Welcome to the student advising of JFK Institute of Healthcare. At JFK Institute of Healthcare we see student advising as a support service to the student, making available the best possible guidance tools, to assist him/her in making life choices which will be personally rewarding and fulfilling.

 

Goals of the Advising Process

Effective academic advising requires a partnership between the advisee and adviser.  The advising process is characterized by an assortment of tangible and intangible goals that the advisor can assist their advisee in achieving. Each goal of the academic advising process is appropriately focused around the academic and intellectual development of the advisee. It is rare that an advisee enters the school knowledgeable of the academic goals with which they plan to graduate. As a result, it is important that as the advisee matriculates they should explore the program to develop an appreciation and curiosity to further solidify their academic goals. There are many experiences, resources, and opportunities that exist at the school and the advisor can serve as a person to communicate those to the advisee.

 

When students meet with their advisors, they come with varying needs and expectations. Generally, students want the following from an advisor:

1. Accessibility: an advisor who is reasonably available for advising appointments and who conveys an attitude that says "advising is an important educational task;"

2. Accurate information: an advisor who knows the current information regarding requirements, policies, procedures, or where to find the information; an advisor who knows when to refer to another person or office;

3. Advice: an advisor who is willing to challenge, recommend, encourage, without imposing his/her preferences; and

4. Relationship: an advisor who is willing to sit face-to-face and care about the educational and career plans of the student.

 

Advisement at JFK Institute of Healthcare is:

1. a process of shared responsibility and works best when both the student and adviser are active participants.

2. integral to the academic experience and plays a key role in student satisfaction, success, and retention.

3. comprehensive, holistic, and developmental, beginning at recruitment, continuing throughout orientation, and undergraduate and/or graduate study, and may extend to alumni/alumnae.

4. sensitive to the needs of a diverse, global student population.

5. organized by department, may vary in format by program, and is connected to school resources.

6. reviewed and evaluated regularly to ensure ongoing high quality and best practices.

 

Adult Learners

Developmental advising for adult learners suits the characteristics of andragogy (adult learning) that Bash (2003) outlines in his book Adult Learners in the Academy.

 

Adults as learners and as advisees:

• Are self-directed

• Thrive on encouragement and nurturing

• Learn from and share experiences

• Rely on discussion, experience, experiments, simulation and problem-solving to learn

• Want to apply knowledge and skills immediately

• Internally experience a need to learn

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Utilizing the developmental theory of advising along with principles of andragogy, advisors can:

• Encourage adult learners to self-advocate

• Empathize with and champion the need for institutional support

• Share ideas about creating a “place” and a “voice” on campus

• Assist with brain-storming and problem-solving

• Direct students to administrators who can affect their cause