Who would be able to complete this in a timely manner? Due by 5PM

TRAINING OBJECTIVE Edwards 2

Training Objective

Markis’ Edwards

Dr. Lawrence Davenport

EDU 654: Student Development in Higher Education

November 10, 2017

The training objective for this training session will be to teach the advisors on how to apply the theories of development to their practice. While there are no established theories of academic advising, there are a number of theories from education and the social sciences that form the basis for academic advising. This includes student individual identity development and student social development theories. The focus of this training session will be on the student individual identify development. This training will highlight the importance of understanding the individual development of students in order to enable the advisors to be more proactive in anticipating student issues and to be more responsive to the concerns that may arise in the course of their duties.

The identity development theories that the advisors will be taught include Erikson’s theory of Psychosocial development, Levinson’s developmental theory and Chickering and Reissers’ seven vectors of identity development. Erikson theory emphasizes the sociocultural determinants of development and presents them in terms of eight stages. According to this theory, individuals must resolve all these stages successfully in order to develop.The stage that particularly applies to the traditional college students is the identity versus role confusion which is the fifth stage. It is important for advisors to appreciate this stage as it is the time that the young adult begins to find meaning in their life. Consequently, advisors can enable students to navigate through potential crises that they may encounter as they make the transition to adulthood.

Levison’s developmental theory outlines an individual life cycle as defined by four eras which include the transition into early adulthood, entering the adult world, age thirty transition and settling down. Each of these eras is distinct (Frost & McClean, 2014). The transition from one era to another would require a rudimentary change in the character of an individual’s life. According to this theory, the traditional-aged college students will fall into the second era of early adulthood. This occurs at the age of between 17 and 45 years.

The other individual development theory is the Chickering and Reisser’ seven vectors of identity development. This includes managing emotion, developing competencies, developing purpose, move from autonomy to interdependence, developing integrity and the development of mature interpersonal relationships. In contrast to Erikson’s stages, these vectors are not sequential. However, they do build on each other which results in greater intricacy, permanence, and integration. Moreover, the academic environment exerts a powerful influence that enables students to navigate through the seven vectors of development.

As an academic advisor, it is vital to have a good understanding of this theories and phases. This will enable one to ascertain the level of development of specific students so as to help them in developing within and beyond that particular stage. Developing an understanding of how students establish meaning in the various stage can provide the advisor with useful insights. This will help them to explain to the students’ conditions that may be confusing and that can hamper the students’ learning and development process. Promoting the advisors’ understanding of the individual identify development will reaffirm their appreciation of the life themes that student have to cope with at the various stages of development. This includes themes such as the search for identity and purpose. These can help the advisors to focus their interventions on students and advise them accordingly.

Annotated Bibliography

Svetina, M. (2014). Resilience in the context of Erikson's theory of human development. Current Psychology 33(3), 393-404.

This article makes reference to Erikson’s psychosocial development theory to the current studies on resilience research. The author of the article finds a strong connection between resilience and developmental outcomes. Erikson theory emphasizes the sociocultural determinants of development and presents them in terms of eight stages. According to this theory, individuals must resolve all these stages successfully in order to develop. The stage that particularly applies to the traditional college students is the identity versus role confusion which is the fifth stage. It is important for advisors to appreciate this stage as it is the time that the young adult begins to find meaning in their life. According to this article, the task of an individual at each stage is to resolve the crisis and transition into the next developmental phase. Consequently, advisors can enable students to navigate through potential crises that they may encounter as they make the transition to adulthood.

Aktu, Y. (2016). Life Structure of Early Adulthood Period in Levinson's Theory. Approaches in Psychiatry 8(2), 162-177.

This article is about the significance of early adulthood as one of the defining periods in an individual’s life. The authors of this article make reference to Levinson’s developmental theory in exploring the importance of early adulthood to an individual’s development. This theory outlines an individual life cycle as defined by four eras which include the transition into early adulthood, entering the adult world, age thirty transition and settling down. Each of these eras is distinct with a transition from one era to another requiring a rudimentary change in the character of an individual’s life. According to Aktu, early adulthood which defines the traditional-aged college students comprise of the most satisfying and turbulent years of an individual’s life.

Karkouti, I. (2014). Examining Psychosocial Identity Development Theories: A Guideline for Professional Practice. Education 135(2), 257-263.

This article provides an overview of Erikson’s psychosocial identity development theory. The author also identifies other researchers that have extended Erikson’s work. As an academic advisor, it is vital to have a good understanding of this theories and phases. This will enable one to ascertain the level of development of specific students so as to help them in developing within and beyond that particular stage. This article can contribute to an understanding of how students establish meaning in the various stage can provide the advisor with useful insights. This will help them to explain to the students’ conditions that may be confusing and that can hamper the students’ learning and development process. The article also clarifies the relationship between psychosocial factors and college outcomes. This will promote the advisors’ understanding of the individual identify development and reaffirm their appreciation of the life themes that student have to cope with at the various stages of development. This includes themes such as the search for identity and purpose. These can help the advisors to focus their interventions on students and advise them accordingly.

Parry, Y., & Hill, P. (2015). Applying psychosocial theories for nursing students. Australian nursing and midwifery journal 23(6).

This article identifies psychosocial theories as central in educational systems and the recognition of the increasing importance of identity theories in academic environments. This is important for academic advisors as they will learn how to apply the theories of development to their practice. According to the authors of the article, while there are no established theories of academic advising, there are a number of theories from education and the social sciences that form the basis for learning. This includes student individual identity development and student social development theories. The focus of this article is on the student individual identify development and learning process. This article also highlights the importance of understanding the individual development of students in order to enable the advisors to be more proactive in anticipating student issues and to be more responsive to the concerns that may arise in the course of their duties.

References

Aktu, Y. (2016). Life Structure of Early Adulthood Period in Levinson's Theory. Approaches in Psychiatry 8(2), 162-177.

Karkouti, I. (2014). Examining Psychosocial Identity Development Theories: A Guideline for Professional Practice. Education 135(2), 257-263.

Parry, Y., & Hill, P. (2015). Applying psychosocial theories for nursing students. Australian nursing and midwifery journal 23(6).

Svetina, M. (2014). Resilience in the context of Erikson's theory of human development. Current Psychology 33(3), 393-404.