Education Commons^™

The Persistence Of African American Doctoral Students And Graduates From Or In Stem Programs: A Transcendental Phenomenology Study, Tanisha Johnson Smith

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the persistence efforts for African American doctoral science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students or graduates. The theory guiding this study is Tinto's theory of student departure with a focus on the model of student persistence as it lays the foundation for how students persist to degree completion. The following questions guided this study: What lived experiences have helped African American current doctoral students or graduates persist in a STEM program? What challenges have African American graduate or current doctoral students experienced while completing a STEM degree program? What strategies …

The Perceptions Of Black Teachers Regarding The Work Environment In Predominately White Schools P-12, Rhonda Lankford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of Black teachers in predominately White P-12 schools, and focused on examining the external and internal challenges that Black teachers face who work in predominately White schools. Voices are sometimes ignored or muted in a society dominated by the majority White culture. This study will allow readers to experience the narratives of Black educators who work in these environments. The educators selected for this study were purposefully chosen from predominately White school districts. The researcher interviewed each subject in a semi-structured interview environment to gather data. Results of interviews lead to the emergence of …

Personal Power Tactics African American Female Superintendents Employ To Overcome Four Identified Self-Sabotaging Behaviors, Angela Brantley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe personal power tactics that African American female superintendents employ to overcome the four identified self-sabotaging behaviors from the Self Sabotaging Framework adapted from Lerner (2012), Ryder and Briles (2003).

Methodology: This study identified and described the lived experiences of seven female African American superintendents across the United States. This research design encompassed a sequential data collection method using an electronic survey instrument, followed by one-on-one interviews. Based on the quantitative and qualitative data, the researcher was able to triangulate data using the trends, categories, and patterns …

The Perceptions And Lived Experiences Of African American Female Faculty At Predominantly White Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Jasmine L. Jackson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological approach aims to understand the perceptions and lived experiences of African-American female faculty at predominantly White institutions and the strategies used to overcome barriers. The theory guiding this study is intersectionality theory, introduced by Kimberlè Crenshaw, discovering the multilayers of discrimination that women face and providing a template to encourage antidiscrimination. This theory adequately addresses the focus of this inquiry because it highlights the discrimination often experienced by African-American female faculty and the experiences of various individuals from the targeted population. This study's methodology was based on interviews with different African-American female faculty at predominantly White institutions. …

Northeastern Illinois University: Identifying Characteristics Associated With Low African American Student Retention And Persistence, Laural E. Johnson

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Although a recent study found that college student retention and persistence rates are on the rise, there continues to be significant differences between African American and White students at predominately white institutions (PWIs). Institutional factors such as unwelcoming campus climates, racial stereotypes, and faculty relationships have been found to be viable factors as to why the disparities between African American and other students continue to exist. This Case Study explored some of the key issues/factors/questions related to the retention and persistence of African American students at a Midwest PWI. This study found that university resources and financial support, inclusion, comfortability …

Perspectives Of African American Male School Administrators On The Recruitment And Retention Of African American Male Teachers, Maurice Thomas

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This qualitative study utilized one-on-one interviews to examine the lived experience of Black males who have successfully joined the teaching profession and moved into school administration. Their experiences shed light on factors that help attract African American males to the profession and continue to be educators. This study's research is based on Herzberg et al.'s (1959) motivation-hygiene theory. This theory addresses which factors impact job satisfaction and dissatisfaction. Participants in the study expressed that they are motivated by their desire to impact students and make a difference. They emphasized the importance of representation and shared that relationships with school and …

Exploring Intersectionality In School Disciplinary Decisions: A Phenomenology Of The Experiences Of African American Female Administrators, Jennifer M. Anthony

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore how African American female school administrators experience and understand intersectionality regarding discipline outcomes. The theories used to guide this study are critical race theory, first introduced by Bell in 1977, and intersectionality theory coined by Crenshaw in 1989 as they seek to analyze how racism and the intersection of marginalized identities impact school discipline outcomes. The central question that guided this research is how do African American female school administrators experience and understand intersectionality and discipline outcomes? This study used purposeful and criterion sampling to acquire 10 African American female …

Navigating The Unknown: A Black Faculty Member’S Journey In The Predominantly White University, Sherrise Y. Truesdale-Moore

The Journal of Advancing Education Practice

The author provides a narrative of her faculty experience in a predominately white university. She depicts her academic journey through the lens of an African American woman motivated to teach in higher education, share expertise, become a role model, and offer new knowledge to the profession. In the essay, she shares challenges about navigating the workspace while successfully fulfilling contractual obligations. For faculty of color teaching in a predominately white university, she emphasizes the need for a sense of belonging and mentoring through a culturally responsive approach.

