1. Advisor Training Academy:
Promoting a Culture of Technovation
Shelley Ostermiller
& Kira Freed

2. Reflections on Training
 How many of you…
 participated in a formal training with your
employer?
 received training from your colleagues?
 feel you were self-trained?
 feel that your training adequately prepared you to
begin advising students?
 currently work at an institution that has a formal
advisor training program?

3. Research Findings
 The CAS Standards (2008) emphasizes the importance
of academic advising and training coupled with the
student experience:
 Academic advising is a crucial component of all students’
experiences in higher education. Within this context,
students can find meaning in their lives, make significant
decisions about their future, be supported to achieve to
their maximum potential, and access all that higher
education has to offer. When practiced with
competence and dedication, academic advising can
enhance retention rates. In an age often characterized
by impersonality and detachment, academic advising
provides a vital personal connection that students need.

4. Research Findings
 NACADA surveyed advising professionals
with fewer than three years experience
regarding their training experiences:
 10% participated in formal training
 62% received training from colleagues
 23% said they were self trained
(Folsom & Scobie, 2010, p. 17)

5. Research Findings
 “A study of nearly 2000 advisors found
more than three quarters believed their
training inadequately prepared them to
begin advising students. Several claimed
they had to seek out information on their
own or by simple trial and error.”
(Brown, 2008, p. 310)

6. Research Findings
“In all of the six ACT national surveys
conducted on the status of academic
advising, respondents listed lack of training
as a major weakness to effective academic
advising in all institutional types.”
(Folsom & Scobie, 2010, p. 17)

7. Advisor Training in 2003
 No formal training
 Consistedof a catalog and quarterly schedule
 New advisor spent time observing an
experienced advisor’s student advising sessions
 Released after 1-2 weeks to see students
 No assessment or follow up
 Consequences of training this way
 Advisors made many errors
 Turnover was high

8. Revised Training, Phase I
 Brainstormed during weekly advising meetings
 Created list of important information that
advisors need to know (e.g., admissions, testing,
evaluations)
 Assigned topics to advisors
 Advisors worked with content experts in Student
Affairs to develop the materials
 Set aside small amount of time weekly
 Developed first formal training program

9. Phase I Implementation
 New advisor assigned to a trainer or
supervisor depending on specialty area
 Professional/Technical
 Health Occupations and Education
 College Prep and Transfer
 Advisor received integrated training through
 individually working through a printed advising
manual
 face-to-face instruction

10. Revised Training, Phase I
 Training Manual Content
 Manual broken into modules
 Contained slide shows, quizzes, activities
 Face-to-face Interaction
 Meetings with trainer to review assignments and
division-specific content
 Shadowing and reversed shadowing with
experienced advisors
 Meetings with various campus departments

11. Training Challenges
 Printed manual
 Costly and time consuming to produce
 Information became quickly outdated
 Difficult to track trainees progress
 Workload
 Trainer must train in addition to regular duties
 Lack of consistency
 Needs vary depending on division, trainer and trainee
 Personal philosophies and training timelines differ

12. Revised Training, Phase II
 To address some of the challenges of the
previous model, advising explored the use
of blended training practices
 Integrating technology in exchange for some face-
to-face time
 Moving away from high-cost printed materials to
electronic tools
 Researched literature and resources in
search for best practices in advisor training

13. Blending as a Training Practice
 Spectrum of blending practices:
 Face-to-face – training is enhanced by using
technology, but not usually reduced face-to-face time
 Technology-enhanced – face-to-face sessions added
to online training modules to give opportunities to
apply newly learned concepts and skills
 Middle of the spectrum – balanced mix of two
practices, generally reduces face-to-face class time by
increasing time spent participating in online activities

14. Benefits and Challenges
 Benefits:
 Learning effectiveness
 Access, convenience, and consistency
 Cost effectiveness
 Maintenance of workload/process
 Provides “best of both worlds”
 Challenges:
 Finding “right” blend
 Demand on time
 Identifying strategies for both environments
 Can be “worst of both worlds” if not done right

15. Convenience and Access
 Documents and archives historical knowledge, allows
work to continue even during the training process
 Online platforms provide numerous methods to connect
with the information, which may result in a deeper
understanding of the material
 “Advisor training and development programs that
incorporate online resources enhance self-directed
learning, provide consistent instructional methods, and
include ongoing professional-development initiatives.”
(Pasquini, 2010, p. 123)

16. Phase II Development
 Findings supported using an online Learning
Management System for training delivery
 Recognized as a best practice by NACADA
 Research recommended delivering the following
information through tech-enhanced instruction:
 Policiesand procedures
 Systems and software training
 Historical data
 Mission and vision, core values and other
important organization information

17. Phase II Implementation
 Transitioned to Moodle, Clark College’s
campus-wide LMS
 Translated advising manual to electronic
modules with files and electronic resources
 Utilized institutional resources to develop
 Moodle training sessions
 Mentoring from eLearning staff
 Moodle help and tutorials available online

18. Advisor Training Academy
Moodle Demo
https://moodle.clark.edu/

19. Phase III, Future Directions
 Create learning objectives and outcomes
for each training module
 Currentlytraining modules provide learners
with a summary of topics only
 Learning objectives and outcomes
increase effectiveness
 Measurable
 Give both the trainee and trainer
competencies to assess

20. Phase III, Future Directions
 Additional topics and tools to consider:
 Self-reflections & assessments
 Allowsfor measurement of retention and
understanding of material
 Case studies and Role-plays
 Cultural competency trainings
 Greater tie-in with the mission and strategic
goals of the college

21. Questions?

22. Before you go…
 Please complete your evaluation
 Don’t forget a handout
 Moodle Guest Log-in for NACADA session
participants
 Contact information:
 Shelley Ostermiller – mostermiller@clark.edu
 Kira Freed – kfreed@clark.edu

23. References
 Brown, T. E. (2008). Critical concepts in advisor training and development. In V. N.
Gordon, W. R. Habley, & T. J. Grites (Eds.), Academic advising: A comprehensive
handbook (2nd ed.) pp. 309-322. San Francisco: Jossey Bass.
 Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). (2008).
Academic advising programs: CAS standards and guidelines. Retrieved from
http://www.cas.edu/getpdf.cfm?PDF=E864D2C4-D655-8F74-2E647CDECD29B7D0.
 Folsom P., & Scobie, N. A. (2010). The case for investing in advisor training and
development. In J. G. Voller, M. A. Miller, & S. L. Neste (Eds.), Comprehensive advisor training
and development: Practices that deliver. (Monograph No. 21.) Manhattan, KS: National
Academic Advising Association, pp. 15-18.
 Pasquini, L. (2010). Emerging digital resources: Easy and accessible online tools. In J. G.
Voller, M. A. Miller, & S. L. Neste (Eds.), Comprehensive advisor training and development:
Practices that deliver. (Monograph no. 21.) Manhattan, KS: National Academic Advising
Association, pp. 123-129.