(2024). Communicating about Diversity: Challenges and Strategies Related to Integrating Race into the Rural Higher Education Classroom. Journal of Further and Higher Education, v48 n6 p567-581. In a country where conversations about race, racism, power, and identity are becoming more commonplace and viewed as a necessity for creating an inclusive society, it is striking that many higher education faculty members struggle to incorporate these kinds of conversations into the classroom. While studies have pointed to a variety of reasons, including faculty members' racial literacy and their White fragility, few studies to date have examined what faculty members from American rural contexts view as obstacles and opportunities in discussing race in the classroom. This study fills this gap by examining what barriers and strategies faculty members from a rural Predominantly White Sea and Land Grant institution engage with when discussing race-related topics in the classroom. Utilising a mixed-methods approach, this study's findings revealed barriers consisting of instructor ambivalence and discomfort, student discomfort, lack of experience with and insight into discrimination, and… [Direct]
(2022). Critical Race Theory and Social Studies Futures: From the Nightmare of Racial Realism to Dreaming Out Loud. Research and Practice in Social Studies Series. Teachers College Press Now more than ever, we need to teach the truth about history. This volume assembles a team of critical social studies Scholars of Color and co-conspirators who share both their nightmares and dreams for the future. The authors engage critical race theory (CRT) and its many branches and offshoots to better understand the permanence of racism in the teaching of social studies. The book's first section, A Dream Deferred, outlines the endemic systemic issues and the ways in which the field and national organizations attempt to remain racially neutral in the face of the biases that permeate curriculum, disciplines, and the world. The second section, Racial Realities in Classroom Spaces, examines the various ways scholars and educators are applying CRT in PreK-12 spaces. In the third section, Possibilities of Praxis, chapter authors critically reflect on their own experiences and stories using CRT to work with young people and future teachers. In the final section, Dreaming of Social… [Direct]
(2024). Decolonising Doctoral Education in an Era of Pandemic. Studies in Graduate and Postdoctoral Education, v15 n2 p185-199. Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on doctoral education. Pandemics throughout history have generated new educational theories and practices, accelerated some trends and signalled the abrupt end of others. The unpredictable effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have particularly impacted upon First Nations and transcultural communities and People of Colour throughout the globe. A second significant recent global trend that occurred at the height of the pandemic was the reignited #BlackLivesMatter (#BLM) protest campaign. This campaign drew attention to the vast inequities faced by black, transcultural (migrant, refugee, culturally diverse and international) and Indigenous peoples and triggered rapid action in higher education institutions against racism and unconscious bias. Design/methodology/approach: This conceptual paper draws upon postcolonial/decolonial theory to demonstrate how the COVID pandemic and #BLM movement prompts us to… [Direct]
(2022). The Lived Experiences of Black Male Students through the High School Guidance Counseling Process: A Guiding Light. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Maryville University. Because Black males have consistently enrolled in college at lower rates than other racial groups, it is critical to continue researching reasons for this racial gap in higher education. In this phenomenological study, participants shared their lived experience, which revealed the following themes: guidance counseling – supportive yet lacking, teacher relationships influencing college attainment, and education through self-actualization. Although the participants did not describe experiencing racism in their guidance counseling process, they explained challenges they encountered because of their race. Implications for future practice consist of bridge programs funded and sponsored by higher education institutions for current and aspiring guidance counselors with a focus on relationship-building skills, and supporting students with choosing and applying to college. The implications for future research are to explore teacher collateral programs and re-classify the roles of high school… [Direct]
(2016). Racism, Equity, and Quality of Education for International Students in South Korean Higher Education Institutes. Frontiers of Education in China, v11 n3 p338-355. This study aims to understand equity issues of international students' learning in Korean higher education institutions by engaging with the issue of racism and identifies how international students in Korea reshape their learning trajectory and how we could provide equitable and quality education for international students. Espousing a qualitative case study design, six students from different background were interviewed to examine features of perceived institutional racism based on their learning experience in Korea. Major findings showed that internationalization has not been fulfilled in terms of engaging with international students although Korean government and higher education institutions have developed relevant policy to attract international students. This study indicates that Korean universities need to reconstruct their social, cultural, and institutional systems to embrace equity, diversity and inclusiveness to empower international students' capacity…. [Direct]
