Author: Abebe Gelagay
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 88

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Author: Simone Thomas
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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One of the most pervasive issues facing educators and administrators in Adult Basic Education (ABE) is student persistence. The purposes of this qualitative study were 1) to identify the experiences that African American adult learners associated with their decisions to leave ABE programs; 2) to ascertain the impact of participants' perceptions of participation in ABE relative to their self perceptions and individual learning goals; and 3) to examine the extent to which barriers perceived by participants were consistent with barriers identified in the existing literature. Three research questions guided this study: 1) what experiences do participants associate with past decisions to leave one or more ABE programs; 2) how do participants view participation in ABE relative to their self perceptions and individual learning goals; and 3) do participants perceive barriers other than those identified in the literature? This study was guided by an interpretivist theoretical framework. It was conducted at a nonformal ABE program offered by a nonprofit organization. The participants were six African American learners enrolled in ABE at the time of data collection, each of whom had previously failed to persist in this or some other ABE program. Data sources include individual interviews, focus groups, classroom observations, artifacts, a research journal, and field notes. Findings of he study indicated that African American ABE students perceived a number of barriers. Situational barriers included family obligations, health problems, and work. Dispositional barriers perceived by participants were low self-efficacy, shame, and negative perceptions of racial identity. Age was identified as both a situational and a dispositional barrier. Lack of tutor persistence, lack of individual attention, embarrassment in the learning setting, and dissatisfaction with instructional options were structural barriers identified by participants. Additional structural barriers found included lack of cultural relevance in instruction and overemphasis on grammar. Boshier's Congruence Model accurately predicted the participation decision of three participants. The study's findings suggest that African American ABE students' participation decisions are greatly impacted by their experiences in the learning setting and individual self perceptions. Unavoidable life events and competing obligations also led to learners' failure to persist. .

Author: Velvie C. Green
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American dropouts
Languages : en
Pages : 278

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Author: Misha A. Turner
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American college students
Languages : en
Pages :

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Author: John Glavan
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American community college students
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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The purposes of this study were to examine the experiences of African American female students attending urban community colleges, to gain further understanding of how they interpret the meaning of persistence, and to identify the factors that affect their persistence. African American women attending community college in Los Angeles were interviewed on their educational experiences and the meaning of persistence to them. The results of this study will offer researchers and community college leaders a broader and more in-depth perspective into the essence of persistence for African American female students. By focusing on individual students rather than groups of students, the study examines how persistence works in the day-to-day lives of these students. The study expresses these women's concerns and may help make colleges more aware of their needs and issues.The significance of this study is threefold. The first is to help a minority group of students who currently are trying to benefit from a community college education to find a voice so that they can describe their college experiences. The second is to describe, based both on the specific perceptions of the students interviewed as well as insights gained from the study of the relevant literature, the specific impact that urban community colleges have on the persistence of African American female students. The third is to add to the currently limited scholarly literature regarding the persistence of African American female students attending urban community colleges.

Author: Amy Radovcic
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Author: Jacqualyn F. Green
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Academic achievement
Languages : en
Pages : 372

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Population estimations for the year 2000 indicate an increase in poor and minorities in the United States (Loden & Rosener, 1991). In view of this growth trend, Berger (1989) suggests a need for social workers with sensitivity to such populations. The presence of minority perspectives provides a valuable contribution to service delivery (Mullen et al., 1993). Efforts to enhance student persistence in graduate schools of social work will contribute to the pool of social workers available in the next century. The purpose of this study is to determine the factors that contribute to African American student persistence in graduate schools of social work. This study applies aspects of Astin's, Tinto's and Green's theories of persistence. Astin's theory of involvement (1975) considers student investment of time in educational pursuits. Tinto's (1975) theory of departure includes background, social and academic aspects in persistence decisions. Green's (1997) theory focuses on the ability of the student to cope with racial issues (racial resilience) and the racial climate of the school (racial responsiveness). One hundred and thirty-five students from two predominantly white and two historically black universities participated in surveys administered to determine the effect of involvement, background, academic, social, resilience factors, and college type upon student persistence outcomes. Interviews held with administrative personnel at each institution provided contextual data. Correlations were used to examine the relationships among all of the variables in the study. T-Tests were conducted to compare outcomes due to university type. Multiple regressions were used to explore the relationships between significant independent variables and persistence. The findings of this study indicate that persistence outcomes of African American graduate social work students are influenced by: (a) academic performance, faculty-student relationships, (c) health, (d) the ability to deal with stress, and (e) ethnic pride (impressions of ethnic group). These findings suggest that social work programs that incorporate aggressive grade monitoring practices, provide diverse opportunities for student-faculty interaction, offer opportunities for health care, stress alternatives, and a culturally relevant curriculum, may positively influence African American student persistence.

Author: Reginal Rashad Hall
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : African American college students
Languages : en
Pages : 266

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The purpose of this study is to explore factors that may contribute to the persistence and graduation rates of African American and Hispanic undergraduate males enrolled at regional four-year public universities in Texas. African American and Hispanic males have lower graduation rates in both secondary and post-secondary education than their White peers (Swail, Cabrera, Lee & Williams, 2013; Harper, 2010). This study utilized a mixed methods research design. The quantitative portion of the study provides descriptive data to exhibit the historical four-year and six-year graduation rates of African American, Hispanic and White males within the regional university. The qualitative portion of the study investigated characteristics which exist among African American and Hispanic undergraduate males who have persisted and were retained at the university through their senior academic year. Focus groups interviews were administered which allowed the researcher to explore the perceptions of African American and Hispanic males regarding academic and non-academic factors that may have served as supports and/or barriers to their persistence. A thematic analysis was conducted to evaluate relationships that may have occurred. The research provides more information on academic and non-academic factors that served as supports and/or barriers to their ultimate graduation.

Author:
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 748

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Author: Marissa Ashley Boyd
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 160

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Brief Literature Review: While environmental factors play a role in a student's institutional retention, student attitude and behavior may be just as significant to retention and degree completion. Exposure and prior knowledge of the social conventions of academia can be instrumental in preparing students for achieving success in a higher education setting (Farkas, 1996). Students who do not have family or friends who have been exposed to higher education cannot pass down the key tools to be academically successful in college. Students identifying as first generation are often from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and encounter decreased levels of family support, lessened college expectations, and lower educational values among parents (McConnell, 2000; Terrenzini, Springer, Yaeger, Pascarella, & Nora, 1996). Statement of the Problem: Institutions looking to promote the academic persistence of African American students may find that traditional retention practices may not work as well with students of color. Student retention is widely based on student engagement, including academic and social involvement with the campus community (Kuh, 2005). Identifying the ways in which academic and social supports effect attitudes of African American students towards academic persistence will allow colleges and universities to enhance existing programs or create programs to include support for students specifically through means of academic and social integration. Methodology: The study used a quantitative method to conduct research on all undergraduate African American students currently enrolled at a diverse university located in California's capital. The study employed an electronic survey, and 103 students participated in the research. Conclusions and Recommendations: African American students' most influential form of support came from themselves, indicating a high level of academic self-efficacy. The study revealed that African American students did not engage in academic and social activities on campus events with much frequency, but there seemed to be a slightly higher rate of academic engagement utilizing social informality than purely social activities between African American students and their peers. Understanding the influence of both academic and social support systems on student success, specifically African American student success, may allow institutions to foster or create support systems in alliance with academic programs.