WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.000 Thank you Karen. That's very nice. It's nice to be here really nice to be here. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:09.000 So you know I have a special affinity for Western Oregon University. 00:00:09.000 --> 00:00:12.000 Because I've been a Monmouth resident for 18 years of living in this town. 00:00:12.000 --> 00:00:18.000 So I'm up here several times a week with those two. It's kind of hard to see them. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:20.000 There we go. See that? 00:00:20.000 --> 00:00:24.000 Yeah. So we walk around this campus quite a bit. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.000 And part of our intention there is to hang out with the squirrels of WOU. Right? 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:32.000 You know that the squirrels of WOU have a Facebook page, right? Have you seen that? 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:35.000 Yeah the squirrels of WOU. 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:38.000 They have a good working relationship together those three. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:44.000 We obviously frequent the Smith Fine Arts Series a lot. That's one of my favorite things about Western Oregon. 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:47.000 I got to meet Micky Dolenz a few weeks ago. 00:00:47.000 --> 00:00:51.000 I got to meet a Monkee how cool is that? That was really cool. 00:00:51.000 --> 00:00:55.000 So Smith Fine Arts is awesome. 00:00:55.000 --> 00:00:60.000 I have several dear dear friends who I've met through WOU. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:05.000 And a lot of them are represented up there. Some of them are represented in the room. 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:08.000 So I'm really appreciative for that. 00:01:08.000 --> 00:01:13.000 I also have a thing for a long time with one of your librarians on this campus. 00:01:13.000 --> 00:01:16.000 I think it's dating back to 25 plus years now. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:20.000 So I'm into that as well. 00:01:20.000 --> 00:01:24.000 I've got this good relationship with Western Oregon University. 00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:28.000 So Karen gave you a little bit more about me. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:31.000 She rattled off that long title and that's not even all of it either. 00:01:31.000 --> 00:01:34.000 There's another line there that I just left out. 00:01:34.000 --> 00:01:41.000 Anyway Director of Exploratory Advising and Advising Initiatives for the Office of Academic Success and Transitions 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:44.000 in the division of undergraduate studies. 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:46.000 OK I'm done I can go now right? 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:50.000 OK so I actually started at Oregon State in 1999. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:55.000 I started as a graduate student when I was in College Student Services and Administration 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:60.000 advising exploring students in the exploratory studies program. 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:03.000 And since 2004 I've actually overseen that program. 00:02:03.000 --> 00:02:08.000 That's the academic home for undecided exploratory students at Oregon State. 00:02:08.000 --> 00:02:13.000 You know as Karen said my educational background I have the master's degree in College Student Services Administration. 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:16.000 Prior to that my life was in literary studies. 00:02:16.000 --> 00:02:21.000 In English. Both my undergrad and my first master's degree. 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:26.000 And I think that really has played a part in why I enjoy working with exploratory students so much. 00:02:26.000 --> 00:02:33.000 Because I love story. I love the story and I love the unique stories that exploring students present 00:02:33.000 --> 00:02:35.000 when they come into my office. 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:38.000 All of them are as I said unique 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:42.000 and are presenting a different path and journey that they're taking. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:49.000 And you know all that tie as an undergraduate that I spent studying character and plot and theme and symbolism and all that 00:02:49.000 --> 00:02:56.000 actually really does come into play as you're working to help students interpret the landscape of what they're experiencing. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:59.000 So there's that unfolding journey of exploration. 00:02:59.000 --> 00:02:64.000 There's the critical reflection that goes into that. That's all good English major stuff. 00:03:04.000 --> 00:03:08.000 So it's definitely part of the process for me. 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:12.000 And why I enjoy working with that population so much. 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:16.000 So like I said I think about exploration a lot. 00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:21.000 I think about critical reflection a lot and that really fits in to what I want to talk to you about today. 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:29.000 There's this landscape now in higher education, anytime there's like an issue or some big hot topic in higher ed 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:35.000 I really do like to think about how it relates to exploration and undecidedness. 00:03:35.000 --> 00:03:40.000 Right now one of the things that's on the horizon in higher ed and it's getting a lot of publicity 00:03:40.000 --> 00:03:44.000 is the notion of time to degree, finishing in four. 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:48.000 Fifteen to finish and degree completion rates. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:52.000 You know we want to do better we want to have more students graduate from our institutions 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.000 because there's a definite need for that. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:57.000 And so that's what we're going to get into today. 00:03:57.000 --> 00:03:60.000 So I'll start with a deeper dive into exploration. 00:04:00.000 --> 00:04:05.000 I want to talk to you some about the theories and the ideas that support working with exploring students 00:04:05.000 --> 00:04:08.000 and some things that have really resonated with me. 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:16.000 We'll get into that degree completion, time to degree conversation. I'll talk about some of the initiatives that are happening there. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:20.000 We'll talk some about the challenges to finishing in four years. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:24.000 I know a lot of folks in the room work directly with students 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:29.000 and you know that sometimes there's more to the story there than just get on that four year path and finish. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:35.000 Right? We want to talk about explore then as a catalyst for finishing in four. 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:38.000 So exploration is a key part of that process. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:45.000 To help augment the time to degree and exploration and finishing in four process. 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:49.000 And then we'll leave room for questions and discussion as we go through. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:53.000 OK so you know 00:04:53.000 --> 00:04:60.000 as I want to do I always want to look into consulting with the sage philosophers when it comes to thinking about exploration. 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:03.000 So let's go to Calvin and Hobbes. 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:08.000 So as Calvin's saying here, the truth is most of us discover where we are heading when we arrive. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:10.000 Yeah, right? 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:16.000 OK so every journey has that element of unknown and the revelation that comes. 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:21.000 And discovery and insight they're part of the adventures of life. 00:05:21.000 --> 00:05:24.000 Podcast fans in the room? 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:26.000 There's a few hands being raised. 00:05:26.000 --> 00:05:29.000 So you listen to any sort of one on one podcast 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:34.000 things like Fresh Air with Terry Gross or WTF with Marc Maron. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:40.000 They get on there with folks and they start talking about how they ended up where they are. 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:43.000 There's always that "I didn't expect to" or "I was really surprised by." 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:48.000 The unexpected as their journey unfolded comes through. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:52.000 And I think that's true for a lot of us and that's part of the process of life, right? 00:05:52.000 --> 00:05:57.000 When it comes to exploration there can be some intentionality behind this. 00:05:57.000 --> 00:05:64.000 And so this is the decision-making model that we use at Oregon State when we're working with exploring students. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:08.000 And actually if you talk to any advisor across the country who works with this population 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:13.000 they probably have some variation on an exploration model like this. 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:16.000 That involves this process. 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:20.000 So the first step to this process is self-assessment. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:25.000 Asking students or asking an individual about a decision that they're going to make. 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:28.000 Making a decision about major or career path that they might want to be on. 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:31.000 What do you bring to the table? What are your interests? 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:35.000 What are your values? What are your skills? What are you good at? What are you not good at? 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:40.000 What experiences do you have that make you, you? 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:41.000 Why is that so important? 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:46.000 Well it's like building a house, right? You start with a foundation or the house doesn't stand. 