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Teaching and Learning Topics
College Student Development--Theories and Applications

College Student Development
Summary of the work of Arthur Chickering on College Student Development http://www.utdallas.edu/dept/ugraddean/theory.pdf .  Arthur Chickering is clearly considered the leader in the development of applied theories of students’ development.

Vector 1. Achieving Competence.  The confidence one has in one’s ability to cope with what comes and to achieve successfully what one sets out to do. Three areas:

• Intellectual
• Social and interpersonal relations
• Physical and manual skills

Classroom Activities that Promote Competence

• Reflective thought
• Active listening
• Constructive feedback
• Public speaking
• Interviewing
• Role playing
• Reflective papers

Vector 2, Managing Emotions.  Students’ ability to manage the key emotions of aggression and sex, and to broaden their range of emotions. Also depression and anxiety.

Controls inculcated by parents and society are examined, understood and eventually replace by internally adopted behavioral standards and controls. Students develop increasing capacity for passion and commitment accompanied by increased capacity to implement passion and commitment through intelligent behavior.

Classroom Activities that Promote Managing of Emotions

1. Create situations that require emotional responses and then rebut their solutions or claims and force a discussion
2. Use guest speakers with alternative points of view
3. Community service or volunteer work

Vector 3, Developing Autonomy.  Autonomy is the "independence of maturity...it requires both emotional and instrumental independence, " As competence develops, the individual disengages from parents and simultaneously; the student recognizes the importance of others.

The individual confronts the paradox of personal independence and interdependence. To Chickering, interdependence is the capstone of development.

Classroom Activity that Promote the Development of Autonomy

1. Solving problems, teamwork and interdependence.
2. Share more of yourself than many teachers feel comfortable with. You must stress those relationships with…

• inspiration
• informality
• openness
• warmth

Have particular implications for the development of autonomy:

1. Include life stories in class discussion, career choices, marriage, and family situations.
2. Include global perspective in your course by giving examples of what or how other cultures teach or use concepts particular to your subject area.
3. Allow students individual projects or tests; consider "contracting" for grades and work done.

Vector 4, Establishing Identity.  The swing vector—first three needed to help Identity develop—Identity development leads to the next three vectors of change.

Ability to develop a sense of self by clarifying physical needs, characteristics and personal appearance.

This sense of self evolved from establishing a normative (socially acceptable) sexual identification, roles, and behaviors.

The concept of identity remains vague, loosely defined as a "solid sense of self," which may undergo change over a lifetime. Though we tend to capsulate and identify problems at this stage with adolescence, these issues arise at all ages.

Classroom Activity that Help to Develop Identity

• Journals
• Case studies
• Provide examples of varied role models in your area of expertise
• Solicit opinion papers regarding the content of material learned, a speaker, etc.

Vector 5, Freeing Interpersonal Relationships.  Ability to interact with others emerges. The interaction reveals "increased tolerance and respect for those of different backgrounds, habits, values, and appearance, and a shift in the quality of relationships with intimates and close friends." Tolerance is a greater openness and acceptance of diversity, not just the ability to withstand the unpleasant.

With the capacity for intimacy, individuals must build relationships on trust, independence, and individuality.

Because of changing social norms, marriage is no longer considered the only context for establishing a sustained intimate relationship.

Classroom Activity that Build an Understanding of Interpersonal Relationships

Movement along this vector can be aided by:

• Careful selection of groups
• Assign built-in opportunities for processing relationships within groups of students.
• Giving credit for joining campus organization.

Vector 6, Developing Purpose. Development along the sixth vector occurs as the individual develops answers not only to the question, "Who am I?" but also "Who am I going to be?" Not just "Where am I?" but "Where am I going?" Growth requires the development of plans that integrate priorities in recreational and vocational interests, vocational plans, aspirations, and lifestyle choices. Chickering would now move from the assumption of a "one life one job pattern" to a multiple-career perspective, because of the changes in work values. Self-serving work seems to be more valued than providing service to others.

Classroom Activity for Developing Purpose

Students who contacted faculty "several" times planned to go on for further study much more often than students who reported little contact of this kind.

Students regard teachers as either equally or more influential than their parents in vocational planning! Teachers have power! They are models, looked upon as mentors.

Vector Six in the classroom include:

• Assist them in articulating ideas which integrate their own developing purposes and ideas encountered in reading, discussion, and lectures.
• Respond to such questions in an open and thoughtful manner.
• Listening as students try to clarify their uncertainties.
• Remember that a student should be working for something more than just a grade.

Vector 7, Developing Integrity. This vector was originally defined as a student's ability to develop a personally valid set of beliefs with internal consistency which, guide behavior. Chickering now includes development of a sense of social and personal responsibility. He believes knowledge implies a responsibility to act. Growth along the seventh vector involves "the clarification of a personally valid set of beliefs that have some internal consistency and that provide at least a tentative guide for behavior."

An absolute reliance on rules yields to more relativistic consideration of rules and the purposes they are intended to serve.

Values taken from authorities during earlier stages of life are reviewed. Some values are rejected, and those found suitable to the emerging identity are retained, personalized, and internalized.

Classroom Activity that Develop Integrity

• Values are what we use to measure what we perceive, with previous experiences. In readings, lectures, and class discussion, there are questions of value
• Choose discussions, readings, and lectures that can increase those moments of value clarification for students.
• Give students opportunities to act. In all acts or contemplated acts reside questions of value.
• You must be a model by remaining as neutral as possible when teaching the students.
• Many teachers mistakenly reveal their beliefs to unprepared students, and students will faithfully model themselves