirler) Types of Transfer Experiences: 1.Planned 2.Unplanned 3.Others?

8. The transitioning experience… Tinto (1993): ease of transition will depend on the student-institutional match –Student characteristics impacting ease of transition: Family background Individual attributes Pre-college schooling –Student characteristics influence student’s commitment to education/persistence to graduate –Interaction with members of the institution will facilitate academic and social integration, which increases commitment to institution/academic goals--> Persistence to graduate

9. Challenges for Transfer Students Lack of Articulation Agreements Lost Costs –$7 billion/yr in credits not helping students move toward degree requirements (Smith, 2010) Transfer Shock/Culture Shock –Transfer Coma (Whitfield, 2005) Lack of information from receiving institution Time Management/ Balancing Work Connecting to Faculty Members Lack of Social Involvement

10. Reconfiguring Identities: “Students transferring…must negotiate new roles and relationships to become fully integrated into the new institution. The period of negotiation is commonly referred to as a transition period—a period of uncertainty in which students alter their routines and relationships and adapt to a new environment.” -Cameron, 2005

11. Complications in S.T.E.M. fields Rigorous curriculums Sequential curriculums Lack of equivalent coursework –Complications with accrediting bodies –Lacking laboratory experiences at prior institution

12. Theoretical Underpinnings: Transition Theory Counseling Model Appreciative Advising

13. Schlossberg’s Transition Theory (1984) First developed in the late 1970s Been revised several times with input from other contributors –Considered a strength of her model Psychosocial Theory Counterpoint to age and stage perspectives

14. Transition Defined “Any event, or non-event, that results in changed relationships, routines, assumptions and roles” (Schlossberg, 1984)

15. Assisting Clients in Transition Type of Transition Individual’s Perception of Transition Context in which it took place Impact upon the Individual

16. Anticipated Transitions Occur predictably, as expected Examples include: –going to college –getting married –changing majors

17. Unanticipated Transitions: Are not predictable –Examples include: sudden death of a loved one winning the lottery education interrupted by partner’s unanticipated career change

18. “Non-Events” Transitions that are expected, but do not occur Examples Includes: –Not gaining admittance into medical school An ‘event’ must be likely to happen in order to qualify as a ‘non-event’ when it fails to occur

19. The Role of Perception Is Key in the Transition Process Involves two levels of Appraisals –Primary: How the individual feels about the transition in general –Secondary: How individual feels about their resources in dealing with the Transition?

20. Transition Process Process involves Three phases: “Moving In” “Moving Through” “Moving Out”

21. Coping with Transition: 4 S’s A person’s ability to cope with a transition is reliant on their resources in 4 areas: Situation: ability to assess what has happened Self: personal/demographic/psychological characteristics Support: who is there to help Strategies: how they handle it

22. 4 S’s -from Goodman et al, (2006) pg. 56

23. Cormier and Hackney’s Counseling Model (1993) Relationship Building Assessment Goal Setting Interventions Termination/Follow-up

24. Appreciative Advising Approaches life as a series of opportunities, rather than a series of problems Social-constructivist Reciprocal process Rooted in Positive Psychology Adapted from Appreciative Inquiry (Cooperrider, Sorenson, Whitney, & Yeager, 2000)

25. Appreciative Advising Stages Disarm Discover Dream Design Deliver Don’t Settle

26. Application: 1.) Process: Combining frameworks and approaches 2.) Tools: Schlossberg’s Theory and conducting inventories

27. Process: overlap of 2 models relationship - building assessment goal-setting interventions termination/follow-up DISARM DISCOVER DREAM DESIGN DELIVER DON’T SETTLE

28. Combining 3 Models DISARM DISCOVER DREAM DESIGN DELIVER DON’T SETTLE -adapted from Goodman et al, (2006) pg. 184

29. DISARM: relationship-building Warm welcome Safe and comfortable environment Appropriate self-disclosure Appropriate nonverbal behavior Have a Personal Advising Philosophy In relationship-building, advisors use basic listening skills to build rapport with students.

