Student Stories and AnalysesELMP 6102 NA

Dr. Kim

Chickering’s Identity Development Theory

• Introduced in Education and Identity (1969).• Chickering administered 16 hours of

achievement tests, personality inventories and other instruments to students at the end of their sophomore and senior years from 1959 to 1965.

• Chickering served as director of the Project on Student Development in Small Colleges from 1964 to 1969.*

*Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2010). Student Development in College. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Identity Development TheoryRevised in 1993

• Arthur Chickering– Professor Emeritus of Educational

Leadership and Human Development at George Mason University – Fairfax, VA.

• Linda Reisser– Dean of Student Development at Portland

Community College – Portland, OR.

Seven Vectors of College Student Development

• Developing Competence• Managing Emotions• Moving Through Autonomy Toward

Interdependence• Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships• Establishing Identity• Developing Purpose• Developing Integrity

Environmental Influences

• “Key influences” that affect student identity development:– Institutional Objectives– Institutional Size– Student-Faculty Relationships– Curriculum– Teaching– Friendships and Student Communities– Student Development Programs and Services

Vector / Environmental Influence

• Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships– To sustain mature interpersonal relationships

students must be capable of trust, open and honest communication, and unconditional positive regard.

• Student-Faculty Relationships• Prolonged exposure to faculty outside of the

classroom will lead students to perceive faculty as real people who are accessible and interested in them beyond the classroom (Evans et al., 2010).

Design and Methodology

• We conducted a small-scale assessment project at Seton Hall University analyzing students’ development along Chickering and Reisser’s fourth vector.

• Participants were undergraduate and graduate students, employed full- and part-time.

• Students responded to open-ended questions derived from the Student Development Task and Lifestyle Inventory (SDTLI).

SDTLI

• The SDTLI instrument was developed to collect students’ self-reported behaviors, attitudes, and opinions on psychosocial topics that specifically relate to Chickering and Reisser’s theory, particularly establishing and clarifying purpose, developing mature interpersonal relationships, and academic autonomy.*

• 121 True / False / Other questions.

*Martin, L. M. (2000). The relationship of college experiences to psychosocial outcomes in students. Journal of College Student Development, 41, 294–303.

Question #1

• Establishing a mature working relationship with faculty members can greatly enhance your college experience. Please explain at least one example of such a relationship that you share with a Seton Hall professor (Such as research experience, co-authoring, internship, etc…).

• Original question: – True or False - I have a mature working relationship with one or more members

of the academic community (faculty member, student affairs staff member, administrator).

Answer #1

• Undergraduate– “I have a mature working relationship with almost all

of my teachers….”• Graduate Assistant

– “…during theatre performances...It became invaluable in my hopeful career in the theatre, as we were educated and expected to behave on a professional level.”

• PT Grad/FT Employee– “ Beyond exchanging ideas for papers and projects,

the relationship pretty much ends there.”

Question #2

• If the situation allows, it would be nice to have a friendly, personal relationship with faculty as well. Describe at least one example of how you have forged such a friendship / personal relationship with a faculty member.

• T or F - I have formed a personal relationship (friendly acquaintanceship) with one or more professors.

Answer #2

• Undergraduate– “Our TV class is very laid back which makes it easy

for myself and my fellow classmates to form such a relationship.”

• Graduate Assistant– ”Working long theatrical hours forge friendships... It

makes you realize that these professors aren’t up in the clouds, but normal people just doing their jobs.”

• PT Grad/FT Employee– “I have made a number of connections with

professors throughout the years.”

Question #3

• If you have experienced difficulty in establishing ANY kind of a relationship with a member of the Seton Hall University faculty, please explain why you found it hard to deal openly with them.

• T or F - I find it hard to deal openly with college administrators and others in authority.

Answer #3

• Undergraduate– “I had difficulty establishing any kind of relationship

with one of my professors mainly because I felt intimidated by them in the classroom and out.”

• Graduate Assistant– “ I found it hard to confront the professor,

because not only was he a tenured member of the faculty, he was my thesis advisor…”

• PT Grad/FT Employee– “Being a part-time grad student I find it harder to

establish relationships with faculty members.”

Question #4

• Please describe how you have taken the initiative to set up a meeting with a faculty member within the past 12 months? Also, explain why the meeting was necessary.

• T or F - I have taken the initiative to set up conferences with an academic advisor within the past twelve months.

Answer #4

• Undergraduate– “My professor was impressed that I wanted to improve

and gave me great advice on how to revise my paper.”• Graduate Assistant

– “I set up meetings with my academic advisor periodically throughout the year... through the process of emailing and phone calls and setting up face to face meetings... (they) were necessary to plan out the end of my academic career.…”

• PT Grad/FT Employee– “I obviously wanted to complete the assignment to the

best of my ability, so I sought out help from the faculty member who was teaching the course.”

Summary

• Undergraduate Student

• Graduate Assistant

• PT Grad Student / FT Employee

Thank You !