Technology
in Academic Advising
- Resources
dealing with technology in academic advising
- Overviews of issues surrounding Advising
Technology and Electronic Delivery of Services
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Utilizing
Technology in Academic Advising
Jeff
Carter
Graduate
Student, Kansas State University Certificate in Academic Advising
program
The
development of technology has greatly impacted the delivery of
instructional and student services at institutions of higher learning.
Students today have an understanding of technology and often utilize
various forms of electronic resources in their everyday communications
(Lipshultz & Musser, 2007). Colleges and universities have
seen a tremendous growth in alternative instructional delivery
systems that utilize current technology such as online learning
(Steele, 2005). In addition, higher education institutions now
have access to informational resources such as student databases
and computerized registration systems that have dramatically improved
the accuracy of record keeping procedures. An academic advisor
should strive to remain up-to-date on the current technological
resources available at institutions of higher learning and gain
an understanding of how these resources influence learning as
well as the process of communication with students and fellow
educators (McCauley, 2000).
Many
higher education students may prefer the use of technology driven
forms of communication over more traditional methods of communication
such as phone calls. Proper utilization of technology will provide
an academic advisor with new opportunities to connect with students.
It is important that advisors learn about and effectively utilize
different forms of electronic communications that can enhance
opportunities for relationship building with the students they
serve (Lipshultz & Musser,
2007).
Students
may often choose to access higher education through alternative
methods to the traditional classroom setting. Online classes and
degree programs are growing and their expansion will probably
continue for the foreseeable future (Steele,
2005). The Sloan Consortium (2004) reported that online learning
promotes effective learning and that participants are satisfied
with this method of instructional delivery. When working with
online students, an academic advisor must be prepared to serve
the different populations that utilize this medium. For example,
adult learners may use an online format to enhance job skills
or for degree completion. Traditional on-campus students may enroll
in online classes because of the flexibility they offer. An advisor
must understand that students should be self-motivated, practice
solid time management skills, and have some level of technical
competence in order to be successful in an online environment
(Steele, 2005).
The
use of technology to deliver instructional learning services provides
students with a flexible and convenient alternative to traditional
classroom settings. However, an advisor must take special care
in building productive relationships with students through the
use of technology (Soto, 2000). Nutt (2000) points out that skills
related to communication are probably the most important set of
proficiencies needed in building a strong relationship between
an advisee and advisor. Because of the one-on-one nature of the
relationship, an advisor may serve a student in many different
roles such as counselor, coach, teacher, mentor, and mediator.
An advisor should gain an understanding of the goals of each student
as well as their preferred styles of communication.
The
communication and interpersonal skills used to build the advisee-advisor
relationship when the parties are face-to-face may also be utilized
in an electronic environment. For example, communicating with
students on a regular basis is an important step in the planning
and preparation process for an academic advisor (Nutt, 2000).
An electronic method such as instant messaging can be a powerful
tool for the advisor because it may be a preferred communication
method for many students (Lipshultz
& Musser, 2007). Effective planning also includes gaining
and organizing information concerning students such as academic
histories, goals, and the content of previous advising sessions
(Nutt, 2000). Electronic notebooks can provide advisors with a
resource for collecting large amounts of information that can
promote the building of positive relationships with students (McCauley,
2000).
The
use of electronic communications with students may be classified
into two broad categories. Email is an example of an asynchronous
form of electronic communication because one person sends the
message at a certain time and the recipient responds at a different
time (Lipshultz & Musser,
2007). Habley (2004) states that using only asynchronous technologies
in advising settings for distance learning may harm student engagement
in the process of advising. Soto (2000) defines synchronous advising
technology as person-to-person advising in which the participants
are in different places while communicating at the same time.
An example of this would be instant messaging which is available
in a variety of software packages and it provides an advisor with
the opportunity to have real time conversations with advisees
(Lipshultz & Musser, 2007).
Another innovation that is appropriate for an advising session
in a distance learning situation would be the use of videoconferencing
which provides both visual and auditory feedback to the parties
involved. Internet based videoconferencing systems are relatively
affordable but the transmission quality may be questionable at
times. An option for distance advising in a group setting is using
audio software which will allow the parties to speak over the
internet. Continued improvement in synchronous technologies will
provide an educator with resources to improve the process of advising
particularly with distance learners (Sotto, 2000).
