Addressing Academic Advisor Data Needs Through Situated Learning Design
- petersonkaitlinm
- Sep 10, 2024
- 7 min read
Campus-Wide Needs Assessment and Data Collection
During Spring 2024, I conducted a campus-wide needs assessment with 17 individual academic advising units at Michigan State University. The needs assessment was done through facilitated feedback sessions in which units shared challenges they were experiencing and opportunities for additional support. After initial brainstorming, each group was asked to narrow these ideas down to their top 3.
After collecting the top 3 needs from each unit, I analyzed the data to identify patterns and consistent requests. In doing so, I discovered that there was a common request for knowing how to pull data from advising systems, specifically Campus Solutions Student Information System (SIS), to identify at risk students and create interventions to improve student persistence. Academic advisors felt that the systems were confusing and there wasn't a tutorial or clear guidance on how to effectively use the queries in SIS. The data acquired from SIS would help identify students that are missing major requirements, students with GPAs below a certain threshold, and students who have not yet attended an advising appointment. Without understanding how to use queries in SIS, advisors felt they were unable to be proactive in supporting their students and missing opportunities to assist at-risk students.
Proposed Asynchronous Training Program
To address this common concern, I will create a virtual asynchronous course for academic advisors that will guide them through using and manipulating queries in the Student Information System, steps for analyzing data, and methods for applying this information to strategies to support their student population. This training will help advisors at MSU with locating, pulling, and analyzing data from SIS for their unique student groups. The program is intended for undergraduate academic advisors at MSU at all levels of experience, with at least some experience SIS to view student information. Advisors have limited time to spend on professional development, and a flexible training program is needed so that advisors can schedule their training on their own time. Being able to directly apply what they've learned is also beneficial, with advisors most often attending training that are directly applicable to their work.
Learning Outcomes and Course Goals
By the end of the course, academic advisors will be able to review student data from queries within the Student Information System and locate specific information related to academic standing, unmet degree requirements, and number of advising appointments. Academic advisors will also be able to identify at-risk students within the advisor's assigned student population using academic standing and degree completion information. Finally, academic advisors will develop proactive outreach strategies from the data acquired that aims to improve student success.
Personal Learning Philosophy and Adult Learning Principles
Considering my personal philosophy on learning, I closely align myself with self-directed learning as it offers flexibility and more control over a learning experience. Advisors will be able to control when they will engage with course materials due to the self-paced nature of the course, how frequently they review content (play-back videos, revisit job aids), and activities will give the advisor opportunities to apply what they've learned directly to their student population and future initiatives. Adult learners often seek education for professional advancement, career change, or skill development, which provides clear motivation for completing the activity, and I have found that workshops that garner most interest are those that directly impact advisors' work with students. Learning is also a construction of meaning from experiences, and I believe learners connect experiences with existing beliefs to create new meaning.
For example, advisors are frequently discussing student progress and time to degree and are aware that proactive measures are needed for at-risk students. By learning how to pull queries and create data-driven strategies, advisors can enhance their understanding of students that may struggle with persisting. Finally, I find that retention of new information is improved when the learning experience incorporates reflection on what was learned. This reflective process, as shared by Curtis (2021) in his article on Liberatory Education, “this reflective process, known as conscientization, enables deeper awareness and social responsibility.” The video tutorials and activities incorporated throughout will ask advisors to manipulate query filters and analyze data for their student populations, then reflect on different initiatives that could be created from this data to support student success.
Theoretical Framework: Situated Learning Theory
The theoretical framework I am applying to this online asynchronous course is the Situated Learning Theory. Situated learning posits that knowledge and skills are most effectively learned within real-world contexts, such as an auto mechanic apprenticeship, which requires considerable hands-on experience while guided by experts in the field. Hansman (2001) discussed this as cognitive apprenticeship, specifically approximating, in which learners try out an activity while describing their thoughts about what they are doing during the activity, then reflecting on what they did compared to an expert.
Within Situated Learning Theory, situated cognition states that learning is contextual, influenced by activities, environment, and culture. Situated learning uses storytelling to store and access information based on the situation, reflecting during and after a learning experience, activities mimic real-world experiences, peers work together to solve problems, experts and facilitators provide scaffolding to learners, multiple opportunities for practice, learners describe their thinking process, and support from technology for virtual replication of different contexts.
