This webinar is included in our Replay Library. Volume discount applies to all items in your cart including replays and live webinars. Save 10% on two items, 15% on three, 20% on four and 25% on five.

---

Course ID: SA1006
Title: Student Development Theory in Action
Duration: approx. 1 hour
Facilitator: Dr. Monica Galloway Burke
Price: $50

📂 Downloads included with your replay: video w/subtitles + audio-only file + slide presentation + transcript

OVERVIEW
Student development theory provides a valuable foundation for understanding how college students make meaning, navigate challenges, and grow throughout their educational experience. This webinar offers an accessible primer on the major student development theories that continue to shape effective practice in higher education and student affairs. Designed for both new and experienced professionals, the session will help participants refresh their understanding of key theories or build foundational knowledge if they are newer to the field.

Rather than simply reviewing theories in a lecture format, this interactive session will focus on how theory shows up in real student situations. Participants will explore foundational frameworks such as transition theory, involvement and belonging, moral development, validation, and self-authorship through real-world examples, quick polls, and short activities. The goal is to help professionals leave with practical ways to use theory as a lens for supporting students more effectively.

BRIEF OUTLINE

• Framing why theory matters in practice
• Using Schlossberg’s Transition Theory to support students in change and challenge
• Astin and Tinto: Understanding involvement, engagement, and belonging
• Kohlberg’s and Gilligan’s framework: Supporting moral development and ethical reasoning
• Rendón’s Validation Theory and practical strategies for fostering belonging
• Self-authorship and supporting student decision-making and identity development
• Practical takeaways and reflection for immediate application

LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the practical value of student development theory in higher education and student affairs work.
2. Identify key student development theories most relevant to supporting college students.
3. Apply transition theory to better understand student challenges and adjustment.
4. Recognize how involvement, belonging, and validation influence student success and persistence.
5. Use student development theory to inform responses to student behavior and ethical dilemmas.
6. Support students’ meaning-making, identity development, and decision-making processes.
7. Brainstorm specific strategies they can implement in their roles to better support students.

---

Dr. Monica Galloway Burke is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs at Western Kentucky University and serves the Faculty Fellow for ONE WKU in the Office of the Provost. With more than 28 years of experience in higher education and a professional background in mental health and student affairs, her teaching, scholarship, and professional service focus on helping relationships, student development, student well-being, leadership, and student success.  READ MORE →

---

PAYMENT & REGISTRATION
Payment can be made by Credit card, PayPal or Venmo. Please provide the Name, Institution/Organization + Email of the attendee in the two boxes provided on the checkout page. A receipt from PayPal will be sent automatically to the email address associated with your payment method. However, login instructions are processed manually (usually within 12 hrs) and sent to the attendee's email address.

Please make sure to check your spam folders for an email from webinars@mystudentaffairs.com.