Just Published: “College Student Development in Digital Spaces” in “Engaging the Digital Generation”

I'm pleased to share that the new volume of New Directions for Student Services that I've been collaborating on for the past year is finally available online!  Engaging the Digital Generation, edited by Josie Ahlquist and Ed Cabellon, focuses on issues confronting college students and higher education professionals related to technology.  The chapters in this volume... Continue Reading →

What Does Digitized College Student Development Look Like?

A good friend and colleague, David Kasch, presented a paper at the ASHE conference back in 2011 where he attempted to analyze/categorize developmental theories by their narrative patterns.  Some theories represent linear patterns, whereas others are continua, and still others follow intersectional or vector patterns.  The above graphic is a modification of David's original concept, but should... Continue Reading →

Adding ‘Digital Identity’ to your Student ‘Development’ Syllabus [REBLOG]

Once a month I reblog a post from a colleague that I think deserves to be shared more widely.  This month’s comes from Dr. Paul Eaton, who is researching similar topics as myself: the impact of social media and digital technology on the college student developmental process (or as Paul would describe it, “becoming”).  Take a look at this great post from Paul on how one may integrate concepts of “digital identity” into traditional college student development courses.  Some great resources here.

Paul William Eaton

It is the start of spring semester here at Louisiana State University.  I am fortunate, blessed, and honored to once again be co-teaching our Master’s Level Student Development Theory course, alongside Dr. Danielle Alsandor and Kristin Satterlee (pedagogically, team-teaching is an incredible opportunity to add diverse perspectives to a classroom).

We have decided to add discussions of ‘digital identity’ to our syllabus.  This is an ethical responsibility, necessary and important for future leaders in our profession.  If you are teaching student development theory this spring, or in the near future, consider adding this important new component to your syllabus.

Many synoptic texts do not currently have chapters dedicated to this topic, so here is a list and brief overview of some readings we are including this spring.

Becoming and Belonging

This chapter, by Rob Cover (2014), is part of an excellent edited text from the University of Wisconsin Press entitled 

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REVEALED! Researchers Uncover Chickering’s Previously Undiscovered Eight Vector

Researchers at the National Student Affairs Archives at Bowling Green State University recently uncovered notes revealing a missing "eighth vector" from Chickering's well known student development theory. The missing vector was developed by a mysterious third researcher.  Many scholars of student development theory are aware of Arthur Chickering's work with Linda Reisser in 1993.  An update to Chickering's... Continue Reading →

The Student Development Transit System Map

  I had a lot of fun putting this together!  You wouldn't believe how hard it is to get the poster visually right while trying to make sure it makes sense conceptually and theoretically.  Too reductionist?  Maybe.  Areas for improvement?  I'm sure.  Let me know how you'd try arranging it in the comments below. BUY... Continue Reading →

The Difference Between a College Student’s DIGITAL and ONLINE Identity (And Why We’re Getting it Wrong)

As you probably know at this point, my research involves college students and how they construct a sense of self in digital and social media spaces.  In conducting this research, I've encountered the term "digital identity" frequently.  I've used it, and some of my doctoral student colleague friends have written about it (including Paul Eaton, Josie Ahlquist, and Ed... Continue Reading →

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