Category: Learning Community

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Contributions, 5320

The Advisor That Cares

Capstone Course

  • Fall 2023
  • Course Number: EDLD 5320
  • Course Title: Synthesis Digital Learn/Lead

Contributions to Learning and my Learning Community

The back of a yellow van is pictured travelling down a dessert roadway.

Crediting Core Group Members: Kelly Skillingberg, Shannon Bowles, and Rachel Hull.

I am giving myself a score of 99 out of 100

Wow, what a transformation from the first course in the program.

please reconsider and evaluate your work and grade with the same fairness as another student.”

March 11, 2022 paraphrased email from EDLD 5305 instructor

Here I am, emboldenly claiming 99 out of 100 for my contributions to my learning and the learning of my learning community. Who is this person I have become?

I know now what I didn’t know then. I know that my “assessment of/for/as learning” is mine to claim ownership over, too (Harapnuik, 2021). The ADL Program equipped me to take control of my learning journey, and I embraced it!

When I began the program, I didn’t understand how having a group would help me. I had always been a little better off on my own or a type A person who would prefer to do all the work to know it got completed.

This independence was also true of my professional life, now that I think about it. While I enjoyed collaborating with others at work, I would typically take the lead to ensure that none of us “got in trouble” for failing to meet expectations.

However, this program and the soul-searching reflection done throughout leave me knowing that I have given 100 percent effort toward my entire learning experience. I also have given 100 percent effort toward connecting with my learning cohort. I am not giving myself a perfect score because there is always room for improvement and more to learn.

The fantastic people in my collaboration group have shown me how much better my ideas and our experience can be if we work together.

My learning communities overlap so many periods and classes that I cannot limit my experience to a single learning community (though this one was top-notch because we have all evolved so much in our learning journey that we now “get it”) but instead try to approach each semester as my opportunity to support and guide my fellow learners in the learning journey.

I love connecting with new people, and weekly meetings are my jam! But I had to learn that they are not that for everyone. I had to adapt and learn to meet others when and where they were available. We have had so many chats and a few synchronous meetings. Still, the asynchronous ability to connect has significantly impacted my future innovation ideas.

Adding peer support is a transformative component of innovation in advising. I never imagined how learners could support one another in co-navigating a new experience. However, thanks to my experience with choice, ownership, and voice in this authentically significant learning environment (COVA + CSLE), I know firsthand that peer support and a shared experience can revolutionize a learning experience.

Key Contributions

  1. My learning community’s core group members have all done a fantastic job staying in touch throughout the semester. One evening, we were the only members of the course who attended the class call. What worked this semester was our continued commitment to learning as much as possible, improving our innovation ideas as much as possible, and getting as much as possible out of this last course in the ADL program.
  2.  Fortunately, Shannon, Kelly, and I have been in learning communities and have maintained ongoing chats over the last several semesters. Before this session began, we had an EDLD 5320 Capstone Community GroupMe started. We all did a great job sharing links to our works in progress for feedforward and periodically just checked in to see how we felt about our coursework and innovation ideas.
  3.  I completed an overwhelming number of revisions on my ePortfolio as a whole. I continually revised current coursework and previous courses/projects coursework as a part of the entire program synthesis process. It was amazing to see how much we have learned and evolved in such a short time.
  4.  I completed ALL of the course readings, videos, and supporting resources provided and actively sought additional resources to deepen my learning and improve my innovation.
  5.  I met the various course activity deadlines indicated in the calendar.

Supporting Contributions

  1. While our group maintained a well-balanced interaction, I took a leadership role by requesting and creating recurring Zoom meetings to chat about projects and our reflections throughout the course. I contributed to my classmates in class calls and discussions by answering questions and pointing to resources when applicable.
  2.  I contribute to my learning and the learning of my colleagues by participating in ALL activities.
  3.  I actively contributed to discussion posts with engaging and well-thought-out reflections.

Reference

Harapnuik, D. (2021, August 16). Assessment OF/FOR/AS learning. It’s About Learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8900

https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=8900

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Leftovers

The Advisor That Cares

Media Project leftovers

Mannn, there’s so much to share. I definitely wanted to include a million quotes and clips in my media project. I will put them all here for now so I can revise and improve my thoughts, my article, and my innovation when I feel less limited by deadlines and time limits.

