African American Male Students Research Articles

Black Male Bodies in White Female Spaces: Power, Dominance, and Myth in Social Work Education

ABSTRACT In 2008, the Council for Social Work Education re-envisioned its accreditation framework. The primary intent was to advance more equitable social work educational environments, which required highlighting curriculum content, and the culture of human interchange. Still, little has been provided regarding their intersectional effects on classroom culture, or students’ educational experiences. To respond to this gap, this study explores the realities of 17 African-American male social work students attending predominantly White collegiate institutions. Interpretive phenomenological analysis, social dominance theory, and Foucauldian power were used to explore and contextualize participants’ experiences. Major findings highlight the nuanced ways gender and race intersect with power, curriculum, and pedagogical practices to protect and promote historically normative structures of racial dominance within social work education.

“I can’t Breathe”: a Delphi study of the proverbial knee on the neck of African American male students

ABSTRACT The plight of African American males continues throughout America and is prevalent in its educational system. Not only are these students negatively impacted by low expectations of their non-African American teachers; policy makers are impeded from devising effective strategies to improve their academic achievement. This qualitative Delphi study explored teacher preconceptions of African American male students to determine the connection between teacher expectations and the academic achievement of these students. Moral exclusion and critical race theory provided the conceptual framework. The findings of the study revealed several perceived preconceptions that included the teacher belief that these students did not care to achieve a quality education. The results provided recommendations to improve the school experience of African American male students by increasing the cultural competence of educators. While the primary recommendation was for teachers to be trained in cultural awareness and diversity; this issue proves to not be an easy fix.

Black Men’s Experiences at Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) : A 30-Year Interpretative Meta-Synthesis

Several studies on Black men in colleges and universities focused heavily on quantitative measurements of their enrollment, retention or attrition, and graduation rates. In contrast, limited research shed light on their qualitative experiences on college/university campuses. Of those, many found that African American male students face unique challenges at predominantly white colleges, including feelings of invisibility, microaggressions, and a dearth of Black faculty. This study takes a different angle to fill the gap by studying the Black men’s experiences at PBIs and HBCUs. Utilizing a Black Male College “Choice” Framework (BMCCF), three reoccurring themes were identified to describe the experiences of Black men at both PBIs and HBCUs: family, psychological, and institutional. Overall, the study found close similarities in the Black Men’s experiences between PBIs and HBCUs. Implications for future research are also suggested.

The African American Male Student and Problems with Suspensions and Expulsions within Public Schools

The African American Male Student and Problems with Suspensions and Expulsions within Public Schools

“They Are Coming to Get Something”: A Qualitative Study of African American Male Community College Students’ Education Abroad Experience in Senegal, West Africa

This paper is a critical qualitative study of African American male community college students’ education abroad experience in Senegal, West Africa. Currently, there is a lack of research that focuses directly on Black men who are studying abroad. Using African American male theory as the framework, four major themes emerged: men to boys, challenging the notion of  counternarratives, identity, and not-so-distant cousins. These themes point collectively to a transformative experience for the participants. Notably, the educational experience transformed the participants’ cultural, social, and racial identities, as the trip fostered a combination of vulnerability and safety that created the conditions for Black men to grow and transform.

Stigma, help‐seeking, and counseling with African American male college students

AbstractThe help‐seeking processes of college students can be impacted by aspects of public stigma, self‐stigma, and mental health literacy. The unique influences of these factors, however, have yet to be explored with African American male college students (AAMCS). Using a sample of 116 AAMCS, the researchers examined changes of variances in AAMCS’ help‐seeking intentions explained by public stigma, self‐stigma, mental health literacy, and self‐construal. Our hierarchical regression analyses revealed public stigma and self‐stigma to account for 13.7% (ΔR2 = 0.137) of variance in predicting help‐seeking intentions of AAMCS. Mental health literacy and self‐construal were not found to be statistically significant in their respective models. The overall hierarchical model accounted for 25.9% of variance in help‐seeking intentions of AAMCS. Implications for counseling practice and future research in help‐seeking are discussed.

