2013 - Academic and Social Barriers to Black and Latino Male Collegians’ Success in Engineering and Related STEM Fields

Attribution: Strayhorn, Terrell L., Long III, Leroy L., Kitchen, Joseph A., Williams, Michael S., & Stenz, Meg
Researchers: Joseph A. KitchenLeroy L. Long IIIMeg StenzMichael S. WilliamsTerrell L. Strayhorn
University Affiliation: The Ohio State University
Email: strayhorn.3@osu.edu
Research Question:
To identify and explore the academic and social experiences of African American (AA) and Latino American (LA) male collegians in engineering and other STEM fields. Specific attention was given to the factors that AA and LA male collegians report as "barriers" to their success in engineering.
Published: No
Journal Name or Institutional Affiliation: N/A
Journal Entry: N/A
Year: 2013
Findings:
  1. Four major themes appeared: African American and Latino American men tend to (1) feel alone and invisible, (2) lack same race peers and faculty members, (3) have difficulty applying theory to practice, and (4) lack the pre-college preparation necessary to succeed in STEM fields.
  2. Participants indicated that they are rarely called upon by name and that many of their comments go unacknowledged by professors, unlike their White and Asian peers who are encouraged by the professor.
  3. With few or no same-race contemporaries or upperclassmen mentors to rely on for support, and a related sense of alienation, the climate in Engineering majors may seem unwelcoming.
  4. When talking about their experiences in STEM, the interviewees noted a few consequences of having few same-race peers and faculty members. These consequences included, but were not limited to 1) lack of identification with faculty, 2) pressure to represent their race, and 3) isolation from both same-race peers, as well as White and Asian Pacific Islander students.
  5. Students may feel alone and unable to relate to others due to differences in culture, personality type, or level of competitiveness.
  6. Interview participants mentioned several difficulties when applying curriculum to practice such as: (a) the style of assignments and time required to complete tasks, (b) boredom with subject matter, (c) few opportunities to practice tasks before taking exams, and (d) having to wait until after sophomore year to take courses within their major.
  7. Interview participants noted that they lacked pre-college preparation for STEM coursework due to: (1) lack of high school resources, (2) study and time management skill deficits, and (3) lack of information about and support (from others) in their interest in STEM.
  8. With the appropriate support, information, and mentoring, students may still succeed in STEM fields regardless of their pre-college preparation.
Scholarship Types: Unpublished Research (Paper at Conference)Keywords: BarriersBlack MalesCollegeEngineeringLatinosSTEMRegions: MidwestMethodologies: QualitativeResearch Designs: InterviewsAnalysis Methods: Content Analysis Sampling Frame:Minority Engineering Students
Sampling Types: Non-Random - PurposiveAnalysis Units: StudentData Types: Qualitative-Cross Sectional
Data Description:
  • In this study, “Information rich” participants were selected for interviews. These are participants who have experiences that align with the phenomenon under investigation (i.e. they identify as Black or Latino undergrads in STEM), and have a capacity to talk about their experiences in some detail. Specifically, all participants shared several important characteristics. All participants had declared a major in engineering or a sub-field.
  • Participants were recruited using a variety of strategies including electronic announcements, college listservs, AA and LA fraternities, as well as the National Society of Black Engineers. This approach yielded 27 AA and 22 LA male collegians majoring in engineering and other STEM fields, whose ages ranged from 18 to 24 years.
  • The primary methods for data collection were semi-structured one-on-one and group interviews. Each interview lasted 90 to 120 minutes. All interviews were digitally recorded and subsequently transcribed by a professional. Prior to analysis, transcript data were organized and stored in NVivo.
  • Data analysis proceeded in several stages using the constant comparison method by reducing a preliminary set of codes into larger themes through an iterative process of reading, categorizing, and comparing categories/codes both within and across transcripts. Several strategies were employed to establish credibility: member checking (i.e., asking a participant to review his transcript for accuracy and completeness), triangulation of data sources (e.g., interviews, demographic questionnaire), and peer debriefing (i.e., researchers talked with colleagues regularly for the purpose of exploring implicit aspects of the study).
Theoretical Framework:
Relevance:Barriers to STEM
Archives: K-16 STEM Abstracts