(2024). Loan Debt Burden, Student Experiences, and Livelihood: A Study Examining Relationships between Students' Education Costs, Financial Viability, and Life Impact. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Eastern Michigan University. This dissertation investigates the complex connections among loan debt burden, student experiences, and post-bachelor's outcomes, situated within the framework of systemic disparities in educational funding and opportunities. It identifies declines in state funding across educational levels as a systemic and politicized issue, disproportionately affecting students in underserved and underresourced school districts. The study emphasizes the impact of systemic racism and policymaking in perpetuating poverty through higher education, emphasizing the need for equitable policy establishment. Economic downturns and reduced higher education funding necessitate the exploration of alternative revenue streams, such as endowed funds and fundraising efforts, to prevent increased tuition costs that may limit accessibility. Navigating higher education poses challenges for students accumulating significant loan debt, impacting their life trajectories. Underserved students face unique barriers to… [Direct]
(2023). Global Representations of International Students in a Time of Crisis: A Qualitative Analysis of Twitter Data during COVID-19. International Studies in Sociology of Education, v32 n2 p487-510. International students have been historically valued by universities for their contributions to their host countries. Yet, representations of international students in the general public have become increasingly mixed, an issue likely exacerbated by COVID-19, which has shown increased hostility towards international students. Given the increased reports of discrimination during this period, there is ongoing need to understand how international students have been represented in this specific time of crisis. Our study analysed public representations of international students through Twitter data and qualitative analysis of 6,501 posts made during the immediate COVID-19 crisis (January-April 2020). Our findings confirm competing public representations of international students that changed over time: initially through stereotyping and depictions as assumed disease carriers, shifting to empathy and support after university campus closures. We also outline themes of racism and… [Direct]
(2022). "Following Their Voices": Supporting Indigenous Students' Learning by Fostering Culturally Sustaining Relational Pedagogies to Reshape the School and Classroom Environment. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, v32 n2 p75-90. Canada's colonial relationship to First Peoples was predicated on the imposition of church-run residential schools, systemic racism, and chronic underfunding of education on reserve (Dart, 2019). As a result, the relationship between Indigenous learners, families and the school system is fraught with mistrust, scepticism regarding the purposes of education, and questions about educational success, quality, and achievement (Truth and Reconciliation Commission, 2015). This paper presents findings of a meta-analysis of 11 case studies of public and First Nations-run schools in rural, remote and northern schools Saskatchewan, Canada. These schools are part of an initiative called Following Their Voices (FTV) that has as its objective the improvement of educational outcomes for Indigenous students. In this paper, we describe the FTV initiative and discuss the challenges and facilitators of fidelity to the processes, goals and outcomes faced by schools attempting to implement a complex… [Direct]
(2023). A Comparison of the Perceptions of Need Satisfaction and Need Frustration between Racialized and Non-Racialized Undergraduate Students. Canadian Journal of Higher Education, v53 n1 p16-31. Research has demonstrated that racialized students experience additional stressors during post-secondary education compared to their white counterparts. These barriers can include added institutional barriers, lower representation among faculty, additional stress associated with cultural differences and stigmatization, discrimination, and racism. According to self-determination theory, students who experience an unsupportive or controlling environment are more likely to have lower basic psychological need satisfaction, lower academic motivation, and lower well-being. The current study aimed to examine whether white and racialized students would differ in their perceptions of need satisfaction and need frustration in their learning environment. Participants were undergraduate students (N = 712) from a large Canadian university. A one-way MANCOVA was performed comparing racialized and white students on basic psychological need satisfaction and frustration with gender as a covariate…. [PDF]
(2018). Where Is the Racial Theory in Critical Race Theory?: A Constructive Criticism of the Crits. Review of Higher Education, v42 n1 p209-233 Fall. Critical Race Theory (CRT) from its inception was not intended to be a theoretical framework, but rather a theorizing counterspace for scholars of color to challenge and transform racial oppression. Despite this context, the author demonstrates through a critical literature review that CRT is generally applied as a theoretical framework in higher education scholarship. As a constructive criticism, the author offers a critical theory of racism, hegemonic Whiteness, as an additional tenet of CRT. The author then applies hegemonic Whiteness to CRT, demonstrating how this theory of racism helps CRT work through several of its conceptual tensions…. [Direct]
