College of Education Advisement Philosophy

Academic Advising is an educational process that, by intention and design, facilitates students’ understanding of the meaning and purpose of higher education and fosters their intellectual and personal development toward academic success and lifelong learning (NACADA, 2004).

At Armstrong, academic advising provides students with the opportunity to build a relationship with their advisor for the purpose of gaining assistance planning their educational career, developing the skills needed for academic success, and learning how to access the variety of resources and services available to them on the Armstrong campus.

Academic advising is a collaborative educational process. The advisor/student collaboration requires participation and involvement of both the advisor and the student. Both the student and the advisor have clear responsibilities for ensuring the advising collaboration is successful.

Through the academic advising experience in the Armstrong College of Education:

• Students will demonstrate the ability to make effective decisions concerning their degree and career goals.
• Students will develop an educational plan for successfully achieving their goals and select courses each semester to progress toward fulfilling that educational plan.
• Students will understand the assessment tests required for education majors and take them at the appropriate times.
• Students will understand the resources and services on campus to assist them in achieving their academic, personal, and career goals.

 Academic advisors provide academic assistance to promote each student's success.  The advisor's role is to help the student evaluate and realize educational and career options. This requires the advisor to:

• approve the student's academic program of study;
• provide accurate and consistent information;
• clarify program requirements, policies and procedures;
• assist the student in identifying appropriate institutional resources;
• facilitate relationships between the student and other individuals on campus who may provide assistance; and
• uphold the academic standards of the institution.

 The College of Education evaluates the advisement process with an annual comprehensive electronic survey, and once a semester pre-candidate/candidate questionnaires.