1. education
2. graduate school
3. college

ORLH 5525 Theories of Student Development
Wednesdays 5:10 – 6:50pm
Spring 2015
INSTRUCTOR
Jenny S. Mak, Ed.D
Adjunct Assistant Professor
Higher & Postsecondary Education
Teachers College, Columbia University
[email protected], (212) 854-0757
Office Hours: Wednesdays 2:00 – 5:00PM in Room 315 in Mudd Hall
(Mudd Hall is located: 500 West 120th Street, 3rd Floor)
PURPOSE OF THE COURSE
This course will ask students to read, reflect on, and discuss theories of development which
apply to adults – both traditional-age college students and the so-called “non-traditional” learner.
Students will add their own insights and understanding to those of the scholars we will read, as
well as think about how these theories may provide insight into educational practice. The course
will also encourage students to critique the construction of theories of adult development.
Theories of cognition, moral development, transition, and identity development will be the
central focus.
REQUIRED READINGS
Assigned readings (except for the texts listed below) are posted on e-reserve.
1) Belenky, M. F. (Ed.). (1997). Women's ways of knowing: The development of self, voice, and
mind. New York: Basic Books.
2) Husain, Ed. (2009). The Islamist. New York: Penguin.
Optional/Textbook on physical reserve in the TC library:
Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2009). Student
development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd Edition). San Francisco: JosseyBass. Call # LB2343.4.E88.
GRADING
Students are expected to come prepared for each class and to participate in class discussion.
Three significant graded assignments will be required of students: the group project (30 points),
the midterm essay (30 points) and a final paper (40 points).
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REMINDERS FROM TEACHERS COLLEGE
Columbia University Network ID (UNI): Teachers College students have the responsibility for
activating the Columbia University Network ID (UNI), which includes a free Columbia email
account. As official communications from the College – e.g., information on graduation,
announcements of closing due to severe storm, flu epidemic, transportation disruption, etc. – will
be sent to the student’s Columbia email account, students are responsible for either reading
email there, or, for utilizing the mail forwarding option to forward mail from their Columbia
account to an email address which they will monitor.
Services for Students with Disabilities: The College will make reasonable accommodations for
persons with documented disabilities. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Access
and Services for Individuals with Disabilities for information about registration (166 Thorndike
Hall). Services are available only to students who are registered and submit appropriate
documentation. As your instructor, I am happy to discuss specific needs with you as well.
Incomplete (IN): The grade of Incomplete is to be assigned only when the course attendance
requirement has been met but, for reasons satisfactory to the instructor, the granting of a final
grade has been postponed because certain course assignments are outstanding. If the outstanding
assignments are completed within one calendar year from the date of the close of term in which
the grade of Incomplete was received and a final grade submitted, the final grade will be
recorded on the permanent transcript, replacing the grade of Incomplete, with a transcript
notation indicating the date that the grade of Incomplete was replaced by a final grade.
If the outstanding work is not completed within one calendar year from the date of the close of
term in which the grade of Incomplete was received, the grade will remain as a permanent
Incomplete on the transcript. In such instances, if the course is a required course or part of an
approved program of study, students will be required to re-enroll in the course including
repayment of all tuition and fee charges for the new registration and satisfactorily complete all
course requirements. If the required course is not offered in subsequent terms, the student should
speak with the faculty advisor or Program Coordinator about their options for fulfilling the
degree requirement. Doctoral students with six or more credits with grades of Incomplete
included on their program of study will not be allowed to sit for the certification exam.
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COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
Assignment #1: Group Assignment
You will be assigned to a team whose job it will be to read, digest, and understand a foundational
theory of student development. (Due dates are reflected in the course schedule.)
You and your team must:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Read an original text related to your assigned theory (see below)
Present a summary of the developmental path to the class
Illustrate the theory for the class (be creative)
Lead a class discussion and/or class exercise to help your classmates understand the theory
Texts for each assigned group:
Moral Development: (Due Class 5)
 Gilligan, Carol: In a different voice: Psychological theory and women's development.
 Kohlberg, as interpreted by James Rest. (On e-reserve).
Identity Development: (Due Class 8)
 Cross, William: See Shades of black (on e-reserve) and also in the Evans et al. textbook p.
255 – 263 (On e-reserve).
 Chickering & Reisser: Education and identity (2nd edition) – Only Part I required (starts at p.
43).
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Assignment #2: Midterm Paper
Analyze Ed Husain’s memoir, The Islamist, from a cognitive development perspective. Choose
2-3 cognitive, moral, holistic theories through which to analyze the memoir. Think about the
following questions before you write your 10-15 page paper:
1) To what extent do our theories provide us with a lens for understanding Ed Husain's journey
as one of a journey of cognitive development? Can you name the positions/perspectives
through which Ed saw the world at different points in his journey?
