The purpose of this study was to provide a descriptive case study of the academic achievement of minority male students over a 2-year period. It was conducted at an urban community college district, which is a Hispanic Serving Institution. Utilizing institutional data, the research examined 3,825 male and female students divided into a total of ten cohorts by gender and ethnicity. All students were 18 to 24 years of age, new-to-higher education and enrolled full time. Key findings show significant results for enrollment, departure rates and academic performance for all groups. Male students demonstrated lower rates of enrollment, higher rates of attrition, and lower academic achievement that females students. Significant results were demonstrated among male and female student performance within their own gender group and by comparison to the opposite gender of the same ethnicity. The high departure rate and achievement gaps by students who were enrolled full time, strongly suggests that student engagement, is a profound concern. This study was conducted to identify potential disparities in achievement by gender and ethnicity to provide detailed information to inform the public and promote institutional change. / text

This study on the friendships of young men aimed to explore how young men perceive and experience their friendships. It also sought to understand whether and how young men negotiate issues of care and support in their friendships. The sample consisted of 10 students aged between 18 and 25 years old. The study was guided by a qualitative design. Semi - structured in - depth interviews were conducted with the young men. Thematic analysis was used as the method of data analysis. It was found that young men value elements within their friendships such as the opportunity to confide personal information, receive guidance and empathy from friends. The young men value care and support in their friendships, and these are expressed through both relational and instrumental means. While the young men acknowledge the importance of emotional support, they report that it is a precarious matter which needs to be negotiated within the friendship. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

This study on the friendships of young men aimed to explore how young men perceive and experience their friendships. It also sought to understand whether and how young men negotiate issues of care and support in their friendships. The sample consisted of 10 students aged between 18 and 25 years old. The study was guided by a qualitative design. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with the young men. Thematic analysis was used as the method of data analysis. It was found that young men value elements within their friendships such as the opportunity to confide personal information, receive guidance and empathy from friends. The young men value care and support in their friendships, and these are expressed through both relational and instrumental means. While the young men acknowledge the importance of emotional support, they report that it is a precarious matter which needs to be negotiated within the friendship. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2011.

This dissertation examines some structural and cultural problems that can contribute to the problem of underachievement facing Black, male students in the educational system. A phenomenological approach was used to gain the perspectives of six Black, male educators on this problem. Underachievement problems for these students have garnered much interest in the research literature and in pedagogical debates. It is a problem with a long history from the Royal Commission on Learning (1993) to TDSB Urban Diversity Strategy (2008) the problem continues to baffle educators. Data also presents a dismal picture, with 40% from this group underachieving. Black, male teachers‟ perspectives are significant because presently their voices are limited in the literature. Their perspectives are also influenced by race, ethnicity and gender, and these are issues that impact on the problem being investigated. The main questions of the study are: - What are some Black male educators' perspectives of the role of structural and cultural factors that contribute to the problem of underachievement and school failure for Black, male students? Were these the same barriers they faced and how did they overcome these barriers as students? - How might the narratives of these Black male educators both challenge and support multicultural approach to curriculum that purports to particularly address the problems facing Black, male students? The result of the research indicates that there are structural and cultural factors that can cause underachievement problems for Black, male students. It suggests that an iii integrated approach which acknowledges the influence of both structure and culture could be used as a means for improving learning outcomes for this group of earners.

This dissertation examines some structural and cultural problems that can contribute to the problem of underachievement facing Black, male students in the educational system. A phenomenological approach was used to gain the perspectives of six Black, male educators on this problem. Underachievement problems for these students have garnered much interest in the research literature and in pedagogical debates. It is a problem with a long history from the Royal Commission on Learning (1993) to TDSB Urban Diversity Strategy (2008) the problem continues to baffle educators. Data also presents a dismal picture, with 40% from this group underachieving. Black, male teachers‟ perspectives are significant because presently their voices are limited in the literature. Their perspectives are also influenced by race, ethnicity and gender, and these are issues that impact on the problem being investigated. The main questions of the study are: - What are some Black male educators' perspectives of the role of structural and cultural factors that contribute to the problem of underachievement and school failure for Black, male students? Were these the same barriers they faced and how did they overcome these barriers as students? - How might the narratives of these Black male educators both challenge and support multicultural approach to curriculum that purports to particularly address the problems facing Black, male students? The result of the research indicates that there are structural and cultural factors that can cause underachievement problems for Black, male students. It suggests that an iii integrated approach which acknowledges the influence of both structure and culture could be used as a means for improving learning outcomes for this group of earners.

