Navigating EdD Success: Innovations in Faculty Advising for Professional Doctorate Programs (Poster 2)

• In Event: Scaffolding for Local Change-Making: Innovative EdD Supports Across Contexts

Abstract

Faculty advising plays a crucial role in the academic success of students in professional doctorate programs. This support is particularly significant in online academic programs, since attrition rates are approximately 30% higher than on-ground programs (Studebaker & Curtis, 2021). To effectively support online students and ultimately improve doctoral retention rates, faculty must tailor their practices to the unique challenges and opportunities of the virtual learning environment. This session explores innovative strategies for faculty advising for students enrolled in online EdD programs, encompassing a holistic approach that addresses various aspects of the students' academic journey, professional growth, and personal development.

First, our program has used a texting platform, the Remind app, as a powerful digital tool for maintaining consistent communication with students, which develops meaningful faculty-to-student connections. Early cohort and faculty engagement contribute to higher levels of doctoral student persistence (Westbrooks et al., 2020); and Trippetts et al. (2022) discovered that college persistence increased with the use of texting platforms, further highlighting students’ preferences for these communication systems. Faculty advisors have leveraging this app to send timely updates, reminders, and check-ins to their students, as well as to create group chats for cohorts and dissertation students to foster a sense of community and peer support.
In our advising sessions, we also focus on goal-setting practices, which researchers have continuously found is positively correlated to academic achievement (Poe et al., 2021; Yan 2019) which is often a focus in advising sessions. Guiding students in the process of creating clear, actionable goals allows students to focus their efforts, measure their progress, and achieve their academic objectives. We have used an advising goal-setting protocol based on specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound (SMART) goals, which benefits students by providing a pathway to organize their academic efforts. During advising sessions, we have found that it is critical to review progress toward established SMART goals and for advisors to provide constructive feedback and adjust goals as necessary.

To further enhance the advising experience for online students, faculty advisors can tailor advising sessions to address the unique needs and challenges of each student. This personalized approach demonstrates empathy and understanding which helps to foster stronger advisor-advisee relationships (McGill et al., 2020). Faculty can also offer guidance on professional development opportunities (e.g., conferences) resulting in the students building their professional networks and educational skills for career advancement. Additionally, regular reflection and feedback provides additional input on the advising process. Analyzing these types of informal data allows for refinement of advising practices ensuring continuous improvement.
From implementing these advising strategies, our online doctoral program has increased retention rates between 1-2% per year. This session will present detailed overviews of these advising practices, program retention data, and student feedback showcasing how positive advising experiences support the overall academic and professional development of online students. By implementing these best practices, faculty advisors can effectively engage with students, address their unique needs, and facilitate their journey towards achieving academic and career aspirations in professional doctorate programs across diverse institutional contexts.

Author

• Kelly Torres, Chicago School of Professional Psychology