Promoting individualism and retaining identity in mass higher education: academic advising for the 21st Century

Nicola Andrew and Ruth Whittaker

The United Kingdom (UK) National Union of Students (NUS 2011) report that personal academic advising is seen by many students as the cornerstone of academic progression and highlights a general UK wide dissatisfaction with both the quality and quantity. The NUS maintain that there is a clear divide betweeninstitutional provision and student expectation.

Introduction

In March (2012), a consultation exercise undertaken by Glasgow Caledonian University identified the dimensions and process of academic advising across the institution. The consultation involved key academic and support staff working in partnership with the University Student Association. The outcome and output emerged as a new institutional standard for practice.

Introduction

The ‘Building student engagement and belonging in Higher Education at a time of change: final report from the ‘What Works? Student Retention and Success programme’ report (Thomas 2012) identifies ‘belonging’ as a key theme in student support, suggesting that it is closely aligned with concepts of academic and social engagement. At the level of the individual, belonging recognises; ‘students’ subjective feelings of relatedness or connectedness to the institution’ (p12). Belonging in institutional terms may be arrived at through the students’ sense of being ‘accepted, valued, included and encouraged by others’ (Goodenow 1993 p25).

Personalising the student experience

Social and personal transition is highlighted in the literature (Whittaker, 2008). Blic et al (2011) suggest that by broadening out the literature to include social identity dimensions and the way that these dimensions influence student learning.

Andrew et al (2007, 2009, 2011) explored the construction and sustainability of undergraduate nursing communities through an adaptation of the Senses Framework (Nolan et al 2002, 2004). Six senses are identified:security; continuity; belonging; purpose; achievement and significance

Relationships within the context of care and service delivery security; continuity; belonging; purpose; achievement and significance

Personalising the student experience

The Senses Framework is linked to respect for personhood, acknowledging that the individual is at the center of a complex network of relationships with others. All senses speak to the need to be recognised as an individual and valued for your contribution in academic, social and professional arenas. Achieving this in a system of mass higher education is a challenge. Academic advising offers the opportunity for the institution do just this and provide continuous personalised engagement throughout the student lifecycle.

Personalising the student experience

The ‘what works’ report (Thomas 2012) found that students may not automatically engage with the institution, recognise the value of engagement, or have the immediate ability to engage. Institutions should provide a range of opportunities for engagement and these should be broadly reflective of their distinctive student population. Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) operates an inclusive approach to learning rather than only targeting support of ‘at risk groups’. The university has a strong social mission and is committed to access to higher education regardless of economic or social background.

Developing an institutional view of academic advising

GCU has a commitment to access and inclusion and an excellent track record of widening participation, actively recruiting students from socially and economically disadvantaged communities (34%), successfully engaging those who are ‘first in family’ (73%), mature students (49%) and those who transition and articulate from the college sector (18%).

Developing an institutional view of academic advising

GCU is committed to improving retention especially that of students fromthe most disadvantaged backgrounds; care leavers and articulatingstudents. There is up to a five percent gap between the progression ofstudents from the most disadvantaged backgrounds and those that arenot. This is a gap that the university actively seeks to address.

Developing an institutional view of academic advising

In 2012, an institutional consultation exercise undertaken by GCUengaged a range of individuals from Academic Schools, SupportDepartments and the University Student Association. They wereasked to reflect and comment on the purpose of advising and roleof the advisor. The resulting findings re-enforced the primarypurpose of the advising meeting as a dialogue between studentand advisor about academic performance, however the need to broaden the

definition of advising was identified.

Developing an institutional view of academic advising

Lines (2010) maintains that the most effective form of studentsupport is ‘concentrated and integrated; an approach that does notdistinguish between academic and non academic units’ (p9).The GCU PPACT Standard PersonalProfessional, Academically informedConsolidatedTransitional

GCU PPACT Standard

Content

GCU Academic Advising (Staff Pack)

THE GCU PPACT Standard- (Personal, Professional, Academically informed, Consolidated, Transitional)

TheGCU

PPACTStandard

Personal

grounded in refection

Professional

career planning and employability

Academically informedfeedback

feedforward

Consolidated

evaluation

Transitional

completed action plan

The new standard is focused on student engagement and staffsatisfaction within the wider context of the transition and academicsupport framework. It spans the student lifecycle (including key aspectsof pre-entry) and encompasses academic, social and professionaldomains. It is underpinned by collaborative, student centered strategiesdesigned to build academic, personal and professional growth