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Campus Racial Climate and the Adjustment of Students to College: A Comparison Between White Students and African-American Students
Abstract
This study examined the impact of prejudice and discrimination on the adjustment of students to college. Results indicated perceived discriminatory behavior negatively affected minority student academic/intellectual development, social experiences, and institutional commitment. Although differential effects were noted for minority and non-minorities, exposure to discriminatory behavior impinged upon the cognitive/affective development of all students.
... "We do not learn from experience...we learn from reflecting on experience." ~John Dewey Inclusive pedagogies in STEM are necessary to improve classroom climate, enhance student persistence, and promote more positive and equitable outcomes [1], [2], [3]. A National Academies consensus report emphasizes that broad-based STEM education reforms, including curricular and pedagogical innovations, are needed for systemic and lasting effects. ...
... In an analysis of the 1988 National Educational Longitudinal Study (NELS) and its 1990 follow-up data, Ehrenberg et al. (1995) reported that teacher characteristics, including race, do not affect student test scores. In their research on the relationship between campus bias and college students' learning adaptability, Cabrera et al. (1999) reported that discriminatory behaviors have detrimental effects on minority students' academic and intellectual development, social experiences, and intentions. However, the predictive factors for academic achievement among both minority and nonminority students are essentially the same. ...
This study uses nationally representative data from the Chinese College Student Survey (CCSS) (N = 37,508) to examine the impact of minority-serving institutions (MSIs) on learning opportunities, processes, and outcomes for ethnic minority college students. The CCSS uses a self-report questionnaire with multiple scales to measure ethnic minority students’ development, including family and ethnic background, university admission opportunities, learning behavior and psychology, and skill development in areas such as leadership and innovative thinking. We employ logistic regression and propensity score matching and find that MSIs offer valuable learning opportunities to minority students from ethnic areas and economically disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as those with weak academic preparation. Furthermore, these institutions enhance ethnic minority students’ engagement in active and cooperative learning, participation in high-impact educational activities, acquisition of knowledge and skills, innovative thinking, leadership development, and overall growth. However, MSIs are less effective at fostering interpersonal relationships. Additionally, MSIs exert a significant positive influence on college students from ethnic groups characterized by strong religious affiliations or low average educational levels, particularly in terms of learning behaviors and both academic and social integration.
... Since the 1990s, there have been enormous studies calling for a cultural change in the environment of higher education and focusing directly on the culture of engineering education. Several research studies [4,5,6,7] acknowledge that the social, psychological, and structural aspects of STEM education in colleges and universities play an important role in shaping how students align their identities with their academic domains in such a way that this alignment termed their academic identities has a certain impact on their efforts and achievements. The study [8] reveals that the college experience for individual students is influenced by their perceptions of interpersonal interactions and norms, which a reflective of the college culture and thus play a pivotal role in shaping student performance, engagement, and persistence, surpassing predictions solely based on socioeconomic status or academic preparedness indicators. ...
This is a complete analysis work on establishing the relationship between all three factors namely sense of belonging, mental health and well-being (MHW), and engineering identity in the context of Engineering Stress Culture (ESC) within first-year engineering courses at a large mid-western university for Fall 2023. The analysis on gender focuses on Female and Male, while ethnicity/race focuses on the underrepresented group (African American) and the overrepresented group (White). The results indicate a strong correlation between the engineering major and the engineering classroom across gender and ethnic groups. Specifically, fostering an inclusive and supportive environment within the engineering major is crucial for enhancing the classroom experience, benefiting both Male and African American students. Female and African American students tend to perceive higher levels of stress compared to Males and Whites, respectively, with Female and African Americans exhibiting a greater ability to predict the connection between perceived stress and the sense of belonging within their gender and ethnic contexts. The findings suggest that competence and interest play a more significant role in shaping male students' identity in engineering compared to females. White students exhibit stronger correlations between recognition by others and interest, as well as competence and interest, indicating a more pronounced influence on their engineering identity compared to African American students. Furthermore, while interest appears to have a greater influence on engineering identity across Female, Male, and White groups, this trend differs for African Americans, suggesting that feeling recognized by others significantly shapes their perceptions of identity in engineering. Lastly, perceived stress is less strongly associated with individuals' interest in engineering than with their perceived competence or recognition by others, implying a lower risk of stress even when interest is not strong. Further research is needed to determine causality and identify any underlying factors influencing this relationship. This work may further examine the evolution of these factors as first-year students advance through subsequent semesters. This exploration contributes depth to our understanding of the dynamic relationship among sense of belonging, engineering identity, the ESC, and students' mental health and well-being over time.
