Date of Award

5-2021

Document Type

Dissertation - Campus Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Degree Discipline

Education Leadership

Abstract

There is a growing concern regarding the low persistence rates of African- American males in education. Many provide introspection as to why this phenomenon exists. Yet, few researchers address it from the perspective of how support services and resources could assist these students in the persistence of their degree in a four-year setting. The U.S. Department of Education (2013) notes that the persistence rates of students of color remain slightly below enrollment percentages. These numbers are significantly lower when comparing graduation and enrollment percentages for African- American male students completing a four-year degree of 32%. In comparison, the combined rate for both African-American males and females is 45% (NCES, 2016). Given these numbers and the fact that African-American males represent one of the smallest populations with low graduation rates, this study is timely and warranted.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the independent variables of academic (Grade Point Average (GPA), Satisfactory Academic Performance (SAP), social-personal (first-generation, age, socioeconomic status), and school-related factors (classification, Supplemental Instruction (SI), tutorial services) and the persistence rates of African-American males in select Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) courses. Secondary data analyzed what salient indicators have the most profound effect on the persistence rates of African-American male students. A theoretical framework of Whiting's Scholarly Identity Model (SIM) and Chickering's student identity development theory was used to analyze the data of academic factors (Grade Point Average (GPA), Satisfactory Academic Performance (SAP), Social-Personal factors (first-generation, age), and School-Related factors (classification, Supplemental Instructional (SI) support, and tutorial services). The independent variables were academic, social-personal, and school-related factors and the dependent variable was persistence rates. All statistical tests employed the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).

Guided by Whiting's (2014) scholar identity model and Chickering and Reisser's (1995) seven vectors of student identity development, this research fills the gap in the literature by analyzing secondary data from an HBCU. The study used multiple correlational analysis, which identified relationships between the independent variables of academic (Grade Point Average (GPA), Satisfactory Academic Performance (SAP), social-personal (first-generation, age, socioeconomic status), and school-related factors (classification, Supplemental Instruction (SI), tutorial services) on the persistence rates of African-American males in a select Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics course (dependent variable).

The analysis of secondary data related to the three research questions and corresponding null hypotheses using Pearson's correlation coefficient measured the variables' relationships. The data results revealed that two null hypotheses were rejected while one failed to be rejected. Most specifically, academic and school-related factors revealed positive correlations with persistence rates of African-American males. Socialpersonal factors also indicated a weak positive correlation; but without enough evidence to support a relationship between first-generation, socioeconomic status, or age and the persistence rates of African-American males enrolled in select STEM courses.

Whiting's (2014) scholar identity model and Chickering and Reisser's (1995) seven vectors of student identity development examined the meaning of the data analysis. The scholar identity model (2014) posited that self-efficacy, internal locus of control, and positive role models are essential for African-American males to believe in their ability to become scholars, model scholarly behavior, and self-identify as scholars. Student identity development described how students developed personal and academic skills as they matured and experienced higher education and real-world phenomena. The findings inform education leadership, administrators, faculty, staff, researchers, and practitioners about the role of using an asset-based approach with supplemental instruction and tutorial services in increasing academic persistence rates of African-American males.

Committee Chair/Advisor

Patricia Hoffman-Miller

Committee Member

G. Solomon Osho

Committee Member

Carl Gardiner

Committee Member

William H. Parker

Publisher

Prairie View A&M University

Rights

© 2021 Prairie View A & M University

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Date of Digitization

10/01/2024

Contributing Institution

John B Coleman Library

City of Publication

Prairie View

MIME Type

Application/PDF

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