2) Do you see evidence of "separate" methods of evaluating the world used by Ed? Do you see
evidence of "connected" methods of evaluating the world used by Ed?
3) How would you describe Ed’s “standpoint” – the political position in a stratified society (in
his case, England) from which he makes sense of the world? Do you see evidence of the
"methods" of knowing identified by Hurtado in Ed's narrative?
4) Do you see evidence of a shifting moral perspective as described by Kohlberg and/or
Gilligan that coincides with Ed’s cognitive growth? Is there evidence that Ed comes to have
a preference for a “care” voice or a “justice” voice in moral reasoning?
5) What events triggered cognitive growth? What about these experiences triggers change?
6) What does Ed's story tell us about environmental conditions for cognitive growth?
Make sure to summarize and explain the theories you use, and to support your arguments with
quotes from class readings. The Midterm Paper is due Class #10.
The chapters beyond “The Road to Damascus” are very interesting, but no longer show cognitive
growth. You are welcome to read them or not.
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Assignment #3: Final Paper
You may select one of the assignments below for your final paper. You may choose to use any
holistic development or identity theory from Unit II other than the foundational theory you are
assigned to present in your group presentation (that is, for those of you assigned to the
Chickering or Cross groups for Assignment #1). Depending on the category you pick, most
papers will run 10-15 pages. The final paper is due Class #14.
1. Application to Practice: Utilize your knowledge of one or more identity development
theories to develop or enhance a course or program of your own design. Be explicit (in
writing) about the ways your knowledge of this/these theories influenced your design.
You may work alone or with a partner.
2. Theory development: Create a brief qualitative interview guide (a set of open-ended
questions – no more than 10) and use them to interview 3-5 people to gain further insight into
identity development. Record the data you collect and code the data (that is notice the trends
in the data. In what ways do your participants’ responses correlate with known theories? In
what ways do they differ?). You may work alone or with a partner. NB – Be sure to have
participants sign IN WRITING their agreement to participate in this class project
(called a “consent form”). (See sample letter on Class Web). It is wise, though not
required, to have the instructor preview the interview guide.
3. Reading Deeper: Choose an original full-length text (or the equivalent) expounding a
developmental theory and write an essay outlining the theory and comparing and contrasting
with the reading we have done. Some examples include original texts by Cass, D’Augelli,
Cross (if you were not in the Cross group), Fassinger, Josselson (identity in women), Helms
(White racial identity), Baxter-Magolda, and Chickering & Reisser (if you were not in the
“Chickering” group). The instructor can help you find an appropriate text. Instructor
should approve the text in advance.
4. Literature Review: Choose an author/text and do library research to trace the ways a theory
has been tested and expanded. For example, research what has been written about AsianAmerican racial identity development. A minimum of 7 texts should inform this paper.
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COURSE SCHEDULE
January 21
Class 1: Introduction to Student Development Theory
 What makes a good theory?
 What conditions promote growth?
Unit I: Theories of Cognitive and Moral Development
January 28
Class 2: Perry's Theory of Cognitive (and Ethical) Development
 Perry, W. G. (1981). Cognitive and ethical growth: The making of meaning. In Chickering,
A. (Ed.), The modern American college (76-116). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (e-reserve).
February 4
Class 3: Discussion of Women’s Ways of Knowing
 Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger & Tarule (1986). Women’s ways of knowing. New York: Basic
Books. Read to p.152.
February 11
Class 4: Extending and applying cognitive development theory
 Hurtado, A. (1996). Strategic suspensions: Feminists of color theorize the production of
knowledge. In Goldberger, N. R., Tarule, J.M., Clinchy, B. M., Belenky, M. F. (Eds),
Knowledge, difference and power: Essays inspired by women’s ways of knowing. New York:
Basic Books.(e-reserve)
 Belenky, M. F., Stanton, A. V. (2000). Inequality, development and connected knowing. In
Mezirow, J. (Ed.), Learning as transformation: Critical perspectives on a theory in progress
(71-102). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (e-reserve)
February 18
Class 5: Team Presentations
Foundations Presentation #1: Kohlberg/Rest's Theory of Moral Development
Foundations Presentation #2: Gilligan's Theory of Moral Development
February 25
Class 6: More on Moral Development
 Mayhew, M. J. & Engberg, M.E. (2010). Diversity and moral reasoning: How negative
diverse peer interactions affect the development of moral reasoning in undergraduate
students. The Journal of Higher Education, 81 (4), 459-488. (e-reserve)
 Gilligan, C. & Attanucci, J. (1988). Two moral orientations: Gender differences and
similarities. Merill-Palmer Quarterly, 34 (3) 223-237. (e-reserve)
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Unit II: Theories of Psychosocial Identity Development
Integrated Theories of Student Development
March 4
Class 7: Adults in transition
 Goodman, Schlossberg & Anderson, (2006). Counseling adults in transition: Linking
practice with theory. Read Chapter 3. Available as an e-book. To access it go to Educat, via
the TC Website (click on the “library link,” then “library resources”).