An Examination of the Context-Linked Influences on the Achievement Outcomes of African American Male High School Seniors

Abstract Although students must successfully navigate transition years in school in pursuit of sustained academic success, not enough is known about the context-linked experiences of African American male adolescents as they seek to traverse their senior year, one of the most important pivotal points in time for all students. This study examined the relationship between perceptions of support from significant others, exposure to contextual risks, and two achievement outcomes in a representative sample of 139 African American male high school seniors. At this critical juncture in their education career, teacher support was predictive of higher grade point average (GPA), and a specific type of family support was associated with lower GPA. Qualitative analysis revealed similarities and differences in types of support reported to have had an impact on the participants’ success in school. Results from the study confirm one hypothesis that exposure to contextual risks predicts poorer achievement outcomes. Findings affirm the need for tailored interventions that target and strengthen the systems of support within the social environment of academically at-risk African American male students.

Online Learning or E- Learning and the African American Male Students

Online Learning or E- Learning and the African American Male Students

Increasing the Participation of African American Male Students in STEM

Despite recent efforts aimed at increasing diversity in STEM-related fields, many communities are still largely underrepresented in these disciplines, including African American students and professionals. Not only is this unfair on individuals who may ultimately miss out on rewarding STEM careers, but it also deprives the STEM workforce of talented minds, and the innovation that a more diverse community could achieve. Dr Terry L. Mills and Dr J. K. Haynes, two professors at Morehouse College in Atlanta, have created the John H. Hopps Jr. STEM Education Research Program, an academic intervention designed to increase the participation of African American men in STEM degrees.

To Hope and Belong in Adolescence: A Potential Pathway to Increased Academic Engagement for African American Males

Despite the best intentions of many educators, scholars have theorized that systemic racism and sexism are major impediments to the academic engagement of African American males. The current study explored a potential pathway to address this issue. In a sample of 223 African American male high school students, this study examined the relationship between hope and school belonging to all three aspects of academic engagement (i.e., behavioral engagement, emotional engagement, and intellectual engagement) to better understand how these psychosocial perceptions relate to, and might be a potential pathway to increase, the academic engagement of African American males. Utilizing a series of hierarchical regressions, results indicated that hope and school belonging accounted for around 24% to 46% of all three aspects of African American males’ academic engagement. Given that hope and school belonging have been found to be easily increased, these results suggest a potential path forward to increased engagement for African American males. Impact Statement African American males combat pervasive gender and racial discrimination within the school context. This discrimination suppresses their academic engagement via extinguishing their hope and sense of belonging within the academic domain. The current study proposes a way forward.

“I'm Trying to Beat a Stereotype”: Suburban African American Male Students’ Social Supports and Personal Resources for Success in AP English Coursework

Background African American male students attending U.S. suburban schools remain severely underrepresented in Advanced Placement (AP) programs. A number of structural barriers, including racialized tracking policies; limited referrals from educators and school counselors; conventional AP practices centered on Eurocentric curricula, literature, and pedagogies; and educators’ deficit mindsets toward Black masculinity, mitigate African American male students’ access to and success in suburban AP classrooms. Despite these sobering realities, African American male students have achieved success in AP English Language Arts coursework. Yet few researchers have investigated the multiple and complex forms of support to which African American male students attribute their successful performance in AP English coursework in suburban high schools. Purpose/Research Question In an effort to close opportunity gaps in AP English programs, the present study illuminates the social supports and personal resources that African American male students mobilized to earn exemplary grades (i.e., maintaining a grade of B- or higher, or 79.6% or higher out of 100%) in an AP English Language and Composition and/or an English Literature and Composition course, and earn a passing score on the formal AP exam (i.e., 3 or higher). Countering deficit-oriented research paradigms, we employed an anti-deficit achievement framework to (re)position young African American men as capable, motivated, and agentive learners who marshal complex supportive networks, as well as their own personal resources, to successfully learn academic literacies in AP English classrooms. Our inquiry was guided by the following research question: To what social supports and personal resources do young African American men who graduated from a suburban high school attribute their success in AP English coursework? Participants Eight young African American men who were enrolled in AP English coursework in a suburban Mid-Atlantic secondary school were the participants in this study. Participants were successful learners who received exemplary grades in an AP English class, were taught by the first author, and earned a passing score on an AP English exam. Participants’ ages ranged from 21 to 33 years, and all were attending or had graduated from a four-year college or university. Research Design The young men participated in one-on-one, in-depth interviews. Interviews probed the participants’ personal experiences in AP English, their perspectives in achieving success in the class and on the formal exam, and their recollections of the AP English curriculum, and were cross-analyzed for common sources of supports through multiple coding cycles. Findings The young men highlighted six sources of support that were integral to their AP English success. They described three sources of social supports—the wisdom, guidance, and caring that they received from family members, English teachers, and peers—that promoted their success in AP English. In addition, participants identified three types of personal resources—their own college aspirations, persistence in learning academic literacies, and racial consciousness—that inspired and motivated their high scholastic achievement in AP English. Conclusion By mobilizing the rich social supports and personal resources in their lives, African American male students have the resilience, courage, and the intelligence to enroll and succeed in AP English coursework. We suggest that suburban school administrators, school counselors, and teachers use open AP enrollment policies; work closely with and provide pertinent information to African American families; address students’ social emotional concerns; and ensure that AP English pedagogical practices are humanizing to improve the recruitment and retention of African American male students in AP English programs. Finally, we contend that educational scholars and practitioners must continue to engage in research and practice that nurture young African American male students’ social supports and personal resources for AP English success.

