Portfolio Learning Outcome Narrative: Areas for Development The integrative theme I have identified that summarizes my areas

for continued development is practical skill application. As I expanded upon in my strengths narrative, my strengths as a professional relate to my ability to create strong orking and personal relationships. !y areas of improvement are exactly the opposite " they do not directly involve orking relationships. #hat I have discovered is a need for further development in my practical skill set " particularly concerning research, assessment, and kno ledge of legal$policy issues and ho they impact the field of higher education. I think of practical skills as those hich do not come as naturally to me, and hich re%uire specific training and practice to improve upon. I ill expand upon each specific learning outcome belo . Learning Outcome #1 (Artifact C2) &rior to the '(A program, my exposure to understanding the foundations and emerging nature of the Student Affairs profession and higher education as limited to my involvement in the )A'&A *ndergraduate +ello s &rogram ,)*+&-. Through pre.conference orkshops and opportunities such as the 'ummer /eadership Institute ,'/I-, I as exposed to some of the seminal documents and theories that guide the field of student affairs. (uring the '(A program, my a areness around various institutional types and their diverse functions expanded my vie of student services beyond the four.year model I had gro n accustomed to. '(A( 0012 American 3ommunity 3ollege, '(A( 0442 +oundations of the 'tudent Affairs &rofession, and '(A( 0452 'tudent (evelopment Theory, 6esearch, and &ractice ere all integral in expanding my proficiency in this learning area. +uture development of this learning outcome should include deeper understanding of this historical frame ork higher education is built upon, and ho this history impacts today7s practice. Artifact 38, my college choice autoethnography, represents my evolution in understanding about hat it means to be college educated. Learning Outcome #7 (Artifact )

Quantitative Research and Assessment

'chuh 9 *pcraft ,8::;- speak to the importance of needs.based and outcomes assessments in improving practice and the efficiency of higher education departments. <uantitative research ,and particularly assessment- are both kno ledge areas in hich I can improve. =ven prior to my time in the '(A program, %ualitative research had al ays been my preferred research method. I had minimum exposure to survey collection and analysis in my undergraduate 'ociology ma>or, but did not other ise have substantial exposure to %uantitative approaches. Throughout my '(A course ork, I have gro n in kno ledge and practice of %uantitative methods. +or example, through an '(A( 01; course pro>ect analyzing data from a campus. ide survey, I learned processes by hich to assess demographic data. +rom this and other experiences reading %uantitative articles, I see a connection bet een hat I en>oy about %ualitative research " narrative. I have realized that both %uantitative and %ualitative research tell stories, but in different ays. !aking meaning of numbers is a skill I ill continue improving upon. ?pportunities for gro th in this area include2 conducting an outcome or needs.based assessment ithin my department@ mixed.method research@ and %uantitative surveying of student satisfaction. Qualitative Research and Assessment Artifact A, hich contains the findings and analysis section of my graduate research pro>ect, provides a strong example of my strengths as a %ualitative researcher. I entered graduate school ith strong experiences in %ualitative research, as I as re%uired to produce an undergraduate thesis in hich I independently conducted intervie s and focus groups ith students identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and %ueer ,/ABT<-. Co ever, there ere distinct differences bet een this experience and my graduate pro>ect, namely2 orking ithin a much shorter time frame ,%uarter system-@ increased re%uirements@ more self. accountability ,and less direct faculty involvement-@ and succinctness of riting. These changes re%uired me to develop confidence as a researcher, and to accomplish more ith less time. I have gro n as a %ualitative researcher during my graduate program, and intend to focus primarily in this area in my future professional practice. Learning Outcome #! (Artifacts C" an# $)

Before pursuing a graduate degree, I possessed almost no kno ledge of the legal issues impacting higher education. Although I had been exposed to a ide variety of leadership, organizational, and governance theories during my multiple student leader roles, I had not yet had the opportunity to translate them into practice. Throughout the '(A program, courses such as '(A( 04D2 /eadership in Aovernance in Cigher =ducation and =(A( 04:2 /eadership in =ducation I provided me the theories and foundational kno ledge that put ords to my o n leadership approaches. As evidenced in Artifact C", my leadership philosophy, I gre to more deeply understand the strengths and limitations of certain leadership and organizational structures. +urther, my graduate assistantship ithin Cousing 9 6esidence /ife re%uired me to understand and enforce campus. ide policy. ?pportunities for further gro th in this opportunity could involve2 advising student government, regularly attending ebinars or conferences on pressing legal issues, and grant. riting skill development. %ummar& #hile my areas of strength as a professional relate directly to relationship.building and interactive practices, my areas of future development are primarily focused on practical and administrative skills. ?ne lesson that I have learned that relates to this area is the interconnectedness of all practical skills to student development. Although these areas can seem like the less fun aspects of a professional role, they are essential to ensuring student success. +or instance, I cannot fully understand hat our department is doing effectively or ineffectively to improve the lives of students on campus ithout a needs and satisfaction assessment. I kno that I ill continue gro ing and learning in these and all areas and competencies " I am, after all, a lifelong learner. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE 'eferences 'chuh, C.F. 9 *pcraft, /.!. ,8::;-. Assessment practice in student affairs: An application manual. 'an +rancisco, 3A2 Fossey.Bass.