30. DISCOVER: assessment Through the use of inventories and discussion: Effective open-ended questioning Attending behavior and active listening: –Visual-eye contact –Vocal qualities-tone and rate of speech –Verbal tracking—sticking to the subject –Body language—authenticity Strength-based story reconstruction In assessment, advisors can assess the individual’s environment (situation), internal resources (self), external resources (support), and current coping skills (strategies).

31. DREAM: goal-setting In working with students through their transition, help generate goals/dreams by: Providing conducive environment for dreaming Making connections between the Discover and Dream phases: Are dreams in line with pieces from the assessment? In goal-setting, advisors help students to set goals related to each of the 4 S’s.

32. DESIGN: (goal-setting) In designing a plan of action: Brainstorm options Backward designing (start from the goal) Teach students how to make decisions Provide positive feedback Be aware of the curse of knowledge Make effective referrals Graphic organizers

33. DELIVER: interventions In helping students to carry out their goals/plan, Energizing students to be their best Illustrate academic hope (more than one road) End conversation/session well Engage in Proactive Advising Keeping students connected (socially, culturally, institutionally): Transfer Fraternity, weekly email from Transfer Coordinator, etc. In interventions, advisors can help students with reframing, changing the student’s perception of the transfer; conducting an assessment of the individual’s assets (self); referral to a support group (support); and generating problem-solving strategies (strategies).

34. DON’T SETTLE: termination and follow-up For students to feel supported, it’s important to follow-up: Continue to challenge and support Raise the bar Virtuous/positive cycle Encourage students to write letter to new transfer student (in the guise of writing to themselves before they transitioned) In termination and follow-up, advisor can aid the transfer student in reviewing what has happened thus far and planning next steps.

35. Pedagogical Application Schlossberg’s theory Answers: –Why different people react differently to the same type of transition –Why the same person reacts differently at different times Applying theory: –Helping students approach transitions requires knowledge of the transition framework –Help students evaluate their resources in the 4 S’s –Help strengthen those assets

36. Situation Triggers Control (planned or unplanned transfer?) Role Change Duration Previous experiences with similar transition Concurrent Stress Assessment

37. Self: Personal/Demographic Characteristics Socioeconomic Status Gender Age/Stage of Life State of health Ethnicity/Culture

38. Self: Psychosocial Resources Ego Development Outlook (Optimism and Self-Efficacy) Commitment and Values Spirituality and Resiliency

39. Support Needs Acceptance Self-Esteem Love and Physical Intimacy Personal and Work Connection Stimulation and Challenge Role Models Guidance Comfort and Assistance

40. Types/Functions of Support Types: Intimate Relationships Family Units Networks of Friends Institutions/Communities (i.e. Advisors!) Convoy of Social Support (Kahn) Functions: Affect Affirmation Aid Honest Feedback

41. Strategies What strategies is the student using that is impacting the transition? How effective are current strategies in helping them cope with transition? –3 ways of coping: 1)Modifying the situation (hope and optimism) 2)Controlling the meaning (reframing) 3)Managing stress after transition (selective denial) Challenging the absolutes –Victim/ Creator Language

42. Inventories: A.) Transfer Student Inventory B.) Appreciative Advising Inventory

43. Future Continue to develop Transfer Inventory Qualitative Research Study to see if Transfer Students experience the transfer experience in this way

44. ©2007 The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. All rights reserved. Craig McGill, M.M., M.S. Academic Advisor Forensic Science, Biochemistry University of Nebraska-Lincoln cmcgill2@unl.edu Tony Lazarowicz, M.A. Assistant Academic Program Coordinator- William H. Thompson Learning Community/ OASIS Ph.D. student in Higher Education Administration tonylaz@huskers.unl.edu tonylaz@huskers.unl.edu