I sing because I’m happy: an exploration of belongingness among African American males in high school

This study examined belongingness as it related to academic achievement. The need for research in this area derives from a sense of urgency and commitment to advocate for academically struggling African-American males with the hope that they will graduate high school in a timely manner. This study utilized the perspectives of 12 African-American male students participating in a predominately African-American choral program for at least two years of their high school careers. The researchers explored the relationship between a choral music program, belongingness, and students’ academic success. The goal was to identify a strategy that will support African-American males socially and academically in educational settings. The focus of this phenomenological research was to provide a first-person account by those people who have a direct experience with the phenomenon. The study revealed that choir participation may have a positive impact on academic achievement.

Promoting positive teacher-student relationships through creating a plan for Classroom Management On-boarding

Abstract Classroom management is cited as a frequent concern by many teachers. These concerns with classroom management are commonly rooted in a struggle to effectively engage students and a failure to form authentic relationships with students. Centering Culturally Relevant Pedagogy is crucial when effectively engaging and building authentic relationships with students – especially for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse students identified with Emotional Behavior Disorder (EBD). Mainly, teachers should hold a high self-efficacy of themselves and high expectations for their students, build and maintain authentic classroom communities, and demonstrate a passion for their work. Unfortunately, many teachers do not prioritize the need to be culturally responsive to their students’ families or the need to investigate their own cultural self-awareness. Additionally, these teachers often feel uninformed and ill-prepared to prioritize the aforementioned elements to successfully engage students in the classroom, as educator preparation programs often provide too little information, training, and reinforcement regarding the basics, as well as more specific strategies, of effective classroom management. Schools persistently fall short in providing an educational experience for students with EBD that leads to appropriate and desired educational outcomes due to a lack of teacher training in understanding the foundation and function of behavior, as well as how to appropriately address problematic behaviors. These shortcomings become particularly complex in classrooms with students with EBD, given the students’ multifaceted academic and social behavioral needs. Moreover, given the overrepresentation of African American males in the EBD disability category, the importance of specific cultural components cannot be ignored. Thus, when teachers do not structure their classroom culture in a manner that is Culturally Relevant, many students, especially African American male students with EBD, experience challenges meeting their goals to function properly in various environments—both in and out of the classroom. One strategy that teachers can use to improve their teaching of students with EBD is Classroom Management On-boarding (CMO-b). This paper identifies specific techniques that could guide the development of a plan for CMO-b that emphasizes the importance of the teacher-student relationship as the foundation for building a positive and effective classroom for teachers of students identified with EBD, and especially for African American male students.

Female teacher's perceptions of African-American male elementary school students who misbehave: a narrative inquiry

Disruptive students in the classroom can affect classroom dynamics and individual teacher-student interactions. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to discover perceptions female teachers harbor toward misbehaving African-American elementary school males. The study incorporated a narrative inquiry to investigate perceptions female teachers have toward African-American male elementary school students. The research project involved a purposeful sample of eight female elementary teachers, four African-American teachers and four Caucasian teachers from one public school district in the southeastern United States. The female teachers reflected on their lived experiences and perceptions derived from experiences and encounters they have with African-American elementary school males. Data collection from the study occurred through individual responses from a survey and follow-up telephone interviews. From teacher's descriptions of perceived successes and failures, coded commonalities in reports, labeled themes, conclusions, and recommendations resulted from data collection and analysis. The findings revealed some African-American male elementary school students misbehave in the classroom and others do not. The term “misbehave” is based upon the experiences and type of interactions and exchanges teachers had with African-American male students in the classroom and African-American males outside the school environment. Gender, culture, and language may factor in creating effective teacherstudent interactions to enable better relationships and student outcomes.

