UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

NAME: RUTENDO
REG NUMBER:
PROGRAM:
FACULTY: SOCIAL AND BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
MODULE:

QUESTION: According to Astin’s Theory of Student Involvement, the greater

the involvement in collegiate experience, the greater will be the amount of
student learning and personal development. Identify and discuss programmed
activities a university student can get engaged in to promote development of life
skills.

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Alexander Astin's theory of Student Involvement is one of the famous theories that
explain student’s development but, profoundly, his theory explains how desirable
outcomes for institutions of higher education are viewed in relation to how students
change and develop as a result of being involved co-curricular activities at the
institution of higher learning. This question calls for a discussion of key assumptions
of Astin’s theory of student involvement that was propounded in 1984 on
development of students’ life skills through involvement in programmed activities on
the campus as highlighted earlier on. The main assumptions of the theory are
composed of three elements. The first one is student's "inputs" such as their
background, and any previous experiences. Secondly, the student's "environment",
which accounts for all of the experiences a student would have during college. Lastly,
the "outcomes" which cover a student's characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs,
and values that exist after a student has graduated college from that institution of
higher learning. 

This essay is going to highlight on Astin’s five basic assumptions in line with the
student development through involvement. Student involvement refers to the
investment of physical and psychological energy towards her development of life
skills. Astin’s five basic assumptions about involvement are students’ involvement
requires an investment of psycho-social and physical energy. Secondly, Involvement
is continuous, and that the amount of energy invested varies from student to
student. Thirdly, aspects of involvement may be qualitative and quantitative. Fourthly,
the question what a student gains from being involved (or their development) is
directly proportional to the extent to which they were involved (in both aspects of
quality and quantity). Lastly, academic performance is correlated with the student
involvement.

Defining key terms is necessary as far as this question is concerned. Collegiate refers
to activities related to college. Programmed activities at the university are many such
as debates, presentations, talk-shows and outdoor or extra-curricular activities such as
sports at playgrounds. All these programmed activities have a bearing in promoting
the development of life skills. Life skills are just skills required and mostly acquired
by students at the university to participate as organized humans in everyday life such

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as communication skills, decision making, critical thinking and problem-solving
among others. Some will be unpacked as the assay progresses.

To commence with his first assumption of the theory in question, He argue that
involvement is continuous, and that the amount of energy invested varies from student
to student. This assumption seems to hold water as constant repetition of the same
thing boost knowledge on that particular thing. In line with the above question,
students have to engage themselves with such activities in a bid to develop their life-
skills. Activities like debates are very important since students grasp many concepts
of life and also learn critical life-skills. During the journey from primary to secondary
school even here at University of Zimbabwe, I have seen that many students have low
self-esteem, poor communication skills, poor levels of critical thinking. I have the
audacity to highlight Williams Perry from my previous assignment where he talked
about dualism where there are two answers to questions “yes” and “no” and students
rely more on authorities without questioning them critically. Like mentioned above,
Astin’s first assumption holds more water. The amount of both physical and
psychological energy a student channel towards these activities determines the
outcome after graduation. The more the student keep on involved in debates boosts
his communication skills, confidence, problem and critical thinking on how to solve
problems faced by communities. On this assumption, he argue that, the energies
mentioned above differ or vary from student to student that is the reason why some
proceed to greater heights than others. Sometimes, it is because of the attitude towards
such programmed activities as mentioned in the book Maxwell 101 where he unpacks
the importance of attitude in line with success.

The second assumption is when he talked about aspects of involvement may be

qualitative and quantitative. He supported his idea with the fact that time devoted to
the activities by the student and the amount of energy channeled towards it matters.
This is the quantitative part of it because we are talking about quantities of time and
energy that determine the outcome after graduation. Those who invest more in this
activities will get a good outcome and use it in their day-to-day life. On the qualitative
aspect, it deals with seriousness towards these activities. Last year, I witnessed that
my elder sister went for a community service that she was instructed with the
University of Zimbabwe in line with the requirements of Education 5.0 geared

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towards students’ involvement in economic resuscitation and building to make
Zimbabwe a middle-class by 2030. During the course of her community service, she
invested large amounts of energy and got a lot of life-skills such as communication
skills, respect for the authority, problem-solving skills among others.

Thirdly, he questions what the student gains from being involved (or their
development) is directly proportional to the extent to which they were involved (in
both aspects of quality and quantity). This assumption is in support with the previous
one. The outcome is directly proportional to the energy that a student invested during
the involvement with the programmed activities at the university. The one that does
not get involve and not consistent in getting involved in such activities will reap bad
outcome and most students face challenges in industry after graduation because those
life-skills are panacea in life and creating a better world. Sports at the university helps
people networking, knowing each other, helping each other in future. It is only
possible when a student invest more in such activities.

The fourth assumption is where he argue that, students’ involvement requires an

investment of psycho-social and physical energy. It is common at the university to
work in groups discussing with classmates and this helps one to boost his knowledge
and listening and understanding skills. After the introduction of modular learning at
the University of Zimbabwe, students are encouraged to work in groups to promote a
spirit of togetherness and also to save time. Vygotsky (1978) supported the notion in
his work sociocultural theory of cognition where he places emphasis on the social
processes that a person would internalize his learning and understanding from peers
and capable others.
Last but no least, Astin argue that, academic performance can be correlated to
involvement. Furthermore, researchers have continued to study this correlation with
similar results. According to Kuh and Pike, (2005), student involvement in co-
curricular activities such as student organizations, leadership positions, and activity in
campus residence halls has a positive correlation with retention and
academics . Because of the positive aspects of co-curricular involvement, universities
have been encouraging students to become involved. This is the reason why
universities have students’ representatives for example Presidents, Secretary Generals
of students’ parties such as ZICOSU and ZINASU. This is were students get equipped

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with life skills such as negotiating and refusal skills, leadership skills they will
definitely use after graduation. President of the main opposition party Citizen’s
Coalition for Change Nelson Chamisa got some of the skills when he was a leader of
ZINASU at the University of Zimbabwe. There is correlation between involvement
and academic performance.

To sum up the foregoing discussion, Alexander Astin's theory of Student Involvement

of 1984 is one of the famous theories that explain student’s development but,
profoundly, his theory explains how desirable outcomes for institutions of higher
education are viewed in relation to how students change and develop as a result of
being involved co-curricular activities at the institution of higher learning. He make
use of the inputs, environment and the output in try to explain his five core
assumptions of the theory as explained in the essay above.

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References

Astin, A. W. (1968). The college environment. Washington, DC: American

Council on Education.
Astin, A. W. (1973). The impact of dormitory living on students. Educational
Record, 54, 204-210.
Astin, A. W. (1975). Preventing students from dropping out. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.
Astin, A. W. (1977). Four critical years. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Astin, A. W. (1982). Minorities in American higher education. San Francisco:
Jossey-Bass.