Connections to Experiential Learning and Andragogy
Kolb’s cycle of learning from experience connects to situated learning in that learning is rooted in past and new experiences but remains an internal process (MacKeracher, 2004, p. 203). Kolb’s model also incorporates reflecting on the experience and learning directly from it. Where these theories diverge is that Kolb’s Model does not consider context or need for social interaction, while these are important aspects of Situated Learning Theory.
Situated learning is also referenced in Malcolm Knowles’ work, specifically in that “adults are motivated to learn in response to the tasks of their social roles, are concerned about the immediate application of knowledge, and prefer to participate in problem-centered learning activities” (MacKeracher, 2004, p. 202). Situated Learning Theory is not applicable to all contexts due to safety and affordability. Some professional communities may not welcome new or inexperienced learners or have an interest or capacity to provide mentoring. Building in regular reflection after each experience can be time consuming and not always possible, depending on the task or activity.
Learner Characteristics and Instructional Design Considerations
In considering the learner for this asynchronous program, this will primarily be undergraduate academic advisors at MSU at all levels of experience, with at least some experience using the Student Information System to view student information. No prior experience in using queries required, however. Advisors have limited time to spend on professional development and often meet with students all morning and afternoon. A flexible, self-paced training program is needed so that advisors can participate in the training on their own time.
Incorporating principles of Situated Learning Theory to this learning population, the program emphasizes learning in the context of the advisor’s area of focus and student population, allowing advisors to directly apply what they learned to their day-to-day tasks. This aligns with Merriam and Bierema’s (2013, p. 118) notion that situated learning focuses on learning in practice within a specific context, with context including the environment, tools, social interactions, and cultural influences.
Accessibility and Inclusive Course Design
As advisors are immersed in an environment and culture of student success and support, they are motivated by programs that can apply skills directly to their work with undergraduates. Because situated learning is context-based and emphasizes real-world scenarios, and our learners come from a range of cultural, social, and environmental contexts, it is vital that this course be accessible and designed with various modes of interaction. Thus, video tutorials in the course will include visuals, audio, and closed captioning to ensure accessibility. Straub in Roundup Research further noted that “dual streams of information (visual and auditory) can help in understanding material better” (2024). Downloads will also be provided in Word Document format with appropriate headings.
Purpose of Learning in Academic Advising Practice
In the context of academic advising, the purpose of learning is to acquire and apply knowledge and skills that supports advisor’s ongoing development, problem-solving skills, and ability to contribute to their work in student support and advocacy. As noted by Perin (2011), learners may lack motivation if they don't see its relevance to their goals. By engaging with scenarios and real-world examples, advisors will develop skills in a context that reflects their work, enhancing their understanding through practical application.
This assists with understanding the course relevance and sustaining motivation to learn. Situated learning theory emphasizes that learning is not just about abstract concepts or theories but is also about developing skills through meaningful experiences that directly reflect real-world tasks. This approach creates better engagement, problem-solving, and transfer of knowledge. Additionally, this approach brings forward past advisor experience and their own unique expertise with their student population. Adults have accumulated prior knowledge and experience which can assist or hinder their learning (Ajayi, 2019). By integrating Situated Learning Theory into this self-paced course, academic advisors will use both prior knowledge and new skills to enhance their understanding in acquiring and evaluating data, which will empower advisors to develop targeted interventions that support student success. Ultimately, the purpose of learning in advising is to develop new skills, solve problems, and acquire new knowledge. Situated Learning Theory directly supports this through its emphasis on relevance, context, and practical application to the learning process.
References
Ajayi, E. A. (2019). The role of traditional folklore in facilitating adult learning in
Nigeria. International Review of Education / Internationale Zeitschrift Für
Erziehungswissenschaft, 65(6), 859–877. https://doi-
Curtis, S. (2021). Acting out the shared heritage: Towards a pedagogical model for liberatory education. Dialogues in Social Justice.
Hansman, C. A. (2001). Context-Based Adult Learning. New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education, 2001(89), 43. https://doi-org.proxy2.cl.
MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning (2nd ed.). University of Toronto Press.
Merriam, S., & Bierema, L. (2013). Adult learning: Linking theory and practice (1st ed.). Jossey-Bass, A Wiley Brand.
Perin, D. (2011). Facilitating Student Learning Through Contextualization: A Review of
Evidence. Community College Review, 39(3), 268–295.
Straub, E. O. (2024, March 5). Roundup on Research: The myth of “learning styles”. Online Teaching. https://onlineteaching.umich.edu/articles/the-myth-of-learning-
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