ABSTRACT CULTURE, CONTEXT AND CURRICULUM: AN EXPLORATION OF THE ATTITUDES OF BLACK MIDDLE SCHOOL MALES TOWARDS ART EDUCATION by Rita Baker The level of participation and interest in visual arts education demonstrated by Black male students falls consistently lower than that of their White counterparts which manifests itself in under performance and disruptive behaviors. Previous research has explored how views within the Black community towards art education and art related careers have impacted high school and college students. However, those explanations may not be pertinent to middle school, and the scarcity of literature dedicated to how the valuation of art within this racial group influences middle school males suggests the need for inquiry in this area. Based on a constructivist and constructionist epistemological framework grounded in social learning theories, this case study was conducted at a predominantly Black middle school outside of a major southern city. The participants in the study were six eighth grade Black male students between the ages of 13-16 enrolled in a nine-week art class. Initial data collection procedures involved observations in the neighborhood, school, and classroom, a focus group session, individual interviews, member checking, art analyses and a follow up discussion with the teacher. The data analysis was conducted utilizing content analysis, open coding, and axial coding. The findings revealed that opinions were equally divided between students who enjoyed art class throughout the term, and those who expressed boredom. The findings suggest that students’ opinions were shaped by a myriad of factors within the culture, learning context and curriculum. Further, the data implies that goal setting and student interest were connected to students’ participation in art class, while interest in art making diminished between the elementary and middle school years. Perceptions of art class, parental preferences, and the curricular focus of the class proved to be factors which influenced student attitudes towards art instruction. The data advances areas for future scholarship, and recommendations for art educators.

ABSTRACT CULTURE, CONTEXT AND CURRICULUM: AN EXPLORATION OF THE ATTITUDES OF BLACK MIDDLE SCHOOL MALES TOWARDS ART EDUCATION by Rita Baker The level of participation and interest in visual arts education demonstrated by Black male students falls consistently lower than that of their White counterparts which manifests itself in under performance and disruptive behaviors. Previous research has explored how views within the Black community towards art education and art related careers have impacted high school and college students. However, those explanations may not be pertinent to middle school, and the scarcity of literature dedicated to how the valuation of art within this racial group influences middle school males suggests the need for inquiry in this area. Based on a constructivist and constructionist epistemological framework grounded in social learning theories, this case study was conducted at a predominantly Black middle school outside of a major southern city. The participants in the study were six eighth grade Black male students between the ages of 13-16 enrolled in a nine-week art class. Initial data collection procedures involved observations in the neighborhood, school, and classroom, a focus group session, individual interviews, member checking, art analyses and a follow up discussion with the teacher. The data analysis was conducted utilizing content analysis, open coding, and axial coding. The findings revealed that opinions were equally divided between students who enjoyed art class throughout the term, and those who expressed boredom. The findings suggest that students’ opinions were shaped by a myriad of factors within the culture, learning context and curriculum. Further, the data implies that goal setting and student interest were connected to students’ participation in art class, while interest in art making diminished between the elementary and middle school years. Perceptions of art class, parental preferences, and the curricular focus of the class proved to be factors which influenced student attitudes towards art instruction. The data advances areas for future scholarship, and recommendations for art educators.

Black males’ quality of life indicators are at a crisis level. This has been the perception of Black males for many years. The purpose of this study is to understand how exposure to positive prototypes of Black maleness impacts other Black males’ initial perception of their own collegiate academic experiences. This study addresses the following overarching research question: How does the exposure to positive images of prototypes of Black maleness influence fellow Black males’ initial perceptions of their own collegiate academic experiences? This study employs the conceptual framework that is a hybrid of Africana Critical Theory (ACT) and Critical Race Theory (CRT). I used the methods of historicizing of knowledge and the CRT tenets of permanence of racism and counter-narrative accounts. The symbiotic use of the conceptual framework, methods, and research design assists the inquiry into how exposure to positive prototypes of Black maleness may impact academic experiences. The research around Black males has conveyed pejorative findings for over 30 years. The study findings were interesting. The three participants were positively impacted by exposure to positive prototypes of Black maleness. They all conveyed that associations with positive prototypes of Black maleness are necessary; however, the academic impact that these prototypes have is still very much undetermined. A longer span of research might determine how impactful the positive prototypes of Black maleness are to other Black males. One finding was very apparent among the three participants- Black males do like to learn affirmative history about other Black males.