First Year Issues and the Development of College Students

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First Year Issues and the Development of College
Students

• Susan Allen Ortega, Assistant Vice Chancellor
  Dean of Students
• Jennifer Miller
• Student Development Educator
• Reaching for Education, Affirmation, Community
  and Harmony (R.E.A.C.H.) Program Volunteers

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Introduction to Chickerings Theory of College
Student Development

• His theory of psychosocial development was the
  first major theory to specifically examine the
  development of college students.
• His work from 1959-65 led to his landmark 1969
  theory which provided an overview of
  developmental issues faced by college students as
  well as environmental conditions that influences
  development.

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Evolution of Chickerings Theory

• During the 1980s Chickering began to further
  revisit his original theory and identified areas
  for improvement
• Incorporate research on gender, race and national
  origin.
• Acknowledge the greater range of options students
  now had.
• Consider how the theory should fit adult
  learners.
• Alter definitions of several vectors to reflect
  societal changes and to recognize the work of
  other researchers.
• Chickering revised his theory to be more
  inclusive of various student populations through
  his work with Linda Reisser in the 1990s.

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Why Vectors of Development?

• While some psychosocial theorists like Erikson
  viewed identity development as progressing
  through a series of sequential stages,
  Chickering proposed seven vectors of
  development that contribute to identity.
• Chickering believed students move through the
  vectors at different rates, that vectors can
  interact with each other, and students may
  revisit vectors previously worked through.
• His vectors include emotional, interpersonal,
  ethical and intellectual aspects of development.

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The Seven Vectors

• Developing Competence.
• Managing Emotions.
• Moving Through Autonomy Toward Interdependence.
• Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships.
• Establishing Identity.
• Developing Purpose.
• Developing Integrity.

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Seven Vectors Timeline
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Developing Competence

• Intellectual competence acquisition of knowledge
  and skills related to particular subject matter,
  development of intellectual, cultural, and
  aesthetic sophistication, and skills for critical
  thinking and reasoning ability.
• Physical and manual skills athletic and
  recreational activities, attention to wellness,
  and involvement in artistic and manual
  activities.
• Interpersonal competence skills in
  communication, leadership and working effectively
  with others.

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Managing Emotions

• Students develop the ability to recognize and
  accept emotions, appropriately express and
  control them, and learn to act on feelings in a
  responsible manner.
• Through his 1990s work he included a more
  inclusive range of feelings (anxiety, depression,
  anger, shame and guilt) and more positive
  emotions (caring, optimism and inspiration).

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Moving Through Autonomy Toward Interdependence

• Increase in emotional independence freedom from
  continual and pressing needs for reassurance,
  affection or approval from others.
• Increase in instrumental independence
  self-direction, problem-solving and mobility.
• Students eventually recognize and accept the
  importance of interdependence (an awareness of
  their interconnectedness with others).

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Establishing Identity

• This vector was expanded to acknowledge
  differences in identity development based on
  gender, ethnic background and sexual orientation.
  
• Includes being comfortable with body and
  appearance.
• Being comfortable with gender and sexual
  orientation.
• A sense of ones social and cultural heritage.
• A clear self-concept.
• Comfort with ones roles and lifestyle.
• A secure sense of self through feedback from
  others, self-acceptance/self-esteem, and personal
  stability/integration.

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Developing Mature Interpersonal Relationships

• Experiences with relationships contribute
  significantly to the development of a sense of
  self
• Development of intercultural and interpersonal
  tolerance and appreciation of differences.
• Capacity for healthy and lasting intimate
  relationships with partners and close friends.
• Reisser contributed that both tasks involve the
  ability to accept individuals for who they are,
  to respect differences and to appreciate
  commonalities.

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Developing Purpose

• Developing clear vocational goals.
• Meaningful commitment to specific personal
  interests and activities.
• Establishing strong interpersonal commitments.
• Includes intentionally making and staying with
  decisions even in the face of opposition.
• Lifestyle and family influences affect the
  decision-making and goal-setting processes
  involved in developing purpose.

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Developing Integrity

• Integrity includes three sequential but
  overlapping stages
• Humanizing values progress from rigid,
  moralistic thinking to the development of a more
  humanized value system in which the interests of
  others are balanced with ones own interests.
• Personalizing values value system is established
  in which core values are consciously affirmed and
  the beliefs of others are acknowledged and
  respected.
• Developing congruence values and actions then
  become congruent and authentic as self-interest
  is balanced by a sense of social responsibility.

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Chickerings Theory and Your First Assignment
Self-assessment and Individualized Plan for
Success

• Provides a framework for thinking about
  challenges you have encountered and how to move
  forward constructively
• Is the foundation for the self assessment
  (Student Developmental Task and Lifestyle
  Assessment- SDTLA) you will be required to
  complete as a first assignment for the course

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Chickerings Theory and Your First Assignment
Self-assessment and Individualized Plan for
Success

• Specific Actions/ Plans
• Introduce myself to other students in my classes.
• Log on to Student Life website and identify a
  club that looks like it might be interesting and
  fun. Attend a meeting or event of the club.
• Attend the Homecoming Pep Rally, Tail Gate Party
  and Game.

• Vision for my change/ Improvement
• Join a club at UCR.
• Get to know more people on campus.

Development Task or Area of Challenge to be
Addressed Get more involved in campus life