Quotes with YouTube clips:

This relationship has the potential to guide students through the unfamiliar landscape, and the language of higher education can also equip them with the skills needed to make informed decisions and choices in life. Jim Ott (2016) passionately echos this opportunity by saying that “significant learning comes through relationship” (TEDx Talks, 2016, 12:18-12:20). These connections allow the navigation of experiences, emotions, and the many questions that arise.

Sir Ken Robinson (2010) explains that the 21st-century educational landscape has “an unprecedented demand for innovation, for fresh thinking, fresh social systems, fresh ways of getting people to connect with themselves and have lives with purpose and meaning” (RSA, 2010, 32:37-32:40).

Jon Stolk (2015) says, “choice, trust, acceptance, encouragement, dialogue, care; when students feel these things, there are extremely strong positive correlations to a bunch of the stuff we we say we care about. So things like peer learning and active help seeking this is engaging with others in the learning process. Learners finding more value in what they do. Self-efficacy, the sense that you can be successful. Intrinsic motivation. Creativity. Very high level cognitive engagement, metacognition, thinking about your own thinking process” (TEDx Talks, 2015, 15:17-15:50).

Jim Ott (2016) passionately explains, “so if we are truly interested in the future of our children we must give them significant learning. We must give them a sense that they matter. We must invest in the emotions of now because everything about what we care about, their future, depends on them developing a foundation of believing in themselves. That they have value that they have purpose. That they matter. That is significant learning” (TEDx Talks, 2016, 14:56-15:27)

Craig Mertler (2019) challenges us all “to think about some aspect of your life, that you would like to change. No matter how big or how small. It doesn’t matter if it is personal, professional, academic. It doesn’t matter because you own it. It’s about you and your life. Find a different way of doing this thing and try it out. Gather some evidence of how well it worked for you and then make a plan for where you go next. Is this the solution or do I need to keep looking. Do I need to keep finding better ways to improve?” (TEDx Talks, 2019, 9:43-10:17)

Sir Ken Robinson (2010) “people do their best when they do the thing they love. When they are in their Element” (RSA, 2010, 26:45-26:51).

Sir Ken Robinson (2010) “evidence is persuasive when people get to connect to this powerful sense of talent in themselves, discover what it is they can do, they become somebody else. And that […] me is the premise of building a new education system” (RSA, 2010, 27:03-27:15).

Through discussions and reflections, advisors guide learners through encouraging questions. Working with students to help them understand their why (TEDx Talks, 2019), connect with their goals, and reignite the inquisitive mind. Sugata Mitra (2013) poses that “encouragement seems to be the key […] simply saying wow, saluting learning” (TED, 2013, 13:58-14:10).

Harapnuik, D. (n.d.). CSLE. It’s About Learning. https://www.harapnuik.org/?page_id=849

Horn, M. B., & Staker, H. (2017). Blended: Using disruptive innovation to improve schools. John Wiley & Sons.

Khan, S. (2011, March). Let’s use video to reinvent education [Video]. TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/salman_khan_let_s_use_video_to_reinvent_education?language=en#t-149503

RSA. (2010, February 4). Sir Ken Robinson – changing paradigms [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCbdS4hSa0s

Steele, G. E. (2016). Creating a flipped advising approach. NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources. Retrieved from https://nacada.ksu.edu/Resources/Clearinghouse/View-Articles/Creating-a-Flipped-Advising-Approach.aspx

TEDx Talks. (2009, September 29). Start with why — how great leaders inspire action | Simon Sinek | TEDxPugetSound [Video]. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4ZoJKF_VuA

TEDx Talks. (2016, March 14). Significant learning | Jim Ott | TEDxBellevueHighSchool [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zos6lhaehfo

TEDx Talks. (2019, March 20). Personal empowerment through reflection and learning | Dr. Craig Mertler | TEDxLakelandUniversity [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzDsT-25w14

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Mind Blown!

The Advisor That Cares

My goodness gracious, my two main collaborators this semester just blew my mind with their statements about how helpful they find Google Slides. I always found them overwhelmingly blank because I am spoiled by the templates found in Canva.

I have never really used Google Slides because every time I open it, the blank starting page overwhelms me, and I find myself abandoning the attempt for places I can start with a designed template I can modify and use as a starting place. Maybe I am just missing out on a feature I have not yet found. Do you all import templates from other sources or design from scratch? [Off to do some searches after catching up on recent discussion posts]

I asked them a question about utilizing Canva with Google slides in a discussion post but our conversations are asynchronous so I head off to my trust research database YouTube.

