Research focusing on the academic and social experiences of academically gifted, poor, African American male college students has been limited. Recent findings on college persistence stress the role of institutions of higher education in providing educational opportunities. However, research on academically gifted, poor, African American males indicates that this student population has had limited access to these opportunities. Academically gifted, poor, African American males in higher education encounter social and institutional factors that guide the directionality of their educational experience, particularly in engineering disciplines. This study explores perceptions of academically gifted, poor, African American male undergraduate students engineering as a major disciplines in order to identify factors that contribute to academic and social development. Based on participants' responses, seven categories emerge to identify aspects of the participants' experiences in college: (a) self-perceptions, (b) financial obstacles, (c) engineering as a major, (d) family influence and support, (e) peer relationships, (f) relationships with faculty, and (g) the students' perceptions of the institution. Based on the findings, it was concluded that institutions of higher education must understand the various factors (e.g., peer and faculty support, institutional congruence) that influence the academic and social integration of academically gifted, poor, African American male students. Specifically, these institutions must recognize the importance of family involvement, mentoring, and increased financial support for academically gifted, poor, African American male students.

The problem to be dealt with in this paper is the effect of social ridicule on the ego-strength of the individual. In being forced into the restricted social existence common with the alcohol addict, a significant decrease in ego-strength is to be expected.

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This descriptive study was designed to be a detailed, informative study of a group of adult males who have been gamers since adolescence. The purposes of the study are to provide information regarding gaming as a literacy practice and to explore other vernacular technological literacy practices. The study sheds light on the merits of gaming and other new literacies by examining the literacy development of a select group of adult males. This research was centered on vernacular technological literacy practices, the evolution of gaming practices, gaming intersections, and supporting school-based literacy. Through extensive interviews with the researcher, the selected participants disclosed their gaming experiences as both adolescents and adults. They also shared their personal connections to gaming, and the technological literacy practices they are using in their present lives. / Ed. D.

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.

The purpose of this investigation is to determine some of the variables related to parents' stated reasons for institutionalizing mentally retarded males. The variables to be studied are the age, education, and income of the parents and the age, level of retardation, and number of siblings of the child.

ABSTRACT The educational success of African American males is negatively affected when they are raised in a single parent household that is headed by their African American mother. African American males are more prone to becoming substance abusers, incarcerated, school dropouts, or perpetuating the same cycle of creating other fatherless homes. This study was sought to examine the similarities associated the educational success African American men and the impact that their single mothers had on their success. Information was gathered by interviewing ten African American males who have obtained a minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree, were in a management position and were raised by a single mother. This qualitative research method enabled the researcher to learn what factors the single mothers contributed to the educational success of their sons. Each participant in this study offered personal information on the role(s) their mother played in their education. The roles discussed included being a strict disciplinarian, stressing the importance of education, and being an example as it relates to hard work and returning to school to obtain a college degree. This study proves that African American males who are raised in a single parent household can be educationally successful with the constant involvement, guidance, and support of their mother.

Recent research suggests a lack of information about the experiences of first-generation doctoral men who have moved from ground-based education to online education, which can negatively impact program completion for this group. This collective case study investigated the experiences of a group of first-generation doctoral male students attempting doctoral-level online education for the first time, in particular, to identify and develop a deep understanding of their experiences in interacting, participating, communicating, and relating with colleagues and instructors. The conceptual frameworks of the study were connectivism, experiential learning, symbolic interactionism, and constructionism. Data were collected through participant questionnaires, Skype interviews, and blogs, and analyzed using Microsoft Excel, Quicktime software, and NVivo to develop themes and codes that were intuitively constructed by the researcher. The study results provided evidence of limited interaction, participation, communication, group work or collaboration, and personal relationships with colleagues and instructors in online education at the university. Study findings suggest needed areas of improvement for universities, especially as they relate to students feeling more connected to their colleagues and instructors. The study findings can inform the design of practice that impacts retention and degree completion of first-generation doctoral male students who have transitioned from ground-based education to online education.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately 14 million new cases of HPV diagnosed each year (men and women combined). The rate of vaccine administration among adolescent males is much less than it is among females. As a result, the CDC has urged health care providers to work with state and local health care providers to improve the utilization of the HPV vaccine. The purpose of this scholarly project was to develop an educational toolkit, one guided by Ajzen and Fishbein's theory of reasoned action, regarding the value of the HPV vaccine. The toolkit was offered through both online and hard copy formats and provided parents of adolescent males with information regarding HPV, the HPV vaccine, helpful websites, and references. The toolkit's efficacy will be determined by a comparison of annual vaccination rates. This project fills a significant knowledge gap in the scholarly literature, as there were only 8 articles that met the inclusion criteria in the review of literature. It also provides a guide for other outpatient clinics that may want to implement a comparable toolkit.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether Black men experienced empowerment throughout the process of employment preparation. This study also sought to give voice to this population regarding their experience in this process. A definition of empowerment, posed by Barbara Solomon of “empowerment theory”, was used to understand the process of empowerment the study participants may have experienced. Nine African American male former offenders who had participated in a job readiness program, and are 18 and older, were interviewed about the preparation they received, and how they perceived this training effected their pursuit of agency, employment, and recidivism.