... Research has also shown that many students who belong to minoritized groups encounter discrimination from students, faculty, and staff in higher education institutions (Cabrera et al., 1999;Garcia & Johnston-Guerrero, 2015;Griffin et al., 2016;Hurtado & Ruiz Alvarado, 2015;McGee & Bentley, 2017), particularly in regards to their language and literacy practices (e.g., Baker-Bell et al., 2017;Brooks & Alvarado, 2020;Kinloch, 2005;Kynard, 2010). In this article, two female Black undergraduates (Narcarsia, a non-traditional college student and Zaria, a first In sharing these counterstories, we aim to offer concrete examples of the ways in which current educational practices exclude the histories, experiences, and literacy practices of Black students and the profound impact of that exclusion. ...
Now more than ever, injustice against African Americans is being publicized at an alarming rate. The accessibility of mobile phones has made it possible for prejudice against blacks to be brought to global attention. This has propelled the Black Lives Matter movement and protesters around the world to take to the streets in demand for change within the governing systems. Their shouts of police brutality toward African Americans are being heard. However, there is another injustice being done against blacks that remains unseen in the background. This quiet discriminatory system has been in operation for generations. The purpose of this article is to expose the disconnection between the African American student and the education system; a detachment that has been intentional and systematic. This article discusses how the education system has become a quiet oppressor of African Americans. An oppressor who has robbed African Americans of their vast history. An oppressor who has branded African Americans as ignorant and delinquent. An oppressor who has refused to acknowledge and include the academic works produced by scholars of color within its curriculum. The racist practices of the educational system have been hidden in plain sight for decades. This article is not being written in order to vent out frustrations. This article is a call for action. A call for change in a system that impacts all African American students from kindergarten through college. As current events have revealed, racism is alive and well in America and is being cultivated inside our schools.
The purpose of this research is to investigate the social antecedents of academic performance over time, as well as understand if a longitudinal view of performance affords greater understanding of graduation and retention. Academic performance across four years was tracked among 1,911 university students. Embeddedness prior to institutional entry was examined alongside high school grade point average and standardized test scores as predictors of performance improvement over time. Embeddedness was also examined as a potentially stronger predictor of performance improvement among ethnic minorities. Results indicate that Black and Hispanic students with greater social ties were more likely to improve their academic performance over time. Additionally, initial academic performance and improvement in performance over time were uniquely related to graduation and retention rates. These results suggest that performance improvement is a novel and valuable conceptualization of academic performance. Further, universities may promote performance improvement by helping newcomers form bonds with current members. Further research may identify the specific supports current members provide to inform structural solutions of such supports. Such research and policy interventions may be of relatively greater benefit for Black and Hispanic students.
Dieser Beitrag untersucht am Beispiel der Dualen Hochschule Baden-Württemberg,
wie Studierende die Nachhaltigkeitsperformanz ihrer Hochschule wahrnehmen und
welche Einstellungen Studierende zu Nachhaltigkeit und Umweltschutz haben. Nur
wenige Studierende haben den Eindruck, dass Nachhaltigkeit ein wichtiges Thema auf
der Agenda der Hochschule darstellt. Gleichzeitig wünschen sich viele einen stärkeren
Fokus der Hochschule auf das Nachhaltigkeitsthema. Die Umsetzung der Nachhaltigkeitsförderung wird als sehr heterogen wahrgenommen – Unterschiede bestehen sowohl zwischen einzelnen Maßnahmen als auch zwischen den verschiedenen Studienstandorten und Studienbereichen.
Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Theorie-Praxis-Verzahnung im dualen Studium an der
DHBW mittels vergleichender Analysen von Umfragedaten. Die Analysen identifizieren
Wahrnehmungsunterschiede und -übereinstimmungen zwischen verschiedenen
Stakeholdern des dualen Studiums hinsichtlich der Umsetzung der inhaltlichen, organisatorischen und institutionellen Verzahnung. Studierende nehmen die Realisierung der inhaltlichen Verzahnung weniger intensiv wahr als Lehrende und duale Partner. Bei der institutionellen Verzahnung haben Lehrende und duale Partner nur wenige Wahrnehmungsunterschiede hinsichtlich zukünftiger Entwicklungsbedarfe.
Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Motive von Studierenden und dualen Partnern bezüglich
ihrer Entscheidung für das duale Studium am Beispiel der Dualen Hochschule Baden-
Württemberg (DHBW). Für Studierende sind die Theorie-Praxis-Verzahnung sowie
das Erzielen eines eigenen Einkommens während des Studiums die wichtigsten Stu-
dienwahlmotive. Duale Partner kooperieren insbesondere aufgrund ihres Bedarfs
an Ausbildung von Nachwuchskräften sowie der hohen Ausbildungsqualität. Beide
Gruppen betrachten fachlich-curriculare Aspekte als sehr wichtige Studienwahl- bzw.
Kooperationsmotive.
Dieser Beitrag untersucht die Nutzung, Einstellungen und Erwartungen von Studierenden gegenüber KI-Chatbots wie ChatGPT in der Hochschulbildung und in der Arbeitswelt. Das Wissen über diese Technik ist gering, obwohl viele Studierende sie nutzen. Die Mehrheit der Studierenden sieht positive Auswirkungen von KI-Chatbots auf das Hochschulstudium und wünscht sich deren Integration in die Lehre. Ein Verbot
von KI-Chatbots in der Hochschullehre wird mehrheitlich abgelehnt. Es besteht Unsicherheit hinsichtlich der Auswirkungen von KI auf den Arbeitsmarkt und der Entwertung des eigenen Kompetenzprofils durch KI.
Der vorliegende Beitrag geht der Frage nach, welche Bedeutung dem Zugehörigkeitsempfinden
Studierender zur Dualen Hochschule Baden-Württemberg mit Blick auf
deren Studienmotivation und Studienzufriedenheit zukommt. Grundlage bildet eine
Onlinebefragung aller Bachelorstudierenden der DHBW im Juni/Juli 2023. 4.095 Studierende
haben an der Befragung teilgenommen und 2.781 davon den Fragebogen bis
zum Ende ausgefüllt. Die durchgeführten linearen Regressionen und Mediationsanalysen
zeigen, dass auch bei dual Studierenden signifikante Effekte zwischen dem Zugehörigkeitsempfinden
der Studierenden zur Hochschule und deren studienbezogener
Leistungsmotivation und Studienzufriedenheit bestehen.
Although several theories have been advanced to explain the college persistence process [6, 39, 44, 46], the two theories that provide a more comprehensive theoretical framework on college departure decisions are Tinto's [44, 46] Student Integration Model and Bean's [5] Model of Student Departure [18]. These two theories have re-ceived considerable attention in the literature [see, for example, 13. 21, 22, 24, 26]. However, no research exists on the extent to which these two theories converge and diverge in explaining decisions to leave college. The purpose of this article was to examine, empirically, the convergent and discriminant validity between these two theories and document the extent to which the two theories could be merged to illuminate better our understanding of the college persistence process.
