Intellectual and Ethical Development

Intellectual and ethical development as defined by William Perry’s model provides a developmental understanding of epistemology, the theory of knowledge, from a personal perspective: What does it mean to know, and what does that mean for me as a knower and as a learner? The model describes what Perry called an intellectual Pilgrim’s Progress, tracing a consistent and coherent development journey among students as they grapple with the complexities confronted in a college education. One’s personal epistemology is shaped by learning experiences, reflecting how the individual makes sense out of the diversity and complexity of the world he or she encounters. This meaning-making perspective has a profound influence on how an individual understands intercultural contexts and cultural diversity, and thus on a person’s capacity for ...