Student development theory Carolyne Farley and Michael Walker, Slides of Psychology

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Student Development Theory

Carolyn Farley

Michael Walker

Why is Student Development

Theory Important?

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 Justifies our profession and legitimatizes relevance of

Student Affairs Professionals

 Helps us understand our

audience; talk their language

 Helps us “meet students

where they are”

 Teaches us how students

rationalize, behave and develop as human beings

 Helps us understand opportunities and limits

Student Affairs: Creating Experiences for Life

Characteristics of Millennials

 Through their research, Howe and Strauss (2000) found that seven key characteristics define today’s 18-22 year old college students (as well as 23-25 year old graduate students). These traits include:

 Special - many from smaller families with fewer siblings to compete with, so received greater attention and increased security from mom and dad (known as “helicopter parents” due to their constant hovering around their children).

 Sheltered - more than previous generations, parents kept them closer to home with a focus on safety and connection to family, but also involved with many organized activities and sports.

 Confident - increased parental involvement and coaching/external adult involvement gave them lots of support and self-confidence.

Student Affairs: Creating Experiences for Life

Source: Office of Institutional Research

Millennial Characteristics cont.

 Team-oriented - grew up among most diverse American population ever, and learned to be civil and less “me-oriented” than previous generations. Learned early on to “play nice and share”.  Conventional - more resourceful, dynamic, and environmentally conscious than previous generations.  Pressured - overscheduled, over-mentored, and driven to succeed among peers, in part due to increased pressure to attend college (or in many cases exceptional colleges) in order to succeed in life.  High achieving - future-oriented, planners, focus on long-term success.

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Major Schools of Theory:

 Cognitive and Moral Development Theories

Examine the development of how students grow cognitively and intellectually, including how they interpret the world around them. Examines the way people think but not what they think (Evans, 1996). [Jean Piaget, then W. Perry, L. Knefelkamp, C. King & K. Kitchener, M. Baxter Magolda, L. Kohlberg and C. Gilligan)

 Typology Theories

Examine individual differences in how students view and relate to the

world (Evans, 1996). [Carl Jung, then D. Kolb, J. Holland, Myers- Briggs, Keirsey & Bates]

 Learning and Adult Development Theories

Examine how non-traditional aged college students learn and develop.

[J.B. Watson, Skinner, Bandura, Maslow, Schlossberg…]

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Major Schools of Theory: (continued)

 Psychosocial Theories

Examine individuals’ personal and interpersonal lives (Evans, 1996). “A sequence of developmental tasks or stages confronted by adults when their biology and psychology converge” (Erikson, 1950, 1968) and “qualitatively change their thinking, feeling, behaving, valuing, and relating to others and self” (Chickering & Reisser, 1993).

Examine the content of development, the important issues students face as their lives progress, such as defining themselves and their relationships with others, and “what to be when they grow up.”

 Person-Environment Theories

Examine the relationship between env. and student.

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Key Concepts

 Optimal student development requires an environment with a

proper balance of challenge and support.

 Behavior is a function of the person and the environment.

 Understanding “holistic learning” is essential, including taking

an overall, inclusive approach concerning physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual factors that affect health.

 Developmental tasks are skills and competencies that are

mastered and acquired by an individual as he/she gains increasing mastery over their environment.

 Crisis often results from disequilibrium (when one does not

have the skills to manage a situation).

(Sandeen, A. 1991) 11

Six Sources of Influence by Colleges and Universities

or where we choose to have an affect

 Clarity and consistency of objectives  Institutional size

 Curriculum, teaching and evaluation  Residence hall arrangements  Faculty and administration

 Friends, group, student culture

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Erik Erikson’s (1959) Life Span Model

(Eight Stages of Development)

1. Infancy (birth-2)…Basic trust versus mistrust between mother and child
2. Toddlerhood (2-4)…Autonomy versus shame and doubt (potty training)
3. Early School Age (5-7)…Initiative versus guilt (masturbation)
4. Middle School Age (8-12)…Industry versus inferiority (school work)
5. Late Adolescence (18-22)…Individual identity versus role diffusion (adolescence)
6. Early Adulthood (23-34)…Intimacy versus Isolation (marriage)
7. Middle Adulthood (35-60)…Generativity versus stagnation (parenting)
8. Late Adulthood (61- )…Integrity versus despair (dealing with death)

Student Affairs: Creating Experiences for Life

Benjamin Bloom’s Taxonomy of Learning

 A solid model for self development and nurturing leadership:  Three domains of learning are cognitive, affective, and psychomotor.  The Cognitive domain involves knowledge and the development of intellectual skills.  The Affective domain includes the manner in which we deal with things emotionally, and our attitude.  The Psychomotor domain includes physical movement, coordination, and the use of motor skills.  Adding domain of communication = CASK.

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Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of

Needs (1954)

Maslow published his first conceptualization of

his theory over 50 years ago (Maslow, 1943) and

it has since become one of the most popular and

often cited theories of human motivation.

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The Levels Are:

1. Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc.;

2. Safety/Security: out of danger;

3. Belongingness and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted; and

4. Esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition.

5. Cognitive: to know, to understand, and explore;

6. Aesthetic: symmetry, order, and beauty;

7. Self-Actualization: to find self-fulfillment and realize one's potential; and

8. Transcendence: to help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential.

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Arthur Chickering’s Seven Vectors

(1969; Linda Reisser in 1993)

Introduced “vectors” as series of developmental tasks both having

direction and magnitude. One may work through more than one concurrently, but each stage is the central focus at any given time.

Implies fluid motion of development.

1. Developing competence
2. Managing emotions
3. Moving through autonomy toward independence
4. Developing mature interpersonal relationships
5. Establishing identity
6. Developing purpose
7. Developing integrity

Erikson (1959) 20

Five Elements of Identity Resolution

1. Experimentation with varied roles

2. Experiencing choice

3. Meaningful achievement

4. Freedom from excessive anxiety

5. Time for reflection and instraspection