(2021). STEAM Education for Critical Consciousness: Discourses of Liberation and Social Change among Sixth-Grade Students. Asia-Pacific Science Education, v7 n1 p64-95 Jun. In this case study, we present opportunities science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) education provided to a sixth-grade class. We collected observational and interview data in a language arts and a science class over 1 year. We used the liberation social psychology (LSP) framework to understand students' discourses and discussions as they drew from science, engineering activities, and language arts ideas. Further, LSP allowed us to explore students' engagement in critical reflection of social, racial, and other discrimination. The data analysis showed that STEAM education promoted the integration of science ideas, engineering design, social and critical consciousness. We found STEAM education supported discourses of critical reflection, racism, and social discrimination in class. Finally, we argue that STEAM education in Asia-Pacific and Global South countries has to be about critical consciousness, social change, and liberation of underrepresented groups and… [Direct]
(2021). Applying a Transformative Justice Approach to Encourage the Participation of Black and Latina Girls in Computing. ACM Transactions on Computing Education, v21 n4 Article 27 Dec. Global protests and civil unrest in 2020 has renewed the world's interest in addressing injustice due to structural racism and oppression toward Black and Latinx people in all aspects of society, including computing. In this article, we argue that to address and repair the harm created by institutions, policies, and practices that have systematically excluded Black and Latina girls from computer science, an intersectional, transformative justice approach must be taken. Leveraging testimonial authority, we share our past 8 years of experience designing, implementing, and studying Digital Youth Divas, a programmatic and systemic approach to encouraging middle school Black and Latina girls to participate in STEM. Specifically, we propose three principles to counter structural racism and oppression embedded in society and computing education: computing education must: (1) address local histories of injustice by engaging community members; (2) counter negative stereotypes perpetuated in… [Direct]
(2020). Safe Spaces or Brave Spaces? Re-Envisioning Practical Theology and Transformative Learning Theory. Religious Education, v115 n2 p171-183. The Loyola Institute for Ministry (LIM) developed a method of practical theology for ministry professionals and religious educators rooted in transformative learning theory to enable students to reflect more intentionally and theologically on their experiences in ministry. This study asks, by teaching students to engage in dialogue through transformative learning practices in safe spaces, are religious educators inhibiting the self-actualization needed to confront white normativity and expose white fragility, thus, advancing rather than dismantling racism with our students in graduate programs in ministry and religious education?… [Direct]
(2021). 'And the Creed and the Colour and the Name Won't Matter…' A Response to Dr. Louise Taylor. Psychology of Education Review, v45 n2 p34-38 Aut. Marlon Moncrieffe responds to Dr. Louise Taylor's article on the educational disparities of Black students in higher education. Her reflection prompts him to consider his past as a black British child learning in a dominant white British primary school space. In this article, he has two aims in his response. Firstly, to leave further consideration open to her on the extent to which the experiences of her black social work students on their entry to dominant white spaces of education were any different to black British child that she shared on briefly in her reflections. Secondly, to consider the next steps for dismantling institutional racism entrenched in university spaces. [For the original article, "Seeking Equality of Educational Outcomes for Black Students: A Personal Account," see EJ1316951.]… [Direct]
(2024). Explaining Achievement Gaps: The Role of Socioeconomic Factors. Thomas B. Fordham Institute Significant racial and ethnic achievement gaps exist between students in the U.S. by elementary school, although the underlying causes for these achievement gaps differ. One factor for racial/ethnic achievement gaps is between-group differences in socioeconomic status (SES), particularly exposure to poverty. Moreover, other factors contributing to racial and ethnic achievement gaps include bias, cultural insensitivity, stereotypes, and individual and systemic racism. This study examines the extent to which socioeconomic factors explain gaps in reading, mathematics, and science achievement among racial and ethnic groups of U.S. elementary students. Four macro- and eleven micro-level measures of family background are used to identify factors that best explain these achievement gaps, and analyses include descriptive statistics and regression models. Findings suggest that students' SES and home factors help to explain initially observed racial and ethnic achievement gaps. In many cases,… [PDF]