1. the way advising should be, depends: Perry’s theory of intellectual and ethical development
Samantha Palombizio, M.S. ∙ Student Services Specialist ∙ Northwestern CT Community College

2. This presentation is dedicated to Dr
This presentation is dedicated to Dr. Jane Fried who taught me everything I know about Student Development Theory and much more.

3. To Do Historical Overview The Theory Activity!
Applications for Advising
Critiques
Questions and Comments

4. Historical Overview
Engaged in research examining how students interpret and make meaning of the teaching and learning process
Acknowledged indebtedness to Piaget and other developmental psychologists, such as Kohlberg
Longitudinal study, a series of year-end interviews conducted with students over the course of their college stay

5. The Theory

6. Dualism/ Received Knowledge The world is viewed dichotomously
Basic Duality:
All problems are solvable
Student’s task is to learn the Right Solutions
Full Dualism:
Some Authorities disagree; others agree
There are Right Solutions, but some teachers’ views of the answers are obscured
Student’s task is to learn the Right Solutions and ignore the others

7. Multiplicity/ Subjective Knowledge Honor diverse views when the right answers are not yet known
Early Multiplicity:
There are two kinds of problems:
Those whose solutions we know
Those whose solutions we do not know… yet
Student’s task is to learn how to find the Right Solutions
Late Multiplicity:
Everyone has the right to their own opinion
Some problems are unsolvable

8. Relativism/ Procedural Knowledge Initiated by recognition of the need to support opinions
Contextual Relativism
All proposed solutions are supported by reasons
Some solutions are better than others, depending on context
Student’s task is to learn to evaluate solutions
Pre-Commitment
Student sees the necessity of:
Making choices
Committing to a solution

9. Commitment to Relativism Integration of knowledge learned from others with personal experience and reflection
Commitment Student makes a commitment
Challenges to Commitment:
Student experiences implications of commitment
Student explores issues of responsibility
Post-Commitment  Student realizes commitment is ongoing

10. Activity!

11. Read each student description
Identify which of Perry’s Developmental positions the student most resembles
Describe how you would use the theory to help assist the student

12. Applications for Advising
Understanding the differing expectations students bring to the Advising/ Career Development process
Use of challenge and support strategies can foster students’ movement to the next developmental position
Better understanding of group process
Assist intellectual growth
Understanding how students interpret their experiences
Support further cognitive growth
Staff supervision

13. Critiques Lack of inclusiveness
This study was conducted in the 1950s and 1960s
Inclusion of two constructs
May be measuring students’ socialization
Simply labels students

14. References
Dr. Fried’s Student Development in Higher Education course, Central Connecticut State University, Fall 2010
Evans, N., Forney, D., Guido, F., Patton, L., & Renn, K. (1998). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (2nd ed.). San Francisco, California: Jossey- Bass.
Kohlberg, L. (1975). The cognitive-developmental approach to moral education. Phi Delta Kappan, 56,
Perry, William, G., Jr. (1970), Forms of Intellectual and Ethical Development in the College Years: A Scheme (New York: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston).
Perry, William G., Jr. (1981), “Cognitive and Ethical Growth; The Making of Meaning”, in Arthur W. Chickering and Associates, The Modern American College (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass):
Piaget, J. (1950). The psychology of intelligence. Orlando, Florida: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

15. Questions and Comments