1. Using Appreciative Advising to Boost Motivation, Positive Emotions, and Learning
Saundra Y. McGuire, Ph.D.
(Ret) Assistant Vice Chancellor and Prof of Chemistry
Director Emerita, Center for Academic Success
Sister of 2012 NACADA Outstanding Advising Award Winner

2. MISSION STATEMENT VISION
The University of Alabama will advance the intellectual and social condition of the people of the state, the nation and the world through the creation, translation and dissemination of knowledge with an emphasis on quality programs in the areas of teaching, research and service.
VISION
The University of Alabama will be known as the university of choice for the best and brightest students in Alabama, and all students who seek exceptional educational opportunities. The University of Alabama will be a student-centered research university and an academic community united in its commitment to enhance the quality of life for all Alabamians and the citizens of the nation and the world.

3. UA Retention and Graduation Rates

4. How Can UA Make These Rates Even Better?
Teach Students How to Learn
Help Students Develop the Right Mindset
Motivate Students to Implement Effective Learning Strategies
Include Advisors in the Process

5. Desired outcomes
We will understand why many students don’t want to take advice
We will view our students differently
We will have concrete strategies that work when advising students
We will understand the role of metacognition in effective advising
We will spend time reflecting on improving our advising
More of our advisees will heed our advice!

6. Overview Characteristics of many of today’s students
An advising model that works
The role of metacognition in advising
Importance of Student Mindset

7. What does NOT work when advising many students
Telling them they are not prepared
Expecting them to “trust the advisor”
Expecting that they will know the catalog
Telling them there is a fixed path
Advising them to change plans

8. What DOES work when advising most students
Beginning with their strengths
Engaging them in the planning process
Showing them how to access information
Encouraging them to plot their own path
Helping them change strategies,
but not necessarily paths
Encouraging them!
Using the Appreciative Advising
Approach

9. Appreciative Advising Addresses the Connection Between Motivation, Positive Emotions, and Learning
Increased motivation
Increased learning
Increased success
Positive emotions
Positive emotions lead to increased motivation, which leads to increased learning, which leads to increased success, which results in positive emotions.

10. The Six Phases of Appreciative Advising
Disarm
Discover
Dream
Design
Deliver
Don’t Settle
Bloom, J. L., Hutson, B. L., & He, Y. (i2008) The appreciative advising revolution. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.

11. Description of the Phases of Appreciative Advising*
Disarm diffuse defensiveness
Discover delve into strengths
Dream imagine possibilities
Design develop a plan
Deliver implement strategies
Don’t aim for 100% mastery!
Settle
(phases in which metacognition is key!)
*Bloom, J. L., Huston, B. L., & He, Ye., 2008,The Appreciative Advising Revolution. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.

12. Robert, freshman chemistry student 42, 100, 100, 100 A in course
Before and After Scores
Rapidly Diffuse Defensiveness
Robert, freshman chemistry student
42, 100, 100, A in course
Michael, senior pre-med organic student
30, 28, 80, B in course
Miriam, freshman calculus student
37.5, 83, B in course
Ifeanyi, sophomore thermodynamics student
67, 54, 68, 95  B in course
Terrence, junior Bio Engineering student
GPA 1.67 cum, (Fall), 3.8 (Spring)
Meaningful Learning Rote Learning

13. Thinking about your own thinking Being consciously aware of
Metacognition*: Crucial Strategy for the Design, Deliver, and Don’t Settle Phases
Thinking about your own thinking
Being consciously aware of
yourself as a problem solver
Planning, monitoring, and controlling your mental processing
Knowing what you know and what you don’t know
Accurately assessing your level of learning
*Flavell, 1979

14. Bloom’s Taxonomy Creating Evaluating Analyzing Applying Understanding
This pyramid depicts the different levels of thinking we use when learning. Notice how each level builds on the foundation that precedes it. It is required that we learn the lower levels before we can effectively use the skills above.
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Creating
Putting elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating,
planning, or producing.
Making judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing.
Evaluating
Breaking material into constituent parts, determining how the parts relate to one another and to an overall structure .
Analyzing
Carrying out or using a procedure through executing, or implementing.
Applying
Constructing meaning from oral, written, and graphic messages through interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, and explaining.
Understanding
Retrieving, recognizing, and recalling relevant knowledge from
long-term memory.
Remembering

15. The Study Cycle Preview Attend Review Study Assess 4 Reflect 3 Review
Preview before class – Skim the chapter, note headings and boldface words, review summaries and chapter objectives, and come up with questions you’d like the lecture to answer for you.
Attend
Attend class – GO TO CLASS! Answer and ask questions and take meaningful notes.
Review
Review after class – As soon after class as possible, read notes, fill in gaps and note any questions.
Study
Study – Repetition is the key. Ask questions such as ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘what if’.
Intense Study Sessions* short study sessions per day
Weekend Review – Read notes and material from the week to make connections
Assess
Assess your Learning – Periodically perform reality checks
Am I using study methods that are effective?
Do I understand the material enough to teach it to others?
Intense Study Sessions 1
Set a Goal
1-2 min
Decide what you want to accomplish in your study session 2
Study with Focus
30-50 min
Interact with material- organize, concept map, summarize, process, re-read, fill-in notes, reflect, etc. 3
Reward Yourself
10-15 min
Take a break– call a friend, play a short game, get a snack 4
Review
5 min
Go over what you just studied
Center for Academic Success
B-31 Coates Hall ▪ ▪

16. Dana, first year physics student 80, 54, 91, 97, 90 (final)
Problem: Memorizing formulas and using
Solution: Solve problems with no external aids and test mastery of concepts

17. Dana Lewis, MS in Medical Physics, 2015  Univ of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Houston Thesis research at UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Practicing Medical Physicist as of 8/28/2016 when she completed her residency!

18. Student Reaction to Appreciative Advising
Dr. McGuire, THANK YOU BEYOND ALL THANKS for your guidance and patience… I managed to get all A's this semester: On my last final today at 3, I scored 112 out of I am so happy and overjoyed! I wanted to share the good news and tell you that I totally support everything that you guys do and I want to help others in the same way that you helped me. I am truly appreciative and want to thank you for EVERYTHING!! P.S. I believe my GPA has gone from a sad probation 2.77 to a Happy FREE so I’M FREE from the academic shackles!!!

19. Reflection Activity
Choose one phase of the Appreciative Advising Model that you have not tried, and develop a plan to use it. Discuss this with a partner and present it to the group.

20. Special Note
And visit the LSU Center for Academic Success website at
We have on-line workshops and other information that will introduce you and your students to effective metacognitive strategies.
Have fun teaching your students powerful metacognitive strategies!

21. References
Bloom, J. L., Huston, B. L., & He, Ye., The Appreciative advising Revolution. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing.
*Bransford, J.D., Brown, A.L., Cocking, R.R. (Eds.), How people learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
*Cromley, Jennifer, Learning to Think, Learning to Learn: What the Science of Thinking and Learning Has to Offer Adult Education. Washington, DC: National Institute for Literacy.

22. References continued
Flavell, J. H., Metacognition and Cognitive monitoring: A New Area of Cognitive-developmental Inquiry. American Psychologist, 34 (10), ( ).
Taylor, M “Generation neXt: Today’s postmodern student-meeting, teaching, and serving.” In A Collection of Papers on Self-Study and Institutional Improvement, 2005:4. Chicago: The Higher Learning Commission.

23. Useful Websites www.cas.lsu.edu www.howtostudy.org www.vark-learn.com