Digital Commons Network^™

Successful African American Community College Students Perceptions On Sense Of Belonging In Three California Community College Districts, Nicole Yvette Wise

Doctoral Dissertations

Roach (2009) indicates that "only 31 percent of public community college students go on to complete either an associate or bachelor's degree in six years" according to U.S. Education Department data (p. 14). In California the gap is even wider and the statistics more scarce for students of color. Whereas only 15 percent of African American students compared, to 26 percent of white students, complete their degree in six years of enrolling in a California Community College (Roach, 2009, p. 14). College retention as it pertains to success is a challenging issue in the United States, and the California Community …

The Attitudes Of African American Students Towards The Study Of Foreign Languages And Cultures, Katrina Watterson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the reasons that African American students participate at lower levels in foreign language programs in terms of taking courses and majoring and minoring in foreign languages. The primary foreign language that it explores is Spanish, and its findings suggest that the introduction of the language devoid of the influence of Afro-diasporic linkages to Spanish culture leads to the topic being taught in abstraction, therefore causing a lack of interest among African American students. As this study shows, a teacher's thinking about cultural and racial difference is often intimately woven into their disciplinary training, and as a result, …

We're Not Thugs And Rappers: An Examination Of African American Male Athletes' Perceptions Of The Media, Keia Janese Bragg

Masters Theses

Manipulation of stories and events expose issues of false representation and stereotyping within the mainstream media. This research examined the media’s role in shaping the behaviors and experiences of African American male athletes while using Critical Race Theory as the framework in conducting research. A focus group consisting of six former African American male student athletes was conducted. A semi-structured interview schedule was used in order to allow for open discussion. The Constant Comparison Method was instrumental in thematizing the data while QDA Miner software was used to analyze the data. The findings suggested that African American male athletes feel …

I Am Not My Hair...Or Am I?: Exploring The Minority Swimming Gap, Dawn M. Norwood

Doctoral Dissertations

A review of literature has revealed a dearth of research on leisure swimming patterns of Black females. Black youth, both male and female, have a higher rate of drowning than any other racial/ethnic group in the United States (“Water‐related injuries: Fact sheet”, 2005). Two known studies produced by (Irwin et al., 2009; 2010) examining hair as a constraint to swimming for African American youth produced conflicting results. In order to comprehensively examine hair as a constraint to African American female participation in swimming, the current study adopted a qualitative approach which allowed exploration of the cultural background and experiences of …

Spirituality And Spiritual Self-Care: Expanding Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, Mary Louise White

Wayne State University Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to extend the theory of self-care deficit nursing by including specific constructs of religion, spirituality, and spiritual self-care practices within the structure suggested by Orem's self-care deficit nursing theory. Based on an extensive literature review, practice experience, and a discovery theory-building approach, a new mid-range theory called White's theory of spirituality and spiritual self-care (WTSSSC) was developed. To begin to test this mid-range theory, empirical indices of many of the main concepts were identified from prior studies and one new instrument (the Spiritual Self-Care Practice Scale) was developed. Hypothesized relationships among the main concepts …

Successful European American Teachers Of African American Students In Urban High Schools;An Ethnographic Study Of Teachers' Journeys To Success, Thomas D. Griffin

ETD Archive

This qualitative research study describes how one person, a successful European American teacher of African American students in an urban high school, can have a major impact on the educational outcomes of his students. Using ethnographic methodologies, the researcher conducted observations and interviews with successful teachers. The construction of ideas and patterns, which teachers have formed from their own experiences in successfully working with African American students, were brought to light. Personal characteristics identified in the study included items such as having high expectations, building relationships, caring about students and possessing a sense of humor. In addition, the beliefs that …

Perceptions Of Care: Self Reflections Of Women Teachers Of African Descent Who Teach In Urban Settings, Elizabeth A. Abioro