While these results aren’t what I had in mind when I posed the question, my mind is blown by all of the opportunities to interact with advisees these Google Slides

Okay, okay… I realized I left you hanging there and didn’t point out any research to the original question: There are templates that you can use with Google Slides. Exciting times and opportunities ahead!

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Perusing and sharing Publications

The Advisor That Cares

5317 Discussion 1 (2 of 2)

The ADL program has opened my eyes to exactly how much the landscape of learning has changed and how little the landscape of education has changed. Learners today are digitally connected, and education needs to evolve to include transformative learning opportunities in every environment.

Currently, advisors are tasked with almost every initiative faced by incoming students. This creates a prescriptive advising full of information transfer topics that often leave advisors feeling unfulfilled. Additionally, the environment does not encourage the transformative opportunity found through intentional advisor-advisee relationships. Through an innovation of advising, advisors will have a consistent message to share with their advisees, relieving them of their role’s repetitive and transactional aspects. Digital resources that allow departments to ensure the message and information shared with their students align with their policies and beliefs increase confidence in information accuracy. Collaboration with campus stakeholders ensures that other departments can introduce themselves and their services in a non-anxiety-inducing way.

Most importantly, a blended learning approach to advising can increase learners’ curiosity (Musallam, 2013) about their learning experience while simultaneously increasing advisors’ creativity (RSA, 2010) by creating content, refining the message, clarifying the intentions, and assessing the effectiveness of advising as a learning opportunity. The most challenging part of my innovation idea to resolve and convey is my belief that an effective learning environment allows more profound, more meaningful relationships like those described by developmental and intrusive advising. Adding to this is the concept of connectivity and collaboration. The benefits of forming a learning collective among students that supports the advising relationship and initiatives (Thomas & Brown, 2011, p. 52). How much more will a high school student listen to a college student than a university representative at orientation to campus? How can an innovation to advising support the feeling of belonging that students and staff feel at the institution?

Consider how the learning environment is changing and how you can share the changes you are making in your learning environment.

  1. Briefly share one or two possible topic areas that are of interest to you that you can write about. Remember that you do not need to be an expert in the field to have a voice. Please visit http://tilisathibodeaux.com/wordpress/?page_id=841 for ideas from past students.
    • I could write about the collaboration and connection aspect of advising and how a blended learning environment could extend and expand the advising relations well beyond the twice-annual mandatory advising requirement for registration/enrollment.
    • Another topic to write about is how a blended learning environment could relieve advisors of the sage on the stage soul resource for information. I want to help empower advisors to equip learners with the skills and motivation to seek and verify information for themselves.
  2. Identify and share 2-3 online publications of interest in your field. Publications can include online magazines, newsletters, state technology publications/articles. Hyperlink your selections so that others may easily access your selections.
  3. Which digital environments allow the opportunity to collaborate with others as you write and think through your ideas? What is currently well established? What needs improvement?
    • Discussion boards, chat apps, blogs, digital classrooms, and file-sharing tools are all digital tools that have allowed an endless variety of digital environments where thoughts, innovations, and hunches collide at just the right time and place to evolve into a perfect solution to a problem (RiverheadBooks, 2010).

Changing Educational Paradigms

I found this talk so interesting I went to see the full discussion, Changing Paradigms

3 Rules to Spark Learning

Where Good Ideas Come From

References

Musallam, R. (2013, April). 3 rules to spark learning [Video]. TED Talks. https://www.ted.com/talks/ramsey_musallam_3_rules_to_spark_learning

RiverheadBooks. (2010, September 17). WHERE GOOD IDEAS COME FROM by Steven Johnson [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NugRZGDbPFU

RSA. (2010, February 4). Sir Ken Robinson – Changing Paradigms [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCbdS4hSa0s

Thomas, D., & Brown, J. S. (2011). A New Culture of Learning: Cultivating the Imagination for a World of Constant Change (1st ed.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

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Contributions, 5318

The Advisor That Cares

Instructional Design Course

  • Summer 2023
  • Course Number: EDLD 5318
  • Course Title: Instructional Design in Online Learning

Contributions to learning and learning community

I am giving myself a score of 96 out of 100

Crediting Core Group Members: Kelly Skillingberg, Shay McDonald, and Valary Patterson

Collective Members: https://advising.blog/collaborations/ 

Contributions

Key

The key working component of my ADL Program learning journey is the authentic learning opportunity. There were so many points throughout the instructional design process that the realistic aspect of my innovation provided the framework to structure my course around.

