Browsing by Subject "African American Males"
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Item Academically Gifted, Poor African American Male Undergraduates in Engineering: Perceptions of Factors Contributing to Success in a Historically Black College and University and a Predominantly White Institution Context(2012-10-19) Flowers, AlonzoResearch focusing on the academic and social experiences of academically gifted, poor, African American male college students has been limited. Recent findings on college persistence stress the role of institutions of higher education in providing educational opportunities. However, research on academically gifted, poor, African American males indicates that this student population has had limited access to these opportunities. Academically gifted, poor, African American males in higher education encounter social and institutional factors that guide the directionality of their educational experience, particularly in engineering disciplines. This study explores perceptions of academically gifted, poor, African American male undergraduate students engineering as a major disciplines in order to identify factors that contribute to academic and social development. Based on participants' responses, seven categories emerge to identify aspects of the participants' experiences in college: (a) self-perceptions, (b) financial obstacles, (c) engineering as a major, (d) family influence and support, (e) peer relationships, (f) relationships with faculty, and (g) the students' perceptions of the institution. Based on the findings, it was concluded that institutions of higher education must understand the various factors (e.g., peer and faculty support, institutional congruence) that influence the academic and social integration of academically gifted, poor, African American male students. Specifically, these institutions must recognize the importance of family involvement, mentoring, and increased financial support for academically gifted, poor, African American male students.Item African American male students' perceptions of social, emotional, physical, and academic variables in their transition from elementary school to middle school(Texas A&M University, 2006-10-30) Grigsby, Bettye LoisThe purpose of this study was to examine four variables that impact African American male students?????? perceptions of their transition from elementary school to middle school. This study determined what role social, emotional, physical, and academic variables have in the transition process from elementary school to middle school for African American males. The two guiding questions for this mixed methods study were: 1. What are African American male students?????? perceptions of personal development variables on their transition from elementary school to middle school? 2. How do African American male students describe their transitional experience from elementary school to middle school? Participants in this study were 149 African American male students from five middle schools in southeast Texas. Findings of the study were derived from the use of a self-developed 52-item questionnaire (Student Transition Perception Survey) with one free-response question and interviews of ten students (two from each school). The major findings in this study were: 1. Social variable ??????African American male students felt that schools did not provide a positive school climate, teachers did not treat them with respect, and their parents were supportive of their education. 2. Emotional variable ??????African American male students felt that schools did not make them feel successful, and they did not feel equal to their peers. 3. Physical variable ??????African American male students were equally divided in the acceptance of their physical appearance and when they compared themselves to others. 4. Academic variable ??????African American male students felt that teachers did not give them valuable attention in class. 5. When looking at the trend of student responses among the five schools, African American male students shared similar feelings about the social, emotional, physical, and academic variables. 6. African American male students expressed their feelings about being unsafe, experiencing differentiated teacher treatment, declining grades, and difficulty in their middle school transition.Item The Relationship Between Teachers' Preparation and Perceived Level of Technology Use in Mathematics With Middle School African American Males(2012-10-19) Mason, Sherrie DeeThe purpose of this study was to investigate whether African American male students' academic achievement level can be positively impacted by teachers' use of instructional technology. In addition, this study examined teachers' level of preparedness in the use of instructional technology as well as their perceptions regarding their level of use of instructional technology. Finally, this study investigated the relationship between the technological activities and how effective these activities were in teaching mathematics objectives to African American males. The participants of this study were middle school teachers from six schools in the southwestern portion of the United States. Participants of this study also consisted of the African American male students enrolled in these teachers' classes. The Middle School Students' Mathematics Teacher Survey was developed and administered to a sample of 33 teachers of middle school-aged African American male students. The results of the study revealed that the level of teachers' preparedness had an influence on the use and implementation of technology use in the classroom. Teachers' preparedness in the use of instructional technology was related to their African American male students' mathematical achievement. Teachers' perceptions of the use of instructional technology was related to their African American male students' mathematics achievement. Results also indicated that teachers' perceptions regarding use of instructional technology were related to their African American male students' mathematics achievement. The level of teachers' preparedness and their perceptions toward the use of instructional technology in the classroom were reliable predictors of their African American male students meeting the standards in mathematics. When analyzing data, inferential statistical techniques were used to determine the differences between observed and expected frequencies.