(2021). "It's a Sea-Change": Understanding the Role the Racial and Socio-Political Climate Play on the Role-Shift of the American College Presidency. Education Policy Analysis Archives, v29 n40 spec iss Mar. This inquiry is part of a larger study focused on whether white male presidents in higher education can respond to racism. In the initial study, the author concluded that while presidents were responsive, their responses were not void of privilege, and highlighted the need to further address white Fragility amongst this group. In an effort to advance our understanding of the American college presidency, particularly how the racial and socio-political climate has shaped their leadership, in the current study, the author analyzed data using the perspective offered by the presidents–higher education is in a sea-change, which was also a finding, as well as specific facets of Astin and Astin' (2000) and Buller's (2015) respective frames of change. The analysis yielded the importance of naming that higher education is in a sea-change, grappled with the reality of power within the presidency, and articulated the value of being willing over being ready to incite change. In light of these… [PDF]
(2021). Towards a Theory of Critical Consciousness: A New Direction for the Development of Instructional and Supervisory Leaders. Journal of Educational Supervision, v4 n2 Article 4 p65-79. COVID-19 and the demand for racial justice caused the dark underbelly of white supremacy to be laid bare during 2020. These events call for a reexamination of the ontological and epistemological frameworks in academe and specifically within the field of educational leadership. The legacy of white supremacist ideology prevails as the existing and accepted ontological and epistemological perspectives of history offered in PreK-12 through post-secondary education. The political, economic, and social context highlights the need for instructional and supervisory leaders to be culturally responsive school leaders. This requires that programs preparing these leaders must grapple with and problematize the existing narratives purported in PreK-12 and post-secondary education; and recognize that racism, implicit bias, discrimination, and anti-Blackness are foundational issues in the field. Reimagining preparation programs by incorporating critical theories and liberatory praxis to support the… [PDF]
(2021). Navigating University Spaces as Refugees: Syrian Students' Pathways of Access to and through Higher Education in Turkey. International Journal of Inclusive Education, v25 n2 p298-312. This paper aims to explore how refugee students construct pathways of access to higher education by drawing on interviews with 15 Syrian university students studying at different universities across Turkey. The research is located within a capabilities-based human development paradigm from which it outlines the factors that enable students' transition into university and looks at how they navigate complex higher education spaces. The refugees' narratives show that access to university is intersectionally shaped by personal ambition, family encouragement, community support, and the social and education policy. On the other hand, their educational experiences highlight that higher education works as a site of justice where the everyday racism, xenophobia, and discrimination is alleviated to a significant degree through providing a peaceful and safe space for coexistence with others despite its financial and pedagogical constraints. The paper draws attention to the agency of students in… [Direct]
(2019). Patterns of Racialised Discourses in Norwegian Teacher Education Policy: Whiteness as a Pedagogy of Amnesia in the National Curriculum. Journal of Education Policy, v34 n3 p394-422. This article adds to new ways of understanding the institutionalisation of Whiteness as subtle workings of race and racism within education policy. It presents a critical discourse analysis of how Whiteness works through the use and meaning making of the term 'cultural diversity' in six Norwegian teacher education policy and curriculum documents. These documents are positioned as promoters of social justice. This article, however, aims to contest this position. Framed under the theoretical perspectives of critical Whiteness studies, discourse analysis and Goldberg's theorisation of racialised discourse, the findings indicate that Whiteness is embedded in the usage of the term 'cultural diversity', manifested in discursive patterns of (1) three hierarchically arranged pupil group categories, (2) descriptions that place the pupil group categories as either superior Norwegian or as inferior non-Norwegian, and (3) the role of student teachers as 'political actors of assimilation'. I… [Direct]
(2024). Promoting Change through the Voices of Black Graduate Students: A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of Black Graduate Students in MFT Programs. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Kansas State University. This qualitative study explores the diverse experiences of Black students who are currently enrolled in, or recently graduated from, various marriage and family therapy (MFT) graduate school programs in the United States. This study uses minority stress theory and critical race theory to explore the lived experiences of Black graduate students at predominately White higher education institutions. The study sample includes 14 individuals (13 female, 1 male) that identify as Black graduate students in MFT programs across the United States. The study sample consists of seven students working towards a master's degree and seven students pursuing a doctoral degree (PhD, D.A., etc.). Results were analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. The results indicate there are several barriers Black students in MFT graduate programs face including: financial concerns, racism, difficulty practicing self-care, lack of diversity within programs, and lack of support. The results also indicate… [Direct]
