Editor's note: This is the first in a series of articles written by students who were enrolled in Jennifer Bloom's graduate seminar in academic advising at the University of South Carolina for the 2007 fall semester. As part of her course syllabus, Dr. Bloom required each student in her class to submit an article to The Mentor or other publications for consideration.
They are often referred to as helicopter parents or Blackhawk parents, and those are probably the nicer names attributed to parents of today's college students. Colleges and universities have experienced a rise in parent involvement during the past few years, which can be attributed to the arrival of the Millennial generation, those born after 1981 (Menezes, 2005). Millennials comprise the largest, healthiest, most wanted and cared-for generation in American history and were raised by overprotective parents who want to be an integral part in all aspects of their children's lives (Menezes, 2005). Even though many college administrators are concerned that over-involved parents hinder the development of their children, according to the National Survey of Student Engagement (2007), “students whose parents intervene on their behalf are more active in and satisfied with college” (Lipka, 2007). This generation accepts their parents as personal advocates and, for the most part, welcomes their parents' interest in their college careers (Menezes, 2005). As parents continue to become more and more involved, it is important that academic advisers begin to see parents as resources, not obstacles, when it comes to advising. This article explores how academic advisers can redefine and reframe the role parents play in advising by using the principles of Appreciative Inquiry (AI).
Appreciative Inquiry
Before academic advisers can begin to see the benefits of Appreciative Inquiry (AI), it is important to know the history behind AI and why it works. AI is “an organizational development tool that focuses on bringing out the best in people and organizations, instead of viewing them as problems that need to be solved” (Bloom & Martin, 2002). AI focuses on the art of asking positive questions that heighten others' potential. By answering these questions and participating in dialogue, individuals are able to uncover their strengths, abilities, and skills and can experience transformation and change (Bloom & Martin, 2002).
In an effort to better understand why AI works, Whitney and Trosten-Bloom (2003) found that the liberation of power created through AI generates a “self perpetuating momentum for positive change” (p. 235), because as people see results, they gain confidence. AI is a successful tool for creating transformational change, because it encourages people to experience a sense of personal power and allows them to be heard (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2003). AI can help to produce an environment in which people are able to choose how they contribute, and once they feel that release of power and see the effects it has on their lives, they can be permanently changed (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2003).
With the use of AI, academic advisers have the opportunity to redefine the role parents play in academic advising. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said, “Treat people as if they were what they should be, and you can help them become what they are capable of becoming” (as cited in Bloom & Martin, 2002). Knowing that people naturally respond to those who encourage and enable them, academic advisers can apply this principle to their work (Bloom & Martin, 2002). If advisers use Appreciative Advising techniques (i.e., Appreciative Inquiry principles applied to academic advising) not only with their students, but also with parents, the effects can be powerful. In this case, treating parents as resources and not obstacles helps to create relationships focused on student success.
In order to create these relationships, it is important for academic advisers to clearly define the roles of adviser, student, and parent right from the start (Menezes, 2005). Defining roles allows both parents and advisers to see how they can positively contribute to the advising process, while preventing parents from overpowering the roles of the adviser and/or student. For example, advisers need to inform parents about the privacy rights that students are afforded under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This legislation limits the amount of information advisers can share with parents without the students' written permission.
AI focuses on searching for the best in people, so it emphasizes the benefits of having parents who invest in their students' academic careers. With that emphasis, advisers can begin to show students that their parents can serve as resources to them throughout the advising process. Students today see their parents as role models and mentors, so in order to create stronger connections with students, an adviser must also forge healthy relationships with parents when children wish them to be involved.
The Four Phases of Appreciative Inquiry
At the heart of AI are four phases typically used to promote change (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2003). The phases are Discovery, Dream, Design, and Destiny. These phases are listed below along with sample questions that academic advisers can ask parents to elicit their strengths, skills, and abilities. In this way, AI can be used to intentionally transform conversations with parents.