Using the ACA Advocacy Competencies as a Guide to Group Work for Supporting the Career Development of School-Aged African American Males

ABSTRACT The career development needs of school-aged African American Male (AAM) students require advocacy from school counselors. Such advocacy must extend from direct group intervention with students to include group work on behalf of students. The authors propose using the ACA Advocacy Competencies as a guide to using group work as advocacy that extends to the community/school and public arena levels. A case study demonstrates how school counselors can apply the competencies and related strategies, and the authors offer relevant recommendations.

Coping Power in the City: Promoting Coping in African American Male Students

This article describes efforts to adapt an adolescent version of the Coping Power program, called Coping Power in the City, for use with high school students attending an urban school district with high concentrations of students exposed to community violence and challenges related to elevated tensions between youth and police. The goal of this group-based preventive intervention is to provide a comprehensive, school-based approach to stem rates of violence, discipline problems, and related mental health concerns for adolescents. A novel feature is the integration of a school police component into the intervention model with concurrent supports for students, parents, and teachers to supplement school counseling efforts. We present an overview of the program and a rationale for its adaptation to meet the needs of African American males in urban high schools. We summarize baseline data for 514 ninth graders (46% African American males) across 10 urban high schools participating in a randomized controlled trial. We also address lessons learned and implications for school-based counseling practices for African American male students and engagement of school police officers in urban high schools.

K–12 School Counselors Utilizing Critical Race Theory to Support the Racial Identity Development and Academic Achievement of African American Males

This article examines the role of racial identity development in the academic achievement of African American adolescent males. Through the lens of critical race theory (CRT), we highlight how K–12 school counselors may support and enhance the schooling experiences of African American males by understanding and acknowledging how racial identity development may impact academic achievement. A focus on CRT in education emphasizes the continual persistence of racism ingrained in K–12 education located within the educational opportunities, curriculum, representation, and teacher perception of African American males. We offer insight into how school counselors may work to decrease barriers to achievement by analyzing the effect race and gender have on the identification, retention, and underachievement of their African American male students.

Lived Experiences of Low-Income, African American Males in a High School STEAM Academy: Implications for School Counselors

Using a qualitative case study approach, this investigation focused specifically on the school and home experiences of low-income, African American males who had attended a career academy focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. With semistructured interviews of individuals and focus groups, we investigated the school and home experiences of African American male former high school students and how these experiences influenced their overall educational pursuit. This study concentrated on the specific research question: What are the unique identities, school experiences, and life challenges of low-income, African American males? Data analysis revealed three salient themes: (a) missing critical school and home supports, (b) searching for significant relationships and role models, and (c) desiring to earn money to provide for their families. Based on these qualitative themes, we offer specific strategies that school personnel, such as school counselors, can use to increase school engagement and success among low-income, African American males.

Becoming the “Ultimate Competitor”: African American Male Student Athletes’ Resolution for Academic Success in the Face of Adversity at NCAA Division I Predominantly White Institutions

This study investigated the academic experiences of nine African American male student athletes’ college experiences focusing on prior academic preparation and faculty expectations. Findings in this study illustrate significant heterogeneity and complexity among African American male student athletes, which challenges the current, over-simplified portrayal of their academic experience in higher education. Furthermore, this study highlights that facing racial stereotypes, African American student athletes found it essential to take charge of academic decisions (i.e. academic advising and facilitation of support services initiatives) and to build a team that supported their academic success.

The Qualms and Quarrels with Online Undergraduate Mathematics: The Experiences of African American Male STEM Majors

ABSTRACT Equity-related issues are a critical contemporary concern in mathematics education, and one specific area that has been taken up deals with equitable instructional modalities. However, the focus of many of these discussions, meetings, and publications is on K–12 mathematics education. This study reports on one aspect of an ongoing, equity issue in undergraduate mathematics education – face-to-face versus online mathematics instruction. In so doing, it investigates this issue surrounding online mathematics learning with African American (Both African American and Black are used interchangeably throughout this article, and these terms refer to students who were born and completed their schooling in the United States.) male Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) majors who have successfully completed the Calculus sequence using a critical race perspective. Findings show that these Black men did not prefer online mathematics instruction. Recommendations are shared to deal with the qualms and quarrels of online mathematics and ultimately better prepare African American male students for STEM majors.