Education:
- B.A. Modern Comparative Literature - Wesleyan University (1950)
- M.A. degree English Education - Graduate School of Education, Harvard University (1951)
- Ph.D. degree School Psychology - Teachers College, Columbia University (1959)
Career Highlights:
- 1959-1965: Coordinator of Assessment at Goddard College in Plainfield, Vermont
- 1965-1969: Director of the Project on Student Development in Small Colleges
- 1977-1988: Director for the Center for the Study of Higher Education at Memphis State University
- Current: Special Assistant to the President, Goddard College
The Evolution of the Seven Vectors
While working as Coordinator of Assessment at Goddard College, Chickering was "responsible for evaluating the impact of innovative curricular practices on student development" (Evans et al, 2009, p. 65). His research led to the conceptualization of the Seven Vectors of Development. His research and findings are detailed in the 1969 book Education and Identity. His theory was originally meant to inform university faculty of ways in which they could better organize educational programs and "systemactically enhance student development," but over the years it has become a staple theory for student affairs practitioners (Evans et al., 2009, p.66).
Chickering's original theory was born out of a time in higher education that is very different from today. In 1969, the majority of students attending institutions of higher education were both white and male. For this reason, "several writers have questioned the applicability of Chickering's theory for students who are not from white, middle-class backgrounds" (Evans et al., 2009, p.74). Similar concerns exist for how well his theory can be applied to women (Evans et al., 2009).
In 1993, Chickering teamed up with Linda Reisser in order to revisit his theory, make it consistent with new research, and applicable to a more diverse range of students (Chickering & Reisser, 1993; Evans et al., 2006). Overall, authors disagree on whether or not these updates have made the seven vectors relevant to a wider range of students.
