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EAD 873: The College Student Experience
Fall 2006
Wednesday, 4:10-7 pm ~ Bessey 112
Dr. Kristen RennOffice Hours:
428 Erickson HallTuesday afternoons
353-5979 (office)(sign up on my office door)
349-0797 (home)
Teaching Apprentice:
Casey Ozaki, 3rd year HALE doctoral student
COURSE PURPOSE and OBJECTIVES
This course examines major bodies of theory related to college student development and the contexts in which that development occurs. The course entails course readings, participation in a variety of formats during class sessions, essay writing, conducting a literature review, a group project, and goal setting/reflection. Outcomes objectives include:
1. Understanding the history and nature of student development theory, how it is and has been created, used, and modified.
2. Being able to interpret and apply theories to understanding the context of students’ development.
3. Developing the ability to locate and synthesize student development literature related to real-world issues in student affairs/higher education practice.
4. Applying existing theory to actual students’ experiences and beginning to see additional ways of looking at those experiences through the creation of informal developmental “theories.”
5. Being able to critique what is called “student development theory,” both in terms of individual theories/models and the collective body of literature in the field.
6. Being able to set self/course goals and reflect on progress toward them.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2001). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher education to promote self-development. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Chickering, A. W., & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and identity (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
(continued…)
(Required Texts, continued)
Galvan, J. L. (2003). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences. Pyrczak Publishing.
Lipsky, D. (2003). Absolutely American: Four years at West Point. New York: Vintage Books.
Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). (2001). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Suskind, R. (1999). A hope in the unseen: An American odyssey from the inner city to the Ivy League. New York: Broadway.
You can purchase the books at the bookstore or online (at amazon.com, half.com, etc.). Additional readings are indicated in the syllabus as PDF files that can be downloaded and printed from the URLs indicated. Some readings are available in full text online. In any case, you are expected to take responsibility for obtaining copies of all required reading in time to prepare for class each week.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCE
If you do not already have ready access to the Chronicle of Higher Education, you may want to consider getting your own subscription. If you already subscribe but do not receive the daily electronic news updates, you may want to activate this service now (it is free to Chronicle subscribers; go to the website to get instructions on how to get the daily news service).
The Chronicle maintains an excellent website that is free whether or not you subscribe to their newspaper. Some of its links are restricted to Chronicle subscribers, but most are not. You can also access the Chronicle in hard and electronic copy through the MSU library.
USEFUL/INTERESTING WEBSITES
(APA style manual home page)
(American Council on Education)
(National Association of Student Personnel Administrators)
www. myacpa.org (Association of College Personnel Administrators)
www. chronicle.com (The Chronicle of Higher Education)
(American Association for Higher Education)
(Association for the Study of Higher Education)
(Division J: Postsecondary Education of the American Educational Research Association)
(a privately maintained site with excellent links, including instructions to sign up for listservs related to student affairs)
(a private higher ed resource site; links to many useful and interesting higher ed sites)
(an international, online news site about higher education)
COURSE REQUIREMENTS: ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION
• Readings and topical assignments.
You should come to class ready to discuss all readings. Although it is not required, some students find it helpful to prepare questions or comments on each reading. Periodically we will assign an exercise or other preparation to be done prior to the next class session. These assignments will form the basis of class discussion and group work. Because readings and topical assignments are critical to active class participation, your grade in this area will be reflected in your participation grade.
• Active participation in face-to-face class discussions. (20%)
Active participation requires attendance, preparation (through readings and topical assignments), and willingness to contribute to discussions in a variety of group configurations (pairs, small groups, entire class, etc.). After the first partial or total absence, absence from any session will result in a deduction in your grade in this area, at a rate of 1 percentage point for any partial session and 2 points for any whole session.
• Two book essays. (20% total; 10% each)
Being able to interpret and apply theories to understanding the context of students’ development is one intended outcome of the course. To provide a common field on which to demonstrate these interpretations and applications, we have selected two books (Absolutely American and Hope in the Unseen) that document, from a journalist’s standpoint, one or more students’ experiences over time at specific postsecondary institutions (The US Military Academy and Brown University, respectively). In separate essays of 5-6 pages each, you should provide brief overviews of a) the book’s content, b) the developmental context portrayed at the institution in question, and c) the experience of one or more featured students. Then you should analyze the developmental context and student(s) experiences through the lens of at either one or two theories being studied in class. For Absolutely American, choose from Renn/Bronfenbrenner, Astin, Tinto, and/or Love/Kegan. For Hope in the Unseen, choose from any of the theorists covered from September 20 through October 25. Be sure to include a short description of the theories you are using. The essay on Absolutely American is due on September 27 and the essay on Hope is due on October 25.
