Holistic Student Development: Educating the Whole Student in a Humanistic Environment

Holistic Student Development:

Educating the Whole Student in a Humanistic Environment

ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition March 17, 2014

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Juliette C. Daniels, M.A.

Director of Student Affairs

University of Detroit Mercy, School of Dentistry

Objectives

• Create & Sustain a Humanistic Educational Environment

• Student Affairs Perspective

– Theoretical framework – Research & Practice

– Student Development Theory & Holistic Education

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Objectives

• Understand the intersections of student development theory & learning

• Define program elements that contribute to holistic education & enhance student learning objectives

• Examine current institutional climate

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Who & Why?

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The Standard

1-3 The dental education program must have a stated commitment to a humanistic culture and learning

environment that is regularly evaluated.

Intent:

The dental education program should ensure collaboration, mutual respect, cooperation, and harmonious relationships

between and among administrators, faculty, students, staff, and alumni. The program should also support and cultivate the

development of professionalism and ethical behavior by fostering diversity of faculty, students, and staff, open communication, leadership, and scholarship.

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Student Affairs Perspective

Achieve Learning Outcomes…

• Seamless Learning Environment

• Blend the Curricular & Co-Curricular

• Challenge & Support

• Student Persistence, Retention, Success

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Humanistic Environment

Dental schools are societies of learners, where graduates are prepared to join a learned and a scholarly society of oral health professionals. A humanistic

pedagogy inculcates respect, tolerance,

understanding, and concern for others and is fostered by mentoring, advising and small group interaction.

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Humanistic Environment

A dental school environment characterized by respectful professional relationships

between and among faculty and students establishes a context for the development of interpersonal skills necessary for

learning, for patient care, and for making meaningful contributions to the profession.

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The WHOLE Student

Student Personnel Point of View (1937, 1949)

• Intellectual training alone is not sufficient enough knowledge to live full potential

• Society is better served by education of ‘whole’

• Dedication to all facets of human experience

• Deans of Men & Deans of Women

Student Development Theory (1970s)

• Guiding philosophy

• No one model (Knelfcamp, Widick, Parker; 1978) ₉

Student Development Theory

Theory in clusters

• Psychosocial, cognitive developmental

(structural), maturity models, typology models, person-environment models

• What is happening to the person, how one defines oneself & others (the content of development)

• Psychosocial Example: Theory of Identity Development (Chickering, 1969)

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Student Development Theory

Theory in clusters

• Psychosocial, cognitive developmental (structural), maturity models, typology models, person-

environment models

• Structures of the mind evolve one at a time, each stage builds upon the one before it.

• Theory of Intellectual & Ethical Development (Perry, 1970) or Reflective Judgment Model (King &

Kitchener, 1994, 2004) ₁₁

Student Development Theory

Theory in context

• Gender, race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation, institutional type

• Racial & Identity Development (Phinney’s Ethnic Identity Developent, Cross Model of Psychological Nigresence; White Identity Development Model)

• LGBT Identity Development (identity formation models, Cass & D’Augelli)

• Transition Theory (Chickering & Schlossberg, 1995)

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Student Development Theory & Learning

Student Development Theory & Learning

• Integration of literature, theory, and practice

• Intersection vs. separate constructs

• Learning Outcomes

o Academic Integration & Social Integration (Tinto, 1987) o Involvement with education matters (Astin, 1993)

o Input-Environment-Output (Astin, 1984)

o Educationally Purposeful Activities (Pascarella &

Terenzini, 1991, 1996)

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Student Development & Learning

• Student involvement enhances learning

• Personal circumstances affect learning

• Out-of-class environments affect learning

• A supportive and friendly community life helps students learn

(NASPA, 1987)

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Student Affairs & Learning

• Intentionally create conditions that enhance student learning and personal development

• Abandon silos; link academic affairs & student

affairs (traditional dichotomy has little relevance)

• Learning & development occur through

transactions (environment, faculty, peers, physical space, cultural contexts)

(Student Learning Imperative, 1994)

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Holistic Student Development &

Learning

• Learning, personal development, and student development are inextricably intertwined and inseparable.

• All educators share responsibility, with students

themselves, to create conditions where students are more likely to spend time and energy on educationally- purposeful activities.

• MORE likely to spend time, MORE likely to learn at a deeper level…if the environment is humanistic.

(Student Learning Imperative, 1994) ₁₆

Reflection

• What role do you have in making the environment a humanistic one for your students?