(2023). Transforming Early Years Policy in the U.S.: A Call to Action. Early Childhood Education Series. Teachers College Press This timely collection provides an accessible discussion and analysis of some of the most urgent policy issues facing early childhood care and education in the United States: fragmented policy systems; broad disregard for early years professionals exemplified by low pay; standards that fail to increase equity; and overlooking the role community contexts plays in producing or ameliorating social inequalities among children. Contributors draw upon their deep personal experiences with these issues as educators, scholars, and advocates to advance practice-based recommendations for how the nation's inequitable systems can be transformed. Their call to collective action is supported by an accessible and powerful advocacy toolkit that will grow with readers over time and with practice. The text centers the perspectives of Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, with a clear focus on the effects of systemic racism, ageism, sexism, classism, and associated oppressions on early years… [Direct]
(2022). Lest History Repeat Itself: Enduring Instructional Communication Questions for Online and Face-to-Face Formats in the Post-2020 Era of Education. Forum: Online Teaching: Challenge or Opportunity for Communication Education Scholars. Communication Education, v71 n2 p161-163. The COVID-19 pandemic and emergency transition to remote learning prompted communication scholars and educators to explore the challenges and opportunities in online teaching with new fervor. Morreale and colleagues (2021) offered questions about instructional communication competence, learning efficacy, student engagement, and learner-centered course development in online environments to guide these important conversations and research. Considerations of these and related questions require that we examine teaching modalities and instructor–student interactions against the backdrop of heightened sociopolitical tensions and two ongoing pandemics–COVID-19 and racism. However Courtney N. Wright found it surprising that the essay (Morreale et al., 2021) and "Communication Education's" associated call for submissions to this forum did not acknowledge the centrality of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA) issues in this way. As the pandemics accentuate… [Direct]
(2022). Reflecting Back and Going Forward: Promising Pedagogical Practices for Culturally Relevant/Sustaining and Equitable Online Leadership Education. Journal of Leadership Education, v21 n4 p38-57 Oct. According to the U.S. Department of Education's National Center for Education Statistics, in the fall of 2020, 72.8% of U.S. postsecondary students were enrolled in distance education courses–up from 36.3% in the fall of 2019. While this surge may be explained by a number of factors, one of the most significant factors is the COVID-19-induced pivot to online learning. The rapid and intense expansion in distance education due to COVID-19 offered learners some sense of continuity in their studies, but it also revealed stark inequities in learner resources and access–especially for students of Color and students from lower-income households. Further, as COVID-19 spread, the U.S. roiled in a "twin pandemic" of racial injustice that continued to metastasize–spawning more pain-points such as online environments where racism became unmasked when face-to-face norms were abandoned. These revelations about the shadow side of online learning are particularly concerning in the… [PDF]
(2021). From Statements to Action: How Community Colleges Are Mobilizing around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Community College Journal, v92 n1 p19-23 Aug-Sep. Many college leaders watched the disturbing video of George Floyd's murder at the hands of law enforcement officers in spring 2020 and the wave of protests that followed nationwide. That event prompted the question: What can colleges do to create more equitable systems of education for "all" students at our institutions? While the act of releasing a statement condemning the incident and the systemic racism behind it was appropriate, a statement devoid of action is just a publicity stunt. Moving from statements to action can be challenging. This article discusses how Louisiana Community and Technical College System (LCTCS), Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), and Rockland Community College in New York have managed to do so successfully–and the lessons they have learned can inform the work of other colleges…. [Direct]
(2023). Place-Based Pedagogy in a Border Region: A Qualitative Examination of Experiences. Journal of Experiential Education, v46 n4 p390-411. Background: Problematic trends have been identified with student travel that perpetuate hierarchies of power in outdoor recreation. Little research has examined the impact of bias, racism, or political national meta-narratives regarding immigration and people crossing the border on students who enter areas where cultural differences exist. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand how a place-based outdoor recreation experience impacted students' understanding of recreational experiences on a trip in the border region of Texas. Methodology/Approach: Using a constructivist qualitative approach, the researchers provided a group of college students with place-based lessons about the Texas and Mexico border prior to and during a canoe trip along the border. The team then conducted semi-structured interviews to understand student experiences. Findings/Conclusions: The findings from this project suggest that place-based lessons may have helped students refute faulty… [Direct]