In this article, we provide guidance for substantive researchers on the use of structural equation modeling in practice for theory testing and development. We present a comprehensive, two-step modeling approach that employs a series of nested models and sequential chi-square difference tests. We discuss the comparative advantages of this approach over a one-step approach. Considerations in specification, assessment of fit, and respecification of measurement models using confirmatory factor analysis are reviewed. As background to the two-step approach, the distinction between exploratory and confirmatory analysis, the distinction between complementary approaches for theory testing versus predictive application, and some developments in estimation methods also are discussed.
Predictions about changes in racial attitudes offered by Gunnar Myrdal's An American Dilemma are tested using responses to questions on school desegregation from 16 surveys between 1954 and 1977. A flow graph model
for difference equations involving categorical variables is used to organize responses from the survey pool totaling 22,505
respondents. Although there has been about a 30 percent increase in tolerance of school desegregation over time, cohort and
education subgroups maintain consistent differences among themselves; and regional differences dissipate at a rate that can
be approximated using a linear equation. Contrary to Myrdal's predictions, other findings indicate (1) only about 5 percent
of the increase in tolerance is due to cohort replacement; (2) less than .4 percent of the increased racial tolerance is due
to increased educational attainment; (3) cohort effects on educational attainment depress tolerance about .4 percent; and
(4) more than 20 percent of the change in tolerance is due to increases among all educational and cohort groups.
This article reviews previous studies of financial aid packaging policies and explains how institutions package aid for eligible students. An analysis of national data for aid to Hispanic students reveals a pattern different from that of other students; the implications of various packaging policies are discussed.
Among 1972 high-school graduates, having a two-year college education culminating in a degree or certificate (as compared to entering the labor market with no postsecondary education) improved individuals' occupational outcomes (income and/or job status). But two-year college education left patterns of inequality between groups unchanged at best.
Using a model of retention, this study focused on minority and nonminority students' adjustment to college. Data were collected via mailed questionnaire from 799 freshmen at a residential, public research university in the Midwest. Path analysis was used to test the model. Results indicated that perceived quality had significant effects on intent to persist for minorities but not for nonminorities, and academic achievement had significant effects on intent to persist for nonminorities but not for minorities. Similarities between the two groups, however, clearly overshadowed differences. For instance, perceived racial discrimination exerted equivalent effects (although weak) on intent to persist for minorities and nonminorities.
I review the debate over multicultural education in this article, state that all knowledge reflects the values and interests of its creators, and illustrate how the debate between the multiculturalists and the Western traditionalists is rooted in their conflicting conceptions about the nature of knowledge and their divergent political and social interests. I present a typology that describes five types of knowledge and contend that each type should be a part of the school, college, and university curriculum.
The dropout process from higher education is examined from a variety of operational definitions and intellectual perspectives. A methodological analysis, critique, and synthesis of the empirical literature suggest that a more rigorous interdisciplinary approach must be attempted. A model based on Durkheim's theory of suicide provides a fruitful vehicle for summarizing a large proportion of current research, and focusing future attention on the interaction between student attributes (i.e., dispositions, interests, attitudes, and skills) and the influences, expectations, and demands imposed by various sources in the university environment. Both the academic and social systems of the university are regarded as important frameworks from which the dropout process must be examined. An empirical analysis operationalizing the variables in the model will be presented in the sequel to this paper.
This multi-institutional study sought to determine the factors influencing students' openness to diversity and challenge during the first year of college. Controlling for student background characteristics and other confounding influences, a nondiscriminatory racial environment, on-campus residence, participation in a racial or cultural awareness workshop, and extent of involvement with diverse peers had positive effects on openness to diversity/challenge. Conversely, Greek affiliation had a negative effect.
A five-scale instrument developed from a theoretical model of college attrition correctly identified the persistence/voluntary withdrawal decisions of 78.5 percent of a sample of freshmen in a large, residential university. Particularly important discriminators of freshman year persisters and voluntary dropouts were scales assessing the quality of relationships with faculty.