Innovative Practice

The Subtleties of Appreciative Advising: Expanding Practices Beyond the Conversation

Authors
  • Shaina Gonzalez (University of South Florida)
  • Lauren Schumacher Chambers (University of South Florida)

Abstract

Over and over again, advisors attend workshops and conferences with sessions geared towards improving their advising practices. Various theories are discussed with hypothetical scenarios about student conversations and relationships. While useful, the point is that trained advisors know how to have conversations with students. While the tone or topic may change, we are experts at what we do. What we don’t realize, is that there is more impact on a student than the 15-30 minute conversation had in one session. Appreciative advising strives to shift our focus away from habitual problem-focused ways of seeing, to a focus on the positive in order to “heighten energy, sharpen vision and inspire action for change”. 

Keywords: Higher Education, Workshops

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Published on
19 May 2014
Peer Reviewed
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