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College Student Development Theory Essay

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The student development theory is a body of the educational scholarship and psychology that demonstrates the strategy higher educational students gain knowledge. The theory also guides students in their educational affairs. College students are categories as students in the higher education especially in the formal setting such as colleges, universities, polytechnic and other institutions of higher learning. On the other hand, development is defined as a "process of increasing complex." (Patton, et al. 2016 p 5). With reference to the students' affair, the theory is a useful tool in answering the cogent question that students might encounter in their day-to-day academic affairs. Thus, student development theory focuses on student development, and method of achieving success in the institution of higher learning. In essence, the student development theory reveals how students of higher education grow academically within the campus environment.The objective of this study is to illustrate the strategy and method students acquire knowledge using the CSDT (student development theory) and practice.

Student Development Theory



Patton, et al. (2016) traced the development of student development theory to 1960s, which was the period significant changes were recognized in the students' affairs. During this period, the population of students no longer consisted of the students of the upper-class level or middle-class level. However, higher student population comprised of students from different cultural background, economic and social class. Thus, the school academicians view the need to develop theories that will accommodate...
To respond to this demand, the "Chickering's Theory of Identity Development" (Patton, et al. 2016 p 13) was developed focusing on seven vectors. The theory was developed to focus on students' identity development process in higher education. The seven vectors are:
• Developing competence

• Managing emotions

• Moving toward interdependence and autonomy

• Developing a mature and nurture interpersonal relationships

• Establishing identity

• Developing purpose, and • Developing integrity.

A surge of development in the student's affairs necessitates a development of a new theory. Thus, "Perry's Theory of Intellectual and Ethical Development, and Holland's Theory of Vocational Personalities & Work Environments" (Hutchinson, & Mello, 2015 p 1) were developed. However, the student development theory can be categorized as: Psychosocial Theories and Cognitive-Structural Theories.

The psychosocial theories focus on the content of development as well as important issues that people face as they progress in life that include how people define themselves, what to achieve in their lives, and their relationships with other people. On the other hand, cognitive structural theories focus on the structures of the mind, which are in the same orders regardless of the individual cultural conditions.

Despite the understanding of the two categories of the models, however, the model that captures the student development should be able to examine the intrapersonal and…

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