The cognitive dissonance experience while trying something new is always uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the determination of a learner’s mindset embraces every new learning opportunity. This required that I complete all of the provided reading materials and do a lot of additional research to understand instructional design principles and techniques.

An aspect in which I could do better would involve confidence in the design of the three-column table. Many times I had to redirect my attention back to that original plan. I kept hearing Dr. Harapnuik’s advice to peel more away instead of adding more content to drill down to the desired learning outcome without overwhelming information.

Through the ADL Collective GroupMe, I have maintained a solid contribution to the learning community I helped build. Our group is a fantastic support and primarily where my core collaboration group provides feedback to one another and anyone else seeking support.

I appreciated how each module’s discussion in this course provided an opportunity for review and feedforward from our classmates. This learning opportunity really allowed me to see how others interacted with the material, what other types of innovations were being implemented, and helped me clarify confusion at different stages of the instructional design process. This might be one of two course where the discussion component of learning did not feel forced or like an item to mark off the checklist. The discussions were very helpful to my learning process.

Throughout the course, I completed ALL of the course readings, videos, and supporting resources while meeting all activity deadlines as outlined.

Supporting

I took leadership responsibility in your base group and the course by contacting my classmates to check on progress in assignments. I helped organize and host collaborative sessions to resolve confusion and discuss plans for course requirements and impacts to innovation ideas.

I contributed to the learning of my colleagues and myself by being active and engaged in every learning opportunity. I attended all class meetings and participated in chat threads to review assignments, clarify questions, and provide support. I always cite source material in blogs and discussion postings while ensuring timely posting to allow time for feedback and to provide contributions to my classmates.

Through class discussion posts and continued ePortfolio blogging, I made additional postings that were not required but contributed to my learning and understanding. I utilized APA citations while reflecting on my learning process.

I have continued to actively participate in my and my classmates’ learning by participating in every opportunity to learn. I constantly reflect on my learning process and embrace the learners’ mindset.

What could be better?

I allowed myself to get overwhelmed by a classmate this semester. During the early parts of the course, I was chatting and sending program examples to a confused classmate. I was basically attacked for my optimism and positivity. I was accused of being condescending for attempting to explain the COVA Framework and constructivist learning theory. I allowed this to make me withdraw from the ADL Collective chat as actively as I typically would based on these negative interactions. I know that I must embrace the learners mindset with learners in the heat of frustration over this uncomfortable approach to learning. This is something I am actively trying to improve as I move into the last two classes of the ADL program (after this one).

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Naval-Gazing

The Advisor That Cares

While reviewing this weeks content for discussion in the ADL Program‘s EDLD 5318, Instructional Design Online Learning course, I heard the term “naval-gazing.” I had to back up the video, replay it, die laughing, and then search for the meaning and origin of the term.

How have I made it this far in life without ever knowing about this Ancient Greek term (principle of Omphaloskepsis)?!?!

Now here are a few interesting observations.

I have watched this video several times, taken detailed notes, and connected thoughts several times before, never noticing the phrase.

I had to exercise and embrace the Learner’s Mindset to even seek additional information.

I could not help but draw parallels to my learning process throughout the ADL program. Without even realizing or recognizing it at the time, I was detailing the same fundamentals addressed by this discussion in the recent interview I was honored to participate in about the Learner’s Mindset.

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Picturing the Finish Line

The Advisor That Cares

Somebody pinch me. I must be dreaming!

I have spent hours and hours watching Learner’s Mindset Discussions. Never would I ever have dreamed I would be in one! What a dream come true to sit and visit with two inspirational educators.

LMD EP47

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Contributions, 5315

The Advisor That Cares

Measurement Strategy Course

  • Spring 2023
  • Course Number: EDLD 5315
  • Course Title: Assessing Digital Learning and Instruction

Contributions to learning and learning community

I am giving myself a score of 97 out of 100

Crediting Core Group Members: Annababette Diemecke, Ashleigh Carter, Kristin Winzer, Patrick Rodriguez, and Valary Patterson

Crediting Collective Members: https://advising.blog/collaborations/

Key and Supporting

Contributions

Since I am not pursuing the accelerated path to program completion, I do my best to welcome new members to the learning community and help foster connections for others interested in similar projects. Many of us have stayed active in our collaborative group through a Google Drive and a GroupMe chat, both of which I host for the group.

