Gaining Knowledge: A Professional Development Plan …

Running head: GAINING KNOWLEDGE

Gaining Knowledge: A Professional Development Plan

Matthew C. Enriquez

Bowling Green State University

1

GAINING KNOWLEDGE

2

Gaining Knowledge: A Professional Development Plan

Being a professional in a field means having a high level of knowledge and experience in

that area. To be a professional in higher education and student affairs, one should have a

thorough understanding of multiple content areas such as student development theory, history

and context of higher education in society, and the inclusion or exclusion of people with varying

identities in higher education. In this paper, I will examine these areas and others in relation to

my current student affairs knowledge. The purpose of this examination will be to establish a

baseline assessment of my current knowledge in order to plan effectively for my ongoing

professional development.

Areas of Advanced Knowledge

Because of certain academic and work experiences, there are student affairs topics in

which I can claim some level of advanced knowledge. In examining these areas, I will identify

major contents of the knowledge, who and what contributed to the development of the

knowledge, and how the knowledge will contribute to my professional success. It is important to

note that these are areas of expertise relative to the rest of my knowledge; i.e. they can always be

expanded and developed more fully.

Student Activities

Student Activities is an area I had tremendous exposure to as an undergraduate student

and during my master¡¯s degree program. As a graduate assistant in the Office of Campus

Activities, I have had ample opportunities to work with student organizations and student leader

development during my two years in graduate programs. These experiences coupled with

coursework have helped me become knowledgeable regarding leadership theory (e.g.

GAINING KNOWLEDGE

3

transformational leadership and adaptive leadership), strategic planning for student organizations

(i.e. mission, vision, and goal development), event planning, and developing followership.

The content areas in which I have knowledge have been developed from firsthand

experience with student organizations, assessment of student learning outcomes, academic

coursework such as learning environments theory, and guidance from professionals with whom I

work. Of all these, my experience consulting and training student organization leaders has

contributed the most to my knowledge development. Specifically, offering trainings such as an

assessment workshop have forced me to synthesize my knowledge of learning outcomes

development, assessment tools, methods for gathering and analyzing data, and turning

assessment reports into action. By challenging myself to train and teach others, I have solidified

my knowledge. This has prepared me for success as a higher education professional because I

have the knowledge to design effective interventions for student organization members and can

communicate that to them.

Assessment, Evaluation, and Research

Another area I claim expertise knowledge of is assessment, evaluation, and research.

This overall area includes knowledge of assessment design (e.g. determining appropriate type of

assessment to use), development of learning outcomes for assessment, large-scale program

evaluation, and scholarly research design.

These areas have been developed through a balanced combination of coursework (e.g.

collective bargaining research projects), practicum and internship experiences with Orientation

and First-Year Programs, and assessment of student organization leaders in my assistantship.

Although I have room for growth in such areas as benchmarking and quantitative research

analysis, I am confident in my overall knowledge of this area because my practicum, internship,

GAINING KNOWLEDGE

4

and assistantship all gave me firsthand experience with assessment from start to finish. For my

future in higher education, this knowledge area will be particularly beneficial because

assessment of departments, divisions, and an institution is an essential component of providing

practical and theoretical direction for higher education institutions.

Orientation and First-Year Programs

Involvement as a student staff member during my undergraduate experience and an

internship at Bowling Green State University (BGSU) are the primary sources of my knowledge

of Orientation and First-Year Programs. These experiences and the CSP 6020: Theory and

Assessment of College Student Development course have given me a solid framework of

knowledge regarding transition theory, the purpose and outcomes of orientation, and outcomes of

an extended orientation and welcome week. Specifically, I can identify effective ways to

introduce new students to the academic expectations of an institution, benefits of and

opportunities to engage in co-curricular experiences, time and resource management strategies,

and seeking out and identifying resources on a college campus.

My primary source of development for this knowledge comes from my internship in

Orientation and First-Year Programs at BGSU. As the primary person responsible for the

assessment of the entire orientation program, I was able to develop knowledge of the intended

outcomes and effects of orientation. Moreover, the opportunity to lead the planning of BGSU¡¯s

welcome week at the beginning of the school year bolstered my knowledge of transition theory.

This knowledge area will benefit me in my future as a higher education professional by enabling

me to evaluate the effectiveness and opportunities for improvement in an institution¡¯s orientation

program.

GAINING KNOWLEDGE

5

Law

By conducting research on collective bargaining agreements in CSP 6035: Multicultural

Competence in Student Affairs and taking HIED 7210: Law and Higher Education, I have

developed a level of expertise regarding the intersection of law and higher education. Moreover,

my assistantship requires me to stay abreast of current legal liability and discrimination issues

regarding student organizations. All of these experiences have helped me develop knowledge

regarding issues such as faculty contracts, torts and other liability, freedom of speech, equal

protection, and antidiscrimination. Moreover, I am developing an acute knowledge of how the

statutes, regulations, and court cases of various jurisdictions affect the policies and practice of

higher education institutions.

I have primarily developed this knowledge through an ongoing research project involving

faculty collective bargaining negotiations in higher education. The project involved a two-step

process. First, I began by synthesizing research and literature on collective bargaining with

research and qualitative interviews regarding equity, diversity, and inclusion. Second, I am

supplementing that material with an evaluation of contract and labor law. The knowledge I am

developing this area will be crucial for my future as a higher education professional because I

plan to serve as legal counsel for a higher education institution. By coupling this knowledge

with continual development of other student affairs knowledge, I will be able to most effectively

serve the students, faculty, and staff of the institution.

Areas for Knowledge Growth

In identifying areas for knowledge growth, I had to take into consideration my plan to

pursue a law degree after I complete my master¡¯s degree. Although I have a general

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download