Professional Development Program

Background

After polling its members at the end of the 2013-2014 academic year, the ACADAOS Executive Committee found that the advising community at Ohio State was actively seeking opportunities to grow professionally, but the paths to those opportunities appeared cloudy and confusing. The Executive Committee voted to collaborate with Jen Belisle, Advising Resource Coordinator for the Office of Undergraduate Education to create more navigable pathways to professional development. A member directory was created so that advisors would be able to list areas they hoped to grow in and areas in which they felt reasonably knowledgeable. This allows ACADAOS and affiliates to create more specific training resources and more specific professional development opportunities. It also allows for a community of shared knowledge. For example, if an advisor reports feeling that they need better presentation skills, there is a resource list of advisors who feel confident in that area to help coach the advisor seeking to improve. Through knowledge sharing we can build a stronger advising community.

To encourage individual advisors to engage in professional development opportunities, a Professional Development Program was created during Summer 2014.

Points

Once you are an ACADAOS member gain access to the ACADAOS Advisor Professional Development Carmen site.  The Carmen page guides you through various stages of planning and action for which you will earn points based on your involvement. You earn points by completing various professional development activities. As you accrue points, you advance through the program.

1.  Professional Development Planning (50 points)

  • Complete an individual Professional Development Plan in the Carmen page (template provided), or upload your job goals from your self-evaluation if they are updated for the current academic year.

In order to grow as a professional, it is important to have an excellent understanding of one’s core strengths and areas for improvement. The NACADA Core Competencies site is a great place to see what competencies are standard for the advising field and to self-assess where you are with those competencies.

Once you complete your Professional Development Plan, you will earn 50 points and you will be able to move on to working on the action steps you developed to achieve your goals.

2. Work on Completing Activities to Reach Your Goals (50-Unlimited points)

Various professional development activities = variable points. Specific values can be found in the Carmen site.

100 points –  You will receive an email from ACADAOS President to both you and your supervisor celebrating your commitment to professional development

150 points –  You will receive an email from the Senior Director of Advising to you and your supervisor further elaborating on your commitment to professional development

200+ points – You will be entered into drawing for $200.00 professional development award, you will gain a free membership with ACADAOS for the following academic year, and a letter from Undergraduate Education leadership will be sent to you, your supervisor, and your department chair

FAQs


Q: What can I receive as being a part of the program?

A: As you progress through the Program, you accumulate points for everything that you log into our Carmen site. Participation gains you entries into winning professional development awards. The more points you accumulate, the greater the chances that you will win.


Q: Is there anything I can get along the way, before the Grand Prizes?

A: Yes! Those who progress through the program receive letters from the ACADAOS President, Senior Director of Advising, and Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Dean of Undergraduate Education sent to your supervisor. These letters will indicate that you have made a significant contribution to your professional development and should be recognized for your efforts.


Q: How do I get involved with the Program?

A: Please join ACADAOS as a new member or confirm your ongoing membership in ACADAOS by submitting the membership application form. Once it is confirmed you have filled out the membership application form and paid your dues an ACADAOS member, you will be given access to Professional Development Program on Carmen.


Q: What sort of things qualify for points?

A: Everything from attending on-campus workshops (10 pts), being a part of a committee (20 pts), to presenting at an off-campus conference (50 pts), and many more, can get you points. Basically, all you have to do is start keeping track of what you are already doing!


Q: Can I use BuckeyeLearn to track my points?

A: Yes and no. Unfortunately, we can’t sync BuckeyeLearn with our Carmen site. However, since BuckeyeLearn will keep track of anything that you have done through the system, you can use that to log your activities into our Carmen site in one fell swoop.


Q: What if there is something I want to do, but it is not listed on Carmen?

A: Just email the professional development committee! We are happy to discuss whatever it is, and determine if it can count, and how many points we would assign.


Q; Won’t this take a lot of time? I am already so busy.

A: We know that you have a lot on your plate, and taking a lot of time out of your day isn’t feasible. However, logging points only takes a few minutes. The hardest part (attending workshops, conferences, etc.) most of you are already doing, anyway. For example, are you attending the Focusing on the First Year Conference, you can get thirty (30) points just for attending!