Institute/Session Summary:

Purpose—to increase our understanding of what academic coaching is, how it can benefit our campuses, how to improve our practice, and how to integrate coaching more fully into academic support.

Learning objectives—at the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Define academic coaching as a unique blend of the roles of athletic coach, tutor, advisor, and study skills instructor
• Identify the primary topics and purposes of academic coaching • Consider benefits and challenges to implementing an academic coaching program
• Identify resources necessary to improve knowledge and practice

Outline:

1. Introduction—academic coaching is probably an old idea that we have been doing for decades, but the term is relatively new and attracting more attention among academic support centers.
   a. My position on campus
   b. how I use academic coaching
   c. We need to pool our knowledge to clarify for ourselves what academic coaching is, how we can use it to benefit our campus programs, and improve our practical application.
2. Brainstorm in small groups—what roles/activities do the following perform?
   a. Athletic coach
   b. Tutor
   c. Advisor
   d. Study skills instructor
3. Share brainstorming.
4. Large group discussion:
   a. What definition can we suggest for academic coaching?
   b. What will be the topics and services of an academic coach?
5. Overhead slides—website definitions from several institutions of what academic coaching is on their campuses.
6. Optional section if time permits: Brainstorm—identify groups on our campuses who will benefit from an academic coaching program
   a. Student populations
   b. Campus programs and initiatives
7. Concluding large group discussion
   a. What are the possible challenges to implementing academic coaching on our campuses?
   b. What department on campus should host/promote academic coaching?
   c. How do we further our training and understanding of academic coaching?

Significance to the field:

Very little has been written about academic coaching. We need to recognize the practice and define it in order to improve our understanding and practice of a service beneficial to student success.

Relevance to attendees:

Academic coaching is a combination of so many of the things we practice and promote in the CRLA. Attendees will be invited to further their understanding of academic coaching and identify resources in order to improve the professionalism in the field.

Specific plans to engage audience:

The focus of the session will be on the collaborative brainstorming and discussion of the definition of academic coaching and how to improve our practice. Session members will be invited to transcribe and discuss their ideas.

Media and instructional aids:

• Overhead transparencies of website pages of how other institutions define and describe academic coaching
• Flip chart pages posted on the walls
• Handouts of resources for participants to make use of later: materials that I have developed and used in academic coaching and resources for further training.

Experience with topic:

My job assignment of directing a tutorial center and teaching a study skills course has naturally encouraged me to do academic coaching with students in one-to-one settings. I have completed a National Academic Advising Association, (NACADA) summer institute which also addressed issues relevant to the subject. A break-out session at the 2005 CRLA conference provided inspiration and advice on how one institution uses and promotes academic advising.

Presenter1 Name: Melinda Gunning
Presenter1 Institution: Fresno Pacific University
Presenter1 Bio: Gunning has worked at a variety of college and university settings for over twenty years.  With an M.A. in literature, she is now the Director of Academic Support Services at Fresno Pacific University, a small, private, liberal arts institution in central California.  Among the many institutional hats she wears, Gunning works with and learns from students in a tutorial center, a study skills bridge course, and through academic study hall and coaching.  Gunning has been an active member of CRLA for five years and is a past president of the California Chapter.