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:53.000 OK? If you're ignoring you, and you start exploring and learning more about the academic and career options 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:55.000 you're missing a big part right? 00:06:55.000 --> 00:06:60.000 Because the deal is you want to run what you're learning through the filer of you. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:06.000 You want to see you all those options those academic choices that you have out there, those careers, 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:11.000 fit with your interests, with your values, with the skills that you want to develop. 00:07:11.000 --> 00:07:16.000 So that you move through this process so that you can decide and act upon that. 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:20.000 OK, so it's really all about information gathering 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:24.000 and running that through the filter of you so that you learn more about the fit. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:32.000 OK so let's go into some of the theory behind that model that decision-making model. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:36.000 I'm going to start with basically what are called person-environment fit theories. 00:07:36.000 --> 00:07:40.000 So John Holland's theory of vocational type, 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:44.000 Amy Kristoff's person-organization fit. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:48.000 Basically these folks have said, hey there are types of people. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:50.000 There are types of environments. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:56.000 When there's congruence between the person and environment what you're going to have is a situation 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:61.000 where people tend to be more satisfied with their work, with the activities that they're engaging in. 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:05.000 And you know hopefully ultimately more successful. 00:08:05.000 --> 00:08:09.000 The way this manifests for us at least in exploratory studies 00:08:09.000 --> 00:08:12.000 when we talk to students about person-environment fit 00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:16.000 is as they're looking at the environment of major and opportunities at Oregon State 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:21.000 ask yourself critical questions: are you, can you, do you like to? 00:08:21.000 --> 00:08:28.000 So Holland has identified six types of people and environments. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:32.000 Realistic, investigative, artistic, and social, enterprising, conventional. 00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:36.000 There, I didn't have the others up there. I almost dropped the ball on that one. 00:08:36.000 --> 00:08:41.000 And so ask questions. Are you investigative, analytical, scientific, precise? 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:47.000 Can you think abstractly, solve problems? Understand physics, do complex calculations? 00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:52.000 Do you like to do these things? Explore ideas, be in lab, that kind of thing. 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:56.000 And if the answer to these questions is yes, then that might be an environment that fits for you 00:08:56.000 --> 00:08:60.000 and worth exploring more, OK? 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:03.000 So when I talk with students about this 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:10.000 and the decision-making model one of the examples especially when we introduce this at our orientation 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:13.000 we're chatting with them and we say OK, who in the room has had the worst job? 00:09:13.000 --> 00:09:15.000 Who's had the worst job? 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:19.000 I think someone almost raised their hand there when I asked that question. 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:21.000 That's a real familiar thing to us. 00:09:21.000 --> 00:09:26.000 If we haven't had a job that we've hated, we've known someone who's worked at a job that they really disliked. 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:29.000 And I use the example of when I was an undergraduate 00:09:29.000 --> 00:09:34.000 I worked for a time as a janitor and not just a janitor but kind of a specialist. 00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:38.000 I stripped and scrubbed and waxed floors. 00:09:38.000 --> 00:09:42.000 I would have to get up my hours were five in the morning until one in the afternoon. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:44.000 And then I was also trying to be a rockstar too. 00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:50.000 And so the rockstar hours were running from 10 in the evening to one in the morning. 00:09:50.000 --> 00:09:56.000 And so the person and the environment were fitting well together. You get the idea. 00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:58.000 That's a real familiar example. They latch onto that. 00:09:58.000 --> 00:09:62.000 And so we talk to them about why would want to be in a major that's not fitting with you? 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:05.000 Why would you want to be in a major environment that doesn't work for you? 00:10:05.000 --> 00:10:11.000 OK let's flesh this out a little bit further and maybe give you some additional frameworks 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:15.000 that I think support exploration at least in my mind. 00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:21.000 Exploration is about information gathering, it's about conversation, it's about meaning-making. 00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:27.000 OK so advisors who work with exploring students are deeply deeply indebted 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:32.000 to a woman named Virginia Gordon. Virginia Gordon from Ohio State University. 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:37.000 And she has probably done the most scholarship and perhaps the best scholarship on this particular population. 00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:41.000 Dating back quite a while to 1987 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:45.000 she put forward this model for advising exploring students. 00:10:45.000 --> 00:10:48.000 And you can read through it here but basically 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:53.000 the essence of it is analyzing the situation, organizing a plan, gathering that information, right? 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:61.000 Integrating it, considering it, supporting students while they think about how that information relates to their decision. 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:05.000 And then being there for them as they move forward with that decision. 00:11:05.000 --> 00:11:13.000 OK? So that's one strand that I think it pretty profoundly influential on working with exploring students. 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:18.000 The other comes out of theories of transformational teaching and learning. 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:24.000 These ideas really relate to information processing and meaning-making. 00:11:24.000 --> 00:11:29.000 So the one idea in particular that really resonates with me is Jack Mezirow. 00:11:29.000 --> 00:11:34.000 Now Jack Mezirow has written a lot about transformational meaning-making 00:11:34.000 --> 00:11:40.000 and in particular he's really interested in the role the educator plays in this process. 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:44.000 And how the educator can help students as they work through these phases. 00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:46.000 And look at them, there are 10 of them. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:49.000 Meaning becoming clarified so that 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:57.000 the individual at the end of that decision or at the end of that process of meaning-making has gone through this transformation. 00:11:57.000 --> 00:11:60.000 And it starts with a disorienting dilemma. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:04.000 And it involves the individual working through that, 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:08.000 assessing assumptions, gathering information, trying on the hat, right? 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:12.000 Considering new roles that they might engage in. 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:16.000 Building the competence and the confidence to move forward in that transformation 00:12:16.000 --> 00:12:20.000 to the point where they ultimately are transformed. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:24.000 Alright. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:29.000 Who in the room has heard of the term mash-up as it relates to music? 00:12:29.000 --> 00:12:32.000 There's a few people in the room who have heard mash-up. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:35.000 So basically a mash-up is these producers will sit down 00:12:35.000 --> 00:12:40.000 and they'll take existing songs and sort of smash them together and create something really cool and new. 00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:44.000 It's popular with the kids in the clubs and it has been for a while, right? 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:48.000 So a few years ago I wrote about, 00:12:48.000 --> 00:12:52.000 I took those two concepts, Virginia Gordon's concept 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:56.000 and this tranformation concept and I mashed them up. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:62.000 And I created my own model for exploration, advising, and transformation meaning-making. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.000 And it really involves that idea of working with exploring students 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:11.000 but also honoring the fact that the process of exploration really does mimic this idea of transformation. 00:13:11.000 --> 00:13:13.000 Going from start to finish. 00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:20.000 For a lot of students being undecided being exploratory is disorienting, there's dissonance there. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:29.000 There's concern and trouble with that. So advisors can help students negotiate that dilemma of being undecided about a major. 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:33.000 Advisors can help students examine what that means to the student 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:36.000 in terms of their identity and their experiences 00:13:36.000 --> 00:13:38.000 both inside and outside the classroom. 