Challenging students to become "Reasonable Adventurers"

I read an article by Michael J. Stebleton titled, "Challenging Students to Become Reasonable Adventurers" in the September 2016 ABOUT CAMPUS magazine. The article dredged up one of early student development's most delightful theorizers - Roy Heath. I was first exposed to Heath's ideas when he spoke at a conference in 1976 at the University of Minnesota, a conference that pulled together some of the most promising theorists and educators of the day. Heath's model was validated on only a small sample of privileged white men attending Princeton, yet the ideas that came from the model were very useful in conceptualizing the goal of developmental programs both in 1976 and, as Stebleton demonstrates, today.

Stebleton described a 3-week trip to Sweden and Norway that served as a catalyst for his students to see the world in a different way. What he hoped would occur, and was documented by some of his students' reflections, was that they would exhibit six core traits: intellectuality, close friendships, independence in value judgements, tolerance of ambiguity, breadth of interests, and a sense of humor. These traits defined "reasonable adventurers" who Heath believed would be more effective in the world of the late 20th century.

This article advocates a variety of methods through which "reasonable adventurers" can be nurtured. One of the most important methods found in most rich learning/developmental experiences is introducing students to a challenging environment, one that causes them to fundamentally question truths they have held dear. Stebleton also encourages faculty and student affairs educators to work together to achieve the right balance between support and challenge through a variety of collegiate experiences.

Stebleton's article was a good reminder of a simple yet cogent student development theory that many have found useful in the past. He advocates for updated research with broader numbers of diverse students to modify the model for contemporary use. I would also add that, although Stebleton does not reference anything related to international students, the "reasonable adventurer" idea may actually be a description that most captures who the international students of today are. These gems in our midst would likely be able to stimulate deeper learning among their domestic peers if they were invited to do so.