C E L E B R AT I N G
90 YEARS!
YOU. US. INDY.
MARCH 30-APRIL 2
Seeing the Connection: Linking
Professional Competencies
Experience, and Classroom Learning
Jeannine Kranzow, Ph.D.
Azusa Pacific University
Stacy A. Jacob, Ph.D.
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
#ACPA14
Debra S. Gentry, Ph.D.
University of Toledo
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Framework
“The profession as a whole might look to the intersect of
curriculum and practice—the internships and assistantships
of preparation programs—as a place to focus particular
attention for the development of skills and knowledge
related to a wide range of competencies”
(Cuyjet, Longwell-Grice, and Molina, 2009, p. 114).
#ACPA14
Reynolds (2011) investigated specifically “the helping”
competency. Three of the top seven professional
development opportunities aligned with linking
professional competencies with graduate assistantships
& internships.
• Opportunities for practice
• GAs, Internships, & Externships
• Graduate coursework
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Who is in attendance?
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The Issue
Students in professional preparation programs in Student Affairs
Higher Education often have disconnect between what they are
learning in class and how it applies to their professional work.
• Taught the ACPA/NASPA Professional Competency areas in
class.
• Students "learned about the document", but did not
connect it to experiences to Graduate Assistantships,
Practicums, Internships.
• So there was no use of the document for professional
development (how to develop new skills and
competencies).
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Our response
• “It’s too late!” - Help students be proactive
• Build a rubric to help them consider their exposure to each
competency – a tool to help students link the competencies to their
own experiences both inside and outside of the classroom.
• Use the tool for a classroom activity to help students view their
experiences through a lens of exposure
• Reflect/journal as a classroom assignment/activity.
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Activity: Try It!
• Faculty: Use the rubric with a job description to see how
a student might gain exposure to certain competencies
• Supervisors: Consider how you could use it with newer
professionals.
• Grad Students and New Professionals: Reflect on how
you could use it for your professional development
• Find the Full Competency descriptions at:
http://www.naspa.org/images/uploads/main/Professional_Competen
cies.pdf
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First fill out the rubric.
Now spend some time writing on the following reflective questions.
• Discuss how the rubric was helpful/not helpful in your evaluation of
your graduate assistantship or other work experience (in terms of its
ability to provide you with the necessary exposure to various
competencies).
• After considering your exposure to all the competencies for SA
practitioners, what professional development opportunities do you
think are important for your growth as a professional?
• Do you see ways to discuss this rubric with your current and/or
future supervisor so that you might gain more exposure to specific
competencies?
• Did completing this rubric ultimately lead you to feel different about
your degree of preparation for the field of student affairs?
• Other thoughts/reflections?
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Themes
• Overwhelmingly “Yes, it was Helpful” – 40 of 43 and 7 of 7
students Provides structure to evaluate GA;
• Useful vehicle for approaching supervisors & being intentional
about work responsibilities -- 39 of 43 and 0 of 0 N/A
• Provides awareness of what you are learning & how much
there is to learn -- 32 of 43 7 of 7 Became aware of
importance and deficits
• Ways to maximize use of the rubric.
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#1 – Structure for Evaluating a GA position
“Thank you for this rubric; this has been the structure I
haven’t had in my graduate assistantship.”
“I think it is very helpful to evaluate my GA based on the
competencies because it helps me see what areas I may
need to be more intentional to cover. I think that my
professional growth depends on the opportunities I have to
see things more on the inside, such as planning, budgeting,
& making all the necessary steps to execute an event or
even a program vision.”
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“Often I only knew what I was doing in my GA
because it related back to something that was
discussed in class. I think it would be important to
base trainings off of these competency areas.
Basing trainings and the GA off of these
competency areas would allow for a more
structured training with measurable outcomes.”
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#2 – A Tool for Approaching Supervisors
“With this rubric, I feel that I can discuss with my
supervisor the exact areas that I need more
experience in, and she would help me create a
project to cover that area.”
“By addressing some of the rubric I think my
current & future supervisors would be open to
shifting some of my job responsibilities so that I
could find a way to develop in some aspects that I
may be lacking.”
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“My supervisor doesn't have an education
background in Student Affairs so I don’t know if
he would even understand the competencies I
would need to hit.”
“I think this rubric should and could be discussed
with supervisors. If it were a program
requirements to have to score between a 2 to 3 in
each competency, I am sure my supervisors would
ensure these learning outcomes were met.”
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#3 – Awareness of What You Are Learning
“The rubric was helpful because it gave me insight into
what I am and am not learning in my assistantship. I saw
the ways that the competencies are indeed being met, but I
also saw ways that I can personally try to attain
competencies. I think I realized that I sometimes need to be
assertive in my desire to seek these competencies out
through the role I have in my office. I also saw that some of
the competencies will not be met in my current
assistantship, which means I will have to seek some
alternatives”
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“Completing the rubric helped demonstrate
how much knowledge & experience I am
lacking as I go into the field & helps me
realize there is always more learning to be
done.”
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Complexity of Capstone students
This category of awareness made us realize
that from a capstone perspective, the
awareness is much deeper and more
complex
Still thinking about it.
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Other Interesting Comments
“This opened my eyes to looking elsewhere
for experience during the summer & for
next year. I have to create my own
networks to get where I would like to be.”
“My office suggested that I would gain
most, if not all, of my competencies though
my assistantship. Either I am not seeing
the connection yet to the competencies or
I should reexamine how my job relates
with my boss.”
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“I love the fact that I chose Student Affairs
with College Counseling. Sometimes
people give advice from a friendly
standpoint, but I will be able to see both
sides.”
*Note: Intentionally expose yourself!
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How to Maximize Gains from the Rubric
•
•
•
•
•
Revisit it
Encourage students to dialog with others
Encourage discussion with supervisors.
Encourage students to claim their education.
Talk to them about carefully selecting sessions at national
conferences.
• Speak to students about how this can help them evaluate
work offers.
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Discuss!
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Want More Information?
• Stacy A. Jacob
• Jeannine Kranzow
• Debra S. Gentry
stacy.jacob@sru.edu
jkranzow@apu.edu
debra.gentry@utoledo.edu
#ACPA14
References
American College Personnel Association & National
Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
(2010). ACPA/NASPA professional competency
areas for student affairs practitioners. Washington,
DC: Authors.
Cuyjet, M. J., Longwell-Grice, R., & Molina, E. (2009).
Perceptions of new student affairs professionals
and their supervisors regarding the application of
competencies learned in preparation programs.
Journal of College Student Development, 50(1),
104-119.
Reynolds, A. (2011). Helping competencies of student affairs professionals: A
Delphi study. Journal of College Student Development, 52(3), 362369.
#ACPA14
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