Running head: DIGITAL STORY 1

Digital Story Analytic Reflection

Wendall P. Lytle

Northern Illinois University

CAHE 522

Instructor: Dr. Kortegast

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As I reflect on my digital story, I decided to start off with a brief history of myself along

with the important people and events that were pivotal to understand my overall life story. To

begin the story, I mentioned my grandparents, parents, sisters and a few close friends. I also

talked about my previous schools along with significant events that happened while attending

these schools. I spent most of the introduction focusing on my time spent at my high school

(Springfield southeast) because I feel as if this time in my life effected my future the most. The

last few sentences of my introduction read as, “Life was great right? Yeah, I thought so too.

Time for college, the best years of my life they said. Yeah eventually it turned out to be but it

didn’t always look that way”. At this time, I was transitioning into a new phase of life which

brings me to the first theory I referenced in my digital story, the transition theory.

Schlossberg’s described transition as “any event, or non-event that results in changed

relationships, routines, assumptions, and roles” (Patton, Reinn, Guido, & Quaye, 2016, p. 37-38).

There are three main types of transitions. The first is the anticipated transition where the

transitions are anticipated or predictable. The second is the unanticipated transition where the

transition is not predictable or scheduled. The third is the non-events transition and here

transitions are expected but do not happen. When dealing with the transition theory it is

important to consider the type context and impact of the transition in order to best understand the

meaning of the transition (Patton et al, 2016). During this time in my life I was leaving from

being a senior in high school who had everything under control and planned out to back being a

freshman at Illinois State. I went into the situation optimistic. I knew it was a transition in my life

but the transition ended up being more difficult than expected. I like to plan things out and have

control of most situations so going into this transition I did just that, I planned ahead. I thought of

the anticipated transitions and how I could best adjust to them. Things such as moving into my
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dorm, living with a roommate, new class schedule and making new friends. I started facing

problems when the unexpected transitions transpired. My relationships, routines, assumptions

and roles changed all at once, very rapidly and that I had trouble with. Then the non-event

transition happened when I wasn’t accepted into my major coming into school which played a

huge role going forward.

I struggled with my transition throughout my first year of college. I spent the summer

reflecting. Going into my sophomore year things began to change for me. At the time I did not

think of it from this lens but I now view this as my self-authorship phase. Baxter Magolda self-

authorship is defined as “the internal capacity to define one’s beliefs, identity, and social

relations” (Patton et al, 2016, p.356-357). Baxter Magolda theory answers the question: “How do

I know?” “Who Am I?” and “How do I want to construct relationships with others?” The theory

is made up of four phases; 1. Following formulas 2. Crossroads 3. Becoming the Author of

One’s Life and 4. Internal foundations (Patton et al, 2016). This theory was easily applicable to

my story during this time in my life. After experiencing my transition, I used the self-authorship

theory to make sense of my transition. The following formulas phase is when young adults allow

other external authorities to make plans for them by framing these formulas as their own ideas

(Patton et al, 2016). I realized that I was following formulas way before my transition to college.

One of my non-event transitions was not being accepted into my major. I then declared criminal

justice as a major because my parents always wanted me to be a police officer like my father. I

did not invest my time and effort in excelling in this major because it was not a decision made by

myself. I started to realize this and that is when I reached my crossroads. A crossroad is when the

plan someone has been following do not necessarily fit anymore, and new plans need to be

established (Patton et al, 2016). In this phase a person is usually dissatisfied with themselves. At
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this time, I was not happy with myself and was facing many hardships. After taking time to self-

reflect and speak with mentors I came up with a new game plan, my own game plan. This is

when I believe I started to become the Author of my own life. It took me another semester or so

to figure out exactly what I wanted but I eventually declared sociology as a major. One that I was

interested in. Around this time is when I also became a resident assistant, joined the redbird

royal’s family and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. I finally started to

create my own college experience and things started to get better for me. The fourth phase of

self-authorship is to create an internal foundation. In this phase a person is “grounded in their

self-determined belief system, in their sense of who they are, and the mutuality of their

relationships” (Patton et al, 2016, p.356-357). In order to develop a strong internal foundation,

students need to trust the internal voice and build an internal foundation. At the end of my digital

story I mention that I do not believe I have yet reached this phase. I am still searching for my

internal foundation.

The last theory that I applied to my digital story was Astin student involvement theory.

The student involvement theory exhibits the importance of student involvement in college. The

core concept of the theory is based on three elements of inputs, environments, and outcomes. The

theory also includes five basic assumptions about involvement. The theory proposes that

“meaningful educational engagement in college stimulates increasing cognitive complexity,

leading to learning and development” (Patton et al, 2016, p.34). Patton described involvement as

“the amount of physical and psychological energy that the students devote to their academic

experience” (Patton et al, 2016, p.34). In this theory the "inputs" are considered a person’s

demographics, background, and/or any previous experiences. Relating this to my story, my

inputs came with me to college. I came to college as an African American heterosexual male
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from Springfield Illinois. I came to college with my inputs already instilled in me. The

“environment” aspect of the theory accounts for all of the experiences a student would have

during college. In college I had many experiences, I started creating my own experiences once I

left my crossroads and started to author my own life. I got accepted into my major, became a

resident assistant, joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated and went on an alternative

spring break. These experiences amongst others allowed me to grow outside of the classroom

because it provided me with a foundation to take developmental strides in a way that the

classroom could not. Lastly, “outcomes" focuses more on student life after graduation. It covers

a student's characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and values that exist after a student has

graduated college (Patton et al, 2016). On May 6th 2016, I graduated from Illinois State

University with a major in Sociology and I am already able to see the outcomes from my student

involvement. Each of my experiences has affected me in different ways. I am now a better

graduate student then I would have been had I not encountered some of these experiences. I have

a different and more holistic outlook on life now. These experiences have changed me to become

not only a better student but a better man. At the end of my digital story I stated that I may not be

where I want to be but I am sure that I am far from where I was and I can attest that through this

theory.

There are many theories that are applicable to my life but the three theories included in

my digital story are the ones that have had the most impact on me. I am able to better relate my

own story back to these theories. While actually living my digital story out I did not know of

these theories but after looking back and self-reflecting to create my digital story I can easily see

how I am a product of them. I am also able to see how in some cases I may have been

experiencing different stages from each of the theories at the same time. They all can be
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connected in certain ways. I can also see how I am still living some of the theories out. I am

making new transitions, I am still authoring my own life in search of finding my internal

foundation and I am still witnessing the outcomes of my environment, experiences and

involvement throughout my journey. My digital story has more to come.

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Reference
Patton, L. D., Renn, K. A., Guido, F. M., & Quaye, S. J. (2016). Student Development in
College: Theory, Research, and Practice, 3rd Edition (3rd Ed.). San Francisco, CA: John
Wiley & Sons. [Student Development]