Dissertations

Discussions and debates about the educational system in the United States continue to center on curriculum and school reform. However, many children in America's public schools suffer from existing "life hazards" including social isolation, poverty, neglect, drug abuse, violence, school failure, and the breakdown of traditional family values and nurturing. This qualitative study focused on 10 African American female teachers and their perceptions of caring in the classroom and themselves as caring teachers. It is important to collect and share the experiences of African American females and how they define and practice care in their classrooms. Understanding teachers' perceptions of …

African American School Psychology Program Leavers, Sherrie L. Proctor

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

This phenomenology used 21 in-depth interviews to explore seven African Americans’ experiences at the school psychology programs they left. The purpose was to investigate what experiences contributed to participants’ decisions to leave programs; if programs used retention strategies and if so, participants’ view of the strategies; and what participants believe might have encouraged their retention. Findings indicate that misalignment between participants’ career aims and their perceptions of school psychology practice as well as poor relationships with faculty and peers contributed to decisions to leave programs. Five participants reported that programs did not utilize retention strategies. Two reported that a sole …

The Relationship Between Intrinsic Motivation, Motivational Interviewing And Physical Activity In An African American Church Population, Simone S. Rahotep

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

African Americans carry a disproportionate amount of the health burden for chronic disease in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007). Diabetes, heart disease and cancer, to name a few, are diseases which prematurely capture the lives of African Americans. While chronic, these diseases are preventable with the advent of behavioral change. Physical activity is a primary contributor to longer life expectancy and fewer health concerns (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 1996). While American society, as a whole, struggles to incorporate more physical activity in their lifestyles, African Americans exhibit higher levels of physical …

A Sense Of Trust Through The Eyes Of African American Doctoral Students: An Examination Of How A Predominantly White Institution Of Higher Education Can Create An Environment Of Inclusiveness, Zelda M. Deboyes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological research study explores whether trust influences the experiences of African American students, particularly those in doctoral programs at predominantly White institutions. Recent studies suggest that colleges and universities can benefit in several ways by building and maintaining student trust. However, the body of research typically provides a general understanding of the role and benefits of student trust in the academic arena through the eyes of White students only. Very few studies examine the benefits of student trust for a diverse population, and even fewer address African American students enrolled in predominantly White doctoral programs.

This research provides an …

Marital Satisfaction: Factors For Black Jamaicans And African Americansx Living In The United States, Nvischi Edwards

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Marital satisfaction is the strongest predictor for happiness in many areas of life (Russel & Wells, 1994). A satisfying marriage is associated with better general adjustment and fewer health problems (Bray & Jouriles, 1995). Factors that contribute to marital satisfaction reported by researchers include religion and spirituality (Anthony, 1993; Marks et al., 2008; Shehas, Boch & Lee, 1990), family of origin dynamics (Cohn, Silver, Cowan, Cowan, & Pearson, 1992; Webster, Orbuch, & House, 1995), and quality of family relationships (Timer, Veroff, & Hatchett, 1996). Additionally, satisfying marriages are beneficial to couples and children of these marriages. The purpose of this …

White Institutional Presence : The Impact Of Whiteness On Campus Climate & The Relational Context Of White Institutional Presence, Diane Lynn Gusa

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

This dissertation purports to offer a new lens on the retention puzzle of African-Americans in Predominately White Institutions. The purpose of this paper is to notice the properties of a PWI and analyzes the relational context these properties create for its African-American undergraduates. This dissertation is formatted into two sections. The first section frames, examines, and theorizes the "racism effect" in higher education - the "ways in which race and racism explicitly and implicitly impact on the educational structures, processes, and discourses that affect people of color" (LatCrit Primer, 2000, p. xx). I maintain that African-Americans' experiences of marginalization and …

