Overview of Marcia Baxter Magolda's Self-Authorship as it relates to student development.

1. Student Journeys Toward
Self-Authorship: How Can
I Be “Good Company?”
Monica Kempland, PhD
September 4, 2014
EPFR 514: College Student Learning and Development

2.  Keegan’s Self-Authorship
 23 year longitudinal study
 1,000 students aged 18-40
 Journey toward “self-authorship”
◦ Internal capacity to choose one’s beliefs,
values, identity and relationships
Magolda’s study

3. http://www.aacu.org/liberaleducation/le-fa09/documents/LEFall09_EngagedLearning.pdf

4. Epistemological
“How do I know”
Intrapersonal
“Who am I”
Interpersonal
“How do I want
to construct
relationships
with others”
Inner Voice
http://collegestudentdeveltheory.blogspot.com/2010/10/baxter-magoldas-theory-of-self.html

5. Tandem Journey
 We can be “good
company”
 Provide “pedal
power”
 Student “steers”
and directs the
journey

6.  What are ways that student affairs
personnel can use learning partnership
models to help students in their transition
through college?
Marcia Baxter Magolda’s Theory of
Self-Authorship

7. How can we be good company?
Providing multiple valid
perspectives
Modeling
Self-Reflection
Cultivate learner's
discovery skills
Creating a safe place
for dialogue
Tier One
Following Formulas

8. Questions for Tier One
 Are you meeting people?
 How do you want to leave college?
◦ Unfinished by not meeting others who share
the same interests or meeting people to find
out who you really are?
 Ask “Why?”
◦ Major, career choice, relationship, class
selection

9.  Journaling
 Imaginary dialogue during Springboard
about their goals for their college
experience between themselves and a
dominant figure in their lives
◦ How can they fulfill what they seek in college
while still maintaining a relationship with that
person?
Other strategies for Tier One

10. How can we be good company?
Help learners process problems
and discover solutions
Encourage teamwork Support learners to trust their
own voices and learn how to
evaluate knowledge while
working in mutual relationships
Tier Two
Crossroads

11. Questions for Tier Two
 What can you do to ensure success in
your courses/future?
 Based on your own
thoughts/research/discussions, what do
you feel is the right decision?

12.  Move away from the role of an “expert”
 Provide feedback and high expectations
 Allow them to accept responsibility for
their own decisions
 Help students view experiences as
opportunities for learning and growth
 Discourage simplistic solutions
Other strategies for Tier Two

13. How can we be good company?
Provide opportunities
Tier Three
Self-Authorship
for learners to learn from each other
Encourage learners to
refine their own belief system

14. Advising Questions for Tier Three
 Have you considered starting a student
organization based on those interests (or
heading a leadership position in an
already-existing student organization)?
 That’s an interesting perspective. How
might you go about explaining that to
someone who is unfamiliar with that
view?

15.  Encourage active leadership roles
 Peer advising?
 Heading up student organizations
 Reaching out during internships
Other strategies for Tier Three

16. Challenges and Encouragement
for Student Personnel Staff
 Time constraints of meeting with students
 Reliance on external authority of
staff/faculty can create risks -- students
must have opportunities to develop self-authorship
 Easiest journey is not usually the most
meaningful journey

17. Discussion
 Which transition do you feel would be the
most challenging for students (from
Dependent on others, to crossroads, or
crossroads to self-authorship)?
 How might the role of self-authorship be
different for a non-traditional student?
 Can “meaningful learning” co-exist with
the emphasis on “customer service?”
 Other ideas?

18. Sources
“Exploring college student development theory.” Blog accessed January 5, 2012 from
http://collegestudentdeveltheory.blogspot.com/2010/10/baxter-magoldas-theory-
of-self.html
http://www.triua.com/50/10-tips-of-personal-finance-for-college-students.html
http://newsroom.unl.edu/announce/parentnews/3272/18286
http://college.usatoday.com/2012/02/27/a-college-students-guide-to-finding-a-mentor/
Hodge, D., Baxter, M., Haynes, C.A. “Engaged learning: Enabling self authorship and
effective practice.” Liberal Education, 95(4), 16-23. Accessed January 5, 2012 from
http://www.aacu.org/liberaleducation/le-fa09/documents/
LEFall09_EngagedLearning.pdf
Magolda, M. B. “Tandem journey through the labyrinth.” Journal of Learning in Higher
Education. February 2010, Issue 2.
Magolda, M. B., & King, P. M., eds. (2004). Learning partnerships: Theory and models of
practice to educate for self-authorship. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.
Magolda, M. B. (2001). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher
education to promote self development. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.