College Student Development Programming

College Student Development Programming

Introduction

In order to identify and discuss the issues regarding student development, it is important to have a clear understanding of what exactly student development is. There are several ways in which student development is explained and defined. According to few studies, student development defines that how a student grows, how he learn, how he changes and how does he allow his environmental surroundings to have an impact on him. It explains the many ways in which each and every student progresses, grows and also increases and enhances his development capabilities which results due to the enrollment of that student in an institution in order to gain higher education. A student development program also enables the professionals of student affairs to proactively address and identify the needs of each and every student enrolled in their institute and then to design programs accordingly, develop various policies and also to create a healthy institutional environment which encourages and give way to a positive and constructive growth within the students.  The following paper highlights a few factors associated with development of a student.

Discussion

Most of the student development programs are usually based on a number of different psychological theories which have the potential to be applied on an average college age population of students. For the last 10 to almost 15 years, a variety of different theories have emerged for example theories which focus specifically on women, above average aged students, LGB and underrepresented minority. Most of the theories which are related to the development of students are generally categorized as identity development, typology, and cognitive-structural and psychosocial (Ridley, 2012).

The student development program at any institute should focus on integrating both the in-class as well as the out-class experience and understanding of the students. In addition to that, all of these efforts should be directed and aimed at developing and enhancing both character and the intellect of the students (Ridley, 2012). In order to accomplish this, all the institutes should make available and provide to their students a complete and wide range of various educational experiences through different activities and programs that support and compliment the academic experience within the classrooms. Even though the primary and basic focus of these types of activities is to enhance the learning of the students, but in addition to that it also provides a variety of different needed support, services and recreational opportunities in order to help the students so that they could easily meet the challenges and also to enhance and improve the quality the life of a student within the college and also outside the boundaries of college (Ridley, 2012).

The teaching and administrative effectiveness within the educational settings of a college depends largely upon one's appreciation and familiarity for the unique and distinctive development needs of each and every student. The outcomes of students could be very significantly enhanced and improved when programs, curricula, services and pedagogical techniques and skills are designed by those experts who understand and also intentionally relate ...