The Perspective Of School Personnel In A Georgia School District Concerning The Recruitment Of Minority Teachers, Shyla D. Ridley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recruiting and attracting minorities into the teaching profession is difficult. Given the competitiveness of the current job market and the heavy emphasis on standardized testing for all teacher candidates, the difficulties of attracting quality minority teachers are becoming more challenging. The lack of a racially and culturally diverse teaching staff remains a major issue in education nationally and locally, especially since projections indicate that the representation of minority teachers is declining while the number of minority students is increasing. This need for more minority teachers is even more critical in urban public schools characterized by large percentages of minority students …

The Effect That Intercollegiate Athletic Participation Has On The Grade Point Averages Of African American Male Student Athletes At A Four Year Public Institution In The Black Belt Region Of Alabama, William Earl Brophy

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT There are many important factors that impact the grade point averages of African-American males at 4-year public institutions. Factors such as race, gender, SES, and ath-letic participation are potential influences that may have an effect on academic achieve-ment in a college setting in Alabama's Black Belt region as well. This study sought to de-termine if such factors coupled with other demands placed on African American male student athletes effected their respective academic achievement. Important questions an-swered in this study included how the variables above impacted the academic plights of the sample group that was examined. Research hypotheses examined the …

Developing A Substantive Theory Of African Americans' Justice Perceptions, Felicia L. Berry

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

ABSTRACT DEVELOPING A SUBSTANTIVE THEORY OF AFRICAN AMERICANS’ JUSTICE PERCEPTIONS by Felicia L. Berry, M.S. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how African Americans define justice and injustice. This study examined the justice perceptions of 12 (8 females, 4 males) African American undergraduate students and consisted of two phases: (1) Completion of the cognitive appraisal instrument (Roseman, Spindel, & Jose, 1990) which predicts the relationship between specific types of events and perceptional/emotional reactions to that event, and a semi-structured interview; and (2) Completion of focus groups one (FG1) and focus group two (FG2). Grounded theory (GT) (Glaser …

Culturally Sensitive In-Home Psychotherapy For Urban Low-Income African American Adolescents, Aaron Thomas Ellington

ETD Archive

There is a lack of outcome research in regards to the treatment of adolescents, and even less for urban low-income African American adolescents. In the past, the fields of counseling, psychology, and social work have focused on individual counseling approaches and in-patient treatment facilities as methods for dealing with adolescents with drug, alcohol, and mental health issues (as well as other delinquent behaviors). The purpose of this study is to use archival data to answer research hypotheses to gain a better understanding of what variables (more specifically treatment modality) aid in the treatment of urban low-income African American adolescents. The …

African American Psychologists' Attitudes Toward Psychotherapy, Ramone Ford

ETD Archive

Over the last fifty years, Americans attitude of psychotherapy has become more accepting. However, in the African American community the attitudes have not been as accepting. Thompson, Bazile, and Akbar (2004) documented that African Americans had utilized alternative resources such as friends, the church and other community resources, in attending to commonly treatable mental health disorders (e.g., depression, anxiety). The purpose of this dissertation is to discover the attitudes of African American psychologists toward psychotherapy. Jordan, Bogat, and Smith (2001) hypothesized that African American professional psychologists will be the future of conducting research with African Americans, because of their cultural …

The Self-Perceived Leadership Style And Comprehensive Profile Of African-American Women In The Role Of President At Four-Year Historically Black Colleges And Universities (Hb Cus) In The United States, Tasha Chantey Toy

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

.

African Descent Women's Conceptualization Of Ethnic/Racial And Gender Identities, Wendi Saree Williams

Counseling and Psychological Services Dissertations

This qualitative study explored racial/ethnic and gender identities of African descent women. Specifically, 13 African descent women were interviewed about influences on their racial/ethnic and gender identities, the process by such identities developed in order to assess the applicability of current theories, and whether they perceive an interaction between their racial/ethnic and gender identities. Phase One, an initial focus group informed Phase Two of the study; individual interviews. Phase Three, a member-checking focus group, validated themes generated from data analysis. All focus groups and interview sessions followed a semi-structured format. Family, educational experiences, physical features, oppressive experiences, political movements, and …

Changes In African American Urban High School Principals' Leadership Behaviors In An Era Of No Child Left Behind, Johnathan T. Jefferson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

.