(2024). Climbing the Academic Ladder While Black: Exploring the Experiences of Institutional Belongingness for Black Counselor Education and Supervision Doctoral Students at Predominantly White Institutions. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Old Dominion University. Although ample research investigates students' belongingness experiences in counselor education (CE) programs, existing literature only marginally explores the realities of Black master students, and there is a notable lack of empirical attention to Black doctoral students' belongingness experiences in counselor education and supervision (CES) programs. Investigating Black CES doctoral students' belongingness experiences at Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) is critical to understanding how the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Education Programs (CACREP) accredited CES programs can address the troubling statistic that Black doctoral students are least likely to become full-time CE faculty. Consequently, this study utilizes critical phenomenology from a critical race theory perspective to explore how Black CES doctoral students experience institutional belongingness through interactions with institutional agents (i.e., faculty, peers, administrators, and… [Direct]
(2010). The Challenge of New Colorblind Racism in Art Education. Art Education, v63 n5 p22-28 Sep. In this article, the author examines the ways the colorblind ideology shapes the post-Civil Rights society, what is now being called the new racism. She looks specifically at the ways colorblind ideology is produced and reinforced through multiculturalism and visual culture (media). She then looks at how it shapes art teachers' understanding of racism. Drawing on the work of several contemporary artists who challenge the colorblind ideology, the author argues that through new representations of race/racism in the art-world, media, and classrooms, one can shape anti-bias art education practices. (Contains 4 figures.)… [Direct]
(2020). "How Dare You!" African American Faculty and the Power Struggle with White Students. Journal of Cases in Educational Leadership, v23 n4 p115-126 Dec. Higher education institutions are hiring more Intellectuals of Color to diversify their faculty. However, the diverse faculty presents an adverse dynamic between White male students and Black female professors. White students tend to exhibit disruptive, intimidating behavior toward Black faculty. Historical stereotypes, prejudices, biases, racism, oppression, and White supremacist attitudes and beliefs displayed in society express itself in the classroom. Black faculty face unique challenges in comparison with their White colleagues when teaching White students. White students more frequently disrespect and challenge the competency of Black faculty while disrupting the classroom learning environment. Meanwhile, Black faculty must display a high level of emotional labor to cope with the daily stressors…. [Direct]
(2022). The Impact of COVID-19 on College Students from Communities of Color. Journal of American College Health, v70 n8 p2399-2405. Objective: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on daily living, mental well-being, and experiences of racial discrimination among college students from communities of color. Participants: Sample comprised 193 ethnically diverse college students, aged 18 to 25 years (M = 20.5 years), who were participating in virtual internships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional 16-item survey was developed as a partnership between two nonprofit organizations. The survey included both close-ended and open-ended questions assessing the impact of COVID-19. Results: The students of color reported disruptive changes in finances (54%), living situation (35%), academic performance (46%), educational plans (49%), and career goals (36%). Primary mental health challenges included stress (41%), anxiety (33%), and depression (18%). Students also noted challenges managing racial injustice during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Higher education institutions will benefit from… [Direct]
(2019). Subversion or Cooptation? Tactics for Engaging in Diversity Work in a Race-Adverse Climate. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, v3 n2 spec iss 2 Sum. The current lack of awareness and understanding about the work of diversity professionals in higher education manifests into missed opportunities for increasing knowledge, training, and practice for greater impact and may ultimately sabotage institutions' success in their commitments to diversity and inclusion. This qualitative study examines the challenges faced by diversity professionals when engaging in the work of promoting diversity and inclusion in institutions of higher education; how diversity professionals navigate these challenges; and if, and how, race and racism are addressed (or ignored) in their work. Recommendations for both future research and institutional practice are offfered…. [PDF]