Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
SOPHOMORES
Brianna Araya, Randy Cloke, Laura May
Learning Outcomes
■ Discuss past identity theories and how they apply to sophomore students
■ Reflect on past experience as sophomores
■ Address current issues that students face in their sophomore year
■ Gain an understanding of how Student Affairs is transitioning to greater sophomore
support
■ Incorporate and implement sophomore-specific strategies in student affairs practice
Language
■ Sophomore: Undergraduate student who is in their 2nd year of college regardless of where their first
year was completed; student is one who experiences college between the ages, roughly, of 18-22
■ Developmentally undecided: The status as undecided will shift as the student becomes more self
aware and develops a sense of purpose and life direction
■ Chronically undecided: Does not make efforts in improving their career or obtaining major decision
making skills
■ Stopping out: taking a leave of absence after sophomore year and eventually returning to higher
education
■ Self Efficacy: An individuals belief in their ability to succeed in the face of situation or challenge.
REFLECTION
ACTIVITY
Reflection Discussion
▪ Did your academic focus shift within this year? If so, how?
▪ What activities or events from this year can you recall participating in?
• Life-span Theory
• Typical sophomore range is between exploration and establishment
Exploration: Difficulty in solidifying “me” while articulating professional and academic factors that are
part of who we are
Establishment: Challenges are understanding expectations while integrating “me” into organizational role.
Sanford Super
Lent, Brown, Hackett, 1994
Commitment: Confidence
Development of Sophomore Theory
CARS Theory:
Araya, Cloke & May, 2016
■ Increased funding
- Ohio State invested 396 million dollars into building a housing community for
second year students by expanding the second year community
■ Increased First Year Programs and Learning Outcomes
– More focused support due to better understanding of challenges in correlation
with First Year Experience, assessments, and research
■ Increased Sophomore offices, initiatives and departments
– In a 7 year period, number of second year programs tripled
– As of 2012, one third of 24 institutions studied had residential programing for
second year students
Sophomore Entrepreneurial Experience
YOUR TURN
Case Study
■ You are a new student affairs professional at a large public institution. Due to your
theory-informed knowledge which includes the CARS theory developed by Araya,
Cloke & May (2016), you have been tasked with addressing a common sophomore
concern in your functional area
■ Create a sophomore-focused initiative which remedies the concern and aids the
developmental process seen in the CARS Theory
Case Study Discussion
Patton, L.D., Renn, K.A., Guido, F.M., & Quaye, S.J. (2016). Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice (3rd
ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Gump, S. (2007). Classroom research in a general education course: Exploring implications through an investigation of the
sophomore slump. The Journal of General Education, 56(2), 105-125. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27798071
Lemons, L. J. & Richmond, D.R. (2015). A developmental perspective of sophomore slump. NASPA Journal, 15-19. Retrieved
from http://naspa.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220973.1987.11072003?journalCode=uarp19
Heier, M. (2012). Summary report: Understanding the sophomore year experience. University of Washington Division of
Student Life.
Schaller, M. A. (2005). WANDERING AND WONDERING: Traversing the Uneven Terrain of the Second College Year. About
Campus, 10(3), 17-24.
Lipka, S. (2006, September 8). After the Freshman Bubble Pops. Chronicle of Higher Education. p. 42.
Tobolowsky, B. F. (2008). Sophomores in transition: The forgotten year. New Directions For Higher Education, 2008(144), 59-
67.