Youth Development - Case Study Example

Movie Analysis: ACCEPTED Several theories have been suggested to endeavor and explain the development aspects, especially the question of the youth development. Some touch on the Youth development in learning institutions including colleges. An example is the Checkering’s ‘Theory of Identity and Development’. Checkering theorizes that there are seven dimensions of development, popularly referred to as “The Seven Vectors”. The vectors are: Competence Development- in this vector, one recognizes and develops intellectual and interpersonal competence. Further, physical and manual skills are also developed. Emotions Management- this refers to recognition and appreciation of emotions and developing appropriate ways to express them Purpose Development- one develops career goals; they commit to personal interests and activities. They also establish robust interpersonal commitment. Identity Development- individuals develop and humanize values. There is also personalization of values and congruence creation and development. Autonomy toward Independence- in this vector, individuals increase and establish and emotional freedom Identity establishment- an individual does acknowledgement indifference of identity. They base the identity on ethnic background, personal orientation and even on gender Interpersonal relations development- individuals appreciate aspects of interpersonal tolerance, differences in culture and finally creation of sound intimate relationships. From the movie, “ACCEPTED”, major student development issues addressed include: Social Development Issues such as evidenced upon creation of the ‘Sham’ school with the name, ‘South Harmon Institute of Technology (S.H.I.T), drinking, massive drug use. Sexuality - sexual act was the order of the day. In fact, as Bartleby explains to Sherman, in a former school, the school bully had slammed him on the locker,and he felt their genitals connected[Ste06]. Ethical and Moral development issues- this is illustrated by the student ability to tell outright lies. Bartleby is able to get everyone to pretend that they are rehearsing for a recital, while, in the real sense, he engages the class in taking photographs to make IDs.This is even emphasized by Bartleby’s decision to create his own ‘sham’ S.H.I.T school and go ahead to pocket his father’s ten thousand dollars given as afee for the first semester.Lack of school ethics also shows in the decision of students to have them engaged in alcohol consumption, drug abuse and illicit sexual relations with one another in school. In addition,such classroom subjects designed, such as ‘Do Nothing 101 and ‘The Art of Sleeping’ points a lot on the degree of moral decadence in the fake school, so established by Bartleby and friends. Cognition and intellectual development- this is expounded by the manner in which the Bartleby and his friends had difficulties learning in an environment regimented with clearly drawn up policy guidelines, rules, guidelines and strict curriculum. So much that they had to be rejected by many institutions. Bartleby [especially] does not intellectually thrive in a regimented school environment alike to majority of his friends. Student Personality Development and Personal identity- various personalities are exhibited in the characters of Bartleby, Sherman, and Hoyt, as well as in Monica (Blake Lively). So far the element of assertiveness and strong personalities, wild in every aspect is evident. These personality behaviors are not anchored on value principles adorable by model civilizations. The movie also exhibits how some institutions and colleges do not give achance for personal identity to thrive. These should be observed in areas of curricular and extra- curricular. Gore (2001) asserts “…post-secondary career professionals must take action by establishing a comprehensive and longitudinal programs of outcome assessment…” (p.13). He further expounds that comprehensive action research on both quantitative and qualitative ways together with the use of proper career development instruments is paramount. Faith and spiritual development issues- the question of faith is highly ignored in the movie’ACCEPTED’. There is no reference of or allusion to any religious faith and any subscription to it. Neither there is any mention of how any faith affect a dimension of student life in College Gender and gender issues- the identity of different gender and their place in the society is not brought out. The movie does not articulate clear niches, the authority role it stamps in human life, especially in College. Ability and disability Identity Development issues- concerns about the identification of various human capabilities and shortcomings in life is reflected in the movie. As evidently and eventually shown, humans have varying potentials in different fields of life. Bartleby and his friends do not really cope up well in a classroom environment full of regulations and standard procedures. However, through a rather an unacceptable way, he and his friends thrive well in a free environment, devoid of any structured rules and procedures of learning. Finally, they are able to come up with an accepted school from a ‘sham’ school they referred to as South Harmon Institute of Technology (S.H.I.T). In his wonderful speech to the Board ofEducation, he highly and