1 Student Development Theory Importance, history and utility

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Student Development TheoryImportance, history and utility

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Abstract

• This research paper explores various

student development theories as they

apply to students of higher education of

learning.

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Introduction

• Student development theories are defined as a

group of educational psychologies which

postulate how knowledge is acquired and

developed by students in higher institution of

learning.

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Basic Assumptions

• Every student is unique and different from

any other student (Austin, 1984).

• Student’s environment plays a crucial role

in the development process (Austin, 1984)

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Basic Assumptions

• Students are stakeholders in their

education so they play active role in their

willingness to get educated (Austin, 1984).

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Categories of Theories

• Cognitive-structural

• Psychosocial

• Humanistic Existential Theories (Evans,

Forney & Guido-DiBrito,1998).

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Categories of Theories

• Cognitive Structural Theories

• Student Development Process Model

(Evans, Forney & Guido-DiBrito,1998).

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Categories of Theories

• Student Development Process Model: It is

divided into abstract and practical.

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Student Development Theories

• Having explored the categories that

student development theories belong to,

some of the theories shall be explored.

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Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development

• This theory is based on the assumption

that moral reasoning is the basis for moral

behaviour (Kohlberg, Lawrence & Lickona,

ed. (1976).

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Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development (cont,.)

• This theory is consistent with the fact that moral

reasoning develops in six developmental stages

where each successive stage is more adept than

the preceding stage (Kohlberg 1958).

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Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development (cont,.)

• Kohlberg agrees that this theory is

basically about the developmental stages

of moral reasoning, it is justice-based.

• This theory is often used in counseling.

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Schlossberg's Transition Theory

• This is another student developmental

theories which deals with the transition

and the effects of such transitions (Evans,

Forney & Guido-DiBrito,1998).

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Schlossberg's Transition Theory(cont.)

• There are different types of transition

which are: anticipated, unanticipated and

nonevent (Evans, Forney & Guido-

DiBrito,1998).

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Schlossberg's Transition Theory(cont.)

• Schlossberg understands that transition

has impacts on people so came up with

coping strategies which are known as 4S’s

(Evans, Forney & Guido-DiBrito,1998).

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Kolb’s Theory of Experiential Learning

• This theory posits that an individual can

learn directly from his experiences which

may be direct or indirect experiences (Itin,

1999).

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Kolb’s Theory of Experiential Learning (cont.)

• Kolb’s models of learning include:

• Concrete experience

• Abstract Conceptualization

• Reflective Observation, and

• Active Experimentation

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Kolb’s Theory of Experiential Learning (cont.)

• Experiential learning does not require the

presence of a human teacher for learning to take

place because learning is acquired basically

through experiences (Kolb, Boyatzis, &

Mainemelis, 2000).

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Kolb’s Theory of Experiential Learning (cont.)

• Kolb argued that it is not all experiences

that lead to learning because some factors

must be satisfied (Evans, Forney & Guido-

DiBrito,1998).

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Conclusion

• It was mentioned that student development

theories are simply defined as a group of

educational psychology which postulate how

knowledge is acquired and developed.

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Conclusion

• Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Development

is based on the assumption that humans

are creations of reason and moral beings.

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Conclusion

• Kolb’s Theory of Experiential Learning

posits that an individual can learn directly

from his experiences.

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Conclusion

• Schlossberg’s Transition Theory is another

student developmental theories which

deals with the transition and the effects of

such transitions.

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References

• Astin, A. Student involvement: a developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25(4), 297-308, 1984.

• Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

• Kohlberg, Lawrence; T. Lickona, ed. (1976). "Moral stages and moralization: The cognitive-developmental approach". Moral Development and Behavior: Theory, Research and Social Issues. Holt, NY: Rinehart and Winston.

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References

• Kohlberg, Lawrence (1958). "The Development of Modes of Thinking and Choices in Years 10 to 16". Ph. D. Dissertation, University of Chicago.

• Itin, C. M. (1999). Reasserting the Philosophy of Experiential Education as a Vehicle for Change in the 21st Century. The Journal of Experiential Education 22(2), 91-98.

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References

• Kolb, D. A., Boyatzis, R. E., & Mainemelis, C. (2000). Experiential Learning Theory: Previous Research and New Directions. In Perspectives on cognitive, learning, and thinking styles. Sternberg & Zhang (Eds.). NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.