Jason Bergeron & Tiffany Dennett

Why is Student Development Important?
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Provides up a snapshot/insight as to why student might behave, think, or feel the way that they do
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Helps understand the role we might play in helping them to become well-adjusted people
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Identity development is an important part of the college experience
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Reminds us that context and environment are important
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Reminds us that age and time is not necessarily a predicator for development

Basic Frameworks for Understanding Students
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Karl Lewin – Founder of ‘social psychology’
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Behavior = Function (Person x Environment)
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Person = Internal, Environment = External
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Nevitt Sanford, Psychologist turned Higher Education Researcher
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Student development occurs best with the appropriate balance of ‘challenge’ and ‘support’
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Example – Student Organization Registration

Perry’s ‘Intellectual and Ethical’ Development
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Dualism
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Black/White
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Right/Wrong
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Authorities have the answers
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Students receive knowledge
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Multiplicity
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Diversity recognized
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Authorities disagree
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Everyone's opinion equal

Perry’s ‘Intellectual and Ethical’ Development
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Relativism
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Context matters
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Authorities can be analyzed
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"Truth" depends on evidence
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Students actively make meaning
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Commitment
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Faced with relativity, you make choices
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Students stake a position in debates

‘Moral and Ethical Development’ by Kohlberg
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Preconventional Morality
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Stage 1 - Obedience and Punishment - Obeying the rules is important because it is a means to avoid punishment.
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Stage 2 - Individualism and Exchange At this stage of moral development, students account for individual points of view and judge actions based on how they serve individual needs. In the Heinz dilemma, children argued that the best course of action was the choice that best-served Heinz’s needs.
Reciprocity is possible at this point in moral development, but only if it serves one's own interests.

‘Moral and Ethical Development’ by Kohlberg
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Conventional Morality
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Stage 3 - Interpersonal Relationships Often referred to as the "good boygood girl" orientation, this stage of moral development is focused on living up to social expectations and roles. There is an emphasis on conformity, being
"nice," and consideration of how choices influence relationships.
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Stage 4 - Maintaining Social Order
At this stage of moral development, people begin to consider society as a whole when making judgments. The focus is on maintaining law and order by following the rules, doing one’s duty and respecting authority.

‘Moral Development’ by Kohlberg
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Postconventional Morality
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Stage 5 - Social Contract and Individual Rights At this stage, people begin to account for the differing values, opinions, and beliefs of other people. Rules of law are important for maintaining a society, but members of the society should agree upon these standards.
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Stage 6 - Universal Principles Kohlberg’s final level of moral reasoning is based upon universal ethical principles and abstract reasoning. At this stage, people follow these internalized principles of justice, even if they conflict with laws and rules.
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Example – Hazing through the lens of moral and ethical development theory

Roundtable Discussion Continued
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At your table, feel free to share responses to the following questions:
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What might be some strategies in how you can infuse this understanding of student development in to your work as an advisor?
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What examples/stories can you share that have direct application to what we have discussed?
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In what ways do you already practice this (while knowing it or not)?
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In what ways do you best provide challenge to your members?
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In what way do you best provide support to your members?

Final Reminders
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FSL Chapter Dashboard
• http://www.uh.edu/cfsl/chapters/chapter_dashboard.html
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Continue to check for compliance issues and submissions
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Advisor Listserv
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Recently had heavy expansion of this listserv
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Dependent on student reporting through the Organization Registration

Thanks for attending!