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:43.000 And be there to assess assumption or predispositions they have 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:46.000 about the experiences as they're going through it. 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:52.000 Advisors can help students explore available and pertinent information that may influence their decision 00:13:52.000 --> 00:13:56.000 and position them to take on a new role or identity. 00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:60.000 OK? Advisors can help students explore situations 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:04.000 where they can try on the new roles and build confidence as they move toward their decision. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:10.000 Advisors can help students reflect on their learning and synthesize information into a concrete decision about major. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:16.000 And advisors can help students transition into their new role and serve as a resource. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:20.000 Not just drop the ball, not just leave them hanging, but serve as a resource 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:22.000 as they encounter other possible transformations. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:28.000 You know it doesn't just stop with deciding and declaring a major, making a decision, right? 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:31.000 Think back to that process that I showed you before. It's circular. 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:34.000 There was an arrow that went after the decision back to self-assessment. 00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:39.000 You are in this constant state of self-assessment when it comes to decision-making. 00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:45.000 And so that's why to me its important for advisors to continue to be a resource as students move forward with decions. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:52.000 Now I want to take us back to Calvin for a second and that idea of not knowing where you're going until you get there. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:59.000 And introduce one last idea that I think really relates to exploration and that's this idea of planned happenstance. 00:14:59.000 --> 00:14:64.000 I do want to honor that role of chance in exploration. 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:08.000 Exploration should be exciting it should have some mystery. 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:12.000 But there are also ways that you can enhance the possibility of chance of cool things happening. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:16.000 And that's where this idea of planned happenstance comes in. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:20.000 So this is a concept put forward by Krumboltz, Mitchell, and Levin. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:29.000 Basically the essence of this is even if you're unsure about where you're going you want to put yourself in a position where opportunity and things can happen. 00:15:29.000 --> 00:15:31.000 Right? 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:39.000 That's where activity comes into exploration. Even if you're undecided, being active enhances the chances 00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:41.000 of something good happening for you. 00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:48.000 So I'll give you a couple of catch phrases I use. You can't find a clover unless you're looking in a clover field. 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:52.000 You got to put yourself in the clover field to find that four leaf clover, right? 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:56.000 Ira Glass, more podcast stuff. This American Life. 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:60.000 I attended a lecture by Ira Glass one time 00:16:00.000 --> 00:16:03.000 and someone in the audience says where do you get all the ideas for This American Life? 00:16:03.000 --> 00:16:05.000 And he says ideas come from being around other ideas. 00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:11.000 And I'm like if that's not the most profound thing I've ever heard. Ideas come from being around other ideas. 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:14.000 You have to put yourself in those situations, right? 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:19.000 And I use that all the time when I'm working with someone who's like why do I have to take... 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:22.000 And I'm like you never know how it's going to influence you. 00:16:22.000 --> 00:16:29.000 I mean I remember being the English major and I was pretty open to most classes I was taking. 00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:36.000 But being in a conversation with my chemistry professor and him extolling the virtues of quinine and why you should drink genantonics 00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:40.000 all the time to prevent malaria. And I'm like well that's brilliant. 00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:43.000 Chemistry comes to life, right? 00:16:43.000 --> 00:16:46.000 And then I'll share another story with you. 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:51.000 I used to have an advisor who worked with me who was really enamored with this idea of planned happenstance 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:56.000 because he really felt like it played a big part in his life. 00:16:56.000 --> 00:16:60.000 He said early in his undergraduate career he was really just wrestling with the idea of what he wanted to study. 00:17:00.000 --> 00:17:04.000 He knew it was probably going to be something in behavioral sciences 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:08.000 but he wasn't quite sure and he just felt like I got to get out there 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.000 I got to put myself in a situation where hopefully inspiration strikes. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:17.000 So he said I just started going in my free time and hanging out in the psychology building 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:19.000 where the psychology department was housed. 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:24.000 And I just started walking aorund and looking at the posters on the wall 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:27.000 and information that faculty had on their doors 00:17:27.000 --> 00:17:30.000 and getting a sense of the department and I did this over a series of weeks 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:34.000 and became this sort of lurking presence in the psychology department. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:40.000 And one day one of the faculty members came up and asked me very nicely what I was up to 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:46.000 and he said I'm really kind of working to figure out what I want to study and I'm thinking about psychology but I don't know. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:52.000 And she said come into my office and sit down. And she started telling him about her specialty in industrial and organizational psychology 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:55.000 And he's like that's it! That's it. 00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:57.000 He became enamored in that. 00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:61.000 He ended up having that be a specialization when he was an undergraduate 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:06.000 going on to get a master's degree in industrial and organizational psychology. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:12.000 And he always talked about planned happenstance. He didn't know why he was putting himself in that situation. He just knew he had to do it. 00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:14.000 He just knew he had to be there, alright? 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:21.000 OK, so let's leave exploration and let's talk about time to degree and degree completion. 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:27.000 So I would suspect that most of us in the room because we work in higher education 00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:31.000 we can really appreciate that idea of choice and discovery, right? 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:35.000 We're really attracted to knowledge and the possibility of being around knowledge. 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:39.000 And even those of us in the room who knew from the get-go what we wanted to do, 00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:44.000 there is that happenstance that comes along as you get further into your major 00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:49.000 you start learning the nuances of it and start learning what things really resonate with you as a learner. 00:18:50.000 --> 00:18:56.000 You know there's a certain professor or a certain class or a certain experience that leads to an opportunity for you. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:62.000 And I think also we can appreciate the urgency that's fueling this moment 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:05.000 behind time to degree and degree completion. 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:07.000 And so I've got the quote up here. 00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:13.000 And you see this quite a bit these days around these degree completion and time to degree conversations. 00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:16.000 This is from the Georgetown Center for Education in the Workforce. 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:24.000 And they note that by 2020, 65 percent of all the jobs in the economy will require postsecondary education 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:27.000 and training beyond high school. 00:19:27.000 --> 00:19:32.000 And so that and other data like this sound the alarm. 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:35.000 So a lot of folks start jumping into the conversation. 00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:40.000 Let's talk about some of these people who are the conversation. I'm going to start with Tyton Partners. 00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:49.000 Tyton Partners have created and launched this drive to degree initiative in response to low secure graduation rates 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:52.000 across the country for four year schools 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:54.000 and low three year completion rates for two year schools. 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:60.000 And what Tyton has been doing at the encouragement of big money folks like the Gates Foundation 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:05.000 is they've been administering surveys to learn more about the situation. 