• Student development literature review. (25%)
Developing the ability to locate and synthesize student development literature related to real-world issues in student affairs/higher education practice is another intended outcome of the course, as is the ability to critique existing theories/models. To demonstrate your ability to do so, you will conduct a literature review on a topic of interest to you and applicable to your goals for practice and research in student affairs (e.g., a particular group of college students; an important issue or challenge related to student affairs, such as alcohol use, academic honesty, race relations on campus, or leadership development; or a facet of student development we study in the class about which you want to learn more). You should include at least 10 sources from outside the course, and all of the 10 should be original sources (i.e., not taken from a book/article/chapter summarizing someone else’s work). You may include websites as additional sources, but they do not count toward the 10 required. Note that not all sources you might want to include will be available in online versions, so you will have to seek out hard copies.
Your paper should be 8-10 pages long and include, at a minimum: a) a statement and description of your topic, b) a synthesis of the literature you located (note: a synthesis is not a book-report or summary of each source you found, the story of how you conducted the literature review, or an opinion-editorial piece on your process; it is an integration of ideas across sources and notes where the literature leaves gaps or needs additions), c) a summary of what the literature reveals about your topic, and d) your recommendations for what research still needs to be done in this area to address your topic. A statement and short description of your topic are due September 13, an APA-formatted list of at least 10 sources is due October 18, and the complete literature review is due November 29.
• Student stories and analyses. (25%)
Applying existing theory to student experiences and beginning to see additional ways of looking at those experiences are also intended outcomes of this course. Working in teams of two or three, you will choose from a list of groups of students that have something in common with one another (e.g., a psychosocial identity, such as a racial, ethnic, gender, or religious identity; an experience, such as being returning adult learners, international students, or first-generation college students). Each group member will interview at least three students who fit into the group you have chosen. You will then develop a summary of information you learned in your interviews, create an informal model of development for this group of students, compare your model to existing models, and provide a critique of existing models in relation to what you learned from students about their experiences. You will present the final results of your project in poster format, with elements of the project due throughout the term (see below).
1.Sign up for topics: September 13.Identify from where you will recruit students to interview and submit list of potential interview questions: September 27.
2.Complete all interviews and write a draft summary of the students’ stories: due November 8.
3.Draft an informal model that reflects the major ideas in the students’ stories. To do so, you might go through the stories to identify themes that relate to various dimensions of development. Organize the themes into a “picture” of development, using your data to explain and support the themes you present. This model can take any form as long you include relevant dimensions of development and can explain what each means.
4.Compare your stories and model to at least 3 theories we study in class. In this analysis, comment on: a) parallels you notice between students’ stories/model and existing theory and why you think these parallels exist, and b) differences you notice between students’ stories/model and existing theory and why you think these exist. Some similarities and differences may be based on your sample; but in other cases, the students’ stories may reveal shortcomings of existing theories.
5.The project will culminate in conference-style poster presentations on December 6. We will discuss the specifics of the poster formatting, but you can expect to include a title, brief description of your sample and interviews, a summary of students’ stories, brief explanation of the components of your informal model (ideally accompanied by a graphic), an overview of comparison of your theory to existing theory (either in text or graphic format). Please also prepare and bring for each class member a double-sided, one page handout, including any reference citations.
• Three short essays reflecting on your goals for yourself and the course (2-3 pages each). (10%)
-Essay I: Self and course objectives: TWO hard copies due September 6. (3 points)
-Essay II: Midsemester self and course evaluation: Due in class 10/11. (3 pts)
-Essay III: End of semester self and course evaluation: Due in dropbox in ANGEL by 4 pm on 12/13. (4 pts)
Note: These essays are ungraded (i.e. treated on a credit/no credit basis).
In class, you will receive more explicit instructions for completing course assignments. Please ask if you have questions regarding how you will be evaluated in this course.
All papers should be double-spaced in 12-point font (times or palatino) with margins of 1-1.25 inches. They should always fall within the page range listed in the syllabus.
All citations and reference lists should conform to the style manual of the American Psychological Association (5th edition).
Note on absences and late assignments:
Class attendance is required and is included in the class participation grade. Nevertheless, students may occasionally need to absent themselves from class meetings for reasons of illness, family, or work. In fairness to students who attend and participate in every class session, after a student’s first partial or full absence, an absence for any reason will result in a reduction in the absent student’s class participation grade. This reduction is on the order of 2 points (of total for all assignments) per class missed, or 1 point for partial absence. For example, if you miss two face-to-face sessions but are otherwise present on time and actively contributing, you could receive 18 of 20 possible points for participation (out of the 100 total points for the course). For the purposes of this policy, being late to class or leaving early for any reason constitutes a partial absence and will result in a 1 point reduction in accumulated points toward your final grade.
Whenever it is possible, advance notice of absences is appreciated. An email message or phone call to someone who will be in class (instructor or student) is generally adequate to keep us from worrying about you. If you were unable to contact someone prior to the missed class, please contact me as soon as possible afterwards to learn of any assignments or announcements.
