The Nest: An Online Resource for Developmental Advising Practices

Erin Sessions

Abstract

The premise behind the practice of academic advising is to build a partnership between student and advisor in such a way that the advisor is able to provide relevant, connected, and expert information regarding the student’s educational journey and future goals. In order to achieve a constructive partnership between student and advisor, there must be effective communication. Students must communicate with advisors the realities of their experiences and expectations and advisors must in turn communicate the realities of the academic expectations of the institution and school unit and be able to discuss with the student options, opportunities, and possibilities. Each relationship between an advisor and a student is different.

In the age of digital education and web-based communication the information a student needs is more readily available than ever before. To this end this project looks at the benefits of an online advising tool, which is a tool intended to supply the student with the basic tenets of their requirements so that the student may take some ownership and responsibility for their education and for the direction and content of advising sessions. The Advising Nest is a product of collaboration between student desires and advisor practicalities. The resulting tool achieves the goal of placing a degree of ownership and responsibility in relation to academic advising on the student while also providing the advisor with an instrument to offer information regarding practices and policies. Thus allowing for an opportunity for deeper and more personalized advising sessions.