Student development theories
Student development theory refers to the body of theories related to how students gain knowledge in in post-secondary education environments.
== History ==The earliest theory - or tradition - that evolved with the first universities in Europe was in loco parentis. Schools acted on behalf of parents for the good of their students and concentrated on character development which mostly equalled to instilling students with traditional Christian values through strict rules and enforced by rigid discipline. The development of students' character was substantially more important than the development of their intellect.
The first change came in the late nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century, whith the increasing growth of universities and development of the social sciences like psychology. Theorists such as B.F. Skinner and Carl Rogers influenced the thinking about students and a new paradigm developed: the student services paradigm as the name indicates stated that students should be provided with services they require in order to better gain knowledge.
In the middle of the twentieth century the student service paradigm was replaced by the student development paradigm. This paradigm was influenced by the growing body of psychological and sociological theories, and reflects the idea that students learn both in-class and out-of-class, and are influenced both by their genetics and social environment they are in. Student development theories stress that every student is a different individual with unique needs.
Basic assumptions guiding the student development movement:
- The individual student must be considered as a whole.
- Each student is a unique person and must be treated as such.
- The total environment of the student is educational and must be used to help the student achieve full development.
- The major responsibility for a student's personal and social development rests with the student and his/her personal resources.
Theories
Student development theories generally can be divided into five categories:
- psychosocial
- cognitive-structural
- person-environment
- humanistic existential
- student development process models
There are dozens of theories falling into these five families. Among the most famous are:
- Arthur Chickering's Psychosocial Theory of Student Development
- William Perry's Cognitive Theory of Student Development
References
Further reading
- Creamer, Don G. (Ed.). Student Development in Higher Education: Theories, Practices and Future Directions. Cincinnati: ACPA, 1980.
- Knefelkamp, Lee, Widick, Carole and Parker, Clyde. (Eds.). Applying New Developmental Findings. New Directions for Student Services No. 4. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1978.
- Miller, T.K. and Winston, Jr., R.B. "Human Development and Higher Education." In T.K. Miller, R.B. Winston, Jr. and Associates. Administration and Leadership in Student Affairs: Actualizing Student Development in Higher Education. Muncie, Indiana: Accelerated Development, Inc., 1991
- Rodgers, R. F. "Student Development." In U. Delworth, G. R. Hanson, and Associates, Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989.
- Strange, C. "Managing College Environments: Theory and Practice." In T.K. Miller, R. B. Winston, Jr. and Associates, Administration and Leadership in Student Affairs: Actualizing Student Development in Higher Education. Muncie, Indiana: Accelerated Development, Inc., 1991.
- Upcraft, M. Lee and Gardner, John L. (Eds.). The Freshman Year Experience. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989. p. 41-46.
- Upcraft, M. Lee and Moore, Leila V. "Evolving Theoretical Perspectives of Student Development." In Margaret J. Barr, M. Lee Upcraft and Associates. New Futures for Student Affairs. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1990.