Theory to Practice: Creating a Student Development Curriculum Using the Developmental Advising Inventory

Abstract

The authors discuss the use of the Developmental Advising ,[nvento~(DM) as a tool not only in academic advising bit also in developing meaningful programs in a number of other student service areas. They describe the development of a Student Development Curriculum Model, constructed with national data using the D&, a co-cu~ricular program linting student development curriculum with academic curriculum that demands a systems approach in which developmental theoq, assessment, and propamrning are fully integrated.The Developmental Advising Inventow (DAI) (Dickson & McMahon, 1989) was used in two national companion studies to design a model for a student development curriculum. The issues stimulating the research were: a) the lack of a systematic, theory-based approach to both assessment and educational programming practices; b) the need for a co-curriculum model, adaptable to a varie~of campuses, to help deterfie programming needs and priorities; and c) the perceived benefits of a plan for Gay L.