vehemently show disregard to limiting human reasoning through standard way of doing things. Some of the administrative issues highlighted in the play are as illustrated below: Management of the Universities and colleges- as evidenced in the process of establishing the ‘sham’ school, South Harmon Institute of Technology (S.H.I.T), there are every move put in place to establish the fake school management structures in place. Bartleby in his own initiatives contacts Lewis Black, an ex-professor who at the time, was working in a shoe store. This sees the essential school management structures (fake ones) put in place to handle parents. Majority of the parents, however,prove unsuspecting and fall prey to the grand scheme organized by Bartleby and his friends (including Bartleby’s parents). Discipline- as seen with the earlier schools where Bartleby and his friends had been rejected, discipline is given paramount importance by the real schools (where standard procedures, rules and guidelines are applicable to all. Failure to abide by these rules earned the likes of Bartleby and his friend’s rejection. Technological development issue in administration- technology has also been seen to be a crucial component of administration of colleges. There is aquestion of need for management information systems and establishment of databases and college websites. The technology savvy Sherman and his is able to design an appealing and powerful website, which goes a long way to assist Bartleby and his friends hoodwink many parents of their money. Career Development- some career prospects seem to be under threat especially for Bartleby and Monica. Monica, for instance,has apassion for photography and rather sees other disciplines in the school system as pure waste of her time and deterrents to her career objectives (Spady, 1996). Finally, this gets realized through the camera brought to her by Bartleby, using the money collected from parentsin the illegal school business. In comparing my list of the topics in the movie and the ones covered in the text books, I find the following comparisons: Discipline and disciplinary measures have been expressed, in both the movie,’ ACCEPTED’ and the text books. There are all signs that,in every school system, there exist policies, rules and procedures that guide human engagement in a society [schools and colleges included) (Saha, 2012). Bartleby and his friends have not been able to secure places in many other colleges because of their inability to abide by what has been set in theform of rules. In fact, this strikes his mind with the idea of scanning one of the rejection letters and addressing it with a fake school, to please his parents. This also applies to the various text books in this course. The other area highlighted in both the movie and the text book is a personal identity. There appears to be difficulties with the identification and appreciation of the students’ personal identities. In addition, seemingly there is an issue with the limitation and regimentation of the students’ scope of thinking. Bartleby shows this at a meeting with the Board of education which grants the South Harmon Institute of Technology, acceptance on some reviews nonetheless One issue I have identified to discuss how administrators should address is the Student Career development. In the movie, ‘ACCEPTED’, the question of career development with close relation to personality is not handled in the right way by the administrators. Especially for Monica, Hoyt’s girlfriend and Bartleby, they find it rather uncomfortable with the line of career lines they are in. If the administrators were keen to observe and give rightful career guidance, Monica could have been accorded the right course for her career prospects of photography. Again, Similarly, Bartleby is not just the classroom student who would go about every rule and procedures and observe their adherence. He casts a figure of an adventures young man who would go any length to accomplish what he hold dear. Such individuals are often at war with programmed learning environment where thinking is limited to a given scope. There is a need for intervention in approaches to student career development by the college administrators. Gore (2001) suggests that there is aneed to incorporate research methods and other forms of career development instrument to gauge the student potential with close reference to personality. This helped in recommending the appropriate career prospects for students[NCA13]. On the same note, ability and disability factors together with the attitudinal bearing come to play, in making this important career decision. References Gore, P.A. $ Carter, L.P. (Eds). (2001). Students in transition: Research and Practice in career Development. Columbia, SC:University of South Carolina. Ste06: , (Pink, 2006), NCA13: , (NCAM, 2013), Saha, N. (2012). Media Review: Student in Transition: Research and practice in career Development. Journal of student affairs and practice. 49 (4), 463-466 Evans, N. J., Forney, D.S., Guido, F.M., Patton L.P., & Renn, K.A. (2010). Student Development in college: Theory, research and practice. (2nd Ed.) San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass. . Spady, R.J. &Bell, C. H. (1996). The search for enlightened leadership, Volume1: Applying new Administrative theory. Olympia, WA: Pan Press Read More