It is vital to note that before the power of each of these phases can be released, advisers must first realize the importance of first impressions. Greeting parents warmly and making them feel welcome and part of the students' support network is essential. Bloom, Hutson, and He (in press) have named this new phase of Appreciative Advising the Disarm phase. If advisers strive to create a welcoming environment, parents will respond more favorably, because they feel their thoughts and concerns are valued.
Once a positive environment has been established, advisers can proceed with the other four phases of AI. During Discovery, an adviser asks the parents to discuss some of the strengths and passions they feel their student has, as well as describe the strengths of their relationship with the child. One might ask, “Tell me about a time when you and your child worked well together. What was the high point of the experience? What was your contribution?” Listening carefully to their responses is very important in this stage, as the answers given will guide the dialogue in the next phase.
During the Dream phase of AI, an adviser should encourage parents to envision their role in the student's future. By discussing what was learned in the Discovery phase, such as their student's strengths, aspirations, and interests, parents can formulate a plan to support their child's hopes and dreams throughout their lives and careers (Bloom & Martin, 2002). The Dream phase of AI “lifts up the best of what has been, and invites people to imagine it even better” (Whitney & Trosten-Bloom, 2003, p. 179). Sample Dream-phase questions include “How do you think you can best support your child as he/she begins a college education? How can you allow your child to become an independent young adult? What is your biggest wish for your child?” Asking questions that stimulate thoughts and visions of the future will provide a transition into the third phase: Design.
In the Design phase, the adviser works closely with parents to teach them how to support the student while he or she pursues hopes and dreams. Advisers might ask, “How can you assist your child to achieve her biggest dream? What role will you play? How can you contribute to the process without overtaking the process?”
The final phase of AI is Destiny. In this phase, the adviser addresses the importance of allowing the student to accomplish the goals they have dreamed and designed on their own. Parents may have valuable contacts to share with their student or may wish to relate the experience they have in their fields of interest. Advisers can help parents and students realize that the latter need to devise these plans since they are responsible for meeting their own goals, but that it is all right for students to gather input from a variety of sources, including their parents. One of the most valuable things a parent can do for their students is to offer them continuous support and encouragement (Menezes, 2005), but parents must understand that they cannot achieve their students' goals for them.
Scaffolding
Psychologist Len Vygotsky has developed a teaching strategy called “scaffolding instruction” that could be very useful for advisers to express to parents (Bloom, Cuevas, Hall & Evans, in press). The analogy posits that the scaffolds are temporary, and as students become more competent and their abilities increase, parts of the scaffolding are removed. In the end, the student is able to complete tasks or achieve goals independently and the scaffolding will have been completely removed (Van Der Stuyf, 2002). This concept can be very useful to advisers as they encourage parents to let go and allow their students to achieve their goals on their own. While students may need an abundance of support at first, as they grow and progress throughout their college careers, they will become more competent. Parents need to recognize that they must begin to artfully remove the scaffolding in order to allow their children to become independent adults.
Conclusion
Whitney and Trosten-Bloom (2003) suggest that another component of the Destiny phase involves the application of AI to other systems or organizations or, in this case, other people. While advisers can potentially redefine their relationships with parents through AI, they should also encourage parents to use these principles when communicating with their children. The capacity for ongoing change within the parent-student relationship will be enhanced if parents begin using AI questions and techniques. Going back to one of the key founding principles of AI, S. N. Parker said, “People have a way of becoming what you encourage them to be, not what you nag them to be” (as cited in Bloom & Martin, 2002). Parents have the chance to play a pivotal role in the personal and academic development of their students, and by using AI, they can foster a positive environment full of support and encouragement.
As parents continue to have a strong presence in college students' lives today, academic advisers have the opportunity to focus on parents as positive resources rather than as problems. By applying the principles of Appreciative Inquiry in conversations and interactions with parents, academic advisers can begin to build strong relationships with students and parents.