Advising assessment

In Fall 2019, the Provost directed the Advising Leads group to develop a way to systematically assess academic advising across all ten academic colleges. The colleges developed learning outcomes for the first three advising appointments, which are required for all students.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes include the following:

Academic advising at Orientation

As a result of academic advising Orientation, students will be able to do the following:

  • Locate advisor's contact information
  • Login to MyNevada
  • Understand the purpose of why they are enrolled in their 1st term classes
  • Define degree requirements for a bachelors degree
  • Number of units required for graduation
  • Silver Core
  • Major

Academic advising at NevadaFIT

As a result of academic advising at NevadaFIT, students will be able to do the following: 

  • Utilize the academic calendar to be aware of important deadlines
  • Describe the role of an advisors (professional vs. faculty)
  • Schedule an advising appointment utilizing Navigate

Academic advising during first-year

As a result of academic advising during first-year, students will be able to do the following:

  • Recognize Silver Core 1-8 requirements
  • Enroll themselves in degree applicable courses for future terms
  • Describe the reason they are in college
  • Locate their enrollment date in MyNevada
  • Utilize Advanced search in MyNevada to identify core courses
  • Ability to navigate the General Catalog

Advising adjustments during COVID-19

During the initial development and implementation of advising learning outcomes, the COVID-19 pandemic began. Due to the constantly changing nature of higher education at that time, advising leads made necessary adaptations and adjustments to assess the learning outcomes and ensure the safety of both the student and advisor safety.

Developed a flipped classroom model. Advising developed a flipped classroom model for Orientation. Advisors created a pre-advising course in our learning management system (LMS) that students completed prior to attending a virtual advising appointment at Orientation. This course helped prepare students prior to attending that advising appointment. After attending the advising appointment and completing the pre-advising course, they completed a Qualtrics survey to assess their learning and advising session.

Established virtual meetings. To continue our assessment of advising during the time of COVID-19, we met with students online via Zoom or Microsoft teams during the academic terms. At the end of advising sessions we would ask students to complete another Qualtrics survey. This survey was built specifically to assess how students were understanding the learning outcomes.

Implemented a LMS module for NevadaFIT. Finally, when NevadaFIT returned in Summer 2021, the advisors developed a module, "University 101," to be used in the NevadaFIT homework LMS course. The students took a quiz in the course to assess their learning.

Engaging in all three opportunities for feedback allows for multiple check points on students learning within the first year.

Survey results

Using the results of the Qualtrics surveys, it is clear our students are meeting the learning outcomes. The following is a summary of the Qualtrics survey data for our first three years.

2020-2021

2021-2022

2022-2023