 Winters, N. C. (2012). From the reservation: A theory regarding the development of Native
American Students. Journal of the Indiana University Student Personnel Association, 27-36.
March 11
Class 8: Team Presentations
Foundations Presentation #3: Chickering's Theory of Identity Development
Foundations Presentation #4: Cross' Theory of Black Racial Identity Development
March 18 – Spring Break (No class)
March 25
Class 9: Self-Authorship
 Baxter-Magolda, M.B. (2001). Making their own way. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing. Read
pp. 37-70. (e-reserve)
 Baxter-Magolda, M.B. (2009). Promoting self-authorship to promote liberal education
Journal of College and Character, X (3), 1-6. (e-reserve)
April 1
MIDTERM PAPER DUE
Class 10: Faith (spirituality) development theory
 Love, P. G. (2001). Spirituality and student development: Theoretical connections. New
Directions for Student Services, 95, 7-16. (e-reserve)
 Chavez, A.F. (2001). Spirit and nature in everyday life: Reflections of a “Mestiza” in higher
education. New Directions for Student Services, 95, 69-79. (e-reserve)
April 8
Class 11: Social Identity and Integrated Theory
 Abes, Jones & McEwen. (2007). Reconceptualizing the model of multiple dimensions of
identity: The role of meaning-making capacity in the construction of multiple identities.
Journal of College Student Development, 48, 1-22. (e-reserve)
 Wijeyesinghe, C. L. (2012). The intersectional model of multiracial identity: Integrating
multiracial identity theories and intersectional perspectives on social identity. In C. L.
Wijeyesinghe & B. W. Jackson III (Eds.), New perspectives on racial identity development:
Integrating the frameworks (2nd ed., pp.81-107). New York: New York University Press. (ereserve)
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April 15
Class 12: Environmental influences and college student development/LGBT Identity
 King, A. (2011). Environmental influences on the development of female college students
who identify as multiracial/biracial-bisexual/pansexual. Journal of College Student
Development, 52 (4), 440-455. (e-reserve)
 Bilodeau, B. L., & Renn, K. A. (2005). Analysis of LGBT identity development models and
implications for practice. New Directions for Student Services. 2005(111), 25-39. (e-reserve)
April 22
Class 13: Identity development in Asian American/Pacific Islander students
 Kodama, C., McEwen, M. K., Liang, C. T. H. (2001). A theoretical examination of
psychosocial issues for Asian Pacific American students. NASPA Journal, 38 (4) 411-437.
(e-reserve)
 Museus, S. D., Vue, R., Nguyen, T. K., Yeung, F.P.F. (2013). A Southeast Asian American
identity model: Merging theoretical perspectives and considering intersecting identities. In
Museus, S. D., Maramba, D. & Teranishi, R. (Eds.), The misrepresented minority: New
insights on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and implications for higher education.
Sterling Virginia: Stylus. (e-reserve).
April 29
FINAL PAPER DUE
Class 14: Identity development in Latino Students
 Schwartz, J. L., Donovan, J., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (2009). Stories of social class: Selfidentified Mexican male college students crack the silence. Journal of College Student
Development, 50(1), 50-66. (e-reserve)
 Torres, V. & Hernandez, E. (2007). The influence of ethnic identity on self-authorship: A
longitudinal study of Latino/a college students. Journal of College Student Development, 48,
558-573. (e-reserve)
May 6
Class 15: Identity in Action Roundtable (all available on e-reserve; choose ONE article)
 Pizzolato, J. E. & Ozaki, C. C. (2007). Moving toward self-authorship: investigating
outcomes of learning partnerships. Journal of College Student Development, 48 (2), 196214.
 Cullaty, B. (2011). The role of parental involvement in the autonomy development of
traditional-age college students. Journal of College Student Development, 52 (4), 425-439.
 Renn, K. A. & Bilodeau, B. L. (2005). Queer student leaders: An exploratory case study of
identity development and LGBT student involvement at a Midwestern research university.
Journal of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education, 2(4), 49-71.
 Jenghir, R., Williams, R. D., Pete, J. (2011). Multicultural learning communities: Vehicles
for developing self-authorship in first-generation college students. Journal of the First-Year
Experience & Students in Transition, 23(1), 53-73.
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