Connections and the Carousel

It’s been a fascinating conference so far, with lots to chew on and plenty of great ideas. I want to mention a few things about one of today’s sessions.

I’m attending AAC&U’s “Educating for Personal and Social Responsibility: Deepening Student and Campus Commitments,” conference in Minneapolis. This morning’s plenary session was facilitated by L. Lee Knefelkamp, a senior scholar at AAC&U and faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University.

In educating for student’s moral and personal responsibility, I’ve always thought that the students’ moral and personal development is a key. Student Affairs researchers, from Arthur Chickering to William Perry (and others), agree that this development is important for students to become positive contributing members of society. Doesn’t it follow that this personal development is also important in developing personal and social responsibility?

Knefelkamp suggested that students’ development is kind of like a carnival carousel; some horses are up, and some are down, but they are all moving together in a developmental direction. I guess it’s up to us as educators to make sure the carousel’s wheels and sprockets are properly greased, so that the “horses” can keep moving on. On toward personal development, and personal and moral responsibility.

I’ll post again soon.