Given how China has been the top source of international students worldwide, there has been growing media and research interest in Chinese international students. However, much of the narratives tend to focus on their struggles. In this commentary, I draw upon insights from my personal experience as an international student and, consequently,…

The author, chairman of the Department of Sociology and Social Work at Casper College in Casper, Wyoming, examines how the proportion of students who participate in schooling as a real--as opposed to a virtual--undertaking has shrunk through the growth of online courses. This situation could be a tragedy or it could be acceptable. At the moment,…

Considers applications of campus ecology theory in residence halls and asserts that residential environments can be designed and managed to enhance and foster student development. Describes practical strategies for overcoming or reducing environmental conditions that interfere with student satisfaction and development. (NB)

With a knowledge of students' thinking processes, activities advisers and leaders can design environments for maximum learning and development. An interpretation of Perry's model of intellectual and ethical development is provided. (MLW)

Asserts that the development of the whole person can be accomplished by focusing on ecological, wellness, and developmental approaches in student life programming. Provides theoretical formulation of how campus ecology, student development, and wellness theories interface with one other. (Author/NB)

Warns that as pressures for greater accountability increase, student affairs personnel risk focusing their attention on preservation of educational systems rather than on student development. Emphasizes the need for closer interaction between the theorist and practitioner, grounded in formal theoretical knowledge of human development. (JAC)

College traditions and their role in student development is discussed. Ceremonies reflect the community of people who are involved in their creation and perpetuation. Ceremony's role in student development is described. (MLW)

Flexibility, diversity, and efficiency can make small colleges "the educational entrepreneurs" of the nation. By using interdisciplinary programs, independent studies, adjunct professors, and some creativity, they can develop exciting and valuable programs that anticipate the needs of society. (MLW)

Colleges and universities, once largely homogeneous communities, are being transformed by the new diversity of their populations, and sense of community is endangered by racial and ethnic grouping. "Emancipatory knowledges" (critical, feminist, postcolonial views of community) provide a framework and language for building a community…

Proposes that classrooms that encourage critical thinking possess distinguishing features that can assess whether critical thinking is a regular occurrence. Suggests that a critical thinking classroom commonly reflects the following attributes: frequent questions, developmental tension, fascination with the contingency of conclusions, and active…

Despite the obvious parallel which can be drawn between the uses of leisure to benefit the individual, and the use of nonacademic activities and environment to promote individual growth and development, the two perspectives have evolved independently on college campuses. Research into the role, function, and outcomes of leisure have shown that…

The role of higher education in preparing citizens for the 21st century, working for global good in an increasingly challenging social context, is examined. It is argued that while higher education is not essential for individual commitment to the common good, at its best it can provide a mentoring environment that supports individual moral…

Colleges can create conditions to maximize the learning that occurs in an environment with a diverse student population. Studies indicate that students who interact with diverse peers demonstrate more complex thinking linked to both cognitive and to social development. Research literature provides strong support for institutional commitment to…

Based on existing data about colleges and universities and their students, a study examined the factors in the college environment that contribute to or inhibit students' character development. Results indicate that colleges that take character-building seriously invest significant human and financial resources. A six-step agenda outlines what…

As focal points for campuses, college unions must create environments that are stimulating and challenging for students but that allow students to relax enough to benefit from new experiences. Such environments must generate self-expression, exploration, and positive regard for multicultural perspectives. Special efforts should be made to ensure…