Mentoring Urban African American Male Students In Secondary School, David Jacoby Collins

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

This narrative inquiry evaluated how a school-based mentorship program called The Chamber of Scholars: African American Male Mentoring Intervention, which served exclusively African American male students in high school, impacted the participants’ identification with academics, perception of mattering to their school, and academic performance. The program was evaluated using a pre-interview and a post-interview of all participants, daily field notes of activities, and weekly journals. The study found that participants who regularly attended daily intervention sessions for ten weeks increased their identification with academics (value of school). The study also found that participants who regularly attended daily intervention sessions for …

An Exploration Of Effective Communication Strategies For Secondary Educational Leaders To Increase African American Family Engagement Within An Urban School District, Stephen Mcclure

Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership Dissertations

This research study examined effective communication strategies with African American families for secondary educational leaders. The purpose of this investigation was to explore African American family engagement within an urban school district. Interviews were conducted with 14 parent participants and the data was analyzed utilizing the ATLAS.ti survey software. The findings were that overall, parents were pleased with the amount and modes of technology that schools utilized for communication. Parents were also satisfied with the high school experiences of their children; however, many parents preferred more personal contact and in-person interactions with the teachers and administrative staff. Parents also felt …

Academic Advising, Academic Integration And First Year African American College Student Intention To Persist, Cassandra Graham

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The U.S. college persistence rate for African American students, remains lowest in comparison to other race/ethnicities. Academic advising and other forms of academic integration are emphasized in prior research as associated with positively influencing persistence outcomes. However, a gap exists in the literature regarding their impact for four-year African American students and success factors for persistence of these students. Existing academic advisement studies are primarily institutional with a small sample size, as opposed to a national sample, and very few are focused on quantitative data analysis.

Therefore, through the analysis of national data from the 2018 National Survey of Student …

Female African American Deans’ Rise To Success: Navigating And Conquering Self-Sabotaging Behaviors By Taking Back Their Power, Davina Bailey

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female African American Deans in higher education and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female African American Deans in higher education to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This sequential explanatory mixed-method study explored the lived experiences of nine female African American deans who acknowledged they had experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their careers. The researcher distributed an electronic Likert scale survey to the participants to identify the most …

Yes, We Can Rule The World- Advancing Our Black Male Mentoring Programs, Trevor D. Mccray

The Vermont Connection

This article will address the lived experience of a Black male higher education practitioner who served as an advisor over a Black male mentorship program. While the summer of 2020 brought awareness to the life of individuals who identify as Black and Brown, with the murders of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, there have been numerous attempts to right some wrong in America. This practitioner will share his experience, expertise, and perspective on the performative anti-racist measures, anti-Black rhetoric, and lackluster efforts of universities and colleges investing into people of color mentoring initiatives. As a result, higher education administrators have …

A Case Study Of The Underrepresentation Of African American Male Educators: Career Choices And Experiences In Secondary Schools, Anthony Wayne Graham Jr

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this intrinsic case study was to examine the career choices and experiences of African American male teachers in secondary grade settings. Participants included 17 African American males who taught core subjects at varying grade levels. All participants worked at schools in the Baton Rouge, Louisiana, metropolitan area. The main source of data collection was completed through semistructured interviews with 17 African American male teachers. I arranged to visit the different schools and address all potential teachers interested in participating in this study. Additionally, I contacted all interested subjects through email. The findings provided important information related to …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Student Engagement Experiences Of African Americans Formerly Attending Urban Public High Schools, Sohn A. Butts

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the student engagement experiences of African Americans formerly attending urban public high schools in a major city in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Self-determination theory, established by Ryan and Deci (1985), is the theoretical framework for this study, and was used to understand motivation in terms of basic psychological needs satisfaction and fulfillment, and how those motivations influence human behavior. The central research question was: What were the student engagement experiences of African Americans formerly attending urban public high schools? The three research sub-questions were: (1) what instructional …

The Experiences Of African American Graduate Students Attending Colleges Of Chiropractic: A Hermeneutical Phenomenology, Darren De'un Howland

