1. SO you Thought College would be easy?
Maggie Bishop and Imani Cabell - University of North Georgia
Understanding the First Year Student through Student Development Theories and Advising

2. Who Are We? Graduated from University of West Georgia
Bachelor’s: Business Marketing and Business Management
Master’s: Professional Counseling College Student Affairs
Graduated from University of Central Missouri
Bachelor : Communication
Master’s: Higher Education Administration
University of North Georgia
Pre-Nursing Advisor
University of North Georgia
Academic Coordinator

3. What You Can Expect: Examine the First Year Student
Define three different student development theories
Share how these theories can be applied to advising first year students

4. “Advisors have license to draw upon a wide array of theoretical perspectives because they have come to advising not from one field, but from many…” -Gordon, Habley, & Grites (2008)

5. What is Student Development Theory?
“The ways that a student grows, progresses or increases his or her
developmental capabilities as a result of enrollment in an institution of higher education” (Rodgers 1990)
Development: positive growth

6. Development Theory Should Answer 4 Questions
What interpersonal/intrapersonal changes occur while the student is in college?
What factors lead to this development?
What aspects of the college environment encourage or retard growth?
What developmental outcomes should we strive to achieve in college?

7. How Advisors Can Use Theory
Theoretical base for knowledge, expertise and practice
General knowledge of several theories can aid in understanding advising approaches
Ex: Developmental Advising approach developed from Chickering’s Identity Development theory
Identify students needs
Design programs
Develop policies
Promote positive growth in students
Description
Explanation
Predication
Control
Student Behavior

8. First Year Students Time for a poll!
What students fall in to this category?
What are some common challenges these students face?

9. POLL https://www.polleverywhere.com/free_text_polls/F3xOpzVR7QySJLS

10. How students feel…

11. Advising First Year Students
Challenging but Rewarding
MORE Understanding
MORE Support for students

12. Chickering’s Vectors of Identity
Psychosocial Development Theory
Building on works of Erik Erikson
More spiral or fluid theory
Students move through different vectors at different times and paces
Developing Competence
Managing Emotions
Moving through Autonomy through Interdependence
Managing Mature Interpersonal Relationships
Establishing Identity
Developing Purpose
Developing Integrity

13. Chickering and Advising
As academic advisors we can utilize our understanding of Chickering’s 7 vectors to……
Help our students develop their own self identity
Feel independent on their new found college journey
Begin to develop competence

14. Astin’s Theory of Involvement
Involvement : “Amount of physical and psychological energy that the student devotes to the academic experience” (Astin 1984).
How students change and develop due to being involved co-curricularly
Three elements:
Inputs – previous experience
Environment – experiences students will have in college
Outcomes – knowledge, attitude, beliefs, after graduating college

15. Astin and Advising
Knowing and Understanding all the resources available to students
Helping students stay engaged with the campus culture regardless on the size of the institution
Assist students with being present when it comes to their education, so they don’t settle.
understanding Astin’s Student involvement theory Can help us when Advising A student By…

16. Schlossberg’s Transition Theory
Move in – move through – move out
Focuses on a student’s transition experience and how transition is coped with
Types of transitions
Anticipated event: a for-seen event
Unanticipated: did not see coming
Non-events: anticipates an event but it doesn’t happen
Context – Setting – impact

17. Schlossberg and advising
Situation: trigger, timing, role change, duration,
Self: background, stage of life, commitment or values
Support: family, friends, communities
Strategies: what can I do to help?
As students transition into college it is important for them to view and utilize their academic advisor as a support resource.

18. Theory is fun!
Build a connection between advising and student development theory
how to personalize advising strategies with first year students
Student development theory applies to all students

19. Questions?

20. references
Hagen, P. L., & Jordan, P. (2008). Theoretical foundations of academic advising. In V. N. Gordon, W. R. Habley, & T. J. Grites (Eds.), Academic advising: A comprehensive handbook (2nd ed.), (pp. 17–35). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Evans, Nancy J. Student Development in College: Theory, Research, and Practice. Jossey-Bass,
Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of
Schlossberg, N. K. (2011). The challenge of change: The transition model and its applications. Journal of Employment Counseling, 48(4), 159–162.

21. Contact us! Maggie Bishop Imani Cabell