00:20:05.000 --> 00:20:10.000 And it's led them to create what they call the advising reform roadmap. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.000 And that's what you see up here on the board. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:17.000 It's exciting that the construct of advising is a linchpin for them. 00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:20.000 They're really excited about the role that advising has played. 00:20:20.000 --> 00:20:24.000 But advising as it largely exists across the country, they're saying hey we need to shake things up. 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:26.000 We need to change things around a little bit. 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:28.000 And so the technology piece is a big thing for them. 00:20:28.000 --> 00:20:35.000 They are very very interested in strategic implementation of what are called IPASS systems. 00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:39.000 So Integrating, Planning, and Student Success systems 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:43.000 that support the student process and support advisors 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:48.000 to help them address capacity issues, help address coordination issues, 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:51.000 and help address student engagement issues. 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:58.000 So you've got the Tyton Partners. You've got the Lumina Foundation which has their goal 2025. 00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:65.000 And what Lumina has put out is their strategic planning centers around having 60 percent of Americans 00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:12.000 holding degrees, certificates, or high quality postsecondary credentials by 2025. 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:20.000 OK, so for them that means an increase of 5.5 million degree holders in this country. 00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:28.000 And they're also very very interested in having more of those degree holders come from underserved and underrepresented populations. 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:32.000 So they are putting their money where their mouth is here 00:21:32.000 --> 00:21:37.000 and they're really interested in energizing efforts that will hopefully help get us to this goal. 00:21:37.000 --> 00:21:40.000 Case in point, down at Oregon State 00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:44.000 we are part of what is called the University Innovation Alliance. 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:49.000 The University Innovation Alliance is a consortium of 11 public research universities from across the country 00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:56.000 solely dedicated to the issue of producing more graduates from our institutions 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:60.000 and equalizing the success rates across the spectrum of learners. 00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:08.000 So addressing that deficit or gap in between populations in the spectrum of learners. 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:12.000 And so the Lumina Foundation, Gates Foundation, 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:16.000 they're providing some resources to the University Innovation Alliance 00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:21.000 to have us get together and talk about ways that we hopefully can enhance this process. 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:24.000 This might look familiar to some of you. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:30.000 The 40-40-20 Senate bill 253 in Oregon. 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:36.000 It puts forward our own initiative for 2025. It's a little more aggressive than even what Lumina's putting forward. 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:44.000 So the 40-40-20 idea that comes out of that Senate bill says that by 2025 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:49.000 we're going to have 40 percent of young adults in the state of Oregon who have a BA or higher, 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:56.000 and then the remaining 20 percent of young adults have at least their high school diploma. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:64.000 It's a way to address the needs of the workforce and the workplace. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:08.000 So ambitious goals, more so even than Lumina. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:12.000 And then perhaps most relating to the conservation today 00:23:12.000 --> 00:23:20.000 is this time to degree and degree completion effort by Complete College America. 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:24.000 And so Complete College America digs a little deeper. 00:23:24.000 --> 00:23:28.000 Beyond just degree completion, not just that we need more 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:32.000 but that we also need to address this time to degree issue. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:37.000 They are very concerned with the fact that students are taking longer that four years. 00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:42.000 In this climate of higher ed you know racking up excess credits, 00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:48.000 leaving with excessive debt loads, and worst case scenario leaving without a degree. 00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:50.000 Stopping out and not coming back. 00:23:50.000 --> 00:23:56.000 And so they've put forward a lot of energy and effort to this, they have conferences. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:23:60.000 I know Karen has been to one of those conferences. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:04.000 And conversations about ways that we can enhance our time to degree efforts. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:10.000 One of those enhancements that they are putting a lot of weight behind is this concept of 15 to finish. 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:14.000 This was started by our colleagues at University of Hawaii Manoa. 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:21.000 And the idea is basically social norming and marketing campaign around taking 15 credits a term. 00:24:21.000 --> 00:24:25.000 Alright? Instead of for years and years we talked about. 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:28.000 Full time. You're going to start with 12 credits you'll be fine. 00:24:28.000 --> 00:24:31.000 But actually setting the bar high, taking 15 credits a term. 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:36.000 Because you do that over the course of two semesters or three quarters a year 00:24:36.000 --> 00:24:41.000 you're going to hit that 120 or 180 credit benchmark that most degrees are going to require you to get. 00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:48.000 The idea also is to have institutions look at their curriculums. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:52.000 Do you have excess credits actually embedded in the curriculum? 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:56.000 Do you need all the things that are in there? Can you become more essential, more lean? 00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:61.000 And put students in a better position to hit that benchmark in four years. 00:25:01.000 --> 00:25:07.000 First let me start by saying lots and lots of schools across the country 00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:11.000 have 15 to finish or finish in four initiatives that they've launched. 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:16.000 It's even hit us at OSU so this is a graphic from our college of liberal arts 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:20.000 which has a four year graduation guarantee that they are launching this summer. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:24.000 So students starting this summer if they basically follow the parameters 00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:29.000 set up by the college of liberal arts, they're guaranteeing that they can get a degree in four years. 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:31.000 OK? 00:25:31.000 --> 00:25:40.000 So going through all these websites, Lumina's and Tyton and Complete College America and 40-40-20, 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:44.000 if you start digging down the rabbit hole of those websites 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:47.000 almost all of them have a section that says what's not working. 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:50.000 What is not working? And why are we doing what we're doing? 00:25:50.000 --> 00:25:55.000 What's not working? Well we have fragmented systems that students are experiencing. 00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:61.000 We have confusing pathways. Students don't know exactly what they're supposed to do and are not getting the guidance that they need. 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:05.000 We have inequity in success rates like I mentioned before 00:26:05.000 --> 00:26:11.000 across the spectrum of learners. The haves are succeeding, the have-nots are struggling. 00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:16.000 And we have failure to keep up with the demands of the labor force. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:24.000 So for me the motivations fueling these efforts are I think noble and necessary. 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:28.000 They challenge us to re-evaluate the way we're doing business. 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:30.000 And I think that's a good thing. That' a very good thing. 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:34.000 And I'm very pleased that academic advising 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:39.000 has been considered part of the conversation for pretty much all of these efforts. 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:45.000 And my colleagues at the NACADA Executive Office have been at a lot of these tables of late. 00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:49.000 They've been working with Tyton Partners to refine their surveys. 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:52.000 And they've been in conversations 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:56.000 with Complete College America and I'll talk a little bit more about that later. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:60.000 But they've been there and what they're doing is they're helping 00:27:00.000 --> 00:27:04.000 these drivers have a better read on the nuances of academic advising. