Student Development as it Relates to Online Social Networking

Student development theory came from the traditions of the psychology, sociology and other social sciences and began in the late nineteenth and early part of the twentieth century as a way of addressing the needs created from the increasing growth of colleges and universities. The theory takes a holistic view of how the student survives and succeeds in the higher education environment. This definition of success goes beyond the concept of academic achievement and looks at how the school deals with the transition from the structured world of high school to life after college.

Most of this line of theory began in the 1920’s with the vocational guidance movement as a means of getting students to find a “best match” regarding career and using the university setting as the method of reaching those vocational goals (Evans et al. 1998). In the 1960’s and 1970’s, colleges and universities saw an increase in students interested in the social sciences. This change led those in the field of student development to take a hard look at the theoretical foundation that formed their field. This foundation led to the development of new theories design to help incoming students achieve success. The one theatrical construct that I am focusing on within the body of work is the “person-environment model of student development” (ibid). This body of work look at the cross collaboration between academic affairs and student affairs in dealing with the needs of students on campus (Upcraft et al. 2005). Also, it looks at how technology has been integrated into the brick-and-mortar structure of the university and how of the shareholders of the university (students, staff, faculty, administration, those people who live around the campus) react to the introduction of new technology. 


When discussing student development theory, a keywork that is a constant through the body of research is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. This work by Maslow is a holistic theory of human development that explains how people socially evolve and how student development can be stalled, if not retarded. Maslow proposed five levels: physiological, safety, belongingness and love, esteem, and self-actualization. Once lower-level needs are satisfied, individuals progress to higher levels of development. By following Maslow’s theory, the individual student must be considered as a whole. If the base needs of the individual are fulfilled, the individual is free to explore and attempt to reach the higher levels. Another issue that is addressed by this theory is the concept of every student being unique. The needs addressed at the physiological level are virtually universal. Eating, sleeping and remaining healthy are critical to the physiological concentration of the hierarchy of needs. However, when addressing the higher levels, the needs of the individual become less and less universal (Salenger Educational Media, 1987).

Arthur W. Chickering also added to this field of theory by writing about education and identity. Chickering developed and refined his work during his time as a staff member at Goddard College and as the director of the Project on Student Development in Small Colleges. His work looked at seven vectors that aided in the development of college students. All of these vectors see at psychosocial development. These vectors are developing competence, managing emotions, moving through autonomy toward interdependence, developing mature interpersonal relationships, establishing identity, developing purpose and promoting integrity. Chickering also noted ten environmental influences that can play a role in the development of college students. These influences include institutional size, student-faculty relationships, curriculum, teaching, student development programs & services, integration of work and learning, recognition and respect for individual differences acknowledgment of the cyclical nature of education and development and, most importantly, friendships and student communities (Chickering and Reisser, 1993).

During the past three decades, many of the vectors and environmental influences have had revised operational definitions to better reflect the state of higher education of the given period. The strength of Chickering’s work is that it is broad enough to support future research and flexible enough to support a diverse array of research instruments.

Since quite a bit of my study will deal with high school seniors (adolescents) ability to cope and transition into the world of academia and the society after school (adulthood), it seems appropriate to discuss work done by William G. Perry. Perry uses the concept “forms” in his theory of intellectual and ethical development as a way of describing the filters that individuals use to shape their reality. “Positions” represent the static states created round personal forms within the continuum of cognitive-structural development. Perry uses concepts like duality, multiplicity, and relativism to discuss the process of meaning making and socialization. Duality or dualism looks at meaning-making as a matter of “right” or “wrong.” This binary approach to socialization and development is the basic among the position discussed by Perry. Multiplicity in this context refers to the individual acknowledging the idea that there are several possible variations of right depending on the type of subject matter. Peers, when an individual is in this development position, are becoming more and more referred to as a source of knowledge. Relativism evaluates all possible pieces of information to determine the best possible answer to a problem (Perry, 1972).

Perry is relevant to my research questions as the final series of positions in this theory of intellectual and ethical development explores the commitment of the individual student to a set of ideals, ideas, and ethics. Transitioning to this position will typically help the student cope with the environment of higher education.