Self-Authorship

Applications to Practice

Lauren Marriott EDA 391 E The College Student April 21, 2014

Baxter Magoldas Theory of Self-Authorship (2001)

Reflection Questions

1. To what extent does the theory
of self-authorship resonate
with you as a current or
former student?

2. What types of conversations
might you have with students
in your c urrent role that could
require you to assess the self-
authored nature of a student's
statements?

3. How would you approach a
conversation with a student if
it were your intent to promote
or provoke self-authored
thinking?

Phases

Following
Formulas

Crossroads

Author of
Ones Life

Internal
Foundation

Cognitive
Development
How do I know?

Believe what
authority
believes

See need for

own vision

Choose own
beliefs

Grounded in
internal belief
system

Intrapersonal
Development
Who am I?

Defines self
through
external
others

See need for

internal
definition

Choose own
values,
identity

Grounded in
internal coherent
sense of self

Interpersonal
Development
How we
construct
relationships

Approval
seeking in
relationships

See need for

authenticity

Being true to
self- mutual
needs met

Grounded in
mutuality

The Learning Partnerships Model (King & Baxter Magolda, 2004)

Support

Challenge

1.) Validate learners capacity to know

2.) Situate learning in learners experience


3.) Define learning as mutually constructed
meaning

4.) Portray knowledge as complex and mutually constructed

Internal belief system
5.) Self is central to knowledge construction
Internal identity
6.) Share authority and expertise
Mutual relationships

Practitioners Tool Box

Assessing Self-Authorship (Pizzalato, 2007)

Experience Survey

Ask students to write narratives about an important decision that they have made:

Why did you make that decision? What were your options? What did you decide to do?
What did your decision-making process look like? Would you make the same decision today?

Self-Authorship Survey

Quantitative instrument using 5 point Likert scales to assess:

Capacity for
autonomous action

If my friends are doing

something I dont want to do,
I often do my own thing

Problem solving
orientation

Some people- especially

authority figures- often
have better opinions and
ideas than I do

Perceptions of volitional
competence

When I set a goal for myself,

Im pretty sure Im going to
be able to achieve it

Self regulation in
challenging
circumstances

When things start getting

hard, I often have trouble
sticking with my plans

Promoting Self-Authorship
(Baxter Magolda & King, 2008)

The role of the advisor is to listen and help students develop reflective habits.
Let students make sense of their own experience.

1. Getting acquainted and building rapport Tell me a little about yourself Why did you choose to attend?
2. Encouraging reflection about important
experiences
3. Encouraging interpretation of these
reflections
4. Concluding thoughts

Have you had to face any difficult decisions? How did you handle it?
What has been the best/worst experience in college so far?
It sounds like youve had a variety of experiences so far. How do you
think coming to college has affected who you are and the way you see
yourself? Has it affected the way you see your academic goals?
Affirm the value of students sharing their experiences
If asked for your insight, give it briefly but emphasize importance for
students to explore themselves

References
Barber, J., King, P., & Baxter Magolda, M. (2013). Long strides on the journey toward self-authorship: Substantial
developmental shifts in college students' meaning making. Journal of Higher Education, 84(6), 866-895.
Baxter Magolda, M. (2001). Making their own way: Narratives for transforming higher education to promote selfdevelopment. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Baxter Magolda, M. (2007). Self-Authorship: The foundation for twenty-first century education. New Directions for
Teaching and Learning, (109), 69-83.
Baxter Magolda, M. & King. P. (Eds.) (2004). Learning partnerships: Theory and modes of practice to educate for selfauthorship. Sterling, VA: Stylus.
Baxter Magolda, M., & King, P. (2007). Interview strategies for assessing self-authorship: Constructing conversations to
assess meaning making. Journal of College Student Development, 48(5), 491-508. doi:10.1353/csd.2007.0055
Baxter Magolda, M., & King, P. (2008). Toward reflective conversations: An advising approach that promotes selfauthorship. Peer Review, 10(1), 8-11.
Kincanon, K. (2009). Translating the transformative: Applying transformational and self-authorship pedagogy to advising
undecided/exploring students. Retrieved April 10, 2014 from the NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising
Resources Web site http://www.nacada.ksu.edu/tabid/3318/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/647/article.a
Pizzolato, J. (2005). Creating crossroads for self-authorship: Investigating the provocative moment. Journal of
College Student Development, 46(6), 624641.
Pizzolato, J. (2006). Complex partnerships: Self-authorship and provocative academic-advising practices. NACADA Journal,
26(1), 32-45.
Pizzolato, J. (2007). Assessing self-authorship. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, (109), 31-42.
Pizzolato, J. (2008). Adviser, teacher, partner: Using the learning partnerships model to reshape academic advising. About
Campus: Enriching the Student Learning Experience, 13(1), 18-25.