Self-formation of Student Staff through Their Experience of Supporting University Classes

Focusing on Class Support in Teams with Students of Different Grades

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to clarify how student staff, who team up with students from different grades to support university classes, are engaging in Self-formation through their experiences. A PAC analysis (Personal Attitude Construct) was conducted on six student staff members who provided support in a media literacy class. The results showed that the student staff members formed themselves from the following perspectives: (1) The discrepancy between the ideal self and the actual self as seen through their seniors, (2) Myself struggling to meet the expectations from others surrounded me, (3) Differences between other student staffs and myself, (4) Gained abilities and future views through supporting experiences, (5) Differences between perspectives as a student and as a student staff member, and (6) Balance between enjoyable time and hard time. The long-term experience of supporting the class as a team with other student staff members of different grades was one of the factors in promoting their self-formation. Especially, this type of class support amplified the fluctuation of emotions during the experience of support through relationships with others, which deepened the experience and led to self-formation.