Evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) programs, when implemented effectively, lead to measurable and potentially long-lasting improvements in many areas of children's lives. In the short term, SEL programs can enhance children's confidence in themselves; increase their engagement in school, along with their test scores and grades; and…

An explicit link between the issues of development and critical thinking is provided by Elder and Paul (1996). In their stage theory of critical thinking, Elder and Paul argued that the first stage beyond unreflective thinking is that of the challenged thinker. The challenged thinker is one who has become aware of the actual role of thinking in…

In this article, the author describes a powerful counter to the content-delivery approach to higher education.

This article is my reflection about the recent incident that took place in a sports ground in Pondicherry, India where a 17-year-old school boy collapsed and died in the sports ground after running only 80 meters in the 1500 meters race. The cause of death was an underlying cardiac cause that has manifested during the athletic event. The stress…

The development of an honors program at Rogers State University a decade ago brought about significant positive changes to the campus, where more than three-quarters of the students are the first in their families to attend college. Throughout the years, these young scholars have elevated academic discourse across campus and delivered an impact…

In this article Chancellor Susan Koch considers the value of the honors program at her institute, the University of Illinois at Springfield. She begins by reflecting on her own under graduate experience at her alma mater, Dakota State University and explains how her experience there helped her to create the honors program at the University of…

In an opening address to the university community a few years ago, Thomas Haas, President of Grand Valley State University set out three key concepts (three contemporary Rs) to guide thinking as the institution grows and develops. They all have to do with student success: relevance, rigor, and return on investment. Haas articulated that the…

Although three articles in this special issue address three very different social groupings--gender, ethnicity, and academic needs--they all highlight why inclusion is important for students' healthy development. The authors make specific suggestions for how schools might promote a more inclusive and welcoming climate for their students.…

Purpose is conceptualized as an intention to make meaning for self and to contribute to a greater world. Purpose in youth is critical to well-being, especially in the areas of good health and overall life satisfaction. An intentional set of strategies can be employed by educators to infuse and integrate purpose into youth development,…

This article advances the thinking of Thompson, Conaway and Dolan's "Undergraduate students' development of social, cultural, and human capital in a network research experience". Set against a background of change in the biosciences, and participation, it firstly explores ideas of what it means to be a scientist, then challenges the…

This chapter applies the concept of narrative identity to college student development. The authors describe a narrative interview method that can be used to promote the development of a purposeful life story in the college years.

For some students, intellectual curiosity and leadership are innate. For many, it must be nurtured. The Shaw University Honors College is an academic center of encouragement, interaction, and care for a diverse population of students. Many of them would otherwise never conceive of the marvelous opportunities and experiences they share during their…

Long Island University's (LIU) honors programs were founded during a decade that gave rise to honors programs nationally. The LIU Post Honors Program was one of the first in 1963 after the University of Michigan LSA Honors Program in 1957 and the Echols Scholars Program at the University of Virginia in 1960; the LIU Brooklyn University Honors…

The value that honors programs hold for universities lies in the tangibles. Honors programs help an institution pinpoint and cultivate the talents of its finest students. They help these students achieve undergraduate research and encourage them to seek further inquiry and creative endeavor. They provide the counsel, advising, and encouragement…

From an ecological perspective, learning and development in childhood and throughout the lifespan occur in the context of interactions within complex social networks. Collectively, the articles in this special issue illuminate three important themes related to teacher-student interactions within instructional contexts: relationships, competence,…