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study is to discover and interpret the campus experiences of African American graduate students attending colleges of chiropractic in the United States. A sense of belonging within a campus environment is essential to all students that encounter a university. The campus environment has an important role in the retention of African American students. The theory guiding this study is the Culturally Engaging Campus Environment Model which examines cultural engagement within the campus environment. The central question leading this research study asks, “What are the lived experiences of African American graduate students attending colleges of …

African American Teachers' Experiences Of Becoming A Teacher In Ohio: A Case Study, Feon M. Battiste

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There has been a hiring discrepancy in the recruiting and hiring process of African American teachers in Ohio (Stein, 2019). The purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore African American teachers’ experiences of becoming teachers in Ohio and their suggestions for improving the hiring process. Five research questions guided the study: (a) What were African American teachers’ lived experiences of becoming a teacher in Ohio? (b) How do African American teachers perceive the obstacles and catalysts of becoming and remaining teachers in Ohio? (c) How do African American teachers view diversity in the teaching force? (d) What policies …

Investigating The Determinants Of Student Low Enrollment In Historically Black Colleges And Universities (Hbcus): The Case Of One Hbcu In The South, Anthony Trumaine Jackson

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

There is an undeniable fact that enrollment management efforts on academic campuses have become an integral part of campus finance and the backbone of accreditation. Many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are on the verge of collapsing and even losing their accreditations due to low enrollment, a decline that has been observed in recent decades.

Therefore, this study investigated why students are not enrolling in HBCUs. The study further explored the perceived factors that are likely to contribute to low student enrollment at HBCUs and the role financial matters play in student enrollment. To address this gap in the …

Views From The Margins: A Multiple-Case Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Black Women Senior-Level Student Affairs Administrators, Tamekka L. Cornelius

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Abstract

This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of senior-level Black women student affairs administrators at four-year degree granting institutions. Moreover, this study documents Black women in nonfaculty administrative roles in student affairs at both predominately White institutions (PWIs) and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). A multiple case study research design was used to investigate this phenomenon. Two frameworks were used to ground the study: Black feminist thought and representational bureaucracy. The following questions guided it: (1) What are the work experiences of Black women in senior leadership positions in student affairs? (2) What barriers/issues to obtaining senior leadership …

Encouraging Young African American And Hispanic Women To Choose Stem Disciplines, Augustine Brutus

Leadership Education Capstones

The persisting disparity of young African American and Hispanic women in STEM disciplines has been a long-standing issue for education leaders, policymakers, and industry leaders. One way to address this issue is to explore the best strategies for building confidence in young African American and Hispanic women and increasing their self-efficacy at the high school level to pursue STEM disciplines. Community support, role models/mentors, and hands-on experiential learning are essential parts of the support and experience these young women of color (YWOC) need to feel confident in their abilities to succeed in STEM fields. This study identified the challenges young …

How Do Teachers’ Pedagogy Influence The Ways In Which African American Males Are Disciplined? A Case Study Examining Discipline In A High School Setting, Kimberly Kimbrough

Dissertations

This qualitative study was conducted to examine the pedagogies of high school teachers who have demonstrated success in working with African American male students and to determine which factors influence the way African American male students are disciplined. The rationale behind this research was based on the researcher’s direct observation of the many challenges African American male students encounter while navigating high school. The study was guided by a case study methodology to gather information about the shared experiences of the five teacher participants via interviews. Results showed African American male students experience high success levels when working with teachers …

African American Superintendent Perceptions And Experiences With The Recruitment, Selection And Promotion Process, Dennis Perry

LMU/LLS Theses and Dissertations

The underrepresentation of African Americans in the superintendency and lack of equitable access to the superintendency in K-12 public school districts across the United States is a problem of significant concern. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of 17 African American superintendents with the recruitment, selection, and promotion process to the superintendency while examining how the role of race, racism, sexism, and discrimination contribute to the underrepresentation of African American superintendents. The career and employment experiences of African American superintendents via semi-structured interviews is how this study extrapolates data to answer the research question. Thematic analysis based on narrative inquiry …

A Seat At The Table: A Phenomenological Study Of The Gap In African American/Black Women With Nonprofit Executive Leadership Roles, Angela J. Griffin

Educational and Organizational Learning and Leadership Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American/Black women leaders in the nonprofit business sector in the Pacific Northwest. The intent was to understand how their experiences of inequitable opportunities in the workplace prohibited them from attaining and retaining executive leadership roles. A qualitative, transcendental phenomenological approach was used to explore the career pathway trajectory for African American/Black women in the nonprofit sector, to capture the essence of their experiences navigating inequities along the leadership pipeline. To examine their experiences, critical race theory and social cognitive career theory provided a multifaceted viewpoint of African …

