Considering higher education, Eurocentric epistemologies have been the paradigm by which all children in America are taught through approved curriculum (Delgado Bernal and Villalpando 2002). America being the most diverse it’s been since becoming a nation one must ponder over the affects teaching such a diverse nation through such a narrow lens has on one’s success concerning African American students self-esteem, self-identity and how it correlates with their academic achievement in higher education. A preliminary study conducted by Walberg & Genova suggest that, “mixed ability grouping, cooperative learning practices, and use of instructional strategies and materials that consider the unique perspective of African American students relate to a positive racial self-concept” (Walberg & Genova, 1983). Namely, the learning styles and strategies of European descents quite differ from African American teachers of Black students’ styles. In 2010, educational research data revealed that the graduation rate of white students is 80% in contrast to 60% graduation rate concerning African American students (Aud, Fox, & KewelRamani, 2010). At any rate, 2008 studies revealed that 32% of African Americans were enrolled in college in comparison to 44% European American students ranging from 18-24 years of age (Aud et al., 2010).

A student’s ability to identify with academia is generally the extent in which the individual’s self-esteem is formed based on one’s accomplishments and goals in school (Osbourne, 1999). In the scholarly journal Non-Cognitive Predictors of Academic Achievement for African Americans across Cultural Contexts Goode and Watson (1992) state, “that feelings of self-esteem or self-worth are necessary precursors for helping students strive toward academic excellence.” As African Americans lead their European American counterparts in higher dropout rates from high school (National Education Statistics, 2002; Osbourne and Walker, 2006), along with being less likely to enroll in colleges after graduating high school (Aud and colleagues 2010). These disparities spark the inquiry of the roots causes of lower academic achievement concerning African American students in comparison to white students. The rate of African Americans academia achievement and reaching higher education will continue to fall short upon their white counter parts.

What are the correlations between African-American academic achievement, self-esteem, racial-identity and the combined role it plays in African-American students attainment of higher education?

Theoretical Framework Analysis

The study was designed to determine two factors: cultural awareness and academic achievement. The present study is measuring academic attainment based on racial identity with a set of qualitative questions. The qualitative questions relate to motivation theory (Boykin & Cunningham, 2002) and teacher expectations theory (Eggen & Kauchak, 2003), because they were designed in order to gauge students’ comfortably within the classroom and with faculty, as well as their personal motivation to learn. The reason this investigation is looking at the participants past perspective on education rather than their current perspective is to gauge how the participants’ present cultural perceptions are impacting them at this present time of our study. Some of them may have newfound cultural awareness which would not have been reflected in their past levels of education.

To gauge cultural awareness, this investigation uses a modified version of the Racial Identity Attitude Scale (RIAS) (Parham & Helms, 1985). However, various questions of the participants’ experience of grade school is based more on racial identity, pride, and self-esteem. Therefore, the study operates from the approach of the worldview paradigm (Kambon, 1999) to gauge the participants’ perception of their past experiences and response to social and cultural phenomena that occured throughout their lives.

Participants

This study focused on a sample population of people in the Bay Area. The only criterions were that interview participants self-identify as Black and 18 years of age or older. The research plan was to interview an equal proportion of males and females, and monitor results as they came in to ensure that they were meeting this proportion. There was no criterion for gender or grade level, although the demographic survey included a section for participants to identify the aforementioned characteristics. The study did not consciously seek out any specific groups of African Americans, in order to present a broad sample group with diverse experiences and backgrounds. Although the original intention was to exclusively interview undergraduate students, high school alumnus and post-graduate students were approached as well.

The majority of participants participated in this study were students at San Francisco State University. The research study recruited participants in classes via personal invitation and e-mail. Instructors were asked for permission to announce the study in their classes. This research approached African American students on campus to distribute the interview, or took their email addresses and contact numbers to send them the demographic surveys electronically prior to the interview that occurred through telephone. Overall, the research study concluded after 25 participants completed the interviews and demographic surveys- 18 males and 7 females. As a result, the number of participants interviewed was a suitable amount of people to gain a general sense of the African American former and current student body in the Bay Area.

Instrument Description

Interviewees were asked to respond to several questions to explore their experiences and perspectives as a Black student in grade school, as well as higher education. Interviewees were questioned to specify their awareness upon African/Black History. Interviewees were asked several probing questions to glean more explanation and clarity. The dimension was associated with mainstream values of identity (pro-White/anti-Black). Due to the curriculum exposed about African/Black history, questions were raised about their own identity of themselves and the crucial factor that it has played in their life. Such dimensions related to encounter (confused White/euphoric Black).

Furthermore, questions were posed referring to their thoughts on the misconceptions of black students, followed by methods they used to combat stereotype threat.  This dimension is level three, Immersion (idealized Black/anti-White)Lastly, in measuring their racial identity, a questioned ask if they have enrolled in Africana Studies courses after their attainment of higher education. Probing questions followed the interviewees response. “Why?” and “How have those classes affected them?” This dimension is the final level measured, Internalization (internalized Black/accepting White).

As a result, Academic Achievement plays into factor from each level that has been encountered. To measure academic achievement, the research study constructed a series of questions that will measure participants’ responses based on the following categories:

Low level: Students who have not excelled out of high school with a diploma, or the equivalent.  Moderate level: These categories would be for students who have surpassed high school with a diploma or the equivalent. High level: These are students who performed to their full potential attaining of higher levels of education despite setbacks.

For questions on the participant’s grade school experience, the study additionally relies on a likert scale, scored according to the following numerical order: (1) strongly disagree (2) disagree (0) neither agree nor disagree (3) agree (4) strongly agree.

Procedure

The interviews were administered through telephone and face to face taken place at San Francisco State University, with a minimum of twenty-five-minutes timed. In particular, locations of these interviews were located in reserved rooms at the library, Cox Stadium, the top of Cesar Chavez building, and through the phone for the matter of the interviewees comfort.

The interviews took place May 9th^t – May 13^th 2016. Once getting their attention with a brief information on the purpose of the research, 20 students were approached on campus to participate in the research study. After reaching out to them through campus, interviewees were given the information of the research, a consent form, and contact information.

Lastly, questions were offered if there were any concerns about the study before and after each participant participated in the research. Participants were noted that the research was completely anonymous and participants were required to answer a series of multiple-choice questions using a likert scale response system from the demographic survey. For this reason, results were recorded and inputted in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Software, which was used to determine the results.