Absence from class to observe a religious holiday, to serve jury duty, or to participate in required military service are exceptions to the above policy. If you anticipate being absent for any of these reasons, please make arrangements with me in advance and there will be no deduction in your grade.
All assignments are expected during the session noted on the syllabus. Unless prior arrangements have been made with me, late submissions will not be accepted and will result in a grade of 0 for that assignment. Grades for late submissions that are accepted may be reduced.
Evaluation of assignments:
Assignments earning an “A” grade will be of excellent quality, reflecting critical thinking, creativity, and mastery of course material. They will be well organized and clear. They will be free of errors in syntax, grammar, and APA format. An “A-” grade might result from minor deductions in any of these areas.
Assignments earning a “B” grade will be of good quality, reflecting a solid grasp of the course material and clear, well-organized writing style. They might contain some errors in syntax, grammar, or APA format, but will not be seriously flawed. A “B-” grade might result from more significant reductions in these areas.
Assignments earning a “C” grade will be of acceptable quality, reflecting familiarity with course material. They might contain weaknesses in organization and errors in syntax, grammar, or APA format. A “C-” grade might result from more severe weaknesses.
Assignments earning below a “C-” are unacceptable and will receive no credit.
Course grades:
The grading system at MSU is on a four-point scale, with course grades reported in half points (4.0, 3.5, 3.0, 2.5, etc.). Any grade below a 3.0 is a sign of serious problems for continued graduate work and merits discussion with me and/or your academic advisor. For the purposes of assigning a final grade, the following table applies:
94 or more points =4.0
88-93 points =3.5
82-87 points =3.0
75-81 points =2.5
74 or fewer points =0 (no credit for course)
A note for students with disabilities
If you require any accommodation or services, please inform me or contact the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities ( 120 Bessey, 353-9642.
Additional MSU resources
- The Graduate School ( 118 Linton, 355-0301
- Learning Resources Center ( 209J Bessey, 355-2363
- Ombuds’ Office ( 129 North Kedzie, 353-8830
- Writing Center ( 300 Bessey, 432-3610
Course Outline
August 30 – Welcome and Introduction
Student Development, Developmental Contexts, & Postsecondary Environments
September 6 – Introduction to the study of college student development theory; Writing a literature review
Readings for today:
- Evans, N.J., Forney, D. S., & Guido-DiBrito, F. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Chapters 1 and 2 (pp. 3-34). [ANGEL]
- Astin, A. W. (1999). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 40, 518-529. [ANGEL]
- Tinto, V. (1993). A theory of individual departure from institutions of higher education. In V. Tinto, Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition (pp. 84-137). [ANGEL]
- Galvan, J. Writing literature reviews… Read chapters 1 & 2
Assignment due: Self/course goals essay: 2 hard copies
September 13 – Some models of developmental contexts and processes; Preparing for Student Stories project
Readings for today:
- Love, P. G. (1999). Kegan’s orders of consciousness. In P. G. Love & V. Guthrie (Eds.), Understanding and applying cognitive development theory. New directions for student services, 88 (pp. 65-76). Jossey-Bass. [ANGEL]
- Renn, K. A., & Arnold, K. C. (2003). Reconceptualizing research on college student peer culture. Journal of Higher Education, 74 (3), 261-291. [locate online through MSU library]
- Ortiz, A. M. (2003). The ethnographic interview. In F. K. Stage & K. Manning (Eds.), Research in the college context: Approaches and methods (pp. 35-48). New York: Brunner-Routledge. [ANGEL]
Assignment due: Topic for lit review – 2 hard copies (name and a short description of topic – no more than a paragraph, as little as one sentence)
Psychosocial Development Theories
September 20 – Introduction to Psychosocial Development; Chickering’s Seven Vectors of Identity Development
Readings for today:
- Chickering, A. W., & Reisser, L. (1993). Education and identity (2nd ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. [Read chapter 1 and then be prepared as an expert on your assigned vectors, as described in chapters 2-8.]
- McEwen, M. K. (1996). New perspectives on identity development. In S. R. Komives & D. B. Woodard, Jr. (Eds.), Student services: A handbook for the profession (3rd ed.) (pp, 188-217). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. [ANGEL]
Optional additional reading:
- Erikson, E. H. (1968). The life cycle: Epigenesis of identity. In E. H. Erikson, Identity: Youth and crisis (pp. 91-141). New York: W. W. Norton & Company. [ANGEL]
Assignment due: Plan for recruiting Student Stories interviewees and list of proposed interview questions
September 27 – Stage Theories and other Linear Models of Racial and Ethnic Identity and Identity Development; Discussion of Absolutely American
Readings for today:
- Cross, W. E., Jr. (1995). The psychology of Nigrescence: Revisiting the Cross model. In J. G. Ponterotto, J. M. Casas, L. A. Suzuki, & C. M. Alexander (Eds.), Handbook of multicultural counseling (pp. 93-122). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.