Theories of Student Development
EPE 674, Fall 2004
The act of studying, learning, knowing is difficult and above all demanding. But, it is necessary for learners to
discover and feel the inherent joy that is always ready to take hold of those who give themselves to the process of
learning.
-- Paulo Freire --
Professor: Dr. Jane McE. Jensen, 134A Taylor Education Building, 257-1929,
jjensen@pop.uky. Office hours Thursday afternoons or by appointment. Please call or drop by!
Overview: As scholars of and practitioners within the field of post-secondary education we
strive to facilitate and enhance the growth of our students. Theories of both human development
and student development are critical to our operational style and our way of thinking as
professionals. Theory provides us with a framework to use to connect random observations that
we make. Additionally, it allows us to link our limited experiences and observations to others’
experiences and observations. Theory provides a common language for discussion and debate.
Class assignments are designed as exercises: some to help you stretch, some to develop
endurance and strength, and some for the purpose of cooling down. In our busy lives, reading
and thinking about ideas often happens after everyday activities or during moments of quiet,
quickly interrupted by the noise of living. To help with this, some assignments, such as the
reading journals, are designed to be tasks—things you can put on your calendar and to do lists.
“I must study for my quiz,” is easier to rationalize to your children/friends/dog than “I have to
wax philosophic for an hour or two…leave me alone.” Do not be lulled into a false sense of
calm, however, most of these assignments require cognitive work—consideration, critique, and
reflection—effort not captured in a to do list or homework assignment.
Required Reading:
Hamrick, Evans, & Schuh (2002). Foundations of Student Affairs Practice. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Love, P.g., & Guthrie, V.L. (1999). Understanding and Applying Cognitive Development
Theory. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Torres, V., Howard-Hamilton, M., & Cooper, D. (2003). Identity Development of Diverse
Populations. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Requirements & Evaluation:
 Regular participation in class discussions.
 Book Presentation (collaboration allowed).
 Quizzes: didactic knowledge and vocabulary.
 Theory Paper (8-10 pages)
(20%)
(20%)
(30%)
(30%)
Grading: I believe that “A” level work reflects exemplary effort, demonstrating thorough
knowledge of the material and insightful critical thinking. This does not mean “above average”
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or “better than the others”; I grade each student’s work relative to the requirements of the
assignment. I am happy to read early drafts of assignments.
Reading Journal and Class Discussion: For each reading, I recommend you keep a reading
journal (not graded). Your reading journal is a process through which you can record your
thoughts, reflect upon the application of the theory to yourself and/or your work, and ask further
questions. I will share excerpts of my reading journal as part of our reading discussions.
Collaborative Reading: One of the goals of this class is to provide you with opportunities for
summarizing and presenting information to others. You will need to
1. Choose a topic and/or author in the area of college student development
2. Research, read and reflect upon your topic, meeting with others studying the same text to
discuss your impressions. Challenge each other to reach a greater understanding of the
material available and teach each other new techniques for finding sources.
3. Prepare a presentation of your topic including suggested reading list (please plan for an
interactive discussion with your classmates).
The goal of these sessions is to give you the opportunity to critically discuss a broad range of
theories and research ideas in a supportive setting. This discussion should not only help you gain
a deeper understanding of the process of research in student development, but also help prepare
you for the course quizzes and written work.
Quizzes: Don’t panic! Because there is so much information covered in this course and because
the material is central to so much of what we do as scholars and practitioners in student affairs,
this series of quizzes is designed to help you synthesize the course material and gain ownership
of it. By the end of the course you should feel comfortable with the vocabulary of student
development theory and with your ability to critique theoretical models.
Theory Paper: This writing assignment is intended to challenge your conceptual thinking and
provide a forum for you to express your ideas in a scholarly essay. Your reading journal entries
will provide ideas as you have already considered points raised in class readings and discussion.
Building on these reflections, construct an argument regarding your conceptualization of a theory
of student development (8-10 pages). The only requirement is that you consider the issue of time
and space—the social era in which we live. PLAY WITH IDEAS…DRAW COMPELLING
COMPARISONS…WRITE WITH AUTHORITY…BE BRAVE!!!
A Note on Academic Integrity and Scholarship
This course involves the reading and discussion of theories that explore human development.
The concepts are often complicated and difficult to summarize for new scholars. These ideas can
also be very personal and strike emotional chords as we consider our own lives. Be sure in your
writing to maintain your own voice while retaining a scholarly stance toward the material.
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