• What program, practice, process at your institution contributes positively to the humanistic environment at your dental school?

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Dental Student Environment

• Meaning making & Self-Authorship: link between development & learning (Baxter-Magolda, 2001)

• Learning: move from “behavioral analysis to

information processing to cultural participation”

(Wildman, 2007)

• Transformative Learning Theory: habits of mind,

challenged by disorienting dilemmas, learning occurs (Cranton, 1994; Cranton & Dirkx 2006)

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Dental Student Environment

Learning as a Community of Practice (Wenger, 1998)

“interconnection of acting within a practice

context, making meaning of one’s experiences in that context, and developing an identity in the context of belonging to that community.”

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Dental Student Environment

• Sense of Belonging: relationship between belonging and student success (retention, persistence, academic success, graduation)

• Goes beyond student involvement &

engagement; perceived campus social support, connectedness, and value

(Strayhorn, 2012)

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Dental Student Environment

• Socialization in professional school environment is part of learning process as one develops their professional identity.

• Gain knowledge, skills, values to successfully enter profession.

• “Transform from outsider to insider”

(Liddell, et. Al; 2014)

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Holistic Student Development &

Humanistic Culture

Dental schools are ,

where graduates are prepared to join a of oral health professionals. A humanistic

pedagogy

and is fostered by mentoring, advising and small group interaction.

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Holistic Student Development &

Humanistic Culture

A dental school environment characterized by

establishes a

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Humanistic Learning Environment

• Integration of holistic student development and learning creates foundation for

humanistic culture.

• Build, Maintain, Sustain…

• Assess and Evaluate!

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Reflection

• Program, Practice, Process

• Think about the themes and foundational concepts and indicate WHY your example contributes positively to the humanistic culture of your dental school.

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Humanistic Educational Climate

• What are the components of an educational program that has a humanistic culture?

• What elements are present in a dental school with a humanistic learning environment?

• How do we know?

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Admissions

Input-Environment-Output

Holistic Admissions

– Consider the whole student

– Consider the whole institution (institutional fit) – Consider the whole process

• Evaluate questions

• Multiple interviewers

• Points of contact (students, faculty, staff, administrators)

• Tour (facility, environment)

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Incoming Student

• Identity Development, Belonging, Socialization

• Move beyond…”we want this student to come here”

• Office of Student Affairs

– Welcome letter & gift – Alumni communications

– Summer Letter (resources)

– Developmentally appropriate timeline for incoming student

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Orientation Programming

• Shift from process-driven to relationship- driven

• Basic needs met

Academic Integration

– Increase Faculty involvement – Nature of Faculty interaction – Context of faculty interaction

• About profession of dentistry

• About UDM culture

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Orientation Programming

Professionalism

– Academic Success Skill Sessions – Develop professional identity

Social Integration

– Increase peer involvement

– Increase peer involvement with current students – Nature of involvement with peers

• Social (Welcome Events, downtime)

• Professional (Student Organization Fair; Panel Discussion & Lunch)

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Faculty-Student Mentoring Program

• Educationally Purposeful Activity

• Socialization, Belonging & Mattering

• Academic Integration

1. Increased frequency of interactions; focus on first-year

2. Enhanced communication on academic progress 3. Strengthened referral process & collaboration

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Faculty-Student Mentoring Program

• Annual Training

• Annual Assessment of BOTH student experience and mentor experience

1. Increased communication = we KNOW our students well

2. Early Intervention (issues, concerns) 3. Early Identification of opportunities for

scholarship, involvement, leadership

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Academic Success & Wellness Programs

• Student Learning Imperative themes

• Involvement & Academic Integration

• Educationally Purposeful Activities

1. Increase Programs on Academic Skill-Building 2. Wellness Programs

• Assess student interest, respond to needs

3. Developmentally Appropriate Schedule

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Academic Success & Wellness Programs

• Educating the WHOLE student to graduate as a WHOLE professional

• Goes beyond providing student services

• “interpersonal skills necessary for learning, for patient care, and for making meaningful

contributions to the profession.”

(ADEA Commission on Change and Innovation in Dental Education)

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Critique Your Program

• Given your role at your institution, what do you feel might be missing?

• What area of opportunity exists for your program to enhance the learning

environment?

• Where could your institution be a little more human-istic? 

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Share

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“Regularly Evaluated”

Two Issues

– Assessment…but not the whole enchilada

• Critical components left on the table

– Assessment, but no Evaluation

• Time! Resources! Energy! Personnel!