Social
networking sites such as Facebook©
have become
very popular among college and university students. Concerns about
issues such as privacy, security, and improper behavior have been
expressed concerning these types of Web sites. However, when appropriately
and professionally utilized by academic advisors, these types
of social networks may provide advisors with an additional resource
to help make connections with students. A network such as Facebook©
would allow an advisor to
develop student groups with common interests in which public information
postings could be viewed by the entire group. In addition, private
messages to individual students are available and these communications
may be more effective than email because students tend to utilize
these sites more frequently than their traditional email accounts
(Traxler, 2007). Social
networking sites may be appropriate for adult learners as they
attempt to balance multiple life roles with academic responsibilities
(Steele & McDonald, 2000). This type of technology would provide
these students with group learning opportunities in a convenient,
flexible format.
The
person-to-person relationship built between advisor and student
in traditional higher education settings may be difficult to replicate
through the use of technology. If distance technology is the only
method available for communication with a student, an advisor
should take special care in building rapport with the individual.
If possible, an advisor should not rely solely on technology because
it could lead to discriminatory practices. For example, students
from lower socioeconomic backgrounds may not be able to have access
to the technology available to other students. An advisor must
be sensitive to the background of each student in regard to utilizing
current technological innovations (Soto, 2000).
The
utilization of technology can lead to dilemmas in higher education
because excessive use may be perceived as being impersonal by
students. An effective advisor incorporates technology while maintaining
dedication to building strong interpersonal relationships with
advisees. Gaining an understanding of available technologies and
deploying them in the proper manner will allow an advisor to improve
the process of academic advising by improving communication and
increasing the time spent on crucial developmental learning opportunities
(Multari,
2004).
An
advisor must be able to strike a balance between the use of technology
to improve academic advising and the importance of person-to-person
contact in relationship building. There is a temptation to rely
solely on electronic communication in today’s workplace as well
as at higher learning institutions. An advisor should remember
that he or she serves as a personal link between a student and
the institution as a whole (Nutt, 2000). Relying too much on technology
could possibly lead to diminishing the importance of this personal
link in the eyes of students. An advisor should have an understanding
of when to use electronic communication based upon situational
factors and the needs of each individual student.
As
with almost any new innovation, the tremendous growth of technology
has led to the development of issues that must be faced by higher
learning institutions. Advisors, with the support of their administrators,
should strive to improve the delivery of technological services
to all students regardless of socioeconomic background. Academic
advisors can enhance the communication process with students through
the use of electronic forms of communication. However, advisors
as well as all educators should remember that technology cannot
replace the crucial interpersonal interactions that build meaningful
relationships with students.
References
Habley,
W. R. (2004). The status of academic advising:
Findings from the ACT sixth national survey (Monograph
No.10). Manhattan, KS: National Academic Advising Association.
Lipschultz,
W. & Musser, T. (2007). Instant messaging: Powerful flexibility
and presence. Retrieved June 18, 2007, from the NACADA Clearinghouse
of Academic Advising Resources Web site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Instant-Messaging.htm
McCauley,
M.E. (2000). Technological resources that support advising. In
V.N. Gordon, W.R, Habley, & Associates (Eds.). Academic
advising: A comprehensive handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Boss.
Multari,
R.J. (2004). Integrating technology into advisement services.
The Mentor, 26, Retrieved June 18, 2007, from
http://www.psu.edu/dus/mentor/040107rm.htm
Nutt,
C.L. (2000). One to one advising. In
V.N. Gordon, W.R, Habley, & Associates (Eds.). Academic
advising: A comprehensive handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Boss.
Sloan
Consortium, The (2004). Entering the mainstream: The quality and
extent of online education in the United States , Retrieved August
18, 2007 from http://www.sloan-c.org/resources/entering_mainstream.pdf
Sotto,
R.R. (2000). Technological delivery systems. In
V.N. Gordon, W.R, Habley, & Associates (Eds.). Academic
advising: A comprehensive handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Boss.
Steele,
G. (2005). Distance advising. Retrieved June 18, 2007 from the
NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web
site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/adv_distance.htm
Steele
G.E. & McDonald M.L. (2000). Advising students in transition.
In V.N. Gordon, W.R, Habley,
& Associates (Eds.). Academic advising: A comprehensive
handbook. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Boss.
Traxler,
J. (2007). Advising without walls: An introduction to Facebook
as an advising tool. Academic Advising Today, 30(1)
.Retrieved June 18, 2007, from http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AAT/NW30_1.htm#10.
Cite
the above resource using APA style as:
Carter,
J. (2007). Utilizing Technology in
Academic Advising. Retrieved -insert today's date- from
NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web
site: http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/Clearinghouse/AdvisingIssues/Technology.htm#tech
