Assessment

The following was written by Crissy L. Davis about her efforts in assessment in academic advising. Specifically, it explains how rubrics can be a useful tool in the advising process. The full text can be found at http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/AAT/NW30_2.htm#10

Assessment

“As implied by the label, the designer starts the process by imagining a time when the course is over, say one to two years later, and then asking: What is it I hope that students will have learned, that will still be there and have value, several years after the course is over?” (Fink, 2003). Fink’s quote is also applicable to advising. Advisors do not have the luxury of teaching structured courses, but we do facilitate advising sessions. Just as assessment is critical in teaching, the same is true for advising. The ultimate goal of assessment is to determine if students attain an educational gain. Confirmation is visible when students apply skills learned during the first semester during subsequent semesters.

Based on the information I gathered and the knowledge I gained from the text, I created an academic advising rubric. I hope that this rubric will assist all advisors with the concept of Advising is Teaching.

What is an academic advising rubric?

An academic advising rubric is a basic, user-friendly matrix that assesses three competencies: Timeliness, Preparedness, and Communication-Written and Verbal. It is based on a four-point Lickert scale.

How can advisors use the academic advising rubric with students?

Advisors should:

1. disseminate the academic advising syllabus,
2. discuss the mission and goals of advising,
3. provide the students with a visual aid, i.e., the rubric,
4. explain how the rubric works, and
5. make sure that students understand how each component ( e.g., mission, syllabus, and outcomes) is connected to the rubric.

The academic advising rubric can be utilized after each advising session, and it does not require a lot of time. Recommendation: Students should know up front that this is how their progress will be monitored.

Why use the academic advising rubric?


Advisors can use the rubric to:

1. evaluate students’ performance (similar to employee evaluation). Advisors are preparing students for the future, in particular, the workforce. One significant factor about the workforce is evaluation.
2. close the feedback loop between advisor and advisee. According to Fink (2003), feedback should be: Frequent, Immediate, Discriminating (based on criteria and standards), and done Lovingly (or supportive). This is known as the FIDeLity feedback loop.
3. coordinate program evaluations and rubric data. After three to five years of usage a cross-analysis could be conducted on student satisfaction and individual evaluations.
4. communicate the significance of ACCOUNTABILITY. Providing the students with a visual aid and conversing about the level of responsibility, in relation to the rubric holds students accountable for their performance, or the lack thereof.


To view a copy of the academic advising rubric I designed, go to http://www.sccc.edu/academics/assessment/Resources/Rubrics/documents/cldadvrubric.pdf