Our learning community is committed to supporting one another. I have witnessed the power of the collective as members with no common classes come together to troubleshoot a website issue or clarify an assignment. Anytime, day or night, someone is willing to give support. I am excited to help foster that learning environment for myself and my classmates. I always ensure that I provide helpful feed-forward to my core collaboration group and all the members of the ADL Collective GroupMe chat.

I continue to refine, revisit and revise all prior assignments throughout this course, and this session pushed me to look objectively at my innovation plan. Learning about action research, struggling through writing challenges, and putting everything together into the final compilation continues to make this experience authentic. I can see my innovation coming to life. I am prepared to implement the strategies learned throughout.

I dissected the assigned course readings and pursued my information on the topics of this session. Specifically, throughout my literature review, I continued to deepen my learning on my topic as I followed links from cited sources.

I always met the course activity deadlines and posted discussion prompts and replies in hopes of engaging in a dialog about the action research process.

I engaged in every opportunity presented by hosting Zoom sessions and attending all class meetings and office hours. I engage in chat threads to review assignments, clarify questions, and provide support. I always cite source material in blogs and discussion postings. I have actively shared additional sources of information on the topics we study to offer breadcrumbs to my classmates and future ADL students and to further my understanding. I have truly embraced the learners’ mindset.

Reflections

What Worked?

In the simplest terms? The Learners’ Mindset

Embracing the opportunity to learn even more about my innovation plan worked. Completing my second literature review was an immense learning experience overcoming fears and self-doubt.

Sharing my writing struggles through blogging was also helpful throughout the learning process. As I worked through learning about action research, I blogged about the experience and my thoughts on narrowing my topic. I see the benefits of doing the work and evaluating the learning process.

The support given and found throughout the ADL Cohort Collective GroupMe chat is still the most humbling thing to witness. I created this group chat after losing all the members of my first learning community. Out of a desperate need to find myself a learning community, I founded a support group that I hope will continue long after I complete the program.

What could be better?

The semester had an unusual survival feel to it. I found myself craving the discussions and interactions my classmates and I have had over the last several semesters. I am trying to determine if the course material had everyone deep in the research process or if it was the time of the year keeping everyone busy with work and family commitments.

I kept giving support and encouragement by checking in with community members. The term seemed detached, collectively.

We still came together when a member needed help, but there were fewer in-depth conversations about our projects. Again, likely because of the nature of academic research and writing. I would have liked to experience more discussion on each course component. We had a few Zoom sessions and worked through assignments, but I missed learning with my classmates at the level we had in the past.

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Contributions, 5389

The Advisor That Cares

Professional Learning Course

  • Spring 2023
  • Course Number: EDLD 5389
  • Course Title: Developing Effective Professional Learning

Contributions to learning and learning community.

I am giving myself a score of 96 out of 100

Crediting Core Group Members: Adrianne Ortiz, Annababette Diemecke, Ashleigh Carter, Kristin Winzer, Patrick Rodriguez, and Valary Patterson

Crediting Collective Members: https://advising.blog/collaborations/

Key and Supporting Contributions

Key Contributions

This, my sixth ADL program course marks over the halfway point in my graduate school journey. Several of us have been taking classes together for the last few semesters by this point in the program. We have maintained our collaborative group through a Google Drive and a GroupMe chat.

Our learning community members are always ready and willing to support one another. The ADL Collective GroupMe chat allows members to reach out for feed-forward almost anytime, day or night. I, too, always ensure that I provide helpful feedback to my core collaboration group and all the members of that collective.

As I progress through the program and my professional role continues to evolve, I am revisiting and revising all assignments throughout this course and this program. The more I live and work with my innovation, the more it grows and gains momentum for success.

I always complete all assigned course readings and follow links from those materials to enhance and deepen my learning. The ADL program is structured, so I wonder how someone can be successful without embracing the self-directed learning opportunity we are given here. Our experience as learners is meant to shape the learning experience we create for our learners.

I always met the course activity deadlines outlined in the course content and syllabus. As well as posting discussions promptly so that my classmates and I could engage in a dialog about the professional learning opportunities we have been creating in this course.

Supporting Contributions

I have taken an active role in my and my classmates’ learning by participating in every opportunity to learn.

When the session began, I again created a course calendar I shared with the ADL Collective. This was a format I adopted from Dr. Grogan in 5313 that I modified slightly for 5304. It kept me accountable for those reading-intensive classes, so I continue to utilize a modified class calendar for accountability.

