The Role of College Student Development Theories in Undergraduate Life

1. Introduction

A human being is the creature that is endowed with mind and conscience, what is more, a man is the creature that can develop in the course of his life. This is called the capability of progress, and this is our greatest advantage in the whole natural world. Education is the means that provides intellectual development of a human being. In its turn, higher education is the means of creation of a developed personality and an efficient and qualified professional in a certain field. Thus, the ultimate aim of every college student is to gain necessary knowledge and practical skills in order to be able to realize his potential in future life.

The process of educational activity at college should not be limited to gaining only new information but also should include such important aspects as development of critical thinking, independent research abilities and skills, as well as personal development. All these aspects are important for successful future career and personal life.

The role of college student development theories is very significant in undergraduate college life as they provide students with necessary tools for their personal development. These theories also help to create positive environment at colleges that promotes skill development and peer counseling among students. However, there are also some limitations of these theories that should be taken into account.

2. PTP model

The PTP model (Proposal for Theoretical Progression) was developed by Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson in 1987. It represents a synthesis of different approaches to student development theory. The model has seven vectors which correspond to different areas of student development:
– confrontation with ideas
– developing competence
– managing emotions
– moving through autonomy towards interdependence
– developing mature interpersonal relationships
– developing purpose in life
– developing an integrated self.

The model suggests that theseseven areas are closely connected and influence each other. For example, if a student faces difficulties in managing his emotions, it will affect his relationships with others and his ability to develop purpose in life. The PTP model provides a comprehensive approach to understanding how college students develop during their undergraduate years.

3. College student development theories

There are several popular college student development theories that are widely used in practice. These theories differ from each other in their focus, but all of them aim to help students understand themselves better and promote their personal development.

One of the most famous theories is the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) developed by Icek Ajzen. This theory is mostly used in health promotion programs as it focuses on understanding why people make certain choices regarding their health. TPB suggests that people’s behavior is determined by their intention to behave in a certain way, which is influenced by their attitude towards the behavior, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control. In other words, people’s intention to engage in a healthy behavior (for example, eating healthy food or exercising regularly) is determined by their attitude towards this behavior (whether they think it is good or bad for them), whether others think it is good or bad (subjective norm), and whether they think they can do it or not (perceived behavioral control).

Another popular theory is Self-Determination Theory (SDT) developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan. This theory focuses on motivation and emphasizes the importance of intrinsic motivation (motivation that comes from within oneself) in promoting optimal functioning and well-being. SDT suggests that people need to feel competent, autonomous and connected to others in order to be motivated. Competence refers to feeling confident and capable of doing something, autonomy refers to feeling in control of one’s own behavior, and connectedness refers to feeling a sense of belonging and connectedness to others.

A third theory that is often used in college student development is Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) developed by Albert Bandura. This theory emphasizes the importance of observational learning in shaping one’s behavior. According to SCT, people learn by observing the behavior of others and then imitating it. This process is influenced by a person’s beliefs about his or her ability to perform the behavior, as well as by environmental factors such as rewards and punishments.

4. Student learning and personal development

All three theories discussed above (TPB, SDT and SCT) can be applied to understand and promote student learning and personal development.

TPB can be used to understand why students make certain choices regarding their studies. For example, if a student intends to skip a class, TPB would suggest that this decision is influenced by the student’s attitude towards the class (whether he or she thinks it is important or not), whether others think it is important (subjective norm), and whether the student thinks he or she can do it or not (perceived behavioral control). In order to change the student’s behavior, it is necessary to change one or more of these factors. For example, if the student’s attitude towards the class is negative, the teacher could try to change it by showing how the material covered in the class is relevant and interesting.

SDT can be used to understand what motivates students to learn. If students feel competent and autonomous in their studies, they will be more likely to be intrinsically motivated to learn. To promote intrinsic motivation, teachers can provide opportunities for students to experience success and mastery in their studies. They can also give students a choice in what they learn and how they learn it. For example, teachers could allow students to choose their own topics for research projects or let them choose between different methods of learning (such as lectures, discussions, books or films).

SCT can be used to understand how students learn from each other. If students observe other students who are successful in their studies, they will be more likely to imitate this behavior. Teachers can create opportunities for students to observe each other’s work and give feedback on it. They can also provide models of good practice for students to follow. For example, teachers could show films of successful students studying for exams or give examples of well-organized research projects.

5. The limitations of the theories

Despite the usefulness of college student development theories, there are also some limitations that should be taken into account.

First of all, these theories are generalizations that cannot take into account individual differences among students. Every student is unique and has his or her own way of learning and developing. What works for one student may not work for another. Secondly, these theories focus on commonalities among students rather than on individual differences. This means that they may not be able to explain why some students develop more than others. Thirdly, these theories assume that the environment is static and does not change over time. However, the reality is that the environment is constantly changing, which means that these theories may not be able to explain how students change over time. Finally, these theories assume that students are passive recipients of education and do not take an active role in their own learning and development. However, recent research has shown that students are active participants in their own learning and development, and that they can take steps to promote their own development.

6. Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to note that college student development theories can be useful in promoting student learning and personal development. However, there are also some limitations to these theories that should be taken into account.

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