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:09.000 And how academic advisors can play a role beyond just registration specialists. 00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:14.000 I think early on a lot of these efforts that's how they were positioning advisors. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:21.000 And what NACADA's helping them understand is advisors are really well positioned to help with the why. 00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:29.000 You know? Not just that you're taking 15 credits a term but why that might be a good thing, or why it might not be good thing for you. 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:37.000 Or once you get into those 15 credits, what do they mean to you? What do they mean to you in terms of your interests and your values and your skills? 00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:44.000 And so it's nice that advisors are in the mix now in those kinds of conversations. 00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:50.000 Especially since advising benefits so much by these organizations. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:58.000 Sounds easy, right? 15 to finish, finish in four. But we know that there are barriers to timely completion. 00:27:58.000 --> 00:27:64.000 So help me out here. Let's brainstorm. Tell me some barriers to 15 to finish, 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:08.000 timely completion, or even completion at all. 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:11.000 Yes, working full time. 00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:15.000 Or even 30 hours. 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:21.000 Yeah, hidden prerequisites. Good one. Curricular issues. 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:26.000 Say it again? Mental health. Health and wellness issues. Great. 00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:30.000 Changing majors, right. Very good. 00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:36.000 Yeah, transferring sure. Well you hit all of them. That's good 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:44.000 There was an article in the New York Times earlier this month 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:46.000 that sited six reasons why graduation might be delayed. 00:28:46.000 --> 00:28:52.000 Working more than 25 hours a week, under-enrolling taking 12 instead of 15 credits, 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:60.000 transferring institutions, deviating from the prescribed major or curriculum so basically exploration without guidance. 00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:05.000 Seeing something over there and saying oh shiny object, I'm going to go to that for a while, right? 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:11.000 Failure to engage with the campus beyond the curriculum. 00:29:11.000 --> 00:29:16.000 Student engagement outside the classroom, and they falling behind. 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:20.000 Failing class or having to withdraw from a class. 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:22.000 And getting into a hole in terms of GPA. 00:29:22.000 --> 00:29:26.000 All of these are barriers to timely completion. 00:29:26.000 --> 00:29:32.000 So I mentioned before that this stuff has me thinking. And I started thinking about some stories. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:35.000 Some stories of students I had who took five years. 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:40.000 And so I asked their permission they said it was ok if I shared their stories with you. 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:41.000 So I'm going to start with Aaron. 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:48.000 I worked with Aaron pretty early in my time as an advisor. He was a non-resident student. 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:52.000 Super smart, came in with AP credits. Just really really bright. 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:56.000 He knew that he wanted to go to med school. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:60.000 He knew that he wanted to be pre-med. He didn't know exactly what he wanted to major in. 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:04.000 So he started with us in exploratory studies. 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:07.000 And the first two terms he just knocks it out of the park just all A's 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:10.000 and I'm like I couldn't ask for a better advisee. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:15.000 He'd come in and we'd have these great conversations and it'd just be wonderful. 00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:19.000 He comes me to at the start of spring term and he says well Kerry I'm going to stop out next year. 00:30:19.000 --> 00:30:24.000 And I'm like no, you're doing this right. You're doing the right thing. 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:27.000 Don't stop out, don't stop out. And I said tell me more about that, what's going on? 00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:32.000 He goes well I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels, I'm not getting any traction here, 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:35.000 I'm not getting the type of experiences that I want to make my informed decision. 00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:40.000 So Aaron he used my words against me, right? He was following the process. 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:44.000 And he was looking for experiences and he said I'm not finding them here. I've got to go. 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:48.000 And so he left and he went and did AmeriCorps for a year. 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:51.000 So he started off in the rural South 00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:54.000 and he was working with impoverished communities and building houses 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:61.000 and then boom, 9-11 happens and he gets deployed to New York City and he's working with the Red Cross. 00:31:01.000 --> 00:31:04.000 And man you can imagine he learned some things in that year away. 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:08.000 And he was awesome, he stayed in contact with me throughout 00:31:08.000 --> 00:31:11.000 and he'd email me and tell me about what's going on and all these great experiences he was having. 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:16.000 All the while he was saying I'm going to apply to these other schools I'm not sure if I'm coming back. 00:31:16.000 --> 00:31:19.000 And I'm like OK, let's just keep talking. 00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:24.000 You'll find your way. And he ultimately decided by the end of the year that he was going to come back to OSU 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:29.000 but not before he did a study abroad. So at the end of his AmeriCorps he left and went off to Europe. 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:32.000 For credit, he worked through OSU to get that. 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:36.000 He finally came back, decided on a major in philosophy. 00:31:36.000 --> 00:31:40.000 Aaron technically doesn't count for the five years 00:31:40.000 --> 00:31:44.000 because he really was only in classes for four years. 00:31:44.000 --> 00:31:48.000 But he had that gap year in there that he needed for exploration. 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:52.000 And ultimately year three, 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:56.000 he started with us in exploratory studies, but majored in philosophy, 00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:59.000 continued his pre-med stuff, got into the honors college, 00:31:59.000 --> 00:31:64.000 continued with philosophy. The summer between year four and five he goes off to Ghana. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:08.000 And works with a medical relief organization there 00:32:08.000 --> 00:32:12.000 which inspires his amazing undergraduate thesis 00:32:12.000 --> 00:32:20.000 where he was writing about the ethics of him in Ghana doing stuff that he would never be allowed to do here in the States. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:23.000 Because the doctors needed his help. 00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:27.000 And so he was writing about the ethics of that just really fascinating stuff. 00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:32.000 He graduated with honors in philosophy, got into like 10 of the 11 medical schools. 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:36.000 He's Doctor Aaron now he's an emergency room physician. 00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:40.000 He more that exceeded 180 credits I can tell you that 00:32:40.000 --> 00:32:44.000 with all the AP that he brought in and the various experiences that he put into play. 00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:50.000 It's actually pretty amazing that he was only in classes at OSU for four years and did two study abroads. 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:54.000 Because he well exceeded 180 credits. 00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:58.000 Really really sharp guy. Took longer than four years. 00:32:58.000 --> 00:32:62.000 Alright this is Shannon. Shannon is on the left there. 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:08.000 Shannon was also a non-resident student. Also super super smart. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:12.000 I would call her an autodidact just would read and read and read and super bright. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:16.000 She started her first year with me in exploratory studies at the end of that first year 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:18.000 she decided she was going to go to business. 00:33:18.000 --> 00:33:24.000 She went to business and she struggled. It just did not work for Shannon at all. 00:33:24.000 --> 00:33:28.000 At the end of the year she was academically suspended from the institution. 00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:33.000 The College of Business at Oregon State has pretty strict retention policies 00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:37.000 in terms of the grades and so they could not support her perian statement. 00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:44.000 She came to me. I think there were a lot of factors there that merited going forward with an appeal which we did. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:48.000 She was successful and got back into the instituion. 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:51.000 She spent her third year at OSU still in exploratory studies 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:56.000 at the beginning of her fourth year she declared a history and then it took her another two years then 00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:60.000 from that time to finish her history degree. 