I contribute to class call discussions, add commentary on all discussion prompts, and provide feedback to my classmates and groupmates near critical deadlines.

I cite source material in my blog postings and class discussions whenever possible and relevant. Additionally, I seek additional sources of information to further my understanding.

I constantly reflect on my learning process and embrace the learners’ mindset. I accept challenges and try new things readily. For example, this semester is the first time I have utilized Google Classrooms or created a Google Form. However, I embraced the opportunity to teach myself how to do these things as the most effective way to structure my Professional Learning opportunity.

I am so excited to have the extraordinary learning experiences provided by this program. Seeing my innovation plan coming to life as I work through this program is truly unique. I am learning and doing things I never dreamed I could do.

Reflection

What Worked?

The ADL Cohort Collective GroupMe chat is still the thing that is working best regarding my learning. I created this group chat when my learning community from the first course fizzled out, and I was desperately trying to fulfill the learning community part of the program. Once I learned about the New Culture of Learning, I updated the group to reflect the nature of a collective. Not everyone is active all of the time, but there is always someone engaged in the group. It has been a beautiful support system for all of us. When we felt stressed out and overwhelmed, someone in the group was ready to support us. When we have successes to celebrate or professional challenges to overcome, the group is there for each other. I continue to help create a welcoming and supportive environment for others to participate. Many have joined, saying, “finally, an active group!” which makes me happy.

Actively blogging through is another factor that is working. I have seen less blogging participation in my learning cohort when there are no specific requirements for blogging. Still, I have elected to continue the practice based on Dr. Harapnuik’s recommendation that it helps you solidify your thoughts and work through the metacognition we are doing throughout this program.

What could be better?

As learners, we seek and await our instructors’ approval of our work. I waited to begin on some projects hoping to receive instructor feedback. I found myself in fear of moving forward if I was heading in the wrong direction. I had to stop and give myself a pep-talk about halfway through the session because the amount of work needed to create the Professional Learning Outline was not conducive to waiting on final grades for the Call to Action – Alternative PL. Similarly, the workload required for the final PL strategy/plan was not conducive to beginning after receiving feedback on the outline.

It took me a while to remind myself that I am a self-directed learner. While feed-forward from my peers and coach is helpful, my work is my own, and I must be true to that process. I even shared my blog post on the topic with the ADL Collective group chat in case others in our cohort needed that same gentle reminder.

I am recording this as something that could be better because coming to this realization from the get-go would have spared me a lot of stress and worry during those waiting periods.

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Change hurts

The Advisor That Cares

My department is going through so many simultaneous changes right now. It is difficult for many to adapt and adjust. Still, I am doing what I can to share my heart, highlight the opportunities, and allow everyone to propose solutions.

I have witnessed firsthand the panic caused by sit-and-get training. Over the last several weeks, individual teams have come together to receive an overview of each other’s degree plans and departments and to build a collaborative network of support by grouping majors into career clusters and communities of interest, also known as meta-majors. This change poses a complete shift in everything our advising unit has ever done. It requires that advisors expand beyond specializing in one to a few majors to an entire catalog of majors based on four broad categories (arts, communication, and education; business and industry; public service; or science, technology, engineering, and math).

Add to this challenge that our office desperately needs more staffing due to several departmental challenges, including a complete restructuring and new leadership.

Change heals

The restructuring has provided leadership opportunities at every level. Some have arisen to the challenge, and I can hear hopefulness in their voices again. Some are still overwhelmed and doing their best to hold on for the learning ahead of us. Our advising unit has a long history of high turnover. Party because only a few people understand what goes into academic advising and the high demands of the profession. Others are looking to begin a career at an institution of higher learning, and advising is a common entry point for those with a degree. Many in our advising unit are working outside of their degree areas. Several advisors are either working toward, hold a graduate degree, or have multiple degrees because they understand the value of an education. They flourish as the leaders and teams embrace the opportunity to build solutions to advising challenges.

As I watch the team members working together, I see healing happening. I see a positive workplace culture forming. I see such great brainstorming and communication happening all across the advising unit. I see individuals that no longer feel like separate islands doing their own thing. Instead, I see warriors dressing for battle, determined to make it through the challenges and frustrations that change brings to make things even better than they were before.

Change

As advisors find hope in a supportive environment, I see a team that will embrace change in the future as an opportunity.

“There is nothing permanent except change”

— Heraclitus