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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.