Building Advisor Competencies through a Professional Learning Community Lori Block PHR Professional Academic Advisor College of Education Rowan University Code: 283, Block, 2012 NACADA Conference

What Type of Training do Advisors receive at Your Institution? Are you providing training and support on little or no budget?

A Professional Learning Community may be the answer? What is a PLC? A group of educators who focus their work on the formals study of instruction practices in order to improve their students’ learning (Putnam, Gunnings-Moton & Sharp, 2009). Putnam, J. Gunnings-Moton, S. & Sharp, C. (2009). Leadership through Professional Learning Communities. Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions. A group of advisors who focus their work on formal study of improving advising practices in order to effectively guide students to their academic goals.

Why Form a Professional Learning Community? Tight training budget ($$$) No or limited advisor training in existence at your campus The need for campus specific advising information The merger of veteran and novice Advisors Collaboration/networking Collaboration on Advising Resources Engage in working as a team!

AGENDA of Presentation! Discuss what a Professional Learning Community Is? (theory and practical) How it could be an asset to advisor training and support. How to successfully devise one… What an Advisor PLC looks like at Rowan University, College of Education… Show a sample

What does a PLC Look Like? Concept Mapping…. Who, What, When, Where, $$, Goals, Values, ??? What do you plan to accomplish? How will you do it?

Who Do You Need to Gain Approval From?

How Is the PLC Built? Putnam, J., Gunnings-Moton, S. and Sharp, C. (2009) 5 Stages: Beginnings Establishing Expectations Identifying and Resolving Conflicts/Differences Supporting and Expanding the Professional Learning Community Transitions for Closure

How to Get STARTED? (Beginnings) Identify your intended participants ▫Within your department, within your college, the entire university?? Send them an invitation with your intentions clearly identified ▫Voluntary ▫Be respectful of their time ▫Collaborative Effort NOT a “Training Session” ▫That a survey of interest will be forthcoming ▫Will you get financial support and from where? ▫Do some research!

Survey Your Potential Participants… When are they available to meet? What would they like to learn? How they would like to learn? Would they like to take an active role? What resources would they like to utilize? How frequent would they like to meet? Where would they like to meet? Your Survey Should Include: If you weren’t given resources, you may have some $$$$ questions….

Information from your survey will: Give you an idea of who would like to participate Get an idea of how Advisors would like to learn Recruit volunteers to assist with the PLC

Prior to First Meeting: Send an agenda a week in advance Consider sending results of survey Arrange for room and refreshments Send a reminder day of (helps keep excitement)

First Meeting: Establishing Expectations Start on time… respectful of time Have everyone introduce themselves Review agenda (and approve) Discuss: ▫expectations ▫frequency of meetings ▫keeping to time ▫everyone’s involvement ▫a plan for resolving conflicts Discuss Goals of the Professional Learning Community!

Conflict Resolution Make sure your discussions are respectful Give everyone a “Voice” Diffuse situation Adjourn Have a Conflict Resolution Plan in Place!

Examples of Activities: “Article Club” Conduct a Q & A Session Devise a Collaborative Manual Discussion session of Advising Toughest Cases Discussion on Theory Schedule Webinars? Discussion of Best Practices Field Trips Discussion of Professional Associations

How did The Student Services Center, COE at Rowan University do it? Lori Block and Sheri Rodriguez collaborated on this project for a doctoral class. Met to make a plan Discussed our own goals Shared responsibilities

SSC PLC Plan…. Met with SSC Administrator with our proposal… gained approval Sent an invitation to all member of the Student Services Center, COE Distributed a brief voluntary survey Discussed the PLC in a staff meeting’ ▫Voluntary involvement Met individually with interested advisors

Planning for First Meeting… Sent agenda and survey results via a week prior Established a tentative regular room Ordered pizza and other refreshments (due to it being a lunchtime meeting)

FIRST MEETING Discussed: ▫Goals and purpose of PLC ▫Mission statement ▫Agenda ▫Game plan ▫Conflict resolution ▫Resources ▫Learning style ▫Means to learning

Examples of our Activities Q & A Session Theory discussions Most amazing moments in advising Excel spread sheet of “Year in Advising” Compilation of department pertinent advising Manual Guest speakers

Working as a PLC to compile a Spreadsheet of “Advising Calendar for the Year”

A Collaborative Advisor Resource Manual….

What did the “PLC” Accomplish? (Learning Outcomes) Advising techniques Gained information relevant to advising in our department Collaborated Worked as a team Got to know each other better Provided a resource tool for our new director Became familiar with advising resources (NACADA) Hopefully became better advisors for our students!

Supporting and Expanding the Professional Learning Community Discussions about taking this to the campus community (Faculty and Professional Staff) Discuss establishing a national PLC through NACADA

Celebrate Accomplishments of the year long PLC in the SSC…

DuFour, R. & Eaker, R. (1998). Professional Learning Communities at Work: Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement. Bloomington, IN: Solution Tree. Gordon, G., Habley, W. & Associates. (2000). Academic Advising: A Comprehensive Handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass. Putnam, J. Gunnings-Moton, S. & Sharp, C. (2009). Leadership through Professional Learning Communities. Boston, MA : McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions.

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING! Any questions… ENJOY THE REST OF THE CONFERENCE!