Entering The Academy: Exploring The Socialization Experiences Of African American Male, Dorian L. Mccoy

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

This study explored the socialization experiences of African American male faculty at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominately White institutions (PWIs). Rosch and Reich’s Enculturation Model was used as the theoretical framework. To gain a better understanding of the socialization experiences of African American male faculty, a group that has traditionally been underrepresented and marginalized in academia, Critical Race Theory (CRT) was incorporated into the study. More specifically, counter-storytelling, a basic tenet of CRT, was used to learn the stories that African American male faculty tell about their socialization experiences. A mixed methodology research design was utilized. Interviews …

A Study Of African American Fathers' Involvement With Their Preschool Children, Susan Rich

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

.

Perspectives Of African American Educational Administrators From Public, Private And Alternative Educational Domains (Elementary And Secondary Education), Denise Hinds-Zaami

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

.

A Study Of The Concomitant Problems Facing Most Of The "At-Risk" African American Students In The Benton Harbor Elementary School System: A Case For An Alternative Model, Simon M. Honore

Dissertations

Problem

It would appear that the problem of school truancy, retention, and subsequent academic failure is a major educational crisis which puts most of the African American students at risk in the Benton Harbor area schools.

Purpose

The purpose of this study has been to determine the concomitant educational problems facing the "at-risk" African American students in the Benton Harbor Elementary School System and to suggest positive changes through an alternative model.

Results

The results of the survey indicated that approximately 90-95% of Benton Harbor educators agreed to changes. Administrators and teachers strongly agreed that the recommendations, based on the …

An Appeal For Racial Justice : The Civic Interest Progressives' Confrontation With Huntington, West Virginia And Marshall University, 1963-1965, Bruce A. Thompson

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

In 1963, the shock waves of the sit-in movement and the growing black unrest throughout the country reached Huntington. This growing discontent with the status quo of segregation and racial discrimination and the impulse from the sit-in movement for direct, non-violent protest combined to mobilize several students at Marshall University who formed the Civic Interest Progressives (CIP), a biracial civil rights group.

Causes Of Low Enrollment Of Black Students In Upper-Level Science Courses, Henry L. Jenkins

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For approximately seven years, the number of Black students enrolled in upper-level science courses (e.g., Chemistry, Human Physiology, Physics) is proportionately lower than the number of non-Black students a.t Palatka South High School, Palatka, Florida.

On the surface, this low enrollment appears to coincide with the fact that there are more non-Black students than Black students enrolled in the school. However, if one were to examine closely the total number of Black students enrolled in upperlevel science courses from the school's total Black student population enrolled in science classes, and compare it to the school's total non-Black population enrolled in …

Education For Negroes In New Orleans Prior To 1915, Marie Dejan

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

The purpose of this story is to narrate the details of events covering the education of the Negro in New Orleans from the time of slavery to 1915. After the history of the private school movement, a comprehensive description of the origin of the public schools will be given.

Brief Study Of Working Conditions Of Colored Citizens In New Orleans Louisiana, Ernest J. Wright

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

The following report is the result of a study of the Colored worker during the present cataclysm in political and industrial affairs. The present panic has helped the laborer from many angles. It has given him a realization of the value of money and the necessity of sane action in the distribution of it.

The Teaching Of Negro History In The Elementary School, David Joseph Jackson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation

One of the reasons why there is such a great lack of cooperation within the race is ignorance of race ability. Students in high-school and college often times have but a vague and obscure concept of the Negro race, educationally, industrially, economically, and when in time these students seek to make and adjustment they find themselves handicapped . For this reason in order that, that love of race, that race consciousness, that makes not only for loyal race brothers, but rather which makes for true loyal law abiding citizens of America, Negro History, should find a place in the curriculum …