African American Teachers’ Perspectives On Principals’ Leadership Styles And The Influence On Teacher Morale, Ernestine Young

Theses and Dissertations

Morale is a concept that denotes how workers feel about their work and the environment in which they work (Robbins, 2003). Low teacher morale is not a new problem; however, with increasing frequency of low morale, teachers are affected all over the nation because of the financial and academic toll it has on education. Low morale typically impedes the achievement of the organization’s desired outcome and corresponds with unresolved grievances, attrition, and high absenteeism. Low morale is associated with billions of dollars spent per year. Low morale is due to effects such as stress, teacher burnout, absenteeism, attrition, and small …

Factors That Contribute To High School Senior African American Male Students’ Academic Success, John Jeffrey Baker

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There are many studies that examine the negative academic factors that hold African American male students back from being academically successful students. This research changes the narrative because it examines the positive factors that help African American male students become academically successful in school. These students are the future role models of the African American community, and their footsteps could possibly show other African American male students how to become stronger students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore factors that contribute to high school senior African American male students’ academic success. The participants were African American senior …

Homicidal Loss And Disenfranchised Grief, Mothers Of Murdered Descendants: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Michael Wayne Eagle

Theses and Dissertations

Violent acts of homicide committed against youth or children can lead to prolonged, devastating, and painful effects on their surviving mothers. Sudden unexpected deaths of descendants can lead to anger, guilt, sorrow, and isolation affecting survivors both emotionally and physically. Descendants’ deaths before the mothers’ deaths are unnatural and can lead to a decline in a survivor’s social actions, a rise in hospitalization rates, higher cases of mortality, complicated grief, and symptoms of PTSD. Cases of disenfranchised grief can surface after a survivor’s loss is ignored or no longer culturally allowed. Instances of empathic failure can result when empathy from …

Successful Instructional Reading Practices For African American Male Third-Grade Students, Kimberly D. Whaley, Steve Wells, Nancy Williams

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

African American male third graders in U.S Title I schools frequently fail to read on grade level. However, in three Title I schools in East Texas, this demographic demonstrated exceptionally high reading ability. This explanatory case study investigated the instructional strategies and practices linked to high reading achievement for these students. The study is grounded in Ladson-Billings’s theory of culturally relevant pedagogy and supported by Vygotsky’s theory of social and cognitive constructivism. The research questions were used to examine the instructional strategies and practices used on each campus that may have resulted in such high reading achievement. This study engenders …

Examining Perceptions Of High School Science Teachers Regarding The Participation And Outcomes Of African American Girls In Advanced Science Courses, Shanica Cherie Poole

Theses and Dissertations

African American girls were underrepresented in STEM related education and careers. Social and historical factors caused African American girls to be double marginalized based on gender and sex. African American girls had the potential to fill STEM positions with a strong foundation in advanced science courses. The current study focused on the unknown relationship between science teachers, advanced science courses, and African American girls participating in advanced science courses. Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Black Feminist Thought (BFT) theoretical frameworks were used in an integrated approach to understand the unique experiences of African American girls enrolled in advanced science courses. …

Scholastic Liberation: Schools' Impact On African American Academic Achievement, Aaron M. Johnson

Language Arts Journal of Michigan

This article addresses some of the factors that contribute to low achievement observed in African American students. It is common that either schools or school districts are unable to fix the problem or they are unaware about how the beliefs and attitudes about African American students can contribute to their low performance in school. Furthermore, this article encourages school institutions to examine themselves and change school environments to align to the identities of African American students. African American students must be liberated from negative assumptions about them and to do that, individuals and the institution of school as a whole, …

Leadership From The Middle Pays It Forward: An Academic Administrator Of Color’S Career Development Narrative In Postsecondary Education, Cecil Dean Campbell

The Qualitative Report

The ongoing underrepresentation of administrators of color in higher education suggests that traditional career pathways make racial equities in administrative leadership elusive. This personal narrative explores middle-manager educational and career experiences—some often-overlooked aspects of higher education administration. Using leadership and career development theories, I draw on qualitative approaches to examine my own career journey as one academic affairs administrator of color who has experienced a history of career change, lay-off, and non-traditional moves within and across diverse institutions. Through an inductive approach for analyzing data in my career narrative, emergent themes incorporate data references “calling,” citizenship, and cultural change in …