00:34:00.000 --> 00:34:08.000 During that time Shannon like I said very smart and was very critical of her experience. 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:12.000 in the sense that she was really analyzing it and pretty outspoken about it. 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:16.000 And you talk to her then and you talk to her now 00:34:16.000 --> 00:34:20.000 and she will talk very frankly about the barriers that she faced as a person of color 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:23.000 in Corvallis, Oregon at a predominantly white institution 00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:30.000 and talked about the ways that she felt like she ran up against barriers because of the institutional culture. 00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:38.000 And the phenomena she was experiencing as a defined minoritized person in the culture of OSU. 00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:44.000 She also had chronic health issues which didn't help the matter. 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:48.000 And so you see the soup here right? All the factors that could potentially go in. 00:34:48.000 --> 00:34:52.000 She got a history degree which in all respects 00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:55.000 is a degree you can finish in four but it took her five 00:34:55.000 --> 00:34:59.000 and Shannon also exceeded 180 credits and then some. 00:34:59.000 --> 00:34:62.000 Lots and lots of credits on the board there. 00:35:02.000 --> 00:35:09.000 Shannon went on got a master's degree from Oregon State, is finishing her PhD in African-American studies at Howard University now. 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:16.000 This is a student that was suspended from Oregon State University. Had a lot of barrier that got in her way. 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:18.000 I'm super pleased that she has come through it. 00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:24.000 But I think it was illustrative for me of how things can get in the way of finishing in four. 00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:28.000 So back to exploration then. Is it a impediment or a catalyst? 00:35:28.000 --> 00:35:30.000 Well it depends. 00:35:30.000 --> 00:35:33.000 So what you're looking at is some data from EAB. 00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:40.000 If you don't know what EAB is it's a consortium of schools from across the country. They are independent 00:35:40.000 --> 00:35:44.000 and they're a think tank. And they provide information 00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:48.000 to help with student success and institutional effectiveness and so on. 00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:53.000 So this is some data from a report that they have on promoting timely degree completion. 00:35:53.000 --> 00:35:57.000 And Karen just alluded to Student Success Collaborative 00:35:57.000 --> 00:35:62.000 There are a lot of schools that use a predictive analytic took that EAB has provided. 00:36:02.000 --> 00:36:05.000 It's an advising platform. We have it down at Oregon State. 00:36:05.000 --> 00:36:08.000 And all those schools are feeding data 00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:13.000 into the think tank because it has to be put back out into the tool itself. 00:36:13.000 --> 00:36:16.000 And so what EAB has done is aggregated a lot of that data and looked at it. 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:24.000 And they found that across the collaborative of users in the Student Success Collaborative tool 00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:29.000 that students who came in undeclared more than half of them changed their major. 00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:33.000 That's not new to a lot of us who are working in exploratory studies. 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:38.000 We know that that's a phenomenon. That's kind of why we exist is that it happens fairly regularly. 00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:42.000 But over half who started as declared changed their majors so 62 percent. 00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:48.000 And again when we're talking about time to degree 00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:52.000 it's when they change that really presented the problem. 00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:55.000 In year two, that added time to degree 00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:61.000 in situations when they changed it in year three like Shannon my student that added time to degree as well. 00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:08.000 Student Success Collaborative also has some pretty interesting data about exploring students. 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:11.000 A lot of times the question I get in particular from families 00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:16.000 is hey if my students starts in exploratory that mean it's going to take them longer to graduate right? 00:37:16.000 --> 00:37:18.000 Well not necessarily. It depends right? 00:37:18.000 --> 00:37:24.000 So what I like about this graphic that EAB has presented and again this is from all the aggregated data 00:37:24.000 --> 00:37:28.000 that they have from the Student Success Collaborative. 00:37:28.000 --> 00:37:32.000 They'e identified a productive exploration window. 00:37:32.000 --> 00:37:36.000 If it's happening in the first four terms at an institution 00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:39.000 that tends to lead towards roughly a four year and in some cases under a four year 00:37:39.000 --> 00:37:43.000 you know 3.9 graduation timeline. 00:37:43.000 --> 00:37:48.000 And they're noting something that I always say but it's kind of cool that I've got data behind it. 00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:52.000 I think informed decisions tend to stick. 00:37:52.000 --> 00:37:55.000 Students who think critically about their exploration process 00:37:55.000 --> 00:37:58.000 when they make a choice they tend to not change again. 00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:64.000 It happens. It happened with Shannon my student. 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:09.000 But largely it tends to stick and I think that helps expedite the degree process. 00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:16.000 So I love this productive exploration window term. I'm using that a lot these days. 00:38:16.000 --> 00:38:19.000 And I think that productive exploration window 00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:22.000 is where we see the intersection between explore and finish in four. 00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:28.000 You know if we can hit that sweet spot in those first four terms 00:38:28.000 --> 00:38:32.000 chances are good that students are going to progress in a timely manner. 00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:36.000 And also being in a space that fits well with them as a learner. 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:39.000 I mentioned before that NACADA has been at a lot of these tables recently 00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:44.000 and NACADA and Complete College America recently did a webinar 00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:48.000 around the 15 to finish and the shared principles we have in the 15 o finish. 00:38:48.000 --> 00:38:52.000 And our executive director was on the webinar talking. 00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:56.000 Some of you have met Charlie Nutt. And Charlie Nutt says 15 to finish is a conversation. 00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:60.000 I love that. It's not just about a marketing campaign. 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:04.000 But it's also what's behind the marketing campaign. 00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:09.000 How advisors fit into that conversation and can be good company for students as they go along this journey. 00:39:10.000 --> 00:39:16.000 If ou were paying attention earlier you may have heard me say this: exploration is a conversation. 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:19.000 OK? Exploration is a conversation. 00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:21.000 Unguided exploration not a good thing. 00:39:21.000 --> 00:39:28.000 But if we're working with students and being a resource for them as they explore, being a sounding board 00:39:28.000 --> 00:39:31.000 being someone who can help them make meaning of their situation, 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:37.000 that's a good thing and that plays into this productive exploration window. 00:39:37.000 --> 00:39:39.000 OK. 00:39:39.000 --> 00:39:44.000 So I want to make a distinction at this point between undecided and exploratory. 00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:48.000 Part of the reason why we use the term exploratory at Oregon State is it implies activity. 00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:52.000 When you think about the word productive that implies activity right? 00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:56.000 Something's got to be happening during that productive exploration window 00:39:56.000 --> 00:39:64.000 for students to enact and be effective in this decision-making 00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:06.000 and get on the right pathway. 00:40:06.000 --> 00:40:12.000 I've got that quote there form Po Bronson. It's ok not to have an answer but it's not ok to stop looking for one. 00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:16.000 It's ok to be undecided exploratory 00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:20.000 but it's not ok to just sort of float. You've got to be active in this process. 00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:28.000 OK so let's talk about some strategies for productive exploration. 00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:33.000 I think first and foremost you want to establish a culture that it's ok to explore. 00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:36.000 Promote that idea. 00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:41.000 So down at Oregon State we have what's called a first year advising syllabus. 00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:44.000 So we've had this for about three years now. 00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:48.000 Every student who comes into the institution regardless of their major, if they're a true first year student 00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:52.000 when they come to new student orientation they get a first year advising syllabus 00:40:52.000 --> 00:40:56.000 that explains what advising means at Oregon State 00:40:56.000 --> 00:40:60.000 and then the guts of this thing the mill of it has four things 00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:04.000 that we want them to make sure they do in their first year regardless of what their major is. 00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:09.000 We want to make sure they take certain classes. We call them our first year skills classes if they don't have them already. 