Journeying from academically-underprepared to prepared : exploring developmental community college students' perceptions of developmental advising at a Carribean-based community college

This study explored how developmental students enrolled at the TTIOO community college experienced the resident developmental advising service. Emphasis was placed on ascertaining how these students perceived the role of developmental advising in enabling them to develop self-regulated behaviors inclusive of goal-setting skills and academic self-efficacy. The study also explored the extent to which this service promoted increased levels of persistence. A qualitative phenomenological case study guided the research process. The data collection methods included phenomenological interviews that were conducted with six student participants; semi-structured interviews that were conducted with two developmental advisors employed at the TTIOO; and documentary analysis. The study's major limitations include: the majority of the data analysis revolved around the phenomenological interviews; the interviews were facilitated virtually; and the participant selection procesents demonstrating varied levels of academic performance, and both male and female genders. The last limitation is that only one developmental advisor was employed at the time of the study. The findings revealed that the major challenges the participants encountered was the shame and embarrassment of being labelled a developmental student, a sense of being burdensome, difficulty managing course requirements, and personal and financial factors. Secondly, lecturers had a more pronounced effect on the participants' goal setting-competencies and levels of academic self-efficacy. Although the participants were appreciative of the guidance and support provided by their developmental advisor, they believed that the intervention had a minimal impact on their persistence levels. Keywords: developmental advising, developmental students, academic self-efficacy, goal-setting, persistence

Advising Experiences of First Year International Doctoral Students

The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how international doctoral students matched with their faculty advisors, what types of advising experiences they had, and how these interactions influenced their first-year success in their doctoral programs. We applied the lens of developmental advising to situate the advising experiences of our sample due to the framework’s emphasis on holistic student support. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 21 international doctoral students attending a large research-intensive university in a Southeastern state. Our findings revealed that students were often matched with an interim advisor. While most reported a positive advising experience, the data revealed concerning differences in the type of advising experiences and support reported based on academic discipline. This study contributes to the body of literature by studying advisor-advisee matching among international doctoral students, who are less frequently studied, and by further analyzing how advising experiences shape international students’ academic transitions.

A Study of Undergraduate Students’ Perception about Academic Advising in an Indonesian University

The aim of the research was to explore undergraduate students’ perceptions about academic advising in an Indonesian university by measuring aspects of academic advising, involving the nature of advising relationship, the frequency of activities occurring during advising sessions, and students’ satisfaction with academic advising. The research applied quantitative research conducted by administering a questionnaire. The sample consisted of 302 undergraduate students who were asked to respond about the type of academic advising they perceived, topics discussed between advisor and student during academic advising sessions, and their satisfaction with academic advising in the university. The results show that the undergraduate students at an Indonesian university perceive their academic advising as ‘developmental advising’ rather than ‘prescriptive advising’. Undergraduate students perceive that the advisors not only focus on academic performance but also students’ holistic development. Most students are satisfied with the academic advising they have experienced. The topics most frequently discussed are related to the registration and course selection, while the topics most rarely discussed are related to institutional policies. In general, 72,85% of students satisfy with the academic advising they have experienced.

Eliciting Understanding of Faculty Advising Role Using Caritas Processes

This study aimed to elicit faculty understanding of the advising role with nursing students in a baccalaureate program. A developmental advising centered pre/post survey were used with a caring workshop to present tools to faculty for use during advising encounters. Content and thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged: Empirical means are useful for determining student motivation; providing a supportive role was central to caring; and self-reflection helps students see the reality of situations. Developmental advising, in conjunction with a caring science philosophy, has the potential to provide a formal approach to advising for nursing faculty.

Prescriptive vs. Developmental: Academic Advising at a Historically Black University in South Carolina

Many academic support programs promote the academic success of first-year students, and research has shown the importance of effective academic advising to first-year student retention. Among the numerous approaches to academic advising, the strategy used by advisors at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) remains relatively unknown. This quantitative study is based on the most prevalent academic advising approach used at a HBCU in South Carolina. A well-documented survey was administered to 77 first-year students attending this institution to measure their experiences with prescriptive and developmental advising and their satisfaction with these advising approaches. The results showed that the most prevalent advising approach was developmental advising, and students were satisfied with aspects of both strategies.

An examination of the study abroad advising process in a university context

For this qualitative case study, the aim was to better understand what informs study abroad advising practices from the perspective of the advisor and to examine these practices for evidence of developmental advising using Crookston's (1972) developmental advising framework. This study significantly contributes to the very limited research that is available on advising for study abroad. Because of its limited nature, much of the review of the literature for this study centers on research in the field of academic advising, a closely related field, rather than study abroad advising. Five study abroad advisors at the University of Missouri participated in this study. The data were collected through interviews, written reflections, and video recorded advising appointments. There are four distinct themes that inform study abroad advising practices: relevant experiences, formal training, resources, and professional experience. Additionally, there are elements of developmental advising practiced by the advisors in this study, including abilities, rewards, maturity, responsibility, and relationships. The implications for future research include studies related to the student perspective on developmental advising, longitudinal studies, student outcomes, and evaluation of study abroad advising practices. As for practical implications, this study can help inform training of study abroad advisors as well as student peer advisors; potentially increase the diversity of the study abroad population by having advisors utilize personal identity to build relationships with students; and, may serve to justify curricular changes within student affairs degrees to include student advising, which is currently lacking in many master's level programs.

The College Experience for Students With Chronic Illness: Implications for Academic Advising

A purposive sample (2 males, 3 females) of students (aged 18–29 years) with chronic illness completed standardized measures and a semi-structured interview. Content analysis of the interview data revealed two themes: stress exacerbating symptoms of illness and a desire for a support group on campus. Viewed through the theory of emerging adulthood, participants' social support data suggest that some college students with chronic illness are challenged by the developmental tasks of this life stage due to their health issues. Male students with chronic illnesses may be at a higher risk than females for college adjustment problems. The growing population of those with a diagnosis can benefit from developmental advising that includes validation of their particular challenges and appropriate intervention.