Job Hunt: Infinity

I tend to use the research by Terenzini, P. T., Springer, L., Pascarella, E. T., & Nora, A. in my research/theory/whatever on student veterans. Something like 66% of student veterans are first-generation students, so it’s pretty applicable. I also really like that they studied co- and extra-curricular activities, such as reading books not assigned (extra) and visiting the library (co). It’s one of the theories or bits of research I also like to pull out when people talk about engagement off campus. Students who have families or other community connections *are* still engaged, just not in the way we like to count. Title of theory: First-Generation College Students: Characteristics, Experiences, and Cognitive Development Year theory was published: 1996 Students originally studied: They studied 210 students who volunteered and participated in an original data collection and a follow up data collection, throughout their first year in college. Each student was in at least 6 credit hours...

Perry is one of my favorite theorists when it comes to student development. I really like the way he describes the thinking process that happens, and how people are challenged. I see it a lot in some of the people I interact with regularly, and try to think of their thought process through Perry’s lens. During this time of polarizing politics and us vs them rhetoric from prominent politicians, I try to remember Perry. I try to remember that not everyone can hold two truths and reason out which one to believe. I try to remember not everyone has experienced the process of cognitive dissonance and many have never become comfortable with it. Here’s a good explanation of the stages from https://organizations.missouristate.edu/guide/125687.htm : Perry's Theory of Intellectual and Ethical Development: 1. Basic Duality- Seeing the world dichotomous: good-bad, right-wrong, black-white, facts, authorities have correct answers 2. Multiplicity Prelegitimate- Seeing there may be other answers, ...

Right, so these three people who wrote about psychosocial identity development of students back before some current professionals were born. Why do they matter? What does it matter? Do we actually use these theories? Do theory-to-practice professionals think: Aha! I know why you’re struggling here, you’re in Chickering’s third Vector! Maybe some people do think that, I can’t say I ever have. I do think about some of the struggles students go through and try to use frameworks to better understand 1) how they might be feeling 2) what this means for their success and 3) how I can help them through the struggle. I was at a party recently and I was talking with some folks about homeschooled students who are pushed through high-level academics at young ages. Yeah, I know, you totally want to go to these parties. Homeschooling is a common practice around where I live, especially in the rural areas. To be clear, I’m not disparaging homeschool students or families. This is just an example of us...

I haven’t really thought about Josselson’s theory since graduate school. I found it difficult to get my hands on an article about this specific theory that I had access to, and I didn’t have time to read a full book. I used the power of Google to learn bits and pieces, along with the textbook by Komives and Associates. I might actually add her book to my (out of control) Amazon wish list. Enough of this nonsense, you might be thinking, I want to know about Day 4’s topic. Ok, that’s fair. Josselson studied women in their senior year of college to determine how their psychosocial identity develops during their college years. She eventually defined this development into four different types of identity development, all of which are related to where the woman’s beliefs fall compared to her family’s values, especially the beliefs and values of her mother. Women develop the most due to crises in relationships. Here is an explanation of each type from https://organizations.missouristate.edu/...