00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:12.000 We want to make sure that they learn about our tools 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:16.000 and learn about our rules, learn about how to be good student at Oregon State University. 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:21.000 How to use the resources, how to understand our technology that we have for students. 00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:24.000 We want them to engage beyond the classroom. 00:41:24.000 --> 00:41:29.000 Right? Start thinking about how you want to add your journey in the classroom 00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:33.000 with things outside the classroom, whether that's study abroad, internships, 00:41:33.000 --> 00:41:36.000 being in leadership positions, what have you. 00:41:36.000 --> 00:41:40.000 And I'll admit I worked on this syllabus so I had some say in this 00:41:40.000 --> 00:41:44.000 Exploration. We promote the idea of exploration 00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:48.000 regardless of whether a student's with me in exploratory studies 00:41:48.000 --> 00:41:52.000 or they're in a major that they're 100 percent sure that they want to stick with 00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:56.000 we want them to explore and by explore 00:41:56.000 --> 00:41:58.000 be aware of the landscape be aware of the opportunities 00:41:58.000 --> 00:41:64.000 both within your major and outside of your major. There might be a good minor or supplemental degree out there for you 00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:07.000 that you want to couple with that that helps you achieve your goals. 00:42:07.000 --> 00:42:13.000 There might be opportunities within your major that you want to be perceptive to so you can avail yourself of them. 00:42:13.000 --> 00:42:20.000 I also think having transparent tools and resources available for students is part of this strategy. 00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:28.000 So I cut from Western Oregon from your academics page where several of your degree programs have little icons nex to them 00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:32.000 that say four year, four y, four year plan. 00:42:32.000 --> 00:42:34.000 I love that. I love that that's there. 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:38.000 We're actually trying to do that at Oregon State. We've got this kind of haphazard decentralized system. 00:42:38.000 --> 00:42:42.000 And we're trying to get something more centralized that make things more transparent for students 00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:48.000 about what do I do to get this degree? What does it take? 00:42:48.000 --> 00:42:52.000 When should take whatever classes? 00:42:52.000 --> 00:42:55.000 So you uncover things like hidden prerequisites that might be there that you hadn't thought about before. 00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:58.000 OK? Some other strategies. 00:42:58.000 --> 00:42:61.000 I don't know if any of you have heard the term choice architecture before 00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:06.000 but this is something that I think is starting to take hold in education 00:43:06.000 --> 00:43:09.000 and is influencing I think some of these time to degree conversations. 00:43:09.000 --> 00:43:16.000 And I think it really has a lot of relevance to exploration. Thaler and Sunstein actually wrote this book Nudge. 00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:18.000 But they started with an article called choice architecture 00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:24.000 and basically choice architecture is creating and shaping environments that can influence decision-making. 00:43:24.000 --> 00:43:28.000 A lot of this has to do with economics 00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:32.000 and the marketplace and the way that things are organized for you 00:43:32.000 --> 00:43:35.000 to sort of influence your buying choices and so on. 00:43:35.000 --> 00:43:40.000 But it also extends into other avenues and other areas of life. 00:43:40.000 --> 00:43:43.000 And I think that it definitely plays a part in exploration. 00:43:43.000 --> 00:43:46.000 And so you're starting to see things like metamajors come up. 00:43:46.000 --> 00:43:53.000 A lot of schools in lieu of the presentation of the 100 or 150 or 200 plus majors that they might have. 00:43:53.000 --> 00:43:56.000 They're boiling it down and they're creating themes. 00:43:56.000 --> 00:43:60.000 Alright? And so they might have a health and wellness theme. 00:44:00.000 --> 00:44:04.000 Or they might have a STEM theme or they might have a behavioral sciences theme. 00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:08.000 That's what they're putting on students' plates early on. 00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:11.000 They're saying where's you energy? Where do your interests lie? 00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:16.000 So that it gives students a chance to start broadly 00:44:16.000 --> 00:44:20.000 and then filter down into a specific major as they go further along, alright? 00:44:20.000 --> 00:44:24.000 Time limits on exploration. 00:44:24.000 --> 00:44:26.000 So this is me changing my tune. 00:44:26.000 --> 00:44:33.000 For years and years and years I was really averse to putting a time limit on how long a student could be exploratory. 00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:41.000 And a lot of my partners across the country in exploratory advising do have this. 00:44:41.000 --> 00:44:43.000 And they have for quite some time. 00:44:43.000 --> 00:44:46.000 This productive exploration window 00:44:46.000 --> 00:44:50.000 and these ideas coming out of that have really started to influence my think on this. 00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:57.000 So much so that down at Oregon State we're going to put a four term time limit on how long a student can be in exploratory studies. 00:44:57.000 --> 00:44:60.000 But we're doing that to provide parameters. 00:45:00.000 --> 00:45:03.000 This is where the choice architecture comes in. 00:45:03.000 --> 00:45:05.000 We're putting some boundaries around the student. 00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:12.000 Because for the most part our data shows us that our students are generally declaring within three terms. 00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:16.000 OK? But it's the students that are taking five, six, seven, 00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:20.000 eight, nine, terms sometimes to declare that are holding on 00:45:20.000 --> 00:45:26.000 that actually are spinning their wheels and they're not making the progress that we kind of want 00:45:26.000 --> 00:45:28.000 because they don't have to. 00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:35.000 They only thing I could hold over them before was you can't graduate with a degree in being exploratory. 00:45:35.000 --> 00:45:40.000 So now by going to this four term limit 00:45:40.000 --> 00:45:44.000 we're putting some parameters around them and we're not necessarily cutting the cord ant the end of four years. 00:45:44.000 --> 00:45:48.000 But we are going to ask them if they're still with us at the end of four terms, why? 00:45:48.000 --> 00:45:50.000 They're going to have to explain to us. They're going to have to petition to stay with us. 00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:56.000 And say here's why I need more time. It's because the major I want has a GPA requirement 00:45:56.000 --> 00:45:60.000 and I need to improve upon this specific class this specific grade. 00:46:00.000 --> 00:46:04.000 It's because I've arrowed it down to two choices and I can't quite decide. 00:46:04.000 --> 00:46:07.000 And I need another term. Whatever it may be. 00:46:07.000 --> 00:46:11.000 And so I think time limits are an example of choice architecture that can play into exploration. 00:46:11.000 --> 00:46:17.000 Mandatory advising within the first year. This is something we do at Oregon State across the board. 00:46:17.000 --> 00:46:20.000 And I know there's a lot of disagreement about that out there. 00:46:20.000 --> 00:46:24.000 But I think for first year students who are at the lowest context 00:46:24.000 --> 00:46:28.000 for understanding the culture of higher education 00:46:28.000 --> 00:46:32.000 having someone who is in conversation with them in dialogue with them 00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:36.000 It helps the matter and it provides a parameter 00:46:36.000 --> 00:46:40.000 for exploration and for feedback on what their experiences are 00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:44.000 as they try to navigate this new culture and this new environment. 00:46:44.000 --> 00:46:48.000 And then have what I call try on the hat program. 00:46:48.000 --> 00:46:52.000 Have structure organized programming that give students a chance 00:46:52.000 --> 00:46:56.000 outside of the classroom to try on the hat. Whether that's open houses, information fairs, 00:46:56.000 --> 00:46:60.000 structured events that help students learn more about their options 00:47:00.000 --> 00:47:03.000 so they can see how it fits with their interests. 00:47:03.000 --> 00:47:09.000 OK finally, I think making space for progressive and structured reflection. 00:47:09.000 --> 00:47:12.000 And so we'll talk about a couple ways that we do this in exploratory studies. 00:47:12.000 --> 00:47:14.000 We have an exploration to-do list. 00:47:14.000 --> 00:47:19.000 I know it's kind of hard to see but we've integrated this into our advising. 00:47:19.000 --> 00:47:24.000 Pretty early on if a student is really undecided and really open to exploration 00:47:24.000 --> 00:47:27.000 we start talking about things they can do. What are some strategies? 00:47:27.000 --> 00:47:29.000 What's some homework related to your exploration? 00:47:29.000 --> 00:47:36.000 Strategies that you can put in play based on the resources that we have at Oregon State and beyond 00:47:36.000 --> 00:47:41.000 to help you learn more and get the information you need to make an informed decision. 00:47:41.000 --> 00:47:43.000 Intake forms. 00:47:43.000 --> 00:47:48.000 So I mentioned mandatory advising before 00:47:48.000 --> 00:47:50.000 prior to a student coming into that mandatory advising appointment for us 00:47:50.000 --> 00:47:54.000 we ask them some questions. They sit down at the computer 00:47:54.000 --> 00:47:58.000 about five to seven minutes fill out a little Qualtrics intake survey 00:47:58.000 --> 00:47:64.000 where we try to get feedback on where they are with their exploration, what they've been doing 00:48:04.000 --> 00:48:07.000 what they've been engaging in, what they've liked, what they haven't liked. 