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How do we know?

Exit Interviews

• Includes campus climate questions (2014: Year 3)

Dean’s Meetings

• Feedback loop

• Consistent documentation

Focus Groups

• New in 2013; annual at conclusion of academic year

• First & Second Year students

• Communicate feedback to departments & units

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How do we know?

Dental School Learning Environment Survey

• November 2013; baseline assessment

• Annual assessment tool

• Collaborative Effort:

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How do we know?

Adjustment & Transition Survey

• Fall 2013, First Year Students only

• Office of Student Affairs & Office of Health &

Wellness

• Involves Faculty Mentors

• Early intervention tool

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Final Reflection

• What limitations exist?

– Role

– Institution

– Current climate

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Final Thoughts

Integration of holistic student development and learning creates the foundation for building a humanistic learning environment.

Educating the whole student using concepts of student development theory, holistic learning theory and elements of student affairs

foundational principles creates a society of

learners with characteristics of respect, tolerance, understanding, and concern for others.

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Questions?

Thank You

References on Handout & Following Slides

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References

• American Council on Education. Committee on Student Personnel Work, & Williamson, E. G. (1949). The student personnel point of view.

• Astin, A. W. (1984). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of college student personnel, 25(4), 297-308.

• Astin, A. W. (1993). What matters in college.

• Magolda, B. MB (2001). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher education to promote self-development, 37-62.

• Cass, V. & D’Augelli A. as cited in Evans, N. J., Forney, D. S., Guido, F. M., Patton, L. D., & Renn, K. A. (2009). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. John Wiley & Sons.

• Chickering, A. W. (1969). Education and identity. Jossey-Bass.

• Chickering, A. W., & Schlossberg, N. K. (1995). How to get the most out of college. Allyn and Bacon.

• Cranton, P. (1994). Understanding and Promoting Transformative Learning: A Guide for Educators of Adults. Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series. Jossey-Bass, 350 Sansome Street, San Francisco, CA 94104-1310.

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References

• Cross Jr, W. E. (1995). The psychology of nigrescence: Revising the Cross model.

• Dirkx, J. M., Mezirow, J., & Cranton, P. (2006). Musings and Reflections on the Meaning, Context, and Process of

Transformative Learning A Dialogue Between John M. Dirkx and Jack Mezirow. Journal of transformative education, 4(2), 123-139.

• King, P. M., & Kitchener, K. S. (1994). Developing reflective judgment: Understanding and promoting intellectual growth and critical thinking in adolescents and adults (pp. 124-188). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.

• King, P. M., & Kitchener, K. S. (2004). Reflective judgment: Theory and research on the development of epistemic assumptions through adulthood. Educational psychologist, 39(1), 5-18.

• Knefelkamp, Lee, Widick, Carole and Parker, Clyde (eds.). Applying New Developmental Findings. New Directions for Student Services No. 4. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1978.

• NASPA (1987). Student Affairs: A Statement issued on the Anniversary of the Student Personnel Point of View.

• Liddell, et. Al. (2014). Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. Volume 51, Issue 1, Pages 69–84, ISSN (Online) 1949- 6605, ISSN (Print) 1949-6591, DOI: 10.1515/jsarp-2014-0006, January 2014.

• Pascarella, E. T., & Blimling, G. S. (1996). Students' out-of-class experiences and their influence on learning and cognitive development: A literature review. Journal of college student development, 37(2), 149-162.

• Pascarella, E. T., & Terenzini, P. T. (1991). How college affects students (pp. 3-7). K. A. Feldman (Ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-

Bass. 45

References

• Perry, W. G. (1970). Forms of intellectual and ethical development. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston.

• Phinney, J. S. (1989). Stages of ethnic identity development in minority group adolescents. The Journal of Early Adolescence, 9(1-2), 34-49.

• Sanford, N. Self & society: social change and individual development. New York, NY: Atherton Press, 1967.

• Schroeder, Charles C. "The Student Learning Imperative: Implications for Student Affairs." Journal of College Student Development 37.2 (1996): 118-22.

• Strayhorn, T. L. (2012). College students' sense of belonging: A key to educational success for all students. Routledge.

• Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college: Rethinking the causes and cures of student attrition.

• Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of practice: Learning, meaning, and identity. Cambridge university press.

• Wildman, T. M. (2007). Taking seriously the intellectual growth of students: Accommodations for self‐authorship. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2007(109), 15-30.

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