DAI, Inc., Student Development, Assessment Tools, College Student Affairs, Career Planning, Evaluation, Advising, Counseling, Resources

DAI, Inc., Student Development, Assessment Tools, College Affairs, Career Planning, Advising, Counseling

Well Rounded Development
The Key to Learning, Health, and Achievement

INTRODUCTION

The Mission, Model, and Metaphor offer a peek at what this website is all about. The Mission refers to the mission of student affairs in higher education. The Model takes philosophy of education and reduces it to a simplistic but functional way to view student development. And the Metaphor is a way to engage students in taking responsibility for their development in an intentional and systematic way--through the tools of assessment.
MISSION
The mission of student affairs is total student development. This is accomplished by at least four major program areas: staff development, organization development, curricular development, and leadership development. The DAI Advisor's Guide addresses each of these topics.

Assessment is the strategy that links these program areas from start-to-finish. Student outcomes--the finish--is the reason why teaching self-assessment skills is one of the most important learning outcomes of a student development program! They are displayed on paper (transcripts, portfolios, and resumes) and in person (job interviews, on the job, and in life generally).

MODEL

The Developmental Advising Inventory (DAI) is an assessment tool, based on student development theory, which is conveyed via a holistic model. The ancient three- dimensional model was popularized by the Romans who called it corpus, mens, and spiritus (or body, mind, and spirit). Many organizations have adopted it as their motto. Some believe that true education is the harmonious development of the physical, mental, and spiritual powers. Expanding this ancient model to the more traditional six-dimensional model makes it easier to grasp the specific parts related to growth. It is more functional. Research with the DAI resulted in a more practical nine-dimensional model in contemporary American culture--particularly gender, diversity, and leadership issues. The Little Red Wagon graphic shows sort of a progression of these three models.

METAPHOR

Not even a perfect model has value if it doesn't catch the imagination and give it some energy. The wheel was selected as the DAI metaphor for several reasons: (1) it is dynamic -- so is growth . . . so are young adults; (2) it easily encompasses the relationship of faculty, staff, and students in a learning community; and (3) it offers the student development educator a fun way to introduce students to the concept that learning in the classroom (academic disciplines and general education) and learning outside the classroom (co-curricular activities) are somehow connected. Whoa! Did we say fun?! Check out the developmental playground (Some Wheels, Fun Wheels, and Oops! Wheels) and imagine you were brainstorming with your staff how to create an interesting presentation on student development issues with a particular group of students. How could you liven up the presentation using these graphic samples; or better, the actual wheel-mobiles by setting up races with students spaced between various parts of the programs? Check out the Developmental Playground below for ideas.