00:48:07.000 --> 00:48:11.000 And what it does is it sets the stage for the conversation that they're going to have with the advisor. 00:48:11.000 --> 00:48:16.000 So the advisor can dig a little deeper, so the advisor can provide some options 00:48:16.000 --> 00:48:20.000 or some thinking on where they might go next with their exploration. 00:48:20.000 --> 00:48:24.000 And then what I'll call AAAATs. 00:48:24.000 --> 00:48:27.000 So some of you may have heard of Patricia Cross before. 00:48:27.000 --> 00:48:32.000 Patricia Cross has written a lot about classroom assessment techniques these are techniques you can use in the classroom 00:48:32.000 --> 00:48:36.000 to get immediate feedback or assessment on where your students are with the learning. 00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:40.000 Right? So I'll these academic advising appointment assessment techniques. 00:48:40.000 --> 00:48:44.000 Things that you can do in the appointment. Put a notecard in fornt of a student 00:48:44.000 --> 00:48:48.000 and ask them a question and ask them to write about it. Writing is a form of reflection. 00:48:48.000 --> 00:48:52.000 So it gives them a chance to process in the moment and think about it. 00:48:52.000 --> 00:48:55.000 When I sit at my computer and the student's beside me they're running the show. 00:48:55.000 --> 00:48:57.000 They take the keyboard they take the mouse 00:48:57.000 --> 00:48:64.000 They're showing me that they understand how to use the technology and the resources at our school to explore 00:49:04.000 --> 00:49:09.000 whether that's running what-if scenarios through our degree audits or utilizing our online catalogue and schedule of classes and so on. 00:49:09.000 --> 00:49:12.000 So I get immediate feedback on whether or not they need help. 00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:16.000 OK so in conclusion 00:49:16.000 --> 00:49:22.000 exploration is defined by this intentional process that's driven by a commitment to the individual. 00:49:22.000 --> 00:49:28.000 And helping them find a place where they can maximize their potential and express their talents. 00:49:28.000 --> 00:49:31.000 Plus the finish in four right? 00:49:31.000 --> 00:49:38.000 That's defined by this well-intentioned process to mitigate the increasing expense of higher education 00:49:38.000 --> 00:49:44.000 and hopefully produce the college graduates that we need for the economic necessity. 00:49:44.000 --> 00:49:48.000 Exploration, finish in four, I think is a productive partnership. 00:49:48.000 --> 00:49:51.000 Alright. Let's go back to Calvin for a second. 00:49:51.000 --> 00:49:53.000 Back to our philosophers. 00:49:53.000 --> 00:49:56.000 OK. It's a magical world. Let's go exploring. 00:49:56.000 --> 00:49:58.000 And thank you. 00:49:58.000 --> 00:49:65.000 applause 00:50:05.000 --> 00:50:08.000 So the question just to repeat was around 00:50:08.000 --> 00:50:13.000 how do you inspire activity in students who apparently are not motivated? 00:50:13.000 --> 00:50:17.000 That's a challenge that I think all advisors face. 00:50:17.000 --> 00:50:20.000 Especially if you're running into that. 00:50:20.000 --> 00:50:22.000 So I talk frankly with students. 00:50:22.000 --> 00:50:26.000 If they seem to be not engaged and not interested about it, 00:50:26.000 --> 00:50:32.000 is A, what does engage you? And B, motivation comes from doing, so what are you doing? 00:50:32.000 --> 00:50:38.000 What are you doing? If you feel like you're not motivated, what can you do to get motivated? 00:50:38.000 --> 00:50:41.000 Maybe that involves a class at your institution. 00:50:41.000 --> 00:50:45.000 If they are invested in sticking around and still being here at this school. 00:50:45.000 --> 00:50:51.000 Maybe it does involve stopping out and time away and getting some perspective. 00:50:51.000 --> 00:50:57.000 I think particularly with students who are in academic difficulty and on probation 00:50:57.000 --> 00:50:64.000 that frank assessment on where their energy is and what their invested in doing 00:51:04.000 --> 00:51:09.000 and what they're liking and what's caused the issues to date is important. 00:51:09.000 --> 00:51:16.000 It's important. It puts them under the microscope and has them reflect upon their experiences and make meaning about it. 00:51:16.000 --> 00:51:20.000 Yeah so the question was what do we do with the student who won't make the decision? 00:51:20.000 --> 00:51:23.000 If they are lingering for a long time and are paralyzed by that choice. 00:51:23.000 --> 00:51:28.000 So there does come a time where I think undecidedness 00:51:28.000 --> 00:51:35.000 if it's pathological you might need to involve some experts beyond academic advising. 00:51:35.000 --> 00:51:40.000 There might be some therapeutic interventions that can help a student get past that. 00:51:40.000 --> 00:51:45.000 But I would say a lot of the things that we're doing to try to make it more transparent, 00:51:45.000 --> 00:51:49.000 I think sometimes students undersell themselves in terms of what they have done. 00:51:49.000 --> 00:51:53.000 Whether it's celebrating an academic performance, 00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:61.000 looking through a transcript and saying I see some B's here I see some A's here, what went well in those environments? 00:52:01.000 --> 00:52:04.000 And then coupling that with what have you done to explore? 00:52:04.000 --> 00:52:06.000 And what haven't you done to explore? 00:52:06.000 --> 00:52:12.000 My advisor who came up with this palpable visual to-do list 00:52:12.000 --> 00:52:16.000 I'm indebted to her. Because we'd always talk about these things 00:52:16.000 --> 00:52:21.000 but just being able to present that to a student and actually have it be homework in a sense 00:52:21.000 --> 00:52:23.000 has I think really helped us. 00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:28.000 Because students if they're forced to talk if they're forced to tell you what they're going to do 00:52:28.000 --> 00:52:32.000 they'll come up with something. 00:52:32.000 --> 00:52:36.000 I haven't experienced a student yet who has said I'm not going to do any of those things. 00:52:36.000 --> 00:52:39.000 They want to talk about it. 00:52:39.000 --> 00:52:43.000 Especially if they are feeling paralyzed by the decision. 00:52:45.000 --> 00:52:51.000 Yeah the question was has the form been beneficial? We're in the early stages of it. 00:52:51.000 --> 00:52:54.000 But I think we're seeing some results. Students have really liked it. 00:52:54.000 --> 00:52:60.000 And I always put things out there for students and encourage them 00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:02.000 hey complete this and bring this to your appointment 00:53:02.000 --> 00:53:08.000 with no real hope that they're going to do it. And I was surprised at how many students actually, 00:53:08.000 --> 00:53:12.000 I sent it out over email at the time they were to schedule the appointment, 00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:16.000 how many had printed it out and checked it off. 00:53:16.000 --> 00:53:20.000 And how many had said I remember when you sent that to me. Even if they didn't bring it, told me that they looked at it. 00:53:21.000 --> 00:53:28.000 So the question was specific to involving career services as a campus partner 00:53:28.000 --> 00:53:31.000 but I think also you could extend that to other partners as well. 00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:34.000 I think career services has a direct relationship here 00:53:34.000 --> 00:53:39.000 just because so much of the model that I presented is embedded in career theory. 00:53:39.000 --> 00:53:45.000 And the idea of major decision-making. We just crib that from career decision-making. 00:53:45.000 --> 00:53:46.000 It's so much there. 00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:52.000 So I think for me I've been thinking about this a lot. 00:53:52.000 --> 00:53:56.000 And we have a new director at our career development center down at OSU. 00:53:56.000 --> 00:53:59.000 And so that's a moment for me. i ca be opportunistic 00:53:59.000 --> 00:53:64.000 and think about how does your infrastructure aid and support exploration for advising. 00:54:04.000 --> 00:54:08.000 And I can think about it a couple ways. 00:54:08.000 --> 00:54:13.000 Particularly at Oregon State one of the things that our career development center has really excelled at 00:54:13.000 --> 00:54:16.000 is putting on these large scale events like career fairs 00:54:16.000 --> 00:54:19.000 and symposiums and workshops and things like that. 00:54:19.000 --> 00:54:24.000 And for an office like mine, when I want to do things like majors fair 00:54:24.000 --> 00:54:28.000 but I don't quite have the infrastructure or the experience with that, 00:54:28.000 --> 00:54:32.000 we're going to start working with our career development center 00:54:32.000 --> 00:54:37.000 to embed something like that into our infrastructure at Oregon State. 00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:40.000 I also think 00:54:40.000 --> 00:54:44.000 you know I mentioned before that exploration is a conversation. 00:54:44.000 --> 00:54:48.000 And that it's important for students to get lots of voices in the conversation. 00:54:48.000 --> 00:54:52.000 And historically I've found that sometimes students 00:54:52.000 --> 00:54:56.000 especially if they spend a lot time with me that it's really helpful 00:54:56.000 --> 00:54:60.000 to get the voice of another campus professional in on the conversation. 00:55:00.000 --> 00:55:04.000 And if you've got a campus professional who gets it 00:55:04.000 --> 00:55:08.000 who understands decision-making and the model 00:55:08.000 --> 00:55:12.000 even if it's major versus career or what have you, who understands that relationship, 00:55:12.000 --> 00:55:16.000 it can edify and support the work that an advisor does 00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:20.000 with an exploring student and vice versa. Right? 00:55:20.000 --> 00:55:25.000 Yeah we have assessments and it's kind of what we're trained to do. 00:55:25.000 --> 00:55:30.000 Most of us have counseling degrees that focus in this area. 00:55:30.000 --> 00:55:35.000 So I think it's great how we can collaborate. I know we do that a lot here. 00:55:35.000 --> 00:55:38.000 I love all the referrals that we get. 00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:43.000 And working in collaboration you know they're working with both departments. 00:55:43.000 --> 00:55:45.000 And just to extend even beyond career services 00:55:45.000 --> 00:55:52.000 I think partnerships with residents' life and partnerships with student leadership and involvement 00:55:52.000 --> 00:55:59.000 is a great way to provide students with the landscape for possibilities for active engagement. 00:55:59.000 --> 00:55:61.000 Which helps, it really does. 00:56:01.000 --> 00:56:03.000 Thanks for coming out I appreciate it. 00:56:03.000 --> 00:56:07.000 applause