ERIC Number: ED561495
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2013
Pages: 198
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-3034-0904-2
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Use of Appreciative Inquiry to Explore the Experiences of Faculty Advisors
Myers, Valerie Ann-Marie
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Walden University
Academic advising significantly impacts student achievement, persistence, and retention, yet it continues to be an area of weakness for many institutions. The purpose of this sequential mixed-methods case study was to explore the experiences of faculty advisors to identify strengths and weaknesses in their knowledge and skills. Appreciative inquiry was used as the conceptual framework and guided the design of this study. The central research question focused on identifying advising strategies and practices that were being used by faculty advisors. Faculty advisors were invited to voluntarily participate in the study via an e-mail message. Data were collected via 116 researcher-developed electronic surveys and 17 focus group participants by using maximum variation sampling. Data analysis included calculating descriptive statistics for electronic surveys, coding focus group data, and triangulating data to identify major themes. Member checking and an external auditor were used to increase the reliability and validity of the results. The key results suggested that faculty advisors had various trainings, are available to students, use informational and conceptual knowledge, and use relational skills when they perform academic advising. Despite these strengths, faculty advisors lacked knowledge related to program-specific information, policies and procedures, campus resources, and curricular requirements; they also lacked time to perform academic advising. These results informed a plan to develop a more effective culture of academic advising at the institution. This research is important for college administrators, academic advisors, and students because academic advisors must effectively perform academic advising so that students can achieve their academic goals in a timely manner. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
Descriptors: Faculty Advisers, Academic Advising, Inquiry, Mixed Methods Research, Educational Strategies, Online Surveys, Focus Groups, Data Analysis, Coding, Training, Teacher Student Relationship, Information Utilization, Interpersonal Competence, Knowledge Level, Educational Policy, Time on Task, Higher Education, School Counseling
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Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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