The document discusses developmental advising and the GetREAL advising program at Berkshire Community College. It provides background on developmental advising theory and defines the mission of developmental education and advising at BCC. It then describes the establishment of the GetREAL Center, which provides advising to students enrolled in developmental courses to promote their success. The selection process for GetREAL advisors and advisees is explained, as is the advising process, outcomes, next steps, and challenges of the program. The goal of GetREAL advising is to build relationships over time to help students set and achieve goals through enhanced academic and life skills.

1. Getting real:advising in developmental education Peg Cookson Student Success Advisor Louise Hurwitz Director of Developmental Education and Transition Programs

2. Developmental Advising Theory The term is first used when in 1972 Burns Crookston writes an article called: “A Developmental View of Academic Advising as Teaching”, for the Journal of College Student Personnel.

3. Developmental Advising O’Banion’s Process of Academic Advising includes: Exploration of Life Goals Exploration of Vocational Goals Program Choice Course Choice Scheduling Classes “The model suggests that picking and scheduling of classes needs to take place within the broader context of a student’s life and career goals”

4. Developmental Advising Focuses on: Personal Awareness Environmental and Interpersonal Interactions Problem Solving Decision Making Evaluation Skills

5. Developmental Advising To advise a student developmentally the advisor must: Know/Apply Student Development Theory Focus on Building Relationship over Time Challenge Students to Develop Potential View Students as Active Partners in the Process Help Students Set Long and Short Term Goals Help Students Identify What is Really Important

7. What is Academic Advising? http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/Research_Related/definitions.htm

8. How We Began Title III Developmental Education Advisory Committee Huge need-roughly 40% of students need two or more developmental courses

9. DEAC DEAC, a collaboration of faculty, professional staff and administrators, gathers, assesses, disseminates relevant information, and makes recommendations to support the success of students taking developmental courses.

10. Mission of Developmental Education at BCC Developmental Education at Berkshire Community College seeks to foster student success by providing a solid foundation for college learning. Developmental education courses and services are designed to help students achieve academic success by enhancing skills in the three basic academic areas: reading, writing and mathematics. These basic skills are needed for success in college-level coursework.

11. GetReal Get Resources for Education Advising and Learning

12. Mission of GetREAL To provide high quality student centered services to those students enrolled in developmental courses To promote commitment to BCC’s mission by providing the resources that students need to achieve success To build a relationship between advisor and student that, as it develops, encourages student independence as they achieve educational, personal, and career goals

13. The GetREAL Center Supported by Title III GetREAL Center Modular desks Wireless Laptops Printer Resource Material Advisor Private Office

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15. Selection of Advisors Recruited primarily from adjunct faculty and professional staff Formed Search Committee from DEAC members Conducted interviews Looked for characteristics:

17. Advisor Training Outside presenters Webadvisor Campus resources Counseling services Disability services Financial aid Testing Admissions FERPA

18. Advisee Selection Students scored into 2+ Dev. Courses Basic Math, Algebra 1 and 1, Reading and Writing Began with certain majors Liberal Arts Criminal Justice Human Services Business Career Animal Care Culinary Certificate

19. Selection Cont. During Academic Advisor Assignment these students were assigned to GetREAL Advisor Initial pool for pilot consisted of 65 students Initial contacts were made with advisees during the first two weeks of the semester

20. Process of GetREAL Advising Contract Intake Strengths Educational Plan Developmental Faculty Feedback requests Open House for students, GetREAL advisors, and dev. faculty Ongoing notes Course selection for priority reg.

22. Outcomes Retention to second semester Comparable retention Pass rates GetREAL/Non GetREAL

23. Next Steps Career Transition to Departmental Advisors Evaluation of Pilot Retention Persistence Grade in next course Formative Evaluation with Students and Advisors

24. Challenges Cross campus buy in. Go slow to go fast Relationship to advising center and to faculty advisors Avoid the potential stigma Refining electronic intake and logging system Continued data analysis Sustainability

25. Questions?