Student Learning and Development
Overview
This competency area addresses theories for understanding student learning and development and emphasizes the importance of theory-grounded practice while outlining ways theory can inform and better the practice of student affairs.
Reflection
I place myself at intermediate to advanced in this competency area. Student learning and development occurs as a result of an understanding of self; the intersection of one's multiple identities as they interact with each other and are expressed at different times and in different contexts. Student development theory helps us as practitioners make sense of students' behavior and attitude displays as they go through their growth processes. With theory, we can understand and describe what is happening, explain causes and patterns of behavior, predict the developmental outcome of mixing them with other students at a different level of development, and influence outcomes by designing learning communities that promote cross-cultural dialogue leading to intercultural behavior (Patton et al. 2016).
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I have been exposed to various forms of identities in the course of this class; racial, ethnic, gender, sexuality, religious, social class, psychosocial, and interestingly, digital identities. These identities are simultaneously held by individuals with fluid salience levels depending on circumstance. As a student affairs practitioner, it is important to be aware of and responsible for my own identity development in order to effectively support the population of students I work with in their development. From my learning of identities, I have assessed my developmental levels and their effect on my practice and have taken steps to improve on my current level, especially with psychosocial identity development. Ability to manage crisis situations, develop and maintain strong relationships, sense of self and integrity later in life are all outcomes of psychosocial identity development in Eriksons's model while managing emotions, interdependence, interpersonal relationships, and other forms of displaying self-efficacy are indicators of psychosocial development in Chickering's developmental vectors, Patton et al. (2016). Psychosocial identity development in my opinion is the most critical as it affects the individual's sense of self, behavior, attitudes, and relationship with others. I was able to reflect on my own development in these areas and identified gaps in 'managing emotions' and 'intimacy vs isolation' that I promptly began to work on.
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This competency area relies on three pillars: Understanding theory, design and application, and assessment and integration with growth expectations from foundational through advanced. From my engagement with course material, I have a firm grasp of these pillars; I am able to interpret theory, integrate new knowledge into my practice, apply theory in context, analyze student behavior through the lens of theory, develop interventions based on theoretical foundations which include designing, implementing programs, creating learning outcomes, assessing student learning, and providing training and encouraging the assessment of student learning within a framework of student development and critiquing existing program models and dominant perspectives based on theoretical foundations of student learning and development. The case studies in weekly discussions helped my understanding and application of theory as I viewed the cases, interpreted student behaviors and proffered plausible solutions through the lens of theory. The Theory to practice paper provided I wrote while taking the student Development and Theory class was another opportunity to analyze theory in depth, critique existing institutional inefficiencies and design an intervention program that will aid student development. This places me at the advanced level in understanding theory and at intermediate levels in design and application and in assessment and integration.
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Professional Development
According to Patton et al. (2016. p. 69), "appropriate use of theory requires tentative use rather than prescriptive application". To be effective as a practitioner, I need to increase my ability to integrate components of theories in my work with students understanding that students may not fit into one particular model completely and must not be boxed in. I will need to increase my knowledge of theory through continuous learning and observing other professionals with expertise in theory application with an open mind towards students, their varied lived experiences, and rates of development.
References
American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators. (2015). ACPA/ NASPA professional competency areas for student affairs practitioners (2nd ed.). Washington, DC: Authors.
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American College Personnel Association & National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (2016). ACPA/ NASPA professional competencies rubrics. Washington, DC: Authors.
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Patton, L. D., Renn, K. A., Guido, F. M., Quaye, S. J., Forney, D. S., & Evans, N. J. (2016). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (3rd ed.). Wiley & Sons Incorporated.