Myers Briggs Type Indicator Assessment

Enhancing College Classroom Socialization with Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Assessment

(Phase 1 – Organizational Background….. 1 page)

In the early 1960’s, educators and politicians realized that the traditional four year college was not for everyone and began exploring other options to further educate those not wanting to follow the traditional path. On September 4, 1969, Johnson County Community College held their first classes. Mike Alley, one of JCCC’s first students, recalled the “real sense of community” that students experienced in these first months at JCCC. (Bishop, 2002). The focus of Johnson County Community College was to help non-traditional students and assist those who wish to take the traditional route to graduating with a college

Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers developed this assessment to help people understand themselves better as well as those around them. (Myers, 1998). Currently, the MBTI Assessment is seen as the most popular personality assessment used not only for counseling sessions but by corporations, large and small, that want to create more effective teams. The assessment is easy to complete and comprehend; however the struggle is to put the lessons learned into practice. By incorporating the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, faculty can layer this assessment with Socialization and Jablin’s Model of Organizational Assimilation (1987, 2001) to help develop and increase student retention/involvement in the classroom. By analyzing students sense-making (Weick, 1995), faculty can have a greater appreciation of what their students are thinking when they first begin class. Faculty will also have a better opportunity of addressing student concerns such as cultural accountability and meeting their educational needs in a communication style that is effective and understandable to each

The first tool that is used to help students begin the socialization process is the course syllabus. “By communicating instructors’ expectations, the syllabus already serves as a vital socializing mechanism.” (Sulik & Keys, 2014, p. 1). Faculty can effectively use MBTI in the course syllabus to help students manage uncertainty. Berger (1979) addresses not being able to predict motive and not being unable to predict actions as two types of uncertainty. (Kramer, 2010). Through the lens of the MBTI Assessment, Judging and Perceiving represent how individuals like to live their lives either through structure (judging) or flexibility (perceiving). The course syllabus is a resource that can address both those types making them feel comfortable. Faculty can schedule a series of sub-assignments with deadlines allowing perceptiving students to stay focus and second-look meetings for judging students that react too-quickly to completing assignments. (Brightman, n.d.). Extraverting and Introverting relates to how individuals energize themselves. (Baron, 1998). Extroverts enjoy small group interaction where they can talk their thoughts and ideas out. These types of activities help them concentrate and be more engaged. (Lawrence, 1997). On the other hand, Introverts seek more reflective learning engagement such as