REFLECTION SHEET: STUDENT DEVELOPMENT CRITICAL MOVIE REVIEW

This was, no doubt, one of my favorites writing assignments to date. In Student

Development, we were asked to watch a film that focused on higher education and apply and
critique the use of developmental theories to the characters in the film. I chose Mona Lisa Smile
knowing I would likely find it fascinating considering my interest in womens issues and 1950s
cultural norms. Not only was I correct in that I did find it fascinating, but I also was able to
demonstrate my ability to apply, synthesize, and analyze theories as they relate to issues in
higher education. Because of this, I chose this paper as an example of the Analytical Inquiry
learning goal.
In this paper, I used Belenkys Womens Ways of Knowing theory on intellectual
development and Baxter Magoldas theory of Self Authorship to demonstrate how a theory could
be interpreted and applied to two different students. Though fictional characters, I demonstrated
my ability to develop and support arguments by making interpretations and then supporting them
using quotes and examples. Additionally, I used these theories to analyze the fictional students
behavior, as well as the cultural norms and expectations of the time in which the film was set.
Specifically, I broke down each theory into their stages or concepts and applied them to the
characters behavior and development. Lastly, I also demonstrated how students today still face
many of the same gendered expectations and how these theories could be applied in order to
address the same developmental issues we see today. For example, many of the same gender
norms still exist in some of nations Greek communities. Higher education professionals can
utilize these theories to challenge gender norms and pressure through programs and critical
conversations with students. Overall, this paper directly corresponds to the competencies
outlined in the Analytical Inquiry learning goal.