Educational and public narratives on the achievement outcomes of Black boys in mathematics are too often negative. Contrary to these negative narratives, however, research affirms positive outcomes for students, including Black boys, when engaged in caring teacher–student relationships (see, e.g., Bartell, 2011; Roberts, 2009; Steele, 1992). Considering the growing importance of mathematics both nationally and globally, an investigation into the benefits of such caring relationship is important. But literature specific to caring teacher−student relationships, African American male students, and mathematics teaching and learning is all but nonexistent. For this reason, I sought to uncover the definition that African American male students had of teacher care, and how, if at all, an African American male teacher might influence their perceptions of teacher care. Additionally, I was intrigued with and wished to uncover any influence an African American male teacher might have on African American male students’ attitudes toward mathematics. The purpose of this qualitative study, therefore, was to explore the influence a “successful” African American male teacher had on three African American male students’ perceptions of teacher care and their attitudes toward mathematics. This critical ethnography was guided by an intersection of an eclectic array of theoretical traditions (Stinson, 2009), including care theory (e.g., Gilligan, 1982; Noddings, 1992), critical race theory (e.g., Ladson-Billings, 1998), and culturally relevant pedagogy (e.g., Ladson-Billings, 1992). This eclectic array aligned with both the philosophical foundations of the project and the methodological procedures employed. The project used ethnographic methods—specifically, participant observations and semi-structured interviews—during data collection. Data analysis identified six overarching themes that the participants used to describe teacher care: (a) motivation, (b) culture, (c) confidence, (d) discipline, (e) concern for futures, and (f) environment. The findings of this study suggest that teachers should reconsider the ways they care for African American male students, specifically, in the mathematics classroom, and that a caring teacher–student relationship has a positive influence on African American male students’ attitudes toward mathematics as well as their descriptions and perceptions of teacher care.

It is recognized by educators today that our young people are confronted with many problems during their school years. It is also recognized that these problems should be taken into consideration when formulating educational objectives and planning the curriculum for the school.

With the rapid and steady growth of athletic participation, it is important that student athletes excel in the classroom and on the playing field. However, as the pressures of being a high school athlete grow, educators must seek better ways of supporting student athletes and help them understand the importance of their education. The purpose of the study was to determine if male students who participated in athletics had higher academic achievement mean scores than male students who did not participate in athletics. The study focused on measuring the cumulative grade point averages (GPAs), Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) test scores, and English II end-of-course (EOC) test scores for all male students. A causal-comparative research design was used to examine the differences in the academic performance of the male students who participated in high school athletics and those who did not participate. The research study was conducted using existing data from three high schools in Mississippi for 234 male high school students. There were 118 non-athletes and 116 athletes. Findings from the study revealed there were no statistically significant differences in cumulative GPAs, Algebra I EOC mean test scores, and English II EOC mean test scores for athletes and non-athletes. However, there was a statistically significant difference between African American male students and White male students for the mean scores of the cumulative GPAs and English II EOC test scores. The findings of the study revealed academic achievement was not affected by athletic participation. Recommendations for future research include conducting focused research on African American males and other minority groups and the implementation of high school academic support programs for student athletes.

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Boys to Men: Building Resilience in Young Black Male Students Stuart Rhoden Doctor of Philosophy Temple University, 2013 Will J. Jordan, Ph.D. Chair The main purpose of this research was to help identify persistence as reported by Black male college students who were the inaugural graduates of the Class of 2011 from a predominantly Black, all-male Charter High School in the Mid-Atlantic region. Examining this population of students was significant because too often Black male educational choices have been examined through the lens of deficit models. This study adds to the growing body of data which has begun to identify positive attributes of Black male role models at the secondary and postsecondary level. Identifying relevant factors which helped Black male students successfully navigate through high school despite these traditional challenges and achieve academically, has the potential to give educators strategies to help increase the likelihood of more Black males attaining higher educational achievement. One of the ways young Black males countered the toxicity of negative influences and expectations was through persistence. Thus, despite the fact that these young Black males often had to navigate through a history of racial discrimination in this country, challenges in family structure, low income, and in many cases, extremely violent neighborhoods, communities and schools, they had still experienced positive supports and maintained positive attitudes that carried them through to positive academic achievement. Central to this persistence and positive attitude was trust. In order to create more positive educational outcomes, it is critical to examine why some young Black males succeed in the face of adversity while many of their peers do not. This study was conducted qualitatively through interviewing ten graduates of a predominantly Black, all-male charter high school in the mid-Atlantic region of the country. Interviews focused on subjects background experiences growing up, their high school experiences while at DuBois Charter High School (pseudonym) and their experiences either currently attending or formerly attending college. A group interview with two key administrators, the CEO and the College Counselor at DuBois Charter high school also took place. These interviews provided contextual background information on the participants' high school experience. The significant actors who helped these young Black males achieve and attain positive academic outcomes are threefold; parent(s), peers who attended their high school, teachers and administrators of their high school. Some of the actions these mentors took to help them achieve college attendance included; teaching them how to seek academic assistance when needed, helping them become self-advocates, showing them how to learn from setbacks and move forward, helping them to present themselves in a manner that was both authentic to their culture, as well as to their academic abilities, teaching them to rise above perceived expectations of what it meant to be Black and male, and guiding them through the navigation process in a new, unfamiliar environment and being successful. Conclusions drawn from this study included; 1. Trust was essential to overcoming perceived and real structural inequalities. Educational resilience can only be demonstrated when institutions are willing to provide a safe, nurturing environment which allows for failure to contribute to positive growth. 2. Seeking academic and social assistance from peers and adults was constructive in contributing to increased positive academic achievement. 3. Cultural capital and exposure to an expansive array of experiences can help minimize the negative effects of poverty if done purposefully and reflectively. 4. Family, peers, and individual agency were critical in sustaining persistence throughout the identity development which resulted in the demonstration of resilience. 5. Understanding and nurturing the social-emotional, racial